Tod Louie, Chris Solaris, Karl Fraunhofer and Thomas Refvik reminisce on 15 years of Det Gode Selskab while considering the next 15 years of the club night and label before they take on new years eve at Jaeger
Fifteen years ago we first encountered Det Gode Selskab (DGS) in Oslo. It started life as “a Sunday concept at Grims Grenka hotel, which is now”…. “Actually it was a Saturday, the 15th of January 2011”… interrupts Christian “Solaris” Berg, co-founder and DJ behind Det Gode Selskab. “Yeah, that’s right,” says Terje Dybdahl (aka Tod Louie), catching himself. “It was at Sikamikanico,” the other co-founder of DGS continues. “I actually still have the recording from that.”
I’d be curious to listen back to that to hear how you have evolved.
Chris “Solaris” Berg: I think in terms of style we’ve always been on the same page. I think we’ve been quite consistent with that. I think I’ve stayed true to my style as a DJ over the years, but I’m speaking for myself, really.
In the fifteen years of Det Gode Selskab, Terje and Chris along with a growing network of artists and DJs resembling something of a collective today, they’ve brought a unique clubbing experience to Oslo’s dance music community. It’s a club-concept that could be mistaken for one of the bigger institutions in Europe, with big lineups and big venues, punching well above their weight in Oslo’s small scene.
They filled Sentrum Scene (1500 ish capacity venue)for Sven Väth; brought the likes of Dandy Jack, Argenis Brito, Mike Shannon, Ohm Hourani, , Eris Drew, Mathew Jonson, Joe Clausell, and Spencer Parker to Oslo; and hosted day parties that would spill into night and spill out from boats to clubs.
With a “technoid housy” sound at their core, and Chris, Tod Louie, Karl Fraunhofer and Thomas Refvik, Ronya and A:G at the helm, they would convert spaces like Rockefeller and Deichmann’s Bibliotek into hedonistic clubbing enclaves with an attention to detail few could envision, much less afford, in the city. Between these magnified events and regular club sojourns (notwithstanding a regular Sunday residency at Jaeger) Det Gode Selskab established their own scene in Oslo over the last fifteen years–one that still stands out in the context of Oslo’s clubbing history.
With Thomas Refvik and Karl Fraunhofer joining , Det Gode Selskab is a quartet at its core with an extended network of friends like Dandy Jack, Mike Shannon, Tracy Bakala, Marlon Schäder, Shakèd, Jacopo Busetto & PLGRN, Alexander Skancke and Henriku contributing to the club nights and label. Events travelling to Zanzibar, Mexico, Italy, London and Berlin today alongside the label have seen DGS quickly emerge as an international force with love and good intentions.
I’ve known the crew for most of Det Gode Selskab’s existence, having worked with them consistently in the past, both as part of Jaeger and outside the organisation, and it’s hard to put it all into perspective as somebody that was always indirectly in it. Over the course of the last 15 years there have been some very significant moments tied to Det Gode Selskab, but as you look back with the keen eye of hindsight, it quickly becomes clear that DGS is a monolith in the scene today.
What have been some of the highlights over the last 15 years?
Terje Dybdahl (aka Tod Louie): Sven Väth definitely put us on the map in Norway at least, and not just in Oslo.
Chris Solaris : That was in May 2016, and that whole 2016-2017-2018 was a highlight. We were on the roof terrace of Rockefeller and that was really kind of like peak time in terms of that place, because there was no one else in town that focused on those kinds of events. There was a company ) next door (to Rockefeller) and they had a huge Martin Audio system. We even hosted the sweatiest rave in CES’ storage after the roof top, having to use the water hose to cool down the guests. The party stopped when the equipment stopped working due to sweat and humidity.
Karl Fraunhofer: It was perfect overkill.
Chris Solaris : The sound was insane and I think because of the combination of the sound decoration and creating a space for day time clubbing in Oslo really made a difference.
Karl: We got neighbour complaints as well, a lot of them… but solved most of them.
Chris Solaris: We should also mention the boat parties also in the beginning because they were quite wild. We took some inspiration from Olanskii (Sunkissed) and thought that we could do the same thing.
