Techno/house DJ R-Pal goes for music without restraint or anxiety.
Techno/house DJ R-Pal goes for "music without restraint or anxiety."

DJ R-PAL (RACHEL PALANGIO KRAMER; TUF; Technodad)

Current top 5 tracks:

IVVY, "See Something" (Transfusions)
"IVVY is my current favorite local producer. They manage to be driving and tender at the same time in their productions, a combination that steals my heart every time I'm on a dance floor."

Mr. G, "One for the Headz" (Phoenix G)
"Mr. G is probably the artist I play out the most, and the highest up on my bucket list to see live. I highly recommend watching a video of him play live—he is so playful and seems to be enjoying the hell out of himself."

Ellen Allien, "Mma" (Bpitch Control)
"Nost was my favorite album of 2017. Every track was a banger, rave-tinged but contemporary. The remix EPs are also excellent and star-studded, but the original tracks remain my favorite."

Solid Blake, "Burns" (Brokntoys)
"Dark and trippy ~~"

L.S.G., "Transmutation 3" (Superstition)
"Nineties trance and progressive-leaning house and techno is where my heart is really at these days. Oliver Lieb has been releasing a bunch of his remasters on Bandcamp, so here is a recent one I've been into."



Crew/label affiliations: "TUF/Intersessions."

Styles played: "Techno and house, mostly. My taste changes constantly, but I tend to like my lows groovy and my melodies with a tinge of sentimentality."

Events organized: "I helped organize the Seattle iteration of Intersessions, which throws DJ and production workshops for women/nonbinary/trans people all over the world. Stay tuned for another Seattle event :)"

DJing philosophy: "The DJ philosophy I'm constantly working toward is 'be true to yourself.' As much as I try to resist it, other people's opinion of my taste matters to me. One of the downsides of being part of a community that is centered around a common interest is that sometimes it feels like your membership depends on continuing to have similar tastes. And while I do believe everyone's individual tastes are varied and unique, the community as a whole tends to champion only a few sounds at a time. But trends are inevitable, and like everything else, they pass.

"For a while, it felt like all everyone in Seattle cared about was atmospheric techno, which was hard for me as someone who values warmth and sentimentality in my music. I go for music without restraint or anxiety; I practice enough restraint and anxiety in my daily life as is and need some release behind the decks and on the dance floor. When I find myself asking the question 'will people respect me more or less for playing this track?' I know I've gone down the wrong road. If you truly love what you're playing, it shines through and creates an atmosphere in which the people on the dance floor can share in your passion.

"Watching Eris Drew bring a group of cold-hearted Seattleites to a whooping, screaming, floor-stomping frenzy this summer with a whole night of '90s breaks records was one of the more validating and thawing music experiences I've had in years. It was a wonderful reminder that whatever you like, other people are likely to enjoy it, too, even if you have to show them why first. We like DJs first and foremost for their taste, and everyone has beautiful and unique taste that deserves to be shared and respected."

Format: "CDJs. At home I've got a pair of 350s and a Xone 23 mixer, which is a very cute setup, and while nothing fancy or high tech, really all I need for casual mixing. When playing out, I do prefer CDJs that link and have a larger screen so I can see more of my playlists."

Worst request: "Probably the time a very drunk older woman kept sticking $20 bills in my pocket while asking me to go out with her despite my many 'no thank you's. It was a fundraiser for a youth org, and she was very much married :/. Who knows, maybe she thought I was the youth we were fundraising for?"

Upcoming events: "I'll be opening for VRIL on January 14 for Depth at Timbre Room. He'll be playing a live set; not to be missed! I also have a mix airing on c89.5 on January 8. It's a recording of the set I played for festival:festival this summer. The set was played to a seated audience and was paired with roomscape visuals by Neon Saltwater. Some 4/4, and some old, non-4/4 favorites on it, as well."