Her presence in the clubbing scene has many faces — and in everything she does, you can feel her passion, commitment and attention she pays to details. AETHA performs as a DJ, manages the NOCE club, educates and teaches courses at Instytut Dźwięku. Based in Cracow, but keeps her hometown Lublin close to her heart, she is heavily involved in the local club communities of these cities, while also pursuing her music passions abroad.
And although she gives a lot of herself and electronic music fills almost every moment of her life, it all comes back to her with an empowering force. On September 20, during Instytut 25 Years, she will fulfill her dream of a b2b with Stephanie Sykes – and on this special occasion, we decided to ask her a few questions and reach back into the Instytut’s highlights.
Agata Omelańska: Hello, AETHA! It is a pleasure to have you here at Underton, as the Instytut’s 25th anniversary is coming very soon. Let’s start with a trip down memory lane… What is your best, most memorable memory of Instytut? When did you first attend this event?
AETHA: Hey! First of all, thank you very much for inviting me to this interview, I’m very pleased! To answer your question, I owe Instytut many beautiful memories, and more than once my legs have buckled with the emotions that Instytut has served me.
One of the first memories that comes to mind is a phone call from Anja Kraft, who was working with Instytut at the time, with an offer to perform at the Instytut Festival in Modlin in 2019. I performed on the Rave Stage in a b2b formula with rraph, and it was the first big techno festival I had ever played at. I remember very well the energy that filled the tent that night. To this day, when I think about it, I get goosebumps and I love to revisit those memories. Another very powerful experience was performing on the Instytut platform during Rave The Planet in Berlin.
Leading artists of the scene, an unusual location, a perfect space for techno music – these elements created Instytut and, a quarter of a century ago, brought a truly world-class level to the Polish scene. What would you add to this list?
Above all, unwavering passion, energy, and the “let’s do it” attitude, which should serve as an example for future generations.
For several years now, you have also been making a valuable contribution to Instytut – not only do you regularly perform at events organized by the promoter, but you also run DJ workshops as part of the Instytut Dźwięku school. How did your music and teaching career got connected with the promoter?
I collaborate with Instytut in several creative fields. Depending on my availability, I try to help with projects related to this promoter, and I have been regularly teaching classes at the Instytut Dźwięku school for over 3 years.
I had already organized workshops on DJing, production and live acts. There were also lectures on electronic music and even workshops on making your own electronic toys. I tried to find things that interested me, and then I brought together like-minded enthusiasts to learn something new from people who had more knowledge.
I always observed the needs of enthusiasts and tried to fill the gaps with my own ideas or give people space to realize theirs.
After some time, I started hosting meetings and DJ lectures myself. Funnily enough, I had plans to start my own DJ school, so I invited Piotr Figiel to collaborate, and I remember him saying, “Either we do it properly, or we don’t do it at all”. And in the end… we did nothing (laughs).
When Karol Murawski (Manoid) was looking for someone to teach classes in Cracow, he did some research and found me. We have been working together for several years now, teaching classes in two cities (Cracow and my hometown, Lublin). It has become not only my job – a serious, full-time job – but also my primary passion.
I love my “kids,” I watch them grow, and I feel proud and moved every time I see them make their debut, every time they achieve another (smaller or bigger) success. Not only do I teach them something, but they also teach me—above all, calmness, peace, and even greater empathy.
Let’s jump to the present: during Instytut 25 Years, you’ll be playing b2b with Stephanie Sykes. Congratulations, and I can’t help but ask – how do you make such dreams come true? How do you feel before this gig and what can we expect from it?
First of all: Thank you! I’m super excited about our duo and I’d be lying if I said I was totally relaxed about it! Thanks to Stephanie, we’ve known each other for years, we’re in touch, we have an unmistakable sense of humor and very similar musical taste – but she’s a DJ who influenced my musical taste and development. For many years I’ve been saying that Stephanie Sykes is my number one when it comes to a b2b partner.
We agreed that during our set we would let ourselves be carried away by the flow and, knowing each other’s musical tastes for years, we would trust our intuition. When I first heard Stephanie at Corsica Studios in London, she played a magical, hypnotic, classic techno set that changed my perspective on the levels of space in a mix. And it is precisely this vibe that we will try to bring to the walls of The High Voltage Hall!
Let’s leave Instytut and the big stages for a moment and take a look at everyday life. You are the manager and booker of NOCE, a new, beautiful venue in Cracow’s Kazimierz district, which is becoming increasingly popular among electronic music fans in the city. What is the story behind this place and what do you want to give to people who choose NOCE as their party venue?
NOCE is my little baby, to which I have devoted all my time and energy for almost two years. NOCE is located in a place that is historic for Cracow’s clubbing – on Dajwór Street, in the heart of Kazimierz – and a few years ago, the same building housed clubs such as Caryca, Kitsch and Kawiarnia Naukowa. NOCE was created exactly in the place of Kawiarnia.
Before I started working there, the concept of the venue was changing constantly. To be honest, when I went for the job interview, I had never been there before and didn’t even know what to expect.
