DJ W!LD: BORN TO BE W!LD

Guillaume Duchastel De Montrouge, better know by his stage-name, DJ W!LD, is one of electronic music’s most consistent performers. Montrougue’s alias however, is a slight misnomer; especially when we consider that the Frenchman is as renowned for his productions as he is his DJ abilities. The owner of the much-respected W label (and one half of the brains behind the Catwash imprint), W!LD isn’t just consistent with his productions — he’s also impressively prolific too. 

A man who can be pretty much guaranteed to rock the place either through his own cuts or in the DJ booth, W!LD will be a regular this season at Circoloco at DC10, a party and a club that’s perfectly suited to his groovy, uptempo sound. We caught up with the main man himself for a quick natter ahead of the 2015 season...

How do you think Ibiza has changed over the years?
“Ibiza changes a lot every year. More and more people are coming to the island to enjoy themselves and go to the huge amount of parties on offer. But in my opinion, I think there’s too much of a focus on numbers. The price of living has become crazy in Ibiza and it’s attracting a different type of person as a result. But the underground is still strong and the locals help keep it special.”

How is everything going at your W label? Is running a successful label just as challenging and enjoyable as it ever was?
“W is going great, and we have a load of new releases in the pipeline, and remix packages featuring Andres, Jus-Ed, Chris Carrier, Honey Dijon, Dan Curtin, Flashmob and the Italoboyz that you gotta watch out for. And, of course, I still love running the label, even though the market has changed a lot over the years with regards to vinyl. These days you gotta do it because it’s a passion though — not for the money.”

How often do you dedicate time to checking out new talent and new tracks with a view to signing them for the label?
“All the time. For me, it’s really important that the family gets bigger, and with talented artists from all around the world. I want to have the best music and artists onboard — that’s what drives me I guess. And as a DJ and collector I’m always looking for new tracks to play... it’s an obsession!”

What does the label stand for in your eyes?
“First off, W is dedicated to releasing my own music, so the label represents what I like and what I’m about. The identity of the label is really important and it’s all about creating a community and a family vibe for artists, friends and supporters of the label.”

You’re renowned for being eclectic and consistent with your productions. What do you attribute it to?
“My music represents who I am and what I like. I don’t compromise, I create music to express myself and I produce the sort of music I want to play and listen to. But I’m consistent and super productive for the same reason, and because I love creating new weapons for my gigs.”

What’s really exciting you about electronic music?
“I’m really excited by new technology and the up-and-coming generation of artists in the house and techno scene. There’s so much great new music coming out all the time that it can be hard to keep up sometimes.”

And what would you change about the modern scene if you could?
“A lot! While there’s a lot of newcomers doing great stuff, there’s also a lot of bad, cheaply produced music out there. As with everything else these days, for a lot of these guys it’s more about money than quality. So in that respect I miss the old school.”

If you could produce on one other label and with one other producer, who would it be and why?
“Motown, as they produced artists like Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and a whole lot more. Artist wise, I’d opt for Serge Gainsbourg, as I’ve always loved his way of creating and playing music. He’s my French master!”

And finally, what’s been your favourite Ibiza memory over the years?
“Wow. There are so many! But the best has to be this one gig at Circoloco where I was playing in the Main Room. The exchange between the crowd and myself was just insane. There were two huge sit-downs, some tears of happiness, lots of love, goosebumps, sweat and thrills. And I can’t wait to do it all again!”