The first thing that struck me about your music, and especially your track Ripple from Expressions, is that it is so emotionally charged. I was personally very moved! It’s got classical tendencies? Can you tell us how you are able to master this so skilfully?
When I’m not working on music, I spend most of my time listening to modern classical / electronica crossover. So things like Olafur Arnalds, Max Richter, Helios, Jon Hopkins and Ben Frost. As for how to “master” this in my own music, I’m not sure if I’ve really done that yet, I’m never satisfied with my output, it’s a constant learning process. As for the technique, I have no classical training and don’t apply music theory; the melodic elements are all just done by feel.

How did you begin your interest in music, and what made you go in this particular direction?
I think we all carry an innate interest in music as a result of our biology – at a basic level, our tendency to want to find patterns in things, music being patterns in sound. But I guess you want to know why I went fully down the slippery slope of music. This was because I really enjoyed playing it, and later, making it, and I was engrossed enough to spend the obscene amount of hours required to make some headway.

Could you tell us about the videos that Whiskas Fx has made for you and how much influence you’ve had?
The videos have mainly been made for tracks which already had well defined concepts. By this I mean, that I presented with the tracks, ideas I found interesting and inspiring when making the music, as something to re-inforce the message of the music, in order to present a more complete listening experience, as well as to make each package more interesting as a whole. Andrew Brewer (WhiskasFx) took these concepts and developed them further in his own way, before we would discuss and pin down the ideas into exactly what we wanted. The result is a fusion staying true to the original music and concepts, but each video primarily Andrew’s own creation.

I read somewhere that when you began producing your own tracks back in 2006, you moved towards a “less-is-more” kind of approach to music. Can you tell us a bit more about this change from one thing to another?
I started off making breaks and electro, and I guess moving into more of a techno theme automatically pushed things a bit more minimal, which was then reinforced further when I started working with Traum. It all happened very naturally though, there was never a conscious decision to change styles or to start making things in any particular way. It’s the same now, my music is always moving into something new, the difficulty arises when you go too far to bring your audience with you. For example, I’m doing a lot more ambient/modern classical and electronica tracks now, which I’m guessing my album, when it eventually materialises, will be primarily made up of. Hopefully the reduction in techno tracks won’t ruin me!

Have you experienced other significant changes in your approach to music in general?
Too many deadlines sometimes means I don’t have enough time to experiment properly, which often means tracks can come out a bit stale. It’s a difficult one these days, with the amount of music you need to release to make music a viable occupation. Some people resort to track templates whereby they can release lots of slight variations of the same thing. I start everything from scratch every time, but still sometimes rely on tried and tested techniques and synths to achieve my aims. Ideally I would have enough time to experiment for a couple of weeks on every piece, which is what I would have done when I first started out, but these days that can sometimes be difficult.

Beyond your music career you are also studying science. Can you tell us about how these two sides of your life coexist?
I was doing science research up until about a year and half ago, at which point my funding ran out. I was already doing music a lot by then, and decided to give it a go properly. Not I haven’t got any time for science unfortunately, but I’m pleased to still have the freedom to be doing my own projects. So in short, those two sides of my life don’t coexist properly, it seems that in order to make a self-driven business work, you need to put in pretty much 100%.

What do you believe to be the best circumstances for you to make a great track?
Artistic freedom. When I’m told by a label to make something without constraints, or when I set myself that task, it generally results in the pieces of music that I’m most pleased with.

Today you have many software options when creating music. What is your choice of weapon, Ableton. Logic, Cubase, or?
I use Ableton Live.

What was the first software tool that helped you get the sound you have now?
Predatohm has featured pretty consistently over the years. And Operator.

If you were to collaborate with any artist, who would be the most exciting?
Björk would be nice, would love to get my filthy hands on those vocals!

////

////

////

////

Ivan Smagghe: “We’re always trying to look further afield and find out what’s going on beneath the surface. And that’s exactly what we’ve tried to do with this compilation without getting too obsessed about making a weird, off-the-wall record at all costs”.

////

Check it here
www.m-nus.com

Richie Hawtin (AKA Plastikman) and Minus have pledged to give back to the planet by bringing green to the world of electronic music in this exclusive Beatportal interview.

With a new campaign subtitled ‘Minimize your IMPACT’, Hawtin has promised to offset carbon emissions, and implement environmentally friendly manufacturing processes at Minus HQ in Berlin.

In this exclusive video, Beatportal’s Liz Warner chatted with Richie Hawtin about his inspirations for the initiative and his partnering with carbon offsetting company Atmosfair to balance air travel emissions.

Plus we spoke about his future plans and his hope that his actions will have a greater impact on the electronic music community and the planet at large.

Full information on the initiative and more is available on the Minus website.