As soon as I crossed the threshold, I immediately felt what I had been missing in Cracow’s clubbing scene for years – and I don’t even mean the material things – but above all, good, clean, and new energy.
I knew right away that there would be a lot to do, starting with building a community, creating the bar team, coming up with a concept, developing PR, communication and visual identity. Basically, everything was put in my hands overnight, and it’s still that way today.
The first year was totally hardcore, but week after week, party after party, people started coming back to us, and the dance floor was getting more and more crowded. At this point, our promotional event calendar is filled for months in advance, we have a close-knit community, a dozen or so resident DJs, and more and more often we can’t get people to leave even when the technical lights come on (laughs)!
From your perspective, what does the work of building a solid electronic music club brand really look like, and what is the most important element of NOCE for you?
When building this place, I wanted it to be a safe space for all electronic music lovers. And although techno reigns supreme here, I make sure that drum’n’bass, house, tech house, and hard techno appear regularly in our calendar.
I don’t want to limit NOCE to one genre or promote the same names over and over again. I want everyone (regardless of whether they are 20 or 40 years old) to feel at home there and, if they feel the need, to feel that this is a place where they can fulfill themselves.
I don’t want to carry out any one-off revolutions – I care about gradually introducing new things and improving the space based on real conversations with people, not my own whims.
What makes you feel good in a club space – both when you’re playing and when you’re there as an attendee?
First and foremost, the people and their energy – I love it when there’s a positive vibe in the room! Equally important – a good soundsystem and cool lights. I also always respect a bar selection with 0% options. I have a few more professional quirks, but I won’t go into those! (laughs)
Not only do you manage the venue, educate pupils and perform as a DJ, but you also fulfill yourself in many musical and artistic projects. You are the co-founder of initiatives such as FEED and Techno Lublin, as well as the ambassador of the Croatian Mo:Dem Festival. How do you balance all these responsibilities, and which one do you currently enjoy the most?
I also do a lot of other things that I don’t talk about too much (laughs)! My life, generally speaking, goes around music and music-related projects. For a long time now, it has been difficult for me to distinguish between my private life and my professional life. And although for many years I really enjoyed taking on new projects, for some time now I have been trying to work hard on organizing my life and making time exclusively for myself and my loved ones. I have become friends with calendars in various forms and I try to keep on top of things. I have stopped putting things off until the last minute.
Everything I do is important to me and I really enjoy it, but FEED and Techno Lublin are my two favorite projects. First of all, I do both of them with friends, which is extremely important to me because we get along and understand each other without words, and the atmosphere at these events has never disappointed me. Techno Lublin events always move something in me, seeing so many friends from elementary school, high school and college dancing in front of the stage, and my parents even came to the first edition! Several hundred people attend each party, and it has already become a small festival! It’s a very nice feeling to do something good for the local community, knowing that – on a daily basis – there aren’t many places or opportunities there.
FEED is the fulfillment of musical dreams and inviting artists whose work we greatly respect. The line-up is always chosen unanimously and we have no restrictions here – from the beginning, my idea, Diabot’s and Hellix’s was to fulfill our musical dreams. FEED is also a space for close encounters, conversations and, of course, eating together – at our events, no artist is allowed to perform hungry! (laughs)
You have performed at leading club music venues across Europe: from Berlin (Tresor and Rave The Planet), London, and Milan to Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Croatia. What did you gain from your international experience, and was there anything that surprised you the most?
That’s an interesting question; the first thing that came to mind was… less stress! Every gig abroad (and not only) is a huge honor, for which I am grateful. Knowing that your name is known not only in your home country is very encouraging and motivating.
Each of the countries and cities you’ve mentioned welcomed me differently; each event was different and had a different vibe. In London, for example, I performed several times at illegal parties organized in warehouses and forests, and I got to know the world of real raves, playing hide-and-seek with the police along with a hundred other people. In Slovakia, I played twice in a small town where closed, intimate parties are organized in a small bar for 100 people, and the atmosphere there is so brilliant that I shed a tear after my set! When, after a few years, I received a second invitation to this party, I got convinced that I was taking part in a unique event!
I think I played in Berlin about five times and always experienced brilliant care from managers and technical staff to hosts. I have to admit that Berlin dancefloors were always on fire, and people are very music-conscious! Milan surprised me most, because I played in a place that resembled a library or an art gallery—I got to know that there aren’t many clubs there and organizers often choose such places to host events.
Where, apart from music, can you meet AETHA? Where do you relax, what interests you, what would you like to try, and what do you dream about most?
Since I stopped being afraid of flying, I love to travel and visit new countries, and I would like to visit as many of them as possible! I always choose places where I can learn about local customs and food. Recently, I have also been focusing on self-development, finding inner peace, taking care of myself, my closest relationships and spending as much time as possible with my dog-son.
I dream of one day finding my place on earth, I wouldn’t mind a house with a garden! (laughs). For now, I still have a lot to do in the urban jungle…
Thank you for the interview and your time! All the best in every area of your life!
Thank you very much! See you at the weekend!