After a brief hiatus to concentrate on the more important things in life such as the World Cup and dancing in the streets as the sun rises and testing the levels of our jaegermeister toleration the much vaunted Slutty Fringe Mix Series kicks back into life with a selection courtesy of ZNTN.

The London based Producer and DJ hails from Lisbon and has an impressive streak of remixes under his belt for the likes of Clouded Vision, Au Revoir Simone and Alice Russell as well releasing a superlative debut EP on Astro Lab. ZNTN has also recently started the podcast How The Other Half Lives which tasks esteemed DJs and producers with selecting tracks from the music they love as opposed to the music they are compelled to play in front of a throbbing dance floor. An excellent concept which to date has drawn contributions from Andy Blake, Todd Harte, Ivan Smagghe and Matt Waites amongst others.

ZNTN has delivered a mix that drifts with intent through several genres and it’s one of our favourites to date. As per ususal, we engaged in a not so vigorous bout of email tooing and froing to seek ZNTNs opinions on night life in Portugal and London, his favourite labels, future plans and productions and even managed to avoid any particularly stupid questions.

Slutty Fringe: Lets start off with your name – ZNTN is quite distinctive what does it mean how did you come to it?

ZNTN: It’s a literary reference from a Douglas Coupland novel, the main characters were selling all their possessions and moving to another state (in the US) to start all over and re-buying everything – the name ZNTN derives from a in-joke in the book

What’s the music scene like back in Lisbon, I gather you were involved in several nights that broke local talent and later had some recognisable names as guests?

The music scene is Lisbon is not as diverse as the one in London as one would assume. A few years back it was overrun with deep/tribal house nights and then a rock scene completely out of touch with the dance scene. I had maybe a handful of local big DJs I cared about and mostly fed on international podcasts like Trash, Ourdisco, Optimo, Glimmers etc – so based on that me and a few friends started doing nights which broke some genres in like electroclash (firstly), then nu rave, and other subgenres – mostly flirting between rock and electronica.

As more diverse nights started popping in, that group of around 10 DJs fell apart and most of them are now linked to several promoters and venues through Portugal. After moving to London I started a new more underground night back in Lisbon with Photonz and Mario Joao that brought people like Andy Blake, Kruton, Skull Juice, Helium Robots, NikNikNik etc.

Nowadays it’s much easier to find a place in Lisbon were you can hear jack, nu disco, deep, rock – maybe not the most popular nights or best DJs but I like to think I did something to help it get to this stage.

Also the recent balearic/downtempo/disco/ ambient (whatever you which to call it) revival is getting a lot of support from the downtown pubs and bars as I think it suits well the relaxed, Mediterranean feel of Lisbon as well as the very harsh DJ laws back in Lisbon which force people to use mostly vinyl as it’s impossible to prove you have legal Mp3s on a CDR – so to prevent fines the small clubs tend to only use decks.

You’ve been in London for three years now, and your productions have come on a lot lately, with a debut EP for Astro Lab how did you nab a remix out of Shit Robot?

I met Shit Robot a couple years ago being mutual friends with Optimo, Laurent (Astro lab) was quite into my productions and we threw a few names around for the remix and I got in contact with him and let him listen the track.

The remix was done around a year ago but the pressing/distribution had so many problems that it got hold back until this year – if you notice there were no Astro Lab releases for over half a year – luckily Shit Robot is on fire now with the new remixes and new album coming out and I think we rode that wave a bit.

I think Astro Lab has an amazing ear for artists being one of the first to pick up Pilooski and now having the Shakir single at the same time he did his 20 year “best of” backed by Osbourne and Photonz…

What’s on the horizon with regards to remixes and productions?

I’ve been doing quite a few over the last year and am trying to tone it down a bit as I want to concentrate on less releases and have now more DJng to do. I’m now doing a remix for the next Astro Lab as well as a new single and also starting a remix for a Greek band and that’s enough work for now as I have a day job! They are all supposed to come out this year and all on vinyl. Also trying to start a couple side-projects with other artists, I’m quite interested on seeing other people’s approach to music and so far I’ve been doing it by myself. Also an edits compilation with various artists from Astro Lab and official releases for my Cold Pumas and Detachments remixes.

Talk us through this mix; is this a 60 min snapshot of a ZNTN DJ set right now?

