Victor Sanchez is one busy man. Among the most sought-after faces in Stockholm’s well-respected music scene, Sanchez is behind upcoming indie-label Hosoi Recordings and also lends his talents to the city’s 2017-opened At Six hotel – the kind of ultra-contemporary, brutalist high-rise design magazine editors drool over.
For StockholmLGBT, Sanchez takes some time out to talk about how he’s pushing music curation throughout the hotel, and in particular at Hosoi, At Six’ social listening space that’s quickly becoming the capital’s coolest meeting place, open to everyone with an appreciation for good music…
Hosoi proudly calls itself a social living room, not just another pretty bar. Can you explain the concept behind the space?
Hosoi is a very dynamic space with a relaxed approach and homely feel to it. It’s a bar to hang out in like any other, but music comes first and everything else is secondary. It’s about giving room to music that doesn’t have a natural or social space and also opening up the possibility for people to experience music in a ‘high end’ way most aren’t used to.
How would you describe your average guest? We image Hosoi’s curated playlists appeal to real music aficionados, rather than to crowds looking for the ‘next big thing’…
I think the average guest can vary a lot, but the common factor is definitely open-mindedness. Yes, we do have a lot of music aficionados and Hosoi has slowly become a meeting ground for the creative community. It’s a place to discuss and plant seeds for creative projects even outside of Hosoi, which is fantastic.
Like any sub-culture, it’s always been about the chosen few and never about ‘the next big thing’ and I don’t think Hosoi will ever appeal to crowds looking for quick entertainment.
What genres do you play, then?
Hosoi is and will always be genre-free. It has much more to do with mood and environment than genres. I try hard to curate a broad and interesting musical program and all guest DJs have complete artistic freedom to interpret the atmosphere of the room with sounds and music of their choice.
It’s great to see a place that’s so dedicated to bringing real music to people who are genuinely interested. Tell us about some of the events happening at Hosoi.
The idea is to try and push music and the extremely dedicated people behind it, and then trying to perfect the experience by adapting the environment to each night. The programming can vary a lot: we host Q&As, lectures, live shows, chilled hangouts to silent album listening sessions…
Are there any upcoming events you’re especially excited about?
There are several nights coming up that I’m very excited about, I’ve really tried to push the boundaries and now that people are starting to understand what Hosoi is about, it’s a lot of fun to do even more ‘out there’ nights. We have some fantastic guests, live shows and projects planned… you’ll have to just come and let yourself be surprised!
Lastly, we love At Six’ contemporary, stylish interiors and understated atmosphere. What’s your favourite aspect about the hotel, other than Hosoi?
I think my favorite aspect of the hotel is our high ambition, diversity and clear vision in each department. If I have to choose an outlet outside of Hosoi, the hotel’s Dining Room is the easy choice. Not many hotels are known for their restaurants but our Dining Room is truly great and has never disappointed me – or any of my guests.
Web: www.hotelatsix.com / www.hosoi.se
Facebook: @hotelatsix /@hosoisthlm
Instagram: @hotelatsix / @hosoisthlm