"All that we see or seem, Is but a dream within a dream…"

An illuminating lucid dream brought to life by Melbourne DJ, promoter and designer Nergal Youkhana, AKA U-Khan.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Firstly, could you please tell us a little bit about your journey into electronic music? How/when did the dance music bug bite you and when did that lead to DJing?

My introduction to electronic music was through my job at Quicksilver in Auckland while I was studying at uni. I didn’t like electronic music throughout my teenage years until I heard Mylo - ‘Drop The Pressure’ through the Ministry of Sound compilation. Then when I turned 19, I discovered clubbing and festivals where I was drawn to how a DJ can manipulate a room with the music selection and technique. My curiosity led me to buy some equipment and learn how to DJ, and at the same time I was trying to understand what it meant to put on a party and start my promoting passion. The rest, as they say, is history.

How did you decide to approach your lazydaze mix? Any favourite tracks or moments in there for you? 

I practice lucid dreaming regularly and so I tried to translate this mix based on the dream I had a while back. I had been going through a personal issue and I tried to explore that through my subconscious and my dreaming practice. The result was a poem and this recording, so this was a cathartic exercise to let go of some things.

What setup did you record the mix on? 

2x 1210, 2x cdj2000s, A&H Xone 23.

You made the move from Sydney to Melbourne recently. How do you find the difference, both as a punter and promoter?

The difference is that I get less beach time and more cultural injections on a daily basis. There’s more art shows, more music events and the local live scene is also amazing. That is an extension of how supportive the local government is towards the arts and it’s something that I really appreciate.

The contrast between the two cities and their nightlife is so huge and it makes me sad to know what's happened to the city I loved so much, but ultimately I’m happy with the decision I’ve made for myself as I'm more inspired creatively.

Which artists inspire you in the ambient/downbeat/electronica realm?

There’s so many, but I think the big ones for me would be The 7th Plain aka Luke Slater and Rainforest Spiritual Enslavement aka Vatican Shadow. Their music is what I meditate to sometimes when I go out in and try to connect to nature.

What’s your all time favourite album or DJ compilation in the realm of home listening?

This is a hard one! Again, there’s just too much good music out there, but according to my Spotify “most played” album, it happens to be the Blade Runner soundtrack written by Vangelis, so let’s go with that!

What’s on the cards for the remainder of 2019? 

I’m actually taking a step back from promoting for a few months and concentrating on my design career a bit. I’m trying to connect to my art again through some exciting experiences that are planned for the near future and towards the end of the year.