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Artist: Side Liner
Label: Cosmicleaf Records

This is the english version of Side Liner's interview to Ashoka Team,
a chillout society from Poland.
The polish interview can be read here:
http://www.ashoka.com.pl/side_liner.html

1. Could you introduce yourself shortly? When and why have you started your ‘adventure’ with electronic music?

Hello dear Polish music mates, here is a brief introduction of myself. My name is Nick Miamis producing downtempo music as Side Liner, doing also the management of Unicorn Music and Cosmicleaf Records of CUT music label group. I live in Athens Greece since I born before 30 years. I am within electronic music since 1994 as listener, with a big love in goa and acid trance. I start producing my own music since 1997 and did my first cd releases since 1999 under other projects in goa/psychedelic and melodic trance genre.

2. We know that you have started with goa/psychedelic trance in the begining of your career. After 2004 you have changed your style, can you tell us why? Do you prefer downtempo music?

Yes, Side liner created on 2004 with first release on Chill on Ice, I create this project because of my need to slow down my productions under 120bpm and have a more freedom in production and inspiration. Chill out music has no border, that’s why is essential and timeless comparing with dance music industry that put specifications in genres and styles. In dance music you have to make them dance, in chill out you can make them dance or just to sit and dream. This freedom make downtempo artists to give their full inspiration in productions, that’s why chill out fans are more timeless and still supporting that kind of music years after. I always loving chill out music, I firstly discover that music with some downtempo tracks on goa albums which I found them really interesting, tracks from Miranda, Astral Projection, Pleiadians etc. Time to time and as I growing up I found my self to listening more chill out than dance, now I am a big fan of this genre!


3. Let me first focus on your labels. I know that you are a founder of Unicorn Music and its sublabel Cosmicleaf Records. Why have you decided to create a new label just for chillout music?

Yes its truth. I got that decision because I didn’t wanted to mix up Unicorn Music catalogue which is more dance, with the new chill one. I wanted to make a trademark connected with chill out, when someone thinks Cosmicleaf he knows what to expect. Unicorn Music is “addicted to dancefloor” as our motto says and Cosmicleaf delivers “Music with attitude”.


4. Cosmicleaf Records is one of the best psychill label in Europe or even in the world. What is the key to your success?

Really? I am not sure if cosmicleaf is one of the best psychill labels around but we face listener’s support and feedback to continue what we are doing. In first time that cosmicleaf was born, we wanted to make a solid team that will last in future and to be identified from our unique sound and roster. We chose the difficult way to work with a roster of unknown artists and make them known, than invest to known artists. We don’t fear challenges and be different. With almost all of our artists we work closely since the beginning. Our cosmicleaf roster now can be described from artists like Zero Cult, D. Batistatos, Side Liner, Will-O-‘-The-Wisp, MLT, Cydelix, Sunhize and recently Kick Bong, all with their unique style. My dream is to be able to have annual albums from all my artists, of course life sometimes delay our projects and some artists they don’t have the free time that they wish for doing that. Music is more a hobby than a job for living. Now, 5 years after creating cosmicleaf, I am happy to see this roster earning more listeners and respect.

5. So can you tell us what we can expect in the near future? I mean new albums, compilations related by Cosmicleaf? Any surprises? Nova natura 4?

You can expect many albums in future from cosmicleaf, albums are timeless comparing with compilations and that’s why our label invests more to artists now. Also there are other labels out there that we license our catalogue for making compilations as YSE, Tranceport and Soulcandi to name few. Now we are working on new albums from Zero Cult, D. Batistatos, Kick Bong, Cydelix & MLT , I already have start working on next Side Liner album. Sure surprises may come but I will be more sure for new releases during summer, we have enough work to do before that! I always think of a Nova Natura 4, but it’s not a high priority for now, I want to give more release space for my artists’ albums.

6. I mentioned about Nova Natura, I have read that this is a name of popular radio program which promote chillout music in Greece. Is it true?

Yes it’s true. It was a project to make the chill out music more familiar to Greeks and promote fresh music. Unfortunately I forced myself to pause that project because I don’t have the time to keep it on. It was a weekly project in 6 Greek radio stations around Greece and 2 online. But you still can catch some shows at www.di.fm and almost all on www.bassline.gr


7. As a manager of Cosmicleaf Records how you do choose tracks for a new compilation? Is it a hard task? Tell us what for example Polish young producers have to do if they want to have a place on compilation/album related by your label?

The only hard task is the delays of artists to deliver the tracks sometimes ;) , I first request good music from our usual roster and our sister label in Tempest Recordings from Australia, then I follow up for any good demo submissions I have from artists out of label. Since we focus on albums right now is more possible an album by new artist than a release in a cosmicleaf compilation. We shall do new release plans in Summer 2009, so if there are any good ambient chill albums out there, mark the date and get in touch with www.cosmicleaf.com . We shall need at least one new artist to refresh our roster and be part of our timeless team. We don’t face up our artists like a fresh product who getting old after but like a timeless product, we want to build up something after years and the proof is our solid roster. I have listened many good albums out there, but I cannot release them all. I wished music market was bigger and label was my living job to do that.


8. Now I would like to now more about your project Side Liner. What are your inspirations? Who are your favourite artists?

I usually inspired from daily facts, things that happening, happen now or will happen in future from human activities. Most of things out there are not so good, that’s why most of my music gets into melancholic side. I usually follow each production with a thought to describe the inspiration and worries behind the music. Listeners who have my cds shall have read these thoughts in my cd booklets. I follow up many of the releases of psychill scene and updating my cd collection, beyond that scene, I am a big fan of Conjure One, Enigma and Schiller.


9. What about other giant labels like Ultimae or Interchill Records, do you treat them like a rival or you are in good relationship?