////

check it here
myspace.com/misstressbarbara

////

////

Bpitch Control
Ellen Allien

Check it here

////

////

////

With his grandmothers turntables and an old tape deck he was eager to start mixing in his early teens, as he saw footage of turntablists and hiphop DJs in America. Although he was way too young to legally enter a bar, he started to DJ in local clubs around his hometown. At the end of the 90s Mason got more and more DJ gigs and integrated his electric violin and effects into his DJ sets. Things became quite hectic, as he was often asked to play in countries abroad, while he had just started to study Music Composition and Performance. He finished 4 years later, cum laude and received an award for from the Dutch Royal Family for his graduation. And here it goes…

At the moment you just can’t escape MASON vs. PRINCESS SUPERSTAR – Perfect (Exceeder) It is everywhere. But tell us how did Princess Superstar get on your track or was it the other way around? What is the story?
My Exceeder track went very well during the summer, and her Perfect song as well before, so at a certain point Ministry of Sound UK decided to mash the two up and make a video for it. It’s really the classic case of a mash-up track. It’s fun, but I see the instrumental Exceeder more as ‘my’ track.

According to you website it looks like you got a busy schedule, will there be time for any studio work?
It’s getting more and more difficult, but usually I have time for studio a few days during the week.. I’ve been working lots of years to get to this point, so I dont mind having not much free time and have a crazy dj / studio schedule, as this is what I always wanted…

More and more artists create their album on the road. Is that the way it goes for you as well?
No not on the road, but there’s definitely an album coming around summer, it’s almost finished. It’s the thing I look out to the most, as it gives a better image of what I’m about, specially after the whole mash-up thing. It’s also very nice to work on music you just feel like making – dj friendly or not – in stead of only aiming on dance floors

Exceeder is a great track, how and where did you come up with it?
I was actually in the middle of moving from one studio to another, so my studio was disabled and I had only a computer installed on my kitchen table at home for the time being.. It’s more than a year ago already – it took quite some time as Exceeder first got released on a smaller Dutch label called Middle Of The Road as a B-side of a track called ‘Follow Me’. Out of the blue people like Tiga and Eric Prydz started to pick it up, and when Great Stuff recordings licensed it things started to go fast.

Today you have many software options when creating music. What was your choice of weapon for the Exceeder track, Ableton. Logic, Cubase, or?
Logic. I’ve been quite addicted to the program, and have sleepless nights when a new update is gonna be released. You have to be kind of a nerd to spend so much time with it…. However, I think all programs are good. It’s more a matter of what you’re used to, as in the end it’s about the cook and not about the kitchen.

In the music industry nowadays it seems there still are a fight between Mac and pc. Whose side are you on ? Mac or pc?
Mac of course ….!

What is your favourite fx and synth?
The Korg MS20 is probably my favourite. I also use an ATC1 a lot..
With softsynths, I use the ARP2600 the most.

How do you see your music evolving within the next year? More hard, or more commercial?
I hope I have more options then or hard or commercial! The album is a big landmark for me, and that’s for a big part music to listen to at home or in the car, and not only made to dance on. But I definitely wanna make some vinyl releases as well. I don’t force myself to think too much about what it should be like, but just make music I feel like making. Sorry for the terrible cliché…

When producing, how do you normally go about it? Do you start with a melody or drums and bass first?
Usually the theme, so I start with a melody and bass… You can always make beats around something, but I find that a bit less interesting than thinking about a main theme. To make a theme on top of something is more complicated.

When composing, do you tend to work with loops and then put them together as you go along, follow a template or is it different from time to time?
I dont use loops at all, but just my own sounds, so it’s different from time to time. Maybe I should stick to the same sounds more to have a clear trademark what a Mason track is, like many producers do, but I usually just feel like making something different every track. I think you hardly ever hear the same kick hihat or bass sound in my tracks

Being a musician, how much do you use e.g. your classical skills when producing?
It must help with finding harmonies I guess. Also it’s easier to communicate with musicians, as you know the right terms to use for something.

Do you reckon your music would have been a lot different without you classical background?
Perhaps less melodic, but that’s hard to tell….

How long time do you normally work on a track, e.g. Exceeder?
All together something like a week or so, but more spread out, as I normally work on different tracks at the same time, so you can switch to another once you run out of ideas..

Do you have a favourite dj and music producer?
I’m a big fan of people who are not afraid to flirt with popmusic, without aiming to obviously on making a commercial hit, like Stuart Price, Alan Braxe, Plump DJs etc.
DJ-wise I’m quite a fan of Goodlife guys like Oxia and Kiko .. Ow and the Subs from Belgium are the next big thing I believe.

What is your dream, what do you what to archive with your music, is there any track/artist you REALLY would like to remix?
I would be a very happy man if my album would do well, as it’s the most personal thing so far… and off course to remix someone like Prince or David Bowie, but that kinda goes without saying!

How would you like people do describe you personally, as DJ and as Producer?
As a dj hopefully a mixture fun and dark
As a producer hopefully fun and original
As a person hopefully

////

////

////

////

////

////