Karmag
DJ | Producer | Photographer
Seeing a photographer at a festival or a night out can instil fear in a person. Some don’t want their sweaty selves snapped at an unflattering angle without the knowledge of where that photo will end up. Others baulk at the thought of their dishevelled figure captured in the dregs of a festival after days of dancing, drinking and little-to-no sleep. But photographer Karl Magee goes about his work discreetly, collecting snatches of time in a way that no one actually cares what they look like because of more intriguing things going on in said photo.
The Irish photographer and DJ has been taking pictures since his late teens, starting with a digital camera before progressing to film. With a long-running love for electronic music, Karl’s photography documents club-based events, festivals and afterparties, catching moments within a split second which range from calm to chaotic and unbridled euphoria.
Music and photography often make the listener or viewer feel something. You can go back in time when hearing a certain track or you can feel a tug in the pit of your stomach when observing an old photo. So it makes sense that Karl is also a DJ, under the alias of Karmag. Not one to follow any specific sound, Karl’s sets meander from breakbeat to screwface rave, most of which he shares with the world via a monthly show on DDR and residency with Notions, for which he is also a co-founder. The night is depicted as a ‘bright and beautiful clubbing experience right in the heart of Dublin’, and the bill of artists who have previously headlined - Moxie, Kornél Kovacs, Conducta, Hunee and Dekmantel Soundsystem to name a few - reflect the sense of free spirit, warmth and vibrancy that the event is built on, much like the visual aesthetic of Karl’s photography.
It will be a while before large-scale festivals return and are considered a socially acceptable gathering to attend, but for now, Karl goes back Dekmantel 2019. He also shares what has been the silver lining for him in the last few months, the benefits of sea swimming and how the below image made it into his ‘Until Then’ book…
Photo: Karl Magee
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it?
The photo was taken at Dekmantel, by the side of The Red Light Radio stage. It was the final day of the festival so everyone was running on fumes, soaking up the last few hours of music across different stages.
The whole weekend we had been racing around stages and after parties and it was only on the Sunday we ended up at The Red Light Radio stage to see Object Blue’s set. With it being the last day, I had my camera in hand ready to capture any final moments and I’m so glad I did! So many times photos will come together in front of you and then pass you by while you’re reaching for your camera. I think I got pretty lucky to capture this moment of two friends setting up their own shot amongst the smoke.
Dekmantel was such a memorable weekend, seeing so many amazing DJs and performers with friends. It is always nice to look back on photos from the festival and other events that summer. I shot five rolls of film that weekend and remember still feeling like I should have taken more. The great thing about festivals in Europe is that they attract crowds from all over and bring people together from different scenes. This meant the festival was a melting pot of nationalities, styles, taste and outfits. Over three days we saw some of our favourite DJs and artists, notably Nu Guinea, Objekt at Temp, Octo Octa B2B Eris Drew and of course Ben UFO in the Boiler Room.
How have you been over the last few months?
It has been super healthy and a quite reflective few months full of music and exercise, with time to work on photography and DJing. That’s definitely been the silver lining of the whole pandemic for me. The chance to put together the Until Then photo book and to put my collection of photos together in a format to share with everyone who have celebrated so many club nights and festivals over the years. At the same time, it has been really frustrating to keep thinking some normality can return for events and then for it to be swept away so quickly by new restrictions or just the general fear of the new added responsibilities we have as people, planners and club goers.
‘Until Then’ documents your favourite photographs from clubs, festivals and anywhere that involves a fat sound-system. What was the experience of putting a book like this together? Did you get emotional at times?
It was an extremely rewarding experience to put my collection of photos together in a book and share it to the world. There was definitely a lot of nostalgia and great memories that ignited this project. A tad emotional for sure, and the added lockdown situation has made me very grateful for the shared experiences I have had at clubs and festivals. The closure of clubs has made me realize how important they have been for myself and others to connect on a regular basis and share interests in music, photography, art or just having the best time sharing stories of life and future plans. The book has been a way to still share clubbing moments and memories in a time when they have been shut. There are still a few copies available here and at Hen’s Teeth!
The act of putting photos to print and constructing a book is so important for a photographer. It is also really easy to do nowadays with so many helpful videos on Youtube. I would highly recommend trying it or just looking into photo books generally. Photo books and print are where images can really come to life. Instagram is great and so good for connecting with people, but a book or print allows viewers to escape from the notifications and get a much more vivid experience with a photographer and their style.
In terms of music, what have you been listening to recently and have you discovered any particular sounds or artists that have helped to inspire or creatively motivate you, or have just added some colour to your day?
I am a big Soundcloud user, so I’m always digging through mix series listening to different styles of stuff. More than ever now, DJs are sharing top draw mixes with so much depth and knowledge. I feel like the bar for the online mix has been raised over the last 6 months. I have really been enjoying more ambient/home listening style mixes from places like Honey Soundsystem, C Minus, Comeme, Blowing Up The Workshop and Juanita’s NYC. One recent highlight would be CCL’s Blowing Up The Workshop mix. CCL just always seems to nail the Soundcloud mix, offering so much style and varied selections. There’s a track in it from Durutti Column called Conduct and it is pure dream guitar, reverb bliss. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard of this band before, the whole album is amazing. It is great to have Soundcloud and collectors like CCL keeping me on my toes!
I have also been digging through discogs a lot more. When I play on Dublin Digital Radio it is mostly new music and when I collect records it is more old music from the 90s. It is a nice balance at the minute and definitely keeps things interesting when searching for music. One can always inspire the other, and lead to more discovery across other platforms like Youtube, Bandcamp and Spotify. This one here was a great find from a seller in Austria. 2003, dub techno, heavy bassline, swinging drums, cosmic textures, bliss!
At this moment in time, how do you feel about the future?
The future we know will come round again, but maybe not for a while. I think the last few months have been about coming to terms with that fact. I always link the future to setting goals and trying to achieve them. More recently with the pandemic I have tried to shift that perspective slightly and match the new pace of life with experiences rather than all out goals. It is less pressure and I think your 20s are a time for collecting different experiences and trying new things without a pressure for them all to work out perfectly with an end goal in mind. I try not to think about the future too much especially now, as it can be a distraction from the action or fun of the present moment. That fun is where you can discover where new avenues of life, goals, and interests may lie. I never picked up a camera to achieve anything, I picked it up because I really enjoyed looking at the photos I could make with it.
Similarly with DJing, I started because it was so much fun to collect and piece music together track by track. Only after this, you see the possible achievements that can follow. That has been a big realisation for me over the last few months and when thinking into the future.
All going well, the other side of this pandemic is the knowledge and skills we have come to learn, on top of everything we already knew worked a treat in a pre-covid world. To me this sounds like the best dancefloor, club or festival there could be and I can’t wait for it!
What’s the one thing that has remained a constant source of comfort for you throughout the upheaval of the last few months?
Only recently, I realised how powerful the sea can be in helping relax, unwind and just declutter the mind. I have enjoyed lots of sea dips over lockdown as well as coastal and pier walks. Last weekend, I was at Inishmore island and that really sealed the deal for me. It was so wild, with an amazing coastline and naturally formed wormhole pool. I think the size, scale and power of the ocean meeting land can really shrink your thoughts and help clear any fog in your mind. I am in Donegal next week with friends and cannot wait to dip back in the Atlantic for a swim and surf. I was looking for new photography ideas since the clubs have closed and this recent trip has definitely inspired me to see more of coastal Ireland and capture it.
Listen to Karmag’s latest DDR here and follow him below:
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