Head_On with Molly

Photo: Molly

MODU:LAR have made a habit of bringing Europe's finest DJs to Liverpool, often for their Merseyside debut. Always on the look out for fresh and exciting DJs, their next party sees them welcome along Rex Club resident and Head of Communications Molly for her Liverpool inauguration.

Alongside her pivotal role in the direction of one of Europe's most revered clubs, Molly's DJing (listen to her MODU:LAR podcast below) has also been hooked in by clubs like Panorama Bar, Club Der Visionaere, Robert Johnson and Trouw, whilst her recent remix work has seen her skills as a producer come to light, adding another string to her increasingly large bow.

With a penchant for music right across the spectrum, the former punk rock fan can often be heard delivering sets varying from spiritual deep house through to no nonsense techno, as she crafts sonic journeys that illicit the full range of human emotion. You only need to check out her Boiler Room appearance to see why she's in such demand.

Ahead of her MODU:LAR appearance alongside New York city's Evan Baggs, our Clubnights Editor Mike Warburton jumped at the chance to speak to Molly and discuss her role with Rex Club, the health of the French scene, and the importance of playing the music she feels the most.

You've been a mainstay of one of the biggest clubs in France, if not Europe for the past several years, how did that opportunity arise and how has that journey been for you?

Rex is my home for sure, for several years now! A year after my move to Paris I was buying records and that time and playing a bit, I got employed by the Rex to manage the communications and the media for the club .

After few years working in the office, one day the booker asked me to play and this is how it started. I was doing warm up sets at the beginning, and then one day they offered to run my own party, called Head_On, my residency. I feel very lucky for that because I know it's not easy to find places to play when you begin and for sure the Rex was a huge opportunity - I learnt a lot playing there.

And Head_On of course goes from strength to strength. What's the philosophy behind the night and what have been some of its best moments?

Head_On is my baby. I don't make any compromises with the booking and I focus on the quality of the DJ, which means the technique but also the selection. The same can be said about live sets, they have to be special. For example, at the next one I'll have two live sets, Mandar for their first one and then Aybee.

It's also a way to invite artists that I don't have the chance to play with in other countries.

The best moments? I would say every time! I only invite artists I really want to listen to and every time they play great! 

The best moments are when you meet the artists for the first time and when you really share this love of music in the same way. I've developed some strong friendships with some of my guests because we share the same passion for music.

As you mentioned earlier, your job is also Head of Communications for Rex. What does that job title involve?

I manage the entire promotion for the club, it means that you can find me in the office everyday during the week. It goes from the social network to the magazine editions, the website to contact with the media, as well as the management of the whole identity of the club.

Then a few months ago I also started to run the Rex Club label Rex Club Music. The first release will come out in May and I'm managing the whole project which is something very new to me but very interesting and exciting! So as you can see, I know how to fill properly my days.

Haha! Changing subject slightly - there's a huge amount of talent emerging from France at the moment, what do you love most about the French scene and what makes it unique to the rest of the world?

That's right! I'm really proud to be part of the French scene at the moment, there are so many very talented artists. We must keep watching the new generation... they are so good!

I don't really know why the French scene is so specific. We are Latin, don't forget that [laughs]. We love it when there is something sexy in the music.

Sexy but smart? Maybe that's our 'specificity'? I am still yet to find the answer to this question to be honest.

We're a huge fan of your recent Boiler Room (above), that must have been a fun experience? Does that set reflect the music you play at Rex? And what can we look forward to with your set at MODU:LAR? 

Wow, thank you! Boiler Room was a really good experience, stressful at the beginning but fun at the end. That set reflects the music I feel and I love.

I remember the night before the Boiler Room, I didn't even know what to play because I love different types of music: deep house, US house, deep techno, dub techno, ambient, it's a really wide selection. But with a one hour set it's hard to take the crowd on a journey.

So a friend of mine told me 'Why don't you play the music that you feel the most? What do you want to show about yourself?' So I picked a few records that I love and make me feel emotions, and that's it! Sorry if this sounds a bit romantic but don't forget that I'm French.

Haha!

But like I said I can play different kinds of music and love more than anything creating a journey, going from deep house to house to techno. So I guess this is what I will try to do at MODU:LAR. 

We know you’ve spent time in the UK before, but will this be your first time DJing in Liverpool? How do you find the UK crowds?

Yes, it will be my first time DJing in Liverpool! Playing in the UK is pretty new for me so I don't know the UK crowd that well yet, but from what I know of it that they have a strong musical culture which allows you to play what you want!  I really look forward to it to be honest and I'm very very happy to play with Evan Baggs, I love his work. 

Was there a moment growing up where you realised your future was in music? Was there a record you heard or DJ you saw that made you determined to get into the scene yourself? 

I discovered electronic music very late actually. When I was a teenager I didn't do any music. I listened to rock and punk music mostly. There were no electronic music clubs in my city and I was also involved in lots of sports. I was doing competitions every weekend which is something which does not fit with DJing. 

Later, when I went to the university, I stopped the sport and I discovered electronic music in a trip to London. I used to go out to the club The End, to a party called Trash every Monday. Watching the DJs playing gave me the envious, so I had to to try it, and I quickly fell in love with it! 

You've built up a really nice repertoire of remixes over the past three years, the Art Alfie and Mr Tophat mix is a particularly slick piece of work (above). Have you any new records coming out we can get excited about?  

Thank you, I'm glad you like it! I used to love the work from those guys, and I still do! When they contacted me to do this remix, I couldn't believe it! It was a big challenge so I'm always very happy when I get positive feedback from it!

I'm actually stopping the remixes for the rest of the year to focus on my own productions. I just finished a new one for the All Inn label, but it's time for me to prepare my EP.

With my job at the Rex and the travelling every weekend I really don't get the time to lock myself into the studio - that's the reason why I'm kind of taking my time.

You're also heading to Manchester on May 3rd, but what else does the future hold for Molly?

Many good moments and more music!

Thanks Molly. Catch her at MODU:LAR on April 11th by getting your tickets here or below.

Tickets are no longer available for this event