CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS 148: 6 SENSE: THE RISING STARS OF MELBOURNE'S ELECTRONIC MUSIC SCENE | VIDEO

Interview by Alexandra Tarraran.

After just two and half years of producing music, Alex Garces and Brodie Johnson have emerged as rising stars in the Australian electronic music scene, known for their high-energy music sets under the name 6 Sense. 

Making an appearance over the long weekend, they were excited to play at Victoria’s renowned Pitch Music and Arts, debuting their new release, On the Block.

In a pre-set interview, the duo gives their insights into their journey as the “youngins” in Melbourne’s electronic music scene. They talk about their experience with producing music fresh out of high school, collaborations along the way and the Melbourne DJ Community. Sharing some of their biggest tips for aspiring DJs, they emphasise the importance of collaborating with like-minded peers, and learning hands-on from others.

FMM: How do you guys feel being here this weekend?

Alex: Very excited. This is one of the biggest festivals we’ve wanted to play at.

FMM: Did you ever think you’d progress this quickly?

Brodie: No way. Honestly, when Alex and I started it was always a bit of fun. Straight out of high school, we just got super into music and we were like why not start having a go at it? Being here now it’s felt like the quickest two and a half to three years of my life, and it’s so sick to see all of our mates and all these people around us doing so well.

FMM: Can I ask where the name ‘6 Sense’ came from?

Brodie: It’s a good story. We both worked at New Balance and one day, this girl who I was serving walked in and I was like I bet her last name has something to do with Winter, and her last name was Snow… then I was like I’ve got the sixth sense. Me and Alex look at each other and we were like yeah, that’s the one.

FMM: Did you guys start producing individually or together?

Alex: Individually at first, but we always helped each other.

Brodie: There was always me, him and one of our good friends who runs Green Roll Records, Jackson. Straight out of high school, we all graduated Year 12 together and started going out to big parties, especially the Steel City ones, and then we all started making music - it was like friendly competition. This guy always topped me and Jacko, but the way it’s turned out obviously it’s been awesome, couldn’t ask for anything more.

FMM: Speaking of collabs, your recent track with Ned Bennet came out . Have you guys worked a lot with him over the years or is this a new collaboration?

Brodie: Ned’s always been one of our close mates. We’re in a big circle with him and a few of the other boys in Melbourne. Just being super close with him and getting along with him so well from the first time we met him, the music just came together so fluently and nothing was forced. He’s always just come over to my house and his house and just jumped on Ableton. Every time we jump on, we make something straight away, so it’s so sick that we get to release our best friend’s label with him.

FMM: Do you have any pre-set rituals or any way you warm up before going on stage?

Brodie: As much as I hate to say it, it’s gotta be a few drinks just as a bit of a confidence booster, but besides that just hanging with all our mates always calms us down a little bit. Just being with the people we have the most fun with - but as long as I’ve got him it’s all good. That’s the main ritual.

FMM: What advice would you give to any up-and-coming DJs?

Brodie: There’s a lot of good tutorials on Youtube… just learning different stuff off different people, but the biggest thing that we found is to just try and find people who are in the same field as you and work with your friends and make connections with people. The biggest times I learn on Ableton, especially production wise, is always through my friends - being in the studio with them and learning what they do. I know when you learn something physically opposed to learning it from a piece of paper, it’s always a lot better. If you can find friends who are doing the same thing as you it helps.

Alex: When we started producing with our friend Mac, that’s the only reason why we’re here today - we were bouncing off each other all the time.

FMM: It seems like there is a supportive DJ Community in Melbourne would you say?

Alex: Yes, very much.

Brodie: I was saying to Alex before that it's so sick because all of our friends like Lish, Ned, OJ, even Sam’s coming up - all our best mates are coming up to our favourite festival in Aus. Seeing a lot of them playing and having a good time is so sick.

Brodie: Nothing’s better than Pitch, not even Christmas mate.