Episode 40: MOONSHINE CREW

This episode is an interview with San Farafina and Hervé from Montréal’s post-border interdiscipinary collective Moonshine Crew, exploring their journey from local full-moon loft parties in 2014 to wild international events. They discuss the collective’s ethos, the African diaspora in Canada, and their DIY approach to building a brand, creative hub and party institution. We hear stories from their travels to Kinshasa, Abidjan, Dar Es Salaam, Lisbon, Paris and beyond and hear how not even power cuts, traffic, police and giant insects can keep them from a party. We also discuss their relationship to Vanyfox (our guest on episode #39), the evolution of batida, the changing landscape of DJing worldwide and our run-ins with Game of Thrones characters at the rave. Hosted by Vivian Host (aka DJ Star Eyes). For more info and extras, visit Ravetothegrave.org or Instagram @ravetothe.grave.

Visit Moonshine on Instagram.
Check out Moonshine’s website.
Check out Moonshine’s compilations and releases on Bandcamp.
Listen to Moonshine’s latest release, SMS for Location 6.5.
Follow San Farafina.
Follow Hervé aka Young Jesus.

Things discussed in this episode & extras:

- Congo Time. Moonshine x Boiler Room live from Kinshasa featuring Matonge,
Kingongolo Kiniata, AKAntu & MC RedBul — don’t miss!
- Moonshine Crew Boiler Room. Get your life to this 2024 live DJ session featuring Vanyfox, San Farafina, Sadboi, Akantu, NegoO, Pierre Kwenders and Andy S.
- ZAÏRE SPACE PROGRAM ACT II. A Moonshine short film about Kinshasa’s alternative arts scene that explores the intertwined roles of art and technology in shaping new African paradigms.
- Pierre Kwenders. Dope music, videos and more from Moonshine co-founder José Louis Modabi aka Pierre Kwenders.
- Club Sagacité. Moonshine’s nonprofit community center providing creative resources to inspire and engage underrepresented communities of creatives in MTL.
- Sapés Comme Jamais. Moonshine Collective up in Vogue 2019.
- Uproot Andy. The Brooklyn DJ whose edits have saved us all. Also on SoundCloud and Bandcamp.
- Loucoes Produções. Joseph Francis maps the batida music scene for Ableton’s website..
- Noche Africana. Some info about & music from the Chilean Afro-diasporic crew discussed in this episode.
- O Marfox. DJ Marfox on the origins of batida in this cool mini-doc from Electronic Beats.

Tracks in this episode include:
Moonshine & Omagoqa - Aayyyyyy
Moonshine & Don Kiwango - Cheza Singeli
Moonshine, DJ Renaldo - Kumbele
Moonshine & NegoO - Exode 14-14
Moonshine, Kelly Gomez, DJ Satelite, DJ Gálio - Moon

All tracks from Moonshine compilation SMS For Location 6.5, link above.