Cosmic Pineapple: Where did the inspiration for the name come from and please talk us through the concept behind it?
The name originally came up in Mexico at the end of 2012. I noticed how happy pineapples seem to look and the word cosmic naturally flowed before the pineapple! If you want a deeper meaning, the pineapple can also be representative of the pineal gland (which is associated with the pine cone). It’s a tiny gland at the centre of our brain that controls the circadian rhythms. The pineal gland is generally blocked on most people (fluoride is one factor of this, as it calcifies) and also life / media / society in general doesn’t feed the pineal gland to awaken (a child’s pineal gland is very open but closes as it gets older, for example). When the pineal gland is open it can lead to mystical experiences. Meditation is one good way to get it to open…Cosmic is a word I have loved for a long time, it is just out there and denotes something we can’t quite understand but makes us feel good!
You are running a series of Thursday nights at Ibiza Rocks House at Pikes Hotel in September. What are your plans for the evening, and why did you choose Pikes as the venue?
Pikes is such a magical venue. The history is crazy, the original owner, Tony Pike, built it from a finca in the late 70s and in the early 80s and it became this place of hedonism… Lots of artists used to stay at Pikes and Wham shot the video for Club Tropicana there. Tony went out with Grace Jones and people like Jean Claude Van Damme, Freddie Mercury, Kylie Minogue all stayed there. It went a bit downhill in the 90s/early 00s and since Ibiza Rocks has taken it over I love to see how it is evolving. I have known Dawn and Andy since a few years and I used to work with Sarah who now runs the events. I’ve been to some great parties there and I also used to teach yoga there, so I have seen both sides of what it can do. My aim for the cosmic pineapple parties is to fuse the music and ‘magic’ side of Ibiza, I use magic in this sense as more of a spiritual meaning. There will be a healing area with yoga, conscious talks, different healings and more. A night bazaar on the pink tennis court, which will have little market sellers from over the island. A creative area for people to experience different art classes – i think art is such a strong tool for transformation and creativity is our gift as humans! There will be cosmic music around the pool in the day time. There will also be an outdoor cinema from Cinema Paradiso every week, which will lead into the night of the dance – two small rooms with wicked unannounced DJs. The idea is based on conscious raving and to explore all these little gifts we have to offer. I am also making them free with a charity focus. So in a sense you are partying / sharing / enjoying / creating for a cause… Which in itself makes it a spiritual practice. I see these events as little cosmic and creative wonderlands to explore.
What importance do you think Dance music has in 2016 as a unifying force – compared with the seventies and eighties Disco/ House culture has society become more self-obsessed and insular?
I think we are in a new era and there is a reason why dance music has exploded as it has now. I love it when you are on a dance floor and you share exactly the same experience with everyone around you – a unified experience of oneness. On a dance floor everyone is the same and you can share a dance move with someone you will never meet again in your life. I’ve also met some amazing characters and friends in dance music that you just can’t find anywhere else. I have changed my perception when I go to clubs now. I used to chase which track was what, but now I am more focused on what the actual music is doing to me – how I want to move, what sounds move what energies, etc. There is something to do with the repetitive beats and rhythms which lure you into a meditative state. I also think it’s quite interesting how dance music averages around 120/130 BPM, which is double the human heart rate and i feel the rhythm something we can slip easily in to. I think dance music is very healing – it definitely attracts a lot of people who need some kind of healing or are searching for something a bit higher – and can shift a lot of heavy vibrations and allow you to feel elated when you get that good DJ who connects to the crowd and the music coming through.
Please talk us through you inspirational website?
The concept of the website is to inspire people to connect more to the self, the other and planet earth. I am a kind of seeker for higher knowledge. I have realised how a higher perspective can help you deal with life’s difficulties and make you understand more. A spiritual practice really helps me to be connected and trust in life. The idea is to share what I learn and to invite other people to share their own experiences and wisdom. I would like for it to be a web of good vibes from people around the globe! It is also really helpful for me to keep myself in check. I can come out of being in this space quite easily, so it’s always a good check in!
And tell us about the Cosmix series of mixes. How you go about choosing the DJ’s and do you have any standout editions so far?
I love the Cosmix! I’m so happy to put these out and they always inspire me at the right moments. For the DJs, it’s a natural selection. It’s generally someone I have seen out, or randomly emailed and told about the Cosmix, if they like it, they do it! I love it when people I have known for a while do them, as I can have fun reminiscing how we met for the write-up – dance music has some very interesting characters and stories to tell! RE standout editions, they all are in their own way and reflect a time of where everyone is at. I can’t say favourites. I would just go on and check out what mood you’re in!
Can you give us some background on yourself Kim? Where and how did you first get into Dance music and how would you say it has shaped your life?
I got into dance music at 16. My friend Tracy used to take me to a club called Bentleys in Bognor Regis. I think the first ‘proper’ DJ I saw play was CJ Mackintosh there, which was when garage was big. I got obsessed and used to listen to Danny Rampling’s Love Groove Dance party religiously and read all the dance mags to see what was what. I applied for work experience at Ministry magazine, Mixmag and Muzik when I was 18, forgot about it, and about six weeks later got a call from Ministry Mag to come and do some work experience. I stayed in a friend of a friend’s flat for two weeks in London and the mag liked what I did so kept me on for a bit as a junior writer. I then did a bit more work experience / freelance for Mixmag and Muzik and kind of fell into PR from there. I worked at Defected Records for a few years and got such a great education on the London house, disco and gay scene; I only recently realised how important this was! People like Luke Howard (who is now part of Horsemeat Disco) and Guy Williams used to take me to all their gigs and I loved it. It was also around the time of Roger Sanchez ‘Another Chance’, KOT ‘Finally’, ATFC and more, and was a really exciting and eye opening time. From there I worked for Underwater Records for a few years, around the time of Tim Deluxe ‘It Just Wont Do’, which was also a lot of fun and was very much like a family with people like Amy Thomson, Darren Emerson, Caroline Prothero, Garry Blackburn, Matt Stewart, Lottie and Yousef. I started my own PR company 11 years ago, after going traveling in Australia and Thailand. It started with Dan Ghenacia and Serge Santiago and built from there. Now we are three people working there and represent artists like Carl Craig, Josh Wink, Cassy, Ellen Allien, Steve Bug, Apollonia, Danny Daze, Stacey Pullen and more. Freedom has always been a big thing for me and I also have to love the music and respect the artist. I am very fortunate how it has developed over the last 11 years, i am not in this for the money, but more the freedom, experiences and creativity it allows. I have worked with artists and events who are on the same vibe and don’t mind my quite unorthodox approach to it all! I generally go away for a bit every winter and have emailed people from the back of camels in India and had to get a boat to get internet in Guatemala. It somehow always works out.
How would like to see Cosmic Pineapple develop into 2017 and beyond?
For the website, to get more people sharing and I think one thing I would like to do is hold cosmic and creative events / retreats around the world. I love traveling so much and experiencing different cultures and connecting to different lands. That would be quite magic!
http://cosmicpineapple.co.uk
http://www.pinterest.com/cosmicpineapple
www.twitter.com/wellcosmic
www.instagram.com/wellcosmicpineapple
www.soundcloud.com/cosmic-pineapple
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