While dusk is setting in the city of Prague, we are standing in front of the historical Sokol, an operating gymnastics building which tonight will be transformed into the clubbing realm of Czech collectives Harmony Rec. and Nite Vibes. We walk in with founders Tomas and Raleigh, instantly captured by the picturesque 20th-century high school atmosphere. Surrounded by the smell of wood and plastic, a conversation unfolds on the label’s characteristics and the crew’s aim to increase the representation of Eastern European artists.
Tumbling mats, bars and beams which previously filled the area are now being placed in the back as the holy space of celebration undergoes its reconstruction. Draping still rings are turned into supports for the lights together with volleyball nets, which float in the air adorned with sparkles. The event is an entirely DIY approach which comprises practical utility with aesthetic value. On the line-up, we find names such as DJ Tool, shjva, Sybil and Harmony’s own Yan.
We make our way to the office, where we continue our conversation on the importance of community and identity against the ever-present power of social media to construct empty narratives and hollow trends. To break free from the boxes which nowadays lock people and music into tight categories; that’s the aim of the Prague-based crew, Tomas and Raleigh (artistic moniker of Zikmund) explain.
'Our objective is always to celebrate music, friends, dancers, and listeners'
This location is so unique. How did you find it?
Tomas: Since most of the team has lived in Prague for their whole life, we’re aware of the places we would like to use for party locations. Our process starts by scouting real estate agencies for properties to rent. Once we have a contract with the owner of the location, we contact the municipality of that particular district for permission. The regulation in the Czech Republic is based on perceived trust and clear communication between the parties involved. So unlike other countries, police here are willing to collaborate and listen without breaking through or raiding a party. We actually only held one illegal event: back in 2022 in a forest in the outskirts of Prague.
Zikmund: That was such a muddy mess, but totally worth it. However, with today’s space, for example, things went down differently. Our VJ Jan Slanina texted Yan and suggested Sokol. We were aware of its existence, we just didn’t know how to get it. But he did.
How did the managers of the gym react when you proposed to transform such a characteristic venue into a party location?
Tomas: Contacting the manager for the first time, we had to send a presentation to explain our concept. He's very enthusiastic about hosting events and was happy to support us. For them it's an opportunity as the rent we pay compensates for the skyrocketing energy prices and provides general cost coverage. But most importantly, they approved our concept and trusted our vision. This is a great example of how the scene in Prague works. There’s generally less competition and people are willing to help each other, no matter what background.
With today’s event, did you set any specific goal or objective to fulfil?
Tomas: Our objective is always to celebrate music, friends, dancers, and listeners. Today’s event is a collaboration between Harmony and Nite Vibes, another solid Prague-based collective. We’ve been organising parties with them for ages, this being the eighth edition together. Inevitably, when the team is bigger we have more time to really enjoy ourselves instead of running around and organising everything.
Also, it’s the very first time we invest so much into such a specific theme. We even came up with a dress code and mood board to add an extra layer of personality. Fun fact: all the videos we are using for promotion come from Sokol’s archives. We’re so happy to be able to use this location as it’s maintaining an original aesthetic and interior design. And that's also the spirit we applied for the communication of the party: just fun.
It’s lovely to see how you strive to break the seriousness related to the scene by including the fun element.
Zikmund: It’s quite a change for our collective to be less serious about the whole techno thing. There’s so much stigma around how you behave and look, and therefore if you ‘fit’ in that group. With today’s party we really wanted to revolutionise this idea. We want to make something professional of course, but fun and satirical.
With today’s event, did you set any specific goal or objective to fulfil?
Tomas: Our objective is always to celebrate music, friends, dancers, and listeners. Today’s event is a collaboration between Harmony and Nite Vibes, another solid Prague-based collective. We’ve been organising parties with them for ages, this being the eighth edition together. Inevitably, when the team is bigger we have more time to really enjoy ourselves instead of running around and organising everything.
Also, it’s the very first time we invest so much into such a specific theme. We even came up with a dress code and mood board to add an extra layer of personality. Fun fact: all the videos we are using for promotion come from Sokol’s archives. We’re so happy to be able to use this location as it’s maintaining an original aesthetic and interior design. And that's also the spirit we applied for the communication of the party: just fun.
It’s lovely to see how you strive to break the seriousness related to the scene by including the fun element.
Zikmund: It’s quite a change for our collective to be less serious about the whole techno thing. There’s so much stigma around how you behave and look, and therefore if you ‘fit’ in that group. With today’s party we really wanted to revolutionise this idea. We want to make something professional of course, but fun and satirical.
You don’t seem to set clear boundaries related to sound or crowd selection as well.
Tomas: True that. There are so many trends around. What matters is not to chase them blindly, but to bring through your style and do your own spin on that thing.
Social media seems like a sharp double sworded blade. It offers great possibilities for growth and connection, but can easily create visual and conceptual ‘standards’ and trends, merely based on algorithmic formulas and economic incentives. How do you think social media platforms contribute to these trends?