Terje: The first boat party was so unique. Also big thanks to Kamelkollektivet who connected us with their crowd.
Chris Solaris: We had boat parties in all sorts of weather. One specific boat party was pouring down with rain and 12 degrees. One of Dandy Jack’s best experiences in Oslo.
And people still showed up to the event?
Chris Solaris: Yeah. It was packed. We had this big plastic tarp and people were holding it over their heads and dancing, like 200-300 people. We still have some great photos of that event.
That is another aspect of Det Gode Selskab that always sets you guys apart in some way. You seemed to turn the attention to the crowd and it was often captured in photos and your social media channels were always focused on that aspect. Was that there from the start?
Chris Solaris : That was an important thing. Because we worked with brands, we also worked with photographers. Most importantly Thomas Refvik and Haakon Hoseth. They are fantastic photographers and I think that this part of Det Gode Selskab cannot be understated.
How important was the social media connection in the beginning and is it still there?
Chris Solaris: I’m personally not a big fan of photos in clubs anymore. I think it can be a little bit disgusting to have a photographer amongst the crowd, but at an earlier stage when people were much more open on Social Media and were not afraid to show who they were…
Terje: The plan behind photos and content was to spread electronic music culture and day time events in Oslo. To show all the good vibes and fantastic people who made this special.
Karl: It was more casual.
Chris Solaris : People craved that social media thing but it had a good impact on the community.
In today’s more individualistic society with social media curating pristine narratives locking into some fleeting zeitgeist, that sense of community that Chris talks about has been steadily abandoned.
“The label that builds communities are the ones that keep on and succeed. Music and people first!” says Terje.
The success of those 2016-2017 seasons snowballed into bigger, more extravagant events with Terje’s vision and Chris’ risk-reward strategies making an indomitable partnership. Or as Karl puts it: “Terje is the wild creative curator and Chris has always been like the banker.” It’s “that symbiosis of these two guys” which “has been totally amazing” to witness for Karl and Thomas and that includes “so many arguments” preceding events where “everything ended up perfectly executed”.
The pandemic pressed pause on it all and when restrictions started lifting, some economic changes followed that would curb much of Det Gode Selskab’s more risky approach to putting these events together.
Brand partnerships had always been an important cash injection in realising some of Terje’s more challenging visions, allowing Chris to stretch those purse strings invariably.
“Nothing is a normal year anymore,” says Terje, “but one thing stays the same and it’s the importance of community building and taking care of your guests – and never repeat a success, or at least don’t expect the same result. It takes a lot of work, planning and risk for organizers, and it’s a collaboration between the promoter and the guests.”
It hasn’t stopped them from trying at least, hosting several re-opening parties after the pandemic including one where they sold out “600 tickets in 15 minutes.” For the most part however, DGS has moved most of their efforts into smaller places, established clubs and turned a lot more of their focus on the label.
What’s the biggest change of going from something with a big production and all the logistics behind it into going to a club?
Karl: It gives us more focus on the music. We have more time to collect the proper records and we can actually sit down without any stress and just go through our catalogue.
Terje: I would say that also when we did our full-scale events, when we build a space from the ground up we usually only get that DGS crowd. But when we move into clubs, we get the regulars at the club as well and you get exposure to new audiences as well.
You also have the label, pushing the sound and the artists of Det Gode Selskab towards a new audience. What initially planted the seed for that?
Terje: The original idea was actually to join forces with Dandy Jack and his Ruta5 label . That fell through, so we ended up doing it on our own imprint with the A:G and his first track, The Nose. From there, we decided to do a whole series about the senses.
Karl: And when I joined, I already had a music studio, and we ramped it up from there. So, it’s all those factors together that launched the label.
The relationship with Dandy Jack and artists/DJs like Steve Bug who you booked regularly to Oslo; did that create a network that you can always come back to whether you’re bringing these artists or them making a record?
Terje: I think Dandy Jack, Argenis Brito and Mike Shannon opened the doors in many ways. We actually approached Dandy when there was a Get Perlonized night at Panorama Bar.
Chris Solaris: That was 2011.
Terje: He was like, “Oh my favourite Norwegians.” We had never really met him before, but we stayed very good friends since then.
