Interview with Mario Matakovic a.k.a. M-Run.
Gallery:
Interview:
Hello Mario!
Hello to all the readers of Chaishop!
Tell us a bit about your origins.
As a kid I’ve always fiddled with my guitar and a keyboard. The keyboard was the one who stayed until this day. Around my 17th birthday I started producing. Topics that have always fascinated me are the world, technology and the universe and I’ve somehow managed to fuse my interests with electronic music. I love music in general, find myself in different styles, exploring interesting subgenres, new music production techniques, technologies etc. I never get tired of browsing.
What is M-Run?
M-Run is my first music project born through my love for Goa trance, which inspired me because of its freedom and depths of expression and raw synthesizer sounds. With this project I entered the world of sound synthesis. In the beginning I used “in the box” software plugins but later I started using analogue and digital hardware. Funny thing, M-Run is also the last of my projects to become “official” because, despite its activities on the dance floors around the world, it wasn’t until 2010 that the track Goat Man was released on the Israeli/Belgium label Cronomi.
What were the dance floors you were active on?
I’ve preformed on many indoor and outdoor festival in Croatia from 2002. In 2010 was my first international gig in Belgium. After that came Switzerland, Israel, Slovenia, Germany, festivals like Lost Theory, Unity, Fruttstock.
I’ve followed you for quite some time and I know that you like a broad spectrum of music.
Well yes, I’ve been working on lots of different styles of electronic music. My first release was in 2002 a tech trance project Mokk. After that I experimented with different styles of techno, house & electro and sound production for television and radio in general. In 2006 Utilizer is born a pure electro/techno project. It was rather successful with its latest release in 2012, a double VA album was on London Street Sounds. Artists like Chuck D from Public Enemy, Man Parrish, Knights of the Turntables released on that label.
I know 2015 was a big year for you, what was happening than?
Yes, in 2015 I joined Echo Bookings on Roster for Israel with artists like Juno Reactor, Tipper, Greg Hilight, Kindzadza, Hux Flux, Goa Gill, Goasia, Yahel, Nick Taylor, Ubar Tmar, Mark Allen, Manmademan, Ux, Masa.
Nice! As kids we listened and admired guys like Power Source, MFG, and UX. And now you are working with them. How does that feel, that twist of faith?
It’s really a dream come true feeling. Because everybody had that feeling where you hold the CD of your favourite artist and imagine “What would it be like?” And now it is. Currently I’m remixing the biggest names in Goa trance history: Power Source, UX (Ultimate Experience), MFG, Guss Till, Dogma, Color box , Bypass Unit & Goasia. It’s not only very motivating but a whole new ways of focusing on my work and developing production skills.
It’s well known that the 90’s Goa trance was 100% pure analogue sound. You are living in a digital age. How do you fuse the two?
I’m always using the something from both worlds: I love Dave Smith instruments Tetra & Evolver, own a few old Roland’s like Sh 09. Access Virus TI and Waldorf Microwave are my digital workhorses. On my M-Run debut album I wanted that old school synthesizer sound and basic good mix without a lot of character processing. I kept it raw. But on my new materials you will definitely be able to hear a more complex production in terms of sound design. It’s still Goa trance but with a fresh twist in terms of the techniques used in production.
How complex is it for you to make a track?
From my perspective the whole point of making music is evolving so I want my tracks to be more complex and give a very specific signature to my sound. M-Run project always includes hours of complex mixing because there is lots of spectral content in my tracks, many layers and information. So yes there is lots of work.
What are you currently working on?
M-Run Tribute album is next, some new materials, old & new lives sessions. Latest M-Run release is available on Neogoa VA - Svemirski Hod compilation and some tracks will be on upcoming Space Dock rec Legacy VA’s near the end of this year. Currently I’m mastering for different trance, house and techno labels.
Give us some free juice. :-)
Unity live set free download:
M-Run official page:
http://matakovicproduction.com/en/m-run/