Volvox
DJ
Volvox is a type of organism from the Volvocaceae family. Invisible to the naked eye and homed in the depths of ponds and bogs, the single-celled species forms spherical colonies of up to 50,000 cells and flits through the water in spinning movements thanks to its lash-like tail, propelling it further into the underbelly of aquatic pools. Fast, flexible and symbiotic - like the aesthetic of the New York-based DJ Volvox, who plays under the same name as this tiny but powerful organism.
With a collection of spiralling electro, punchy techno and vintage EBM as her mechanism of choice, Volvox has played several emblematic dancefloors across the globe, counting Berghain in Berlin, Moscow’s Mutabor, Dublin’s Tengu, New York’s Bossa Nova, fabric in London and many more. As a DJ, Ariana aka Volvox holds a malleable sound which has allowed her to share her bills with a range of sonically diverse artists, from Paula Temple and Marcel Dettmann to Mike Servito and Eris Drew.
Ariana was enjoying a busy but hectic schedule every weekend before Covid-19 came on the scene. The last few months have proved a testing time for everyone on the planet, and Ariana has found some days particularly bleak while others have offered glints of hope.
The below memory marks a seminal moment from Ariana’s evolving career, and she recalls it in more detail, as well as sharing how she feels about the US election (our interview was recorded on the cusp of results day). She also talks about how she has coped throughout the year so far, the latest art books sitting in her library and more…
Photo: Camille Blake
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it? What was the music vibe at the time?
This photo was taken at Arena Club in Berlin, Summer of 2018. I chose it because it's the only evidence of me playing in Berlin as otherwise photos are forbidden! Berlin is my second home and I am close with the Pornceptual crew who hosted this Boiler Room session.
The musical vibe of the night was heavy techno but I switched things up a bit with more of an electro vibe.
How have you been over the last few months and what's life currently like in New York?
It has certainly been up and down. In the beginning I still had so much momentum from touring I just kept collecting music and recording podcasts and streams. About 4 months in that steam ran out and I fell into a depression. Maybe it was also a time of internal transformation and growth. It took a while to snap out of it but eventually I realised that my time was my own no matter what was happening in the world and I felt motivated again to work on music and be creative. Life in New York is definitely slower these days than I have ever experienced since moving here in 2011, but I have come to enjoy the time to read, garden, deeply reflect on my personal direction and explore new paths.
Have you learnt anything unexpected about yourself and/or the music scene since the pandemic arrived in March?
I have to say that I now realise that the music scene is a lot more fragmented than I thought before. When we all partied together there was more of a sense of collective community. Now everyone is in their own little pod and it can feel quite alienating. When we only experience people's online personas it's easy to lose sense of our shared humanity.
Over on Instagram, you've shared pages from art books. What art book has made an impact on you recently? Also, who is it by and why?
The latest book I bought is called ‘Love Bites’ by Della Grace (now Del LaGrace Volcano), a genderqueer artist and photographer who documented butch lesbians in the early 90s. It's amazing to see how familiar these photos from 1991 feel in relation to our underground scenes today. I have always felt inspired by masculine women and the space between genders so this book was a no-brainer to add to my collection.
In your interview with Borshch magazine, you mentioned your interest in exploring new ways to visualize techno because 'techno can seem to be devoid of overt meaning and reference because it is so minimal by nature' and how this pushes you to develop new ideas in techno aesthetics. Have you since come up with any ideas or gained inspiration over the last while?
For a while now I have been exploring the relationship between nature and techno, where they connect and how they can inform each other. I have been collaborating with different artists to help bring these ideas to life over the pandemic and I'm looking forward to sharing the results of these inquiries as time goes on!
At this moment in time, how do you feel about the future?
As I'm writing this we are one day ahead of the Presidential election in the USA so things are definitely uncertain. The results of this election will have tremendous consequences for the whole world so I am hoping for the best. All I can do is meditate on a positive outcome and keep my creativity alive.
What has been a constant source of comfort for you during the year so far?
I have always relied on food for comfort and as a New Yorker eating out is part of my daily life. Although my budget doesn't allow for ordering as often as I used to, I still take time to enjoy my favorite restaurant meals: Thai Panang curry, Mexican tortilla soup and fish tacos and a nice wood-fired pizza really hit the spot. Plus it's important to support these businesses so they can survive the pandemic!
Listen to Volvox’s latest mix for Rinse FM here and follow her below: