{"id":68166,"date":"2022-08-30T17:42:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-30T15:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deephouseamsterdam.com\/?p=68166"},"modified":"2022-08-30T17:42:00","modified_gmt":"2022-08-30T15:42:00","slug":"deep-house-london-interview-with-mazayr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deephouseamsterdam.com\/london\/deep-house-london-interview-with-mazayr\/","title":{"rendered":"Deep House London Interview With Mazayr"},"content":{"rendered":"

DJing for over a decade, <\/span>Mazayr<\/b>‘s passion for creating music stems from his earlier years as a drummer in his youth. A love for rhythm naturally translated to dance music and birthed a tireless focus on crafting his own sound as an electronic music producer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mazayr<\/b>\u2019s sound infuses a blend of emotional, uplifting and melancholic melodies, intertwined with punchy, solid grooves. His influences come from an eclectic mix of genres and this style has earned him debuts on such labels as <\/span>The Purr<\/b>, <\/span>Cigarette Music<\/b> and <\/span>Canopy Sound<\/b> with more exciting projects already in the pipeline.<\/span><\/p>\n

We caught up with Mazayr\u00a0 ahead of his new release \u2018Hypnose de la Lune’ <\/b><\/strong>\u00a0<\/b>which is out now on Musique de Lune Records<\/b><\/strong><\/b>.<\/p>\n

1) Hey Mazayr! Great to meet you \ud83d\ude42<\/strong>
\nHey guys, thanks for having me! Great to be here.<\/p>\n

2) Your bio tells me that you were a drummer in your youth? Do you think this<\/strong>
\ninfluenced how you compose your drums now?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure there\u2019s any stylistic influence \u2013 at least, none deliberately. The music I enjoy
\nnow compared to when I played is quite different. However, there probably is some
\nsubconscious muscle memory coming into play when I programme my drums \u2013 I think
\npercussion has the power to really transform the sound of a track. Plus, I read a lot of drum
\nsheet music back in the day, so getting a quick, basic pattern down for me to build on is kind
\nof second nature and helps with speed of production. I think (and hope) that, over time, I will
\nnaturally explore more ways to bring my drumming background into the rhythms I create in
\nmy music.<\/p>\n

3) Do you still play the drums?<\/strong>
\nNo, I would love to have a drum kit at home but I don\u2019t have space. I have been known to
\nnip into a music shop on occasion and have a play around on the display kits when I get a
\nchance. When I next upgrade my studio, I\u2019m tempted to get an electronic drum kit to see if
\nthere\u2019s any way I can integrate that into some of my productions. But for now, there\u2019s no
\nplace for playing drums\u2026 in my music production schedule, or my studio.<\/p>\n

4) Your sound is often described as eclectic. Is this a conscious decision?<\/strong>
\nYes and no. My overarching desire when I sit down in the studio is to create something a bit
\ncryptic or enigmatic – something you’re curious about, but you can\u2019t quite put your finger on
\nwhy. I love music that sits across multiple sub-genres and pushes the boundaries; where you
\nwouldn\u2019t know whether it was made yesterday or 20 years ago. I think that’s definitely a
\nconscious decision I make, to aim for that standard and avoid some of the stereotypical
\ntrademarks of certain genres that are sometimes overused, whilst still creating a piece of
\nmusic you want more of. But, at the same time, it\u2019s not something I think about every day or
\nwhile I\u2019m producing. It\u2019s in the back of my mind, but it doesn\u2019t influence every creative
\ndecision \u2013 that mantra is a feeling that comes when the whole picture comes together,
\nrather than something I think about when putting each building block in place. Each track is
\na unique journey and you\u2019re never sure where it will go as it develops. I try and let this
\nhappen naturally and often finished work comes out slightly differently to how it started.<\/p>\n

5) If you could have a record out on any record label, what would it be?<\/strong>
\nThere are so many labels on my wish list, and they span a few different styles so I wouldn\u2019t
\nwant to pick just one. I think the main ones are some of the heavyweights that have
\ninfluenced me over the years such as Lost & Found, Sudbeat, The Soundgarden, Anjunadeep
\nand All Day I Dream.<\/p>\n

6) Your “Hypnose de la Lune\u201d release on Musique de Lune Records is fantastic. What track<\/strong>
\ndid you enjoy making the most?<\/strong>
\nThank you for the kind words \u2013 I\u2019m super excited about this one! I must admit I\u2019m still
\nlearning to love some aspects of the production process, and some tracks can be a battle to
\nfinish. However, Antares really did come together very organically for me (I find the ideas
\nthat come to me quickest are often the ones that work the best). This one was a bit of a blur
\nover a few days, without too much tweaking and fiddling, and once I started to mixdown I
\ncould tell it was one of my favourites.<\/p>\n

7) What equipment did you use to record this E.P?<\/strong>
\nMy Mac Mini, Sennheiser HD 25s (I pretty much exclusively use headphones, so I don\u2019t wake
\nup the neighbours) and my Native Instruments Maschine MK3. I have a pretty stripped back
\nsetup, which helps me stay focused!<\/p>\n

8) What is your favourite bit of gear when you are writing tracks?<\/strong>
\nBig fan of my Maschine MK3. It\u2019s incredibly versatile and I can be hands-on with it when
\npushing sounds at the initial idea stage. This gives me options very early on in the creative
\nprocess of how the track could develop, which sparks ideas and sends you down different
\npaths.<\/p>\n

9) You began hosting events under the \u2018Right Frequency\u2019 banner to showcase melodic house<\/strong>
\nmusic. Could you tell us abit more about this?<\/strong>
\nI started Right Frequency with my good friend and musical partner Rich Towers. We both
\nrecognised early on in our friendship that we shared a similar taste in music, after mixing
\ntogether and sharing music with each other we developed a strong partnership behind the
\ndecks. But, as time passed, we felt there was a genuine gap in Manchester for the more
\nmelodic side of house music. We still think there is. The sound here is more often geared
\ntowards techno and tech house, so we want to serve the people who look for a more
\nchilled, laid-back experience. We focus on free events and day parties around the north of
\nEngland if we can, but we\u2019re still exploring how we could develop this and take it further.<\/p>\n

10) Finally, what upcoming DJs\/Producers should we be looking out for this year?<\/strong>
\nGreat question! There are so many I could mention. I\u2019ve been enjoying a lot of tracks from
\nRic Niels, Beije, Deek That and Ranta recently. Another artist that I have to call out is
\nAmount. Although the tempo doesn\u2019t always align with my usual style, I really love his
\nsound and am consistently drawn to his tracks.<\/p>\n

Mazayr – Hypnose de la Lune is out now on Musique de Lune Records<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n

Click to buy<\/a><\/p>\n