Tiga

A key figure in the dance music scene, Tiga is a DJ/Producer whose initial steps into the music world revolved around organizing rave parties in his native Montréal at the beginning of the 1990s.

He created his own label, Turgo Recordings, in 1998, and made his debut as a musician with his album Sexor in 2007, which was given the Juno Award for Dance Recording of the Year. He has recently released his second album, called Ciao!. We met up with him…



1. It feels like your new album, Ciao! revisits the Italian disco sound of the 1980s… Am I right?

It wasn’t the idea to make a disco album, but somehow it happened that way. Of course, disco isn’t the only influence: there’s hip-hop, ‘90s techno, a bit of Prince. Ciao! is a real mix of influences and styles…

2. The title Ciao! sounds like an homage to Italy…

It is actually; it occurred to me while I was in the middle of a visit to your country. I like the Italian sense of humor, your ability to take things lightly. It’s an attitude that comes through even in the music produced here. Which it manages to be technically precise while clearly expressing the fun had while was making it! So yes, Ciao! honors the Italian spirit and the desire to experiment with new things, which is a quality I admire and feel as though I share.

3. Gentle Giant and Love Don’t Dance Here Anymore, the two closing tracks, introduce a new sound for you: they’ve got a melodic, pop-like feel. Are you giving us a preview of a new musical direction?

They’re the first tracks not written especially for the Dancefloor, and I must say they’re my favorite tracks on the album. They’ve got a kind of melancholic aftertaste and come from simple, but deeply existential questions. You know, when you begin to wonder about what sense it all makes,…well, that’s really the mood. These tracks could mark a new musical phase for me. Life means change, and it’s natural that my music reflects my life experience.

Read the whole interview in The New Yooxer ..