Chris : I remember that same night, we heard Ricardo Villalobos play the Franco Cinelli remix of Cassius’ “Sound of violence” in the morning at Panorama Bar and that became a signature track for Det Gode Selskab for years…
Terje: Yeah, it’s been played on the boat several times.
What is the purpose of the label, is it something you just solely do as a passion project now?
Karl: We all play vinyl. So that’s always been a passion and importance. The purpose is to connect our love and taste for music to the world, connecting Norwegian artists with an international crowd and DJs.
*Thomas Refvik, Ronya and Hetty celebrate ten years of DGS win new year’s eve at Jaeger.
Especially if you’re printing vinyl you’re not going to recoup any costs on that, right?
Chris: It’s an investment.
Terje: Vinyl can be considered merchandise in a way and the target group is DJs to get it played. It’s a niche market as well but with a positive upside. We’re happy to see more and more DJs are playing our releases since we started. .
Karl: Everywhere we go, and what we put out is made with love, hard work and intention. And people respect that.
Chris Solaris: When I moved to Berlin I realised more that a lot of people knew of us already. I was actually a bit shocked. Credit goes to Terje because he’s been a really good A&R. The Henriku record and the Philip Boss record, really kind of stood out.
Terje: It’s also a tool to get established as an artist, to be relevant, to connect internationally with other artists. Now we release more DJs outside our own community or organisation.
You’re not cold-calling on anybody. These are artists that you’ve played with in the past and people you actually know?
Terje: We try to build some kind of residency family affair, but we also get sent a lot more demos now. There are a few releases that stand out there, but we want to release artists that we have a close relationship with.
Karl: There should be some personal connection. We are good hosts; always welcoming guests with open arms.
And you’re not signing tracks, but artists essentially?
Chris Solaris: Yes
And with a record like Henriku’s record, Rush Fantasy for instance, was the track there before you signed it or was it about developing the artist and the track was born from that?
Chris Solaris: No, we knew him very well, because he was a part of Alexander’s (Skancke) onnection. We selected among several of his tracks. That was a stand out release!
Terje: It was the perfect timing for him to release a single EP and it was also the first one and he’s really peaking now! That’s great to see. Such a good dj and producer!
Whether releasing records for new artists like Henriku or more established artists like Dandy Jack, there’s a distinct sound permeating the Det Gode Selskab records. Built on vintage minimal foundations and always with a keen ear for the dance floor, their records are functional at their core and engaging at the superficial levels with more DJs carrying DGS records as weapons in their bags.
“A big DJ will show up with our record three years later,” says Karl using his and Chris The Hand EP as an example. That was a painstaking record for the duo, taking them three years to complete the title track. “It’s the most surgical track ever,” says Karl and while it was initially slept on, it’s been popping up in DJ mixes consistently these past months. It’s garnered a “timeless” quality for Karl and Chris today.
The Hand, like many other of Det Gode Selskab’s records, are hard to categorise, actually beyond the token minimal description. Yes, they are always built upon that framework, but that can easily drift from Techno to House, even Electro.
As they keep releasing records and hosting events, Det Gode Selskab are establishing more and more of a sound. There’s a connection there to the continued international domination of Tech House, but based around their extensive community, it’s also consolidated into something purely their own.
After 15 years of being consistent and determined in Oslo, they’ve started to establish DGS way beyond the country’s borders too. In many ways they are only getting started.
So, that brings me to the next 15 years of Det Gode Selskab. What’s next?
Terje: We are in this for the long run, and our connections keep evolving every year. We are on a journey and the people in this scene share our love and passion.
Are there many challenges to that?
Karl: Passion is passion! If there’s a challenge – there is a solution.
Terje: Now we’re collaborating with Net Worldwide from Milan and the likes of Yoyaku and Half Baked. That’s opening some doors both with exchanges but also looking toward Asia. We have a good network now in Mexico and South America, so starting a small tour in Mexico this winter and then for next year the road is much more open towards South America.
Chris Solaris: We are a collective. So, we haven’t been that focused on individual artists. It should be about fostering your community and the people around you, that’s very important. That will pay off in the long term.
From all of us: Dancefloors, rhythms and new encounters are so important for society and culture. We believe it creates peace, love, unity and respect.