If exists any label out there that treat rest like rival, then he has lose the game, scene is too small for such small behaviors and needs contribution from all. Music is not a wrestle game and when a label fall down whole scene falls down. I have a huge respect for these labels, and many others. That for many reasons and of course because were years before Cosmic leaf born. With this opportunity I want to thanks once more Ultimae Recordsfor supporting our catalogue in first steps. For those that don’t know, Ultimae distributed our first 2 releases “Chill on Ice” and “Fragile Life” before setup a deal with Arabesque.

10. Your new album is available right now. How long have you worked on it? What are the differences between Crying Cities and your previous productions (Once Upon A Time, My Guardian Angel or Emotional Diving). What is new on this album?

Yes is available in both formats, CD & Digital downloads. I worked on that over 8 months, I usually start working a new album after the release of the old. I want to keep releasing annual albums, because as I listener also I hate when I m waiting years for a new album of my favorite artists. Also want to have plenty of time for a better production and good promotion. Crying Cities is more solid as production comparing with old albums and perhaps more melancholic with a touch of suspense. Also is a scream for what happen in big cities and in world right now, future is unknown, especially for youth who just start dreaming. I think Groove Magazine in Australia described best this album “…Crying Cities is a trusty companion as you sleepwalk through a domain of rasping beats, velvet synths and diabolic rushes and out into the cold unknown future....”


11. Which your album or track/song do you like most and why?

I like them all for specific reasons, but if I had to choose few, I mark my collaboration with Red Eye Express “Camera Obscura” I love his deeply melancholic touch. “2222 (Prostranstvo 2008 mix)” because I still remember the people who were dancing in forest under the rain with that track in Moscow. “Highway Dreams” because relaxes me when I am stuck in city car traffic! And of course “Crying Cities” which was the inspiration for all tracks that followed. Also the mysterious and dancing “Urban Haze” with Secret Sound Labs, a Belgian artist who won the collaboration contest I did for this album last summer.


12. How do you estimate a psychedelic stage in Greece. I used to be in Aurora Festival this year, line up was amazing especially the chillout stage but unfortunatelly without you, why? What is your opinion about this festival?

Hopefully with all these difficulties for open air festivals in Greece, we still have a huge solid festival every year. Aurora hit the Greek scene in 2008 and now returns more refreshed for another great festival experience. Especially the chill out line up is extraordinary fantastic! Regarding your first question, I have not received any request to play in Aurora 2009, only in 2008 they approach me to play forAurora 2008 but didn’t have any reply after. I play always were I am invited by promoters, than seek myself gigs, I believe when a promoter interests on an artist he invite him. I don’t like the idea of disturbing a promoter to bring me on. So I keep that time for making music and manage labels. Music production and label management are my high priorities. But you shall be able to enjoy cosmicleaf sound in Aurora by Kick Bong and dj ZawHeR. So don’t miss this great opportunity to visit Greece and maybe the best chill out line up in Europe till now. But for people who interesting to visit Hungary this summer, I shall play at Bakony 2009 early July.I would love to see you there.


13. Are psytrance, goa, and psychill popular in your country?

Psytrance and Goa surely is. We have lot of events every month with international line up. With exception the big chill out line ups of Aurora, I couldn’t say that psychill is quite popular here, psychill events are rare here (1-2 every year). Even if Cosmicleaf is a Greek label our top countries in sales and listeners are Russia, USA, UK, Italy, Germany and Australia. Last year we get increasing support from Poland (yes!!!), Switzerland and China (!!!).

14. Do you know anything about Poland? Maybe you have heard about our artists like Kino Oko, Aural Planet, Sundial Aeon, Tromesa?

Recently I discover more about your country, some of the reasons are my good polish friend and blogger Costa (http://costa.kofeina.net) and a polish eshop who supports our label releases (www.nobient.pl). But regarding artists I had discover Poland years before, yes I know these artists and in fact I am huge fan of Aural Planet, have playing lot of their tracks in my Nova Natura shows. I love their style, they have a unique sound and rhythm.


15. You used to play in many huge parties, festivals and psychedelic events. What do you feel if you play live for hundreds (thousands) of people?

It’s a complex feeling of sadness and happiness, sadness because I cannot joy my music with them in stage or understand what they think or dream as they dance and happiness because I see people enjoying and smiling with my music. After all that’s the purpose of music. To make you smile, think, dream and move your body.


16. What was your best party ever and why?

My 18th birthday party because I was able to drive and buy a car!
Ok, be serious now, my favorite party was my dj support on 5 may 2006 to Astral Projection in Athens and that because lot of my close friends and listeners had come and we are all like a big dancing family in stage. What a great feeling!


17. I have to ask you about your studio? What do you use?

My studio is a simple one (PC, Monitors, Midi Keybord, Sound Card), I produce music with software synths and my favorite hardware is my Pulsar Creamware soundcard and her awesome plugins.


18. What do you do when you don’t work on music? What are your other interestings?

I work for my boss . I am doing electrical engineering for a living, but in my free time I like to read books (Stephen King, H.P.Lovecraft, J.R.R. Tolkien my favorites one) , playing board games with friends (those of Gigamic my recently favorites one), and walking out with my fiance.On Sundays i enjoy my newspaper and cooking a good food.



19. Would you like to play in Poland some day?

I would love that!


20. So do you want to say anything to your fans in our country?

Best wishes for health and happiness to you and people you care about and don’t hesitate to get in touch for a feedback, hello or just complain for this big interview!


Thank you for this interview, we wish you all the best and waiting for your new productions.

You are always welcome and thanks for this opportunity.
Sunny greetings from Athens, Greece.
Nick Miamis aka Side Liner