"When I came to school at the Art Institute, my musical interests were many, but I eventually found myself collaborating with my classmates that were making electronic music," he says. He began immersing himself in the local nightlife culture, and soon joined the local art, performance, and musical collective SQURRRL, notorious for throwing imaginative parties that appeal to all of the senses. Since then, he's become a resident DJ, and he's also been focusing on his production career, with a goal of releasing a new EP on local record label Friends With Benefits in the next few months. We chatted with Sigler about SQURRRL, upcoming releases, and his favorite house track. He plays Saturday, January 31, at Q Bar for Friends With Benefits.
What attracted you to the genres of deep house and techno?
Deep house and techno originally caught my ear because of the ingenuity in the production. My favorite songs often contain innovative characteristics, like complex rhythms, continually changing synthesizer sounds and or unique vocal processing. I feel that techno has always been the most innovative and future-focused genre of dance music.
Tell us how you connected with SQURRRL, your art, musical, and performance collective.
I joined SQURRRL three years ago here in S.F. We are a group of friends that wanted to create an experience for the dancer. A part of the experience is that we always decorate the dance floor. This year we are going to have black light reactive clouds floating above you as you dance. In the past we've had neon trees with silver nets above to look like trees. There is always free art to take home at the end of the night. Right now we have a bunch of vinyl from various $1 bins at local thrift stores with our logo screen-printed on them!
After attending one of our S.F. SQURRRLs, my friend and Los Angeles DJ Ryan Jones insisted that we bring the party to L.A. So for the past two years we have taken SQURRRL down to L.A. four times a year, and each time is better than the last. Each party has a different theme. Our Valentine's Day SQURRRL is themed Slumber SQURRRL.
What is the meaning behind SQURRRL?
SQURRRL doesn't necessarily have a meaning other than it's a party for everyone. At the end of the year we always throw a SQURRRL Gives Back where we donate all proceeds to the Larkin Street Youth Services. Eventually we want to give back to the community, whether it be with art or for the safety of our fellow LGBTQ youth.
What has been your most memorable DJ night thus far?
The most memorable nights have to be when SQURRRL does Pink Saturday in the Castro. We've done it three times, each night crazier than the next.
How did you connect with your record label, Friends With Benefits?
Mat Love, David Sylvester, and I used to throw a party together at the Rickshaw Stop and thats how we discovered our mutual love for house and techno. We decided to start the label as a means to pursue our mutual passion for supporting up and coming queer artists.
What's the best part about being part of the Friends With Benefits crew?
The best part of being with the FWB crew is the mutual support we all give and show towards the common goal of the label.
Will there be any upcoming releases from you in 2015?
I am currently working a few new tracks with the goal of releasing a new EP in the coming months. Together, we've been able to release some amazing music from artists like Juan Ramos, Heartthrob, Hard Ton, Kenneth Kemp, Adonisaurus, Two Dudes in Love, and myself.
What's a current track you can't get out of your head?
The dance music track I can't get enough of is Dauwd's "Saleh." The non-house track I'm currently obsessed with is Jai Paul's "Jasmine (Demo)."
Lastly, what's taboo to you when it comes to DJing?
Taboo is a hard word. I think it all comes down to track selection and the ability to match/enhance a crowd's energy. To that note, a "taboo" track might be the right song for the moment that pushes all the right buttons and satisfies the dance floor. As long as you stay true to the sound you've carved out for yourself, no matter what genre, there is no taboo.
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