In september 2013 I obtained the 3rd place in a contest of The House Academy, founded by Nathaniel and Maxim Lany (both producers and deejays). They constantly focus on “Quality First” music and they are really passionate about organizing exclusive parties in the region of Kortrijk/Gent and recently also in Antwerpen. My mission was to create a high-quality mixtape composed out of carefully selected tracks that would perfectly suit in the setting of Jardin, a classy restaurant located in Knokke.
Here you can read what The House Academy blogged when they launched the “Quality First” contest on August 17, 2013:
There are 2 things we at The House Academy are extremely keen on. The first thing is, of course, quality. Whatever we do, wherever we go, we stand for quality. The second thing we really value is giving chances and opportunities to young and undiscovered talent. So we thought it would be great if we could combine both things in one action.
We’re very happy to present to you, in cooperation with one of Knokke’s finest restaurants, Jardin: The “Quality First” mixtape competition.
When going to a nice restaurant, one of the elements that is so important for the atmosphere, is the music playing in the background. The art is to find music that 90% of the guests will not notice in particular, but that will set the right atmosphere and that will catch the attention of the 10% of the musical connoisseurs amongst the dining guests.
Choosing the right music for a restaurant is a hard job. It’s a big challenge. But we’re not afraid of challenges and we are convinced many amongst you aren’t either.
Sounds like fun? Get going! Deadline is September 14, 2013. Good luck!
Maxim Lany (Lany Recordings)
Here is the positive feedback I received from The House Academy:
We finally made a decision. There were a lot of great entrances and yours was amongst the best ones. You win the ‘bronze medal’ with your set. We were really surprised by the high-quality track selection. Thanks!
KJ Vercruysse (House Grand Cru)
Special thanks go to Maxim Lany who I personally met during one of the Play & Produce editions at the Vooruit in Gent. He told me to keep on focussing on “Quality First” music to make a difference and to set an example. Thank you, Mr. Lany, to believe in my work and my passion for music.
Now sit back, relax and listen to my I love Bar Grooves 2 liveset recorded exclusively for The House Academy. Share if you like and spread the word!
[ DAVE CANTO ] 