Tomas: The role of social media nowadays is so important. I studied communication in The Netherlands and throughout the years have seen this continuously shift and develop. Before its advent, artists were booked exclusively because of the sound delivered through their productions on audio only platforms such as SoundCloud or Bandcamp. Now, artists that only mix music have more chances to present their skills online, for example, with the use of video and image on Instagram. Bookings are often and unfortunately more dependent on this visual content, rather than on the audio quality. Platforms like Instagram have highlighted this aspect and made DJing a very accessible, desirable craft due to the major exposure it brings. Social media is important in terms of communicating an aesthetic, a visual message. But then, there has to be a core concept, hidden behind what the eyes can see. It often happens that the reality of social media replaces the one offline.
Zikmund: Nowadays, people are easy to judge, exclusively through what is seen online. People are becoming lazy to do their research or first-hand experience of something.
'There’s so much stigma around how you behave and look, and therefore if you ‘fit’ in that group'
Harmony Rec. was born in 2014. Did you always have this open vision?
Tomas: No. Music-wise, we were focused only on deep techno in the beginning. We got the stamp of being a hypnotic, deep techno label. However, throughout and after the pandemic we naturally drifted towards different kinds of genres. I always discuss with Alfred how beautiful it is that through our label and releases, deep hypnotic music fans are also exploring different sub-genres. As if we could act as a bridge to other musical dimensions.
Zikmund: The label is maybe more bound with a certain style and dramaturgy, but the parties have always been about having fun. We're going out, we are meeting, and we are celebrating with each other. We like to make this a highlight.
Does the word ‘Harmony’ carry a specific meaning? And is there a meaning behind your logo too?
Zikmund: There was a moment where we said, okay, we know what to do, but the party needs a name. The definition of ‘Harmony’ is opposite to what was going on at the parties; it was chaos! When someone says ‘harmony’, I can picture people sitting at the table having a cup of tea and talking calmly. And then reality slaps. The party is on, people climbing on the ceiling and going wild. We love the oxymoron in that.
Tomas: It was a journey to get there. Adam, a friend of ours, designed the logo and the project's name was actually ‘spider’. So it's supposed to be a spider, even though everybody thinks it's a face. This evolved into a wheel with some sort of organic elements, going in the direction of looking like the Rorschach test. After the birth of the logo came a little rebranding when we started the label back in 2017. In this later phase, I took over the graphic design, together with Alfred.
Is there a characteristic sound which defines the musical landscape in the Czech Republic?
Zikmund: Around Eastern Europe, there are a few countries which have established an internationally renowned sound, like for instance the Romanian minimalist scene or the Lithuanian downtempo scene. However, in the Czech Republic, there are more DJs than producers, so we didn’t really manage to develop such a specific sound. The culture here is really about the parties.
Do you think this reality has had an influence on the visibility (or not) of Czech artists? How does this lack of a defined ‘national’ sound translate into international artistic recognition?
I lived in The Netherlands during my studies and recently relocated to Berlin. What I have been noticing in both countries is how easier it is for artists, both DJs and producers, to grow and build a career. In the Czech Republic and generally around Eastern Europe, things are looking a bit different. I am surrounded by so many talented creatives who unfortunately don’t get the attention they deserve. There is a general tendency of bigger platforms to neglect this part of the scene and focus only on the west of Europe. There’s so much going on here and it would be great if it got more explored and observed.
As a collective and label based in the middle of Europe, do you feel such a responsibility of uniting artists and clubbers from different parts of Europe?
Tomas: Within the Czech Republic, we are already one of the few parties which attract a large audience of international people. Next to that, we are starting a new series of event collaborations with foreign collectives and labels, such as Kyiv based festival and collective Rhythm Büro.
Did any local influence inspire Harmony’s birth, musically and concept-wise?
Zikmund: There is a group called ‘Acidelika’ and musically, I would say they’re somehow resembling our current sound. They focus on techno, progressive house and breaks and were also close to a label from Berlin called Killekill, which created a really good connection between Czech and Germany. They organised lovely festivals every year.
Tomas: In 2013 and 2014, the scene kicked off in Prague. You probably heard of the Polygon parties. They were legendary. Two were in the main train station. I wasn't there.
Zikmund: I was. At both.
Tomas: What I wanted to add is that when Polygon started, they established this blueprint that at every party, they must have a light designer. And it started becoming installation focused, which is something that I don't see that much when going out abroad.
It’s important to explore all senses through these collective celebrations. We can imagine tonight our eyes will experience a special trip, too.
Zikmund: Always keep them open. It's a continuous change. It's planned from the first moment until the end. There are different lights which are operating at different times of the party. Imagine, one-third of our budget is only for the lights.
What is the theoretical value you think the lights add to the music?
Zikmund: Well, humans experience 80% with their eyes, then 15% with their ears and the last 5% through smell and taste. In the end, that's how our body is built. The eyes are the most important.
As our conversation ends, we let our minds loose and allow them to drift away towards the land of collective celebration. What is clear is that if passion and dedication lie at the base of any project, its realisation will align with those values resulting in a genuine product. And so goes the attitude of Harmony Rec., which through its parties and label gives life to an authentic community while giving room to enclosed talents and their work.
Music is a thread to the fabric of human connection, more than any existing social media or technology. We should never forget this.
