Witch Trials
DJ | Producer
Witch Trials is a London-based Irish producer and DJ who started out in Dublin’s electronic music scene as a clubnight photographer before playing out in multiple venues across the Irish capital before moving to London, then Berlin and recently back to London - no doubt taking musical influence from all three cities along the way.
Having spent a large amount of his late teens and early 20s working at events on the Dublin circuit ranging from dubstep to techno, Omar’s (aka Witch Trials) productions range from ambient to jungle and can get caught in the middle of wonky electronic beats. His DJ sets tend to be tug of war between broken, distorted beats and driving experimental techno; it’s impossible to really pinpoint what category Witch Trials fits into as an artist, which is why some of his bookings have included everything from a warm-up slot for SNTS in London to a closing set after D.A.V.E the Drummer in Berlin.
The idea of moving cities in the middle of a pandemic can sound stressful but for Omar, this is a time to engage in his creative side again while continuing to work on the label Sciatic which he has become heavily involved in. Berlin’s HÖR Radio hosted the imprint in December so if you want to get an idea of what Witch Trials is about, you can listen here for a full whack of jungle, breakbeat and UK techno.
The below memory was taken last year on a rainy afternoon in London which Omar tells us more about as well as some solid advice on how to stay well and productive at the moment…
Where was this photo taken and why did you pick it?
Raymundo from Jaded took this photo outside Corsica Studios in January of 2019. Starting at The Cause where I played B2B with Ceílí then onto Jaded for a 'Ceílí Collective' Room 2 takeover. Ôneyra, Niamh and Finn were also on the bill at The Cause and came to Corsica after so it was a full house of good mates. I think this photo sums up my mood at the time pretty well.
What are you listening to at the moment if you’re working from home or if you’re still working out in the world, do you have a soundtrack to accompany your journey?
To be honest my working life (since I left school) has always been very unpredictable and varied, I've tried my hand at a lot of different stuff. Sometimes I've just jumped on opportunities that presented themselves without ever really thinking about the future of it too much, like doing freelance photography. I helped put a new floor down in an old parish hall in Clapton this week, I didn't know I'd be doing that 2 weeks ago so I'm thankful for life (and some good pals keeping me in mind) for throwing a few lemons at me when things might not be looking so positive for a lot of people right now. I'm focusing as much as I can on music to be finished and released this year as well as other projects I'm working on with Ôneyra such as the label 'Sciatic' and our 'Dancing Pigs' party.
The club culture coming to halt has really opened me back up to listening to the music that got me hooked when I was younger and music I may have missed from those eras. I've picked up collecting vinyl again recently which gave me a total burst of love and excitement for music after trying to give my focus to my personal life and the changes to come ahead. I buy a lot of music on bandcamp too but I love the ritual of digging and just taking time out to listen to music that you might not come across online.
I'm a massive Dubstep and Jungle/DnB head. I listened back to Hatcha's 'Dubstep Allstars' mix recently and that gave me so much inspiration. What a fucking masterpiece....
Also Calibre's album 'Spill' from 2013 just takes you away, whether you’re into that music or not there's something so human and emotional in those tracks. Give your ears a treat, put that on from start to finish.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, do you have a go-to track or style of music that significantly lifts your spirits?
If I am feeling low or a bit under pressure I can find it a bit too overwhelming to listen to music. I used to shuffle Burial's discography on repeat when I was in my teens, feeling alone and lost in the world, cycling anywhere on my bike to just have some space. I hadn't started making music properly yet but I was still practicing the drums and guitar. These days if the claustrophobia of my own head is getting too much, I have to try and write music. Usually in these moments I make something very quickly and without thinking about it too much (although I've only put out a couple of those tracks). Style wise it can start anywhere really, often I start with something ambient and try go from there but I cant say I have a 'go-to'. More than anything I try to be as creative as possible in making what it is I'm trying to say.
Ambient/Downtempo mix
https://soundcloud.com/witchtrialsmusic/the-soundtrack-to-my-reoccuring-dream
Like photography, music was initially a language to me that I could self express with in ways that I hadn't really learned to do with people. Whilst these days I am trying to show off what I can do with productions for a forthcoming EP (hopefully out this year), expressing thoughts and feelings that are difficult to express is often at the core of anything I make. More than anything I try to cook everyday, especially for people around me. There is a great feeling in putting your heart into a plate of food and then watching it get destroyed. If the people eating it actually enjoy it I feel creatively satisfied before even going near my laptop. To me there's a wholesome philosophy in doing that.
How do you intend on celebrating once we’re out the other side?
I'm really keen to do some crate digging when the shops open up again, I've always found myself coming away very satisfied when I'm shopping for vinyl in London. I'm not much of a Discogs head or anything I much prefer to spend a few hours in a shop going through everything. Rye Wax has been nailing it every time I'm there. Big vibes going on in them bargain buckets!!
I also really enjoy hosting parties and doing events, so I'm mainly just looking forward to having people over for a dinner party, getting the decks setup and catching up with friends. Hopefully we can program the next 'Dancing Pigs' party in the near future too
Any tips on how to look after your mind and body during this slightly stressful time?
What you choose to do with your time seems to be very important right now, especially for people that are used to routine and schedule. As artists and freelancers, we have been preparing ourselves for a situation like this for many years now, without even realising. Every day trying to figure out what it is you want to do and how to do that, day fading into night over and over again trying to find your sound and artistic identity. I think now is a great opportunity to give your hobbies and passions some extra love, try to push and challenge yourself.
If you don't have a passion or creative hobby, maybe now is a good time to explore that within safe spaces and potentially learn something new about yourself. Not everyone is going to be too keen on not leaving the house but I think getting some fresh air and stretching out a few times a day is necessary for keeping everything in check. Don't get too stressed about everything that's going on if you can help it, all of this will blow over eventually and the things we have probably taken for granted will be enjoyed and appreciated so much more.
I’ll leave you here with a preview to a forthcoming release on the Ceílí Collective VA 'Speed Bumps', out April 24th on cassette and digital.
Listen and download to Witch Trials’ ‘Intern’ EP for free here and follow him below: