Listen to the exclusive mix from eccentric funk DJ Nick Monaco for the magical Meadows in the Mountains Festival.

Meadows in the mountains sounds like our kind of festival. Fields of endless dancing, musical delights at both sunrise and sunset, a magical fusion of art and music in the fresh air of the Bulgarian meadows… it’s been tipped as the secret garden party of mainland Europe.

Nick Monaco of Soul Clap fame sent Wonderland an exclusive mix ahead of his headline performance at the festival and talked to us about his musical inspirations (think feathers and bongos!) and his excitement at frolicking naked in the meadows with butterflies.

How would you describe your sound?

I play appropriate music. More times than not it is fun, positive, sexy, funky, and deep. It seems like a pretty obvious thing to do, but I think a lot of DJs these days are missing that concept.

How do you feel your sound fits within the setting of Meadows in the Mountains festival?

Like I said, my sound is really adaptable, but ultimately I want to play music that is as pretty as the surroundings. It’s about finding those records that create those magic moments, especially in a place like the meadows of Bulgaria. I’m playing at sunset on Sunday so I want to make it really special.

What inspired this mix?

I was asked to do this mix a few months ago but didn’t really find the inspiration until I stumbled across Set Me Free by Vanilla Fudge. That song drove the entire theme of the mix. I had Woodstock in the back of mind when I was making this mix… freedom, experimentation, LSD, feather, bongos, all that fun stuff.

Does the vibe of the mix reflect your impressions of the festival?

Yeah, totally! I’ve never been to Bulgaria, so there was a lot of imagination that went into creating this mix. I tried putting myself there — I lit the incense, switched on the lava lamp and let the good vibrations ooze onto arrangement window of Ableton.

How do you feel about being a headliner for the festival?

I feel really honored to be invited to be a part of this festival, I’m glad I can contribute to the movement and be a part of while it’s still young.

What are you most excited about for Meadows in the Mountains?

Leaving my phone and laptop behind and frolicking naked in the meadows with the butterflies.

Meadows in the Mountains festival, Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria, June 7th-9th 2013.

Words: Laura Isabella