Honestly I don’t think it is, it does show a lot of the diversity of tracks I like to play but without a crowd it never gets the same flow. I guess you can call it a snapshot of my DJ bag. But when playing I tend to adapt more and do a bit less diverse – although never just one genre!

You can see some of the latest albums I’ve been hearing like minimal wave compilations, the hypnotic brass ensemble full length, some 60s British invasion, some 80s pop and not-disco, some recent edits of classics, some curve-balls (like Ramadanman), some favourite producers (Joakim and Ivan Smagghe). And of course a couple of tracks of Portuguese producers and friends - edit don social disco club and leftfield techno heads Photonz.

Where can Slutty Fringe readers find ZNTN DJing?

I’m starting a new night on Wednesdays at the Lock Tavern with Whiskey Tears’ Jerome called Various Artists which is a more pub/weeknight party/listening vibe – first one being on the 21st July. Not a lot more bookings at the moment with the usual slow summer but I’m finalizing the details to play at a festival in Paris in September. Also trying to pick up a couple other residencies, one in Dalston with friends from Defunk/TheBeat and planning another with a great local DJ/friend – Matt Walsh.

I’d like your opinion on where London nightlife is right now? There seems to be an outside perception of gloom but personally I like the fact a lot of smaller venues (CAMP, The Drop) are popping up under the radar – your thoughts?

I like it a lot! Not being a snob I think people go there for the music because they know what’s going on and not just because it’s Friday night like the huge venues that are closing … personally I feel the big venues treat people like cattle and I’ve never been to most – I grew up on dodgy venues and punk shows so I like the vibe of small nights with a small but good crowd. I think music always moves in cycles and as the clubs like Durrr, OurDisco and many more died and Shoreditch is getting closer to be the new Soho people are trying to get some heart back into club nights.

I’ve been checking out your new podcast quite a bit recently and I find the concept really refreshing as you don’t generally get to hear these types of DJs discussing songs – what’s the reaction been like and where would you like to take this?

The reaction has been great on the DJ side, I think most of them didn’t get to where they are today playing club bangers and have huge record collections they would love to show to people – their other non-club side. Also the mixes are short, uncomplicated and unmixed which lets people squeeze them in the producing/djing schedule or use it just to unwind from the piles of dance podcasts they usually do. Not sure where I want to take it in the future, just enjoying the mixes and loving finding out about new music and hope other people are enjoying it too.

Following on from your podcast, what music/bands typify your non club side at the moment?

I buy a lot of records … a few recent ones I bought were an Husker Du reissue, Caribou, Ariel Pink, Final Fantasy. I think my teenage years were more based around American bands either indie, rock, punk, hardcore and my latest years around more British music like British invasion, new wave or post-punk thus my move here

What labels are really doing it for you now?

Oh dear, I don’t really see myself buying stuff regularly from the same labels – I’d say for the next 5 minutes it will be Flashback, Tiny Sticks, Popular People’s Front, Dirty. And of course Astro Lab and some plugging for Photonz’s brand new label One Eyed Jacks.

Finally, what was the last record that gave you goose bumps?

I think it’s the one I used to finish the mix, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - sounds like a jazz pop group or so… nothing beats originality. On the dance side… maybe Jamie Jones’ remix for Deniz Kurtel on Crossover Rebels and Peter Gordon & Love of Life Orchestra on DFA (I’m a huge Arthur Russell fan).

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Slutty Fringe Mix Series:  ZNTN

Linear Movement – Way Out Of Living
Dorothy’s Fortress – Westworld (skit)
Everything Everything – Schoolin’ (Leo Zero Remix)
Nini Raviolette – Suis Je Normal (Crackboy Edit)
Rocha – Feel The Love (Joakim Remix)
George Kranz – Din Daa Daa (Dub Mix)
Boytronic – Bryllyant (Us Mix)
Ramadanman – Work Them
Anthony “Shake” Shakir – At The Bonnie Brook (Photonz Lisbon Funk Remix)
Set Up System – Factory (Sublimation Mix) [Ivan Smagghe Edit]
Lio – ~Sage Comme Une Image (Bottin Edit)
Social Disco Club – Daft Funk
Sounds Incorporated – In The Hall Of The Mountain King
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – Ballicki Bone

Stream now direct from Mixcloud by clicking on the above image or download from here