Interview: Marcin Czubala
Sound Advice are please to present Marcin Czubala on the 18th of Feb at Cargo, London. Marcin has been producing electronic music for over 10 years, fine tuning his sound over several handful’s of singles and albums. Having just released a four track E.P on the long standing Berlin House and Techno label Mobilee, as well as his busy international touring schedule and setting up his own label ‘Your Mama’s Friend’, Marcin has found the time to have a quick chat with us here at SA.
SA- From starting out in Classical music, to making your name as a Techno producer/dj, your sound has continuously evolved throughout your career. Can you tell us a bit about where you are right now musically?
MC- I am mainly involved with Deep House music, although not really into its classic forms. I always try to develop my sound, I get easily bored with just one way of production. my tracks are sometimes more bassy, sometimes a bit Detroit inspired although it’s definitely House music.
SA- You’ve recently set up your own label ‘Your Mama’s Friend’, what is the philosophy behind the label?
MC- Our philosophy is to offer fresh underground House music. To merge, combine and develop new sounds. We don’t focus to deliver dj tools or to fit current hype, it’s strictly just about musical value.
SA- Can you tell us what we can expect from you in London?
MC- Your Mama’s Friend posse ! Proper bass house music guys 
SA-We felt your last e.p. ‘Just A Way’ really stood out, how do you approach starting and finishing a record?
MC- Thanks for your kind words. It differs. Sometimes it’s just sample that inspires me to approach starting a track, sometimes a bassline or some sort of melody / chord arrangement. With the Just Away single it was mainly vocal samples and basslines, after this it was simple to approach finishing the record.
SA- What’s the next big thing from you?
MC- Right now I’m focusing on work with my label Your Mama’s Friend, it’s really time consuming so I have only time to produce some remixes. Although I plan some proper studio time to produce another single soon.
SA- Finally, what’s the strangest location/experience you’ve had when djing?
MC- I am not booked into really strange locations or at least we try to have a control over the places I am playing. I can only speak about good experiences and the best locations for me are always in Mexico, also my recent trip to South Africa was great.
Alex Niggemann on producing his new album and quality over quantity
We talk to Alex Niggemann ahead of his London gig for Sound Advice at Cargo. As a producer, Alex has dropped phat tunes on respected label such as Nick Curly’s 8Bit and Supernature, while his DJ adventures have taken him as far a South Africa and Ibiza as well as Europe’s hottest venues. Both his productions as remixes continue to receive full support from the likes of Nick Curly, Audiofly, Booka Shade and Loco Dice. Sound Advice welcome Alex to London, inviting him to drop a two hour exclusive set. Currently halfway through producing his debut album, be sure to catch some brand spanking new, never heard before tracks.
1. Hi Alex, how are you how’s it going?
I’m fine, thanks for asking.
2. You’re headlining the SA party on the 10th in London, can you tell us what we can expect from you?
As always, I’ll give all my love to the music and people. I really love to play in London and I never had a bad time there so far! Really looking forward to it.
3. You’re currently producing a new album; can you give us some info on how it’s coming together?
I now recognize, that It is a hard process to produce an album, which fits for clubs and listening at home. This is what I wanted to do from the very beginning; an album that represents me and the whole range of music I stand for. I try to make every song sound different to the one before. I think it’s very important in these times to do something special, as there is a lot of quantity on the market. Quality became less. I took me a while to get into the whole process, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Half work is done.
4. You’ve enjoyed a meteoric rise into the Berlin and global scene; can you tell us what has been the secret to your success?
Hard (quality) work and having great power of endurance.
5. Can you tell us a bit how you approach making a new track?
It’s different every time. Sometimes with an idea of a groove or melody, sometimes only by sitting in studio and just letting go. I don’t have a formula. This is why the music I release mostly sounds different to the EP’s before.
6. Can you offer any advice for upcoming producers looking for their break into the scene?
Take your time and find your style. Fast success mostly isn’t the best way and not every finished track is a release.
7. And finally, what’s the strangest request/experience you’ve had when DJing?
Well, there are a lot. Mostly it’s people who only visit the club because of hearing good things about it, without having a clue about the music. I had a few people asking for Pop or RnB already. *Lol*
Download Alex’s SA podcast below!
