Endless optimism for 2022

For Joel, the new year will be a year of reinvention. “Agile and proactive artists are ready to come forward with new music, which, inevitably, will feel different,” he tells us from Berlin. “I, personally, hope for very physical, sweaty, and energetic disco basement parties – exactly how I remember them.”

To Joel, nothing is more uplifting than music; it’s an invigorating escape. The pandemic, he thinks, created a greater appreciation for artists and their contributions: “If this consciousness remains and more people participate in their local scenes, there is great optimism and togetherness to be celebrated,” he says.

Joel reminisces about visiting places like Tbilisi, Georgia: the ecstasy of a city or scene when it is undergoing a period of cultural growth. “I was let loose on the streets of Tbilisi with the singular goal of going out, meeting locals, and ultimately weaving their music and art [into our project]. I found some truly friendly, talented youth everywhere; everything felt so genuine.” Travel – fleeting moments on the run, being pushed out of his comfort zone, and engaging in unexpected relationships – had always enriched his life. He welcomes any opportunity to see his international peers: “I am like a sponge: eternally fascinated by the working methods of DJs, musicians, and producers, and the spaces, clubs, galleries, and festivals they build,” he says.