Deepgroove on closing The Discoteca at We Love…Space and DJing in ice cream vans
You’re headlining the SA party on the 27th, can you tell us what we can expect from you?
Lots of jacking house, bass and heaviness.
You’re closing The Discoteca the next day at We Love…Space, can you give us an insight into playing at Space?
It’s just really, really exciting. The booth makes all your records sound amazing, everyone there is probably as excited as you because they are firstly, in Ibiza and secondly, in Space… and loads of our friends are going to be there, so fingers crossed, it will be fantastic.
You’ve been producing and DJing for some time now? Can you tell us what inspired you to create your own music?
I guess we are ravers at heart, so going out clubbing and listening to our favourite djs was the original inspiration.
Can you tell us a bit how you approach making a new track?
It normally starts with a solid idea (as jamming and chucking ideas around normally results in eating crisps and c*cking around), a bassline or a vocal. Then writing drums around it. Also, visualising where and when you are going to play it helps massively.
Can you offer any advice for upcoming producers looking for their break into the scene?
Make lots of records, find a sound that you think is strong and dj your sound as much as possible to make sure it works in the club. Put your tracks on Soundcloud, Mixcloud, get a Facebook page, a strong image and then seek out the djs and producers you aspire to. If they are playing your music, you are on your way…
And finally, what’s the strangest experience you’ve had when DJing?
We played at Bestival one year in an ice cream van, with Lee wearing a yellow nighty and confused a few people by playing Annie ‘The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow’…very strange…
Exclusive: Darius Syrossian on keeping it real and getting the munchies in San Diego with Steve Lawler
With Sound Advice launching on July the 8th at Cargo, can you tell us what we can expect from you?
Yes, I’m going to play what I love which is across the board, House, that’s deep, jacking, lots of tracks with prominent basslines, and strong drum programming. I’m not scared to drop tracks from 15 years ago from my vinyl collection. I don’t stick to one sound either and don’t mind taking it up, bringing it down and taking it up again. I adapt my sound to any given dancefloor, asses the situation, the crowd and take it from there. I certainly wont be playing any big anthems to get a reaction, not my thing.
(Click to play or download Darius’s mix from Stereo, Montreal)
You’ve been spending a lot of time on tour in the States; can you give us an insight into what that is like?
Yeah I have played over in the States and Canada before, but normally it’s been 3 or 4 gigs over 6 or 7 days, but this was three weeks, 14 gigs over 21 days. Basically I toured with Steve (Lawler) & Dean his tour manager on the whole trip, we did 4 or 5 gigs a week and had three days to chill in one city at the end of each week. It was a lot of flights but I didn’t mind, we did a full circle of North America, starting in the top right with Washington DC, Chicago, New York went down to Miami, then across to Sacramento, San Francisco, LA, Hollywood and San Diego. Then up to west Canada to play Vancouver and then across the other side to do Montreal and Toronto.
Any highlights of the tour?
Ha-ha, I couldn’t possibly choose one as there was so many, gig wise New York @ District 36; the club in New York people are calling the new Twilo. It has an amazing Gary Stewart sound system that has to be heard to be believed. Montreal @ Stereo was amazing, again the sound system in there is unreal. San Diego in the day playing 100 yards from the ocean in the daytime was great. The final gig of the tour was a boat cruise in Toronto over Lake Ontario which was more like a ferry with 400 people on our last day was amazing, the atmosphere was awesome. Other highlights were me, Steve and Dean deciding to hit the cinema on our night off in San Diego, after having some herbs. Lets say getting the munchies, then having serious laugh attacks even though we had managed to get lost in the middle of nowhere and had no idea how to get back.
You’ve been producing and DJing for some time now? Can you tell us what inspired you to create your own music?
I love DJing but I’ve always thought at the end of the day, I’m playing other peoples music. Sometimes when I’d drop a track, see people go crazy, I’d think man its not me that should be getting the praise here. It’s the guy who made this track, it genuinely used to make me think that. So I decided to make my own music. It wasn’t until I realised my music started selling well that I took it up more seriously. At first I was just doing it for fun, now I’m addicted. I’m one of those people that always have to be doing something and most relaxed when cooking, painting or making music. I used to paint a lot and have a degree in interior textiles. I sold many paintings back then, figurative or abstract, all sorts in fact. If I wasn’t making music I’d either be doing that or maybe a Chef.
Can you tell us a bit how you approach making a new track?
For me if the bass isn’t right, from the start you are flogging a dead horse, simple as that. The beat, the drums and the bass have to all be tight, work together and have feeling. Get a loop going like that and then build it up. Sometimes people work on tracks over and over but they don’t realise its a lost cause. Give it up and start again. A good track is one where you have the feeling, you know the bass and the drums work well together. When I first started out years ago I used to make this mistake a lot. As soon as I realised this main aspect, my production improved by about 80%. The Chicago tales remix I did just came together really quickly and it was done that way.
Your tracks often contain unique elements in the breakdown of the tracks, Luis Conte with its bongo solo’s and spoken voice, Stay Up Dancing with its lush Piano’s? Without giving to many secrets away, could you tell us about how you go about creating these elements?
I believe we dance to a beat, and a track for me should have a strong element on a groove, and not be ruined by too many melodies in the track. So let the beat and the rhythm grab you. That’s my sound. There is nothing wrong with it breaking down, giving you a breather and some musical elements coming in for 30 seconds and then BAM! Back to the locked down groove. So I try to keep that idea. When I have a groove I know is going to work on the dancefloor, then I try to think if I was dancing what could happen now that isn’t going to ruin it for me. Then I try to do something quirky, to be different. On Stay Up Danicning, Get In Monday it was a piano lead and a brass instrument playing, totally not expected but worked. On my forthcoming release on Get Physical, it has Nu Jazz drums in the breakdown, actual real Nu Jazz drum programming, very complex, and for a 45 second breakdown it was a lot of work to get right.
Can you offer any advice for upcoming producers looking for their break into the scene?
Never give up. You will always learn more and more and improve when you don’t realize it is happening, also remember sometimes you might make a killer track and send it out and not get any response. This doesn’t mean anything, the top labels get 600 demos a week. I know VIVa MUSiC does, so try to get these tracks to DJ’s yourself personally. Hand them a CD at a gig (preferably when your not wasted ha-ha) that’s how I hooked up with Steve Lawler. The main thing I’d say is never give up and believe in yourself.
How do you see the dance music evolving and recovering from recent toothing problems in digital sales?
As long as people keep file sharing it cant recover, its terrible really.I think producers don’t get enough credit. DJ’s get too much credit. In the old days when I used to go to raves, I’m talking early 90′s, it was more about the sound systems that we went to check out at mills or outdoor fields. If there was a good sound-system with a collective of DJ’s we would go. People danced and didn’t even know where the DJ booth was. Now everybody is obsessed by the DJ, facing the booth like a band is playing and worshiping the DJ. That’s why I started producing. I just felt I couldn’t take myself seriously as a DJ. It’s the fun part but deep down in your heart you know your just playing other people’s music and don’t deserve the praise your getting. I have great respect for anyone running quality underground record labels now. It’s so much work for not a lot of reward and it’s these people enabling the music to still be out there for the DJ’s. If it wasn’t for these guys the scene would die.
And finally, what’s the strangest experience/request you’ve had when DJing?
I played at Sankeys in Manchester once and this guy was waving me to come to the side of the DJ booth from the dance floor. I packed up my records and headphones and went out and he was there, he was saying he will give me £40 if I can give him the last ten tracks I played. He noticed I was playing CD’s, I just said check my VIVa MUSiC Podcasts, they have a full track listing on Sound Cloud and pretty much a lot of what I played tonight is on my pick’n'mix this episode. Another was when I was touring with Steve, Steve hadn’t got to the club yet, and there was a DJ before me and the he was playing 130bpm techno at 11.30pm. I had to bring it down from that to set it up for Steve, and the club was packed out. I thought if I’m ever going to be tested as a DJ, this is it, but I managed to pull if off. There was a few Tequila shots in quick succession after I got off the decks to chill me after that I can tell you. Steve got there and said to me, perfect, got the vibe perfect, and I thought you have no idea what I have just been through, ha-ha.