Me and You is M.A.N.D.Y.

Published: Wednesday, February 13th 2008
Author: Beat Factor

Beat Factor: You’ve just compiled the Fabric 38 mix CD. Is there any particular story that you guys wanted to share with the listeners?

M.A.N.D.Y. Well, we selected 100 tracks, tracks that we really like, so we had so many different approaches. There was more techno, deeper music, and then we thought to put more soul, melody lines, so the mix can survive for longer. That’s why you get excited when you’re listening to a CD, because you can’t get bored so easily.

Normally, what we do is mixing together, like one record to the other. The first half is made on Ableton, and the second half on vinyl; when you play on turntables, the mix has that dynamics that we like, but as time was a really problem, we considered doing half of the CD on computer and half on turntables.

Beat Factor: At the moment you are co owners to one of the biggest record labels in electronic dance music, Get Physical. What’s new on the label?

M.A.N.D.Y. Now, for the first time, we released a non dance material, which is Raz Ohara & The Odd Orchestra. We also found this new French band called Noze; they are from Paris and it’s a really crazy shit. So we want to do something which is not totally focused on the dance scene. There’s also a new Booka Shade album coming up, and me and my partner Patrick are going to leave for Island now, on Sunday (February 3), to start with the album as well. Also a new Body Language material coming up from Junior Boys, so there’s plenty of new stuff.



Beat Factor: Speaking about the label, who actually takes care of it now? Booka Shade, DJ T, MANDY..

M.A.N.D.Y. Well, we have now seven people working in the office with us, which are one of the reasons we don’t make any money. Nobody from the six of us ever earned one single euro with the label so far. But this is how we can go traveling, we can have a nice studio.. so it’s all good, we don’t complain.

Beat Factor: What’s the most outstanding artist you discovered on Get Physical?

M.A.N.D.Y. The biggest surprise was obviously Samim with his “Heater”. The track was done in a very short time and it came out as a joke; or not really a joke, but more a thing like “ok, let’s do it..”. And it blew off, which obviously was surprising. But personally I really like the Lopazz album, it’s very dedicated music and for me this is an album that I’m still listening to quite a lot.

Beat Factor: As a record label owner, how do you think electronic music will evolve in a few years?

M.A.N.D.Y. I don’t think it’s something new on the stage now, even with all these new currents like dubstep, new rave or whatever. Everything has been done before, it’s nothing revolutionary anymore. There are new approaches, but there’s nothing brand new.

Beat Factor: So we have to return to the roots from the ’70 and ’80.

M.A.N.D.Y. Yes, definitely! Because at a general view, everything is the same. Every year there’s something new going on, but they always refer to something that was already there.

Beat Factor: Speaking about production, do you plan any new releases out soon? Album or EP?

M.A.N.D.Y. Yes, this is the main reason we go to Island. Since the Body Language compilation, we didn’t produce anything, and we always tried, but we were never happy with the result. I don’t know if there’s something really going out, but at least it’s going to be like a weird experience. And maybe something good is coming out. I can’t promise anything, but hopefully we’ll finish some music. When music comes from places like this, I personally like more than the music coming from an urban place. For me it’s more interesting, deeper.

Beat Factor: How do you split the tasks in studio?

M.A.N.D.Y. It always depends. Sometimes is very much energetic, sometimes it takes three hours and we have a track with a good idea. But sometimes you stay for hours and nothing comes out. You never have the same ideas, which is a good thing. I think it’s very important that if you know a genre well enough, you can take a step back and say ‘ok, I don’t feel it at the moment; you continue, I’ll take a break’.

Beat Factor: What do you do in your spare time?

M.A.N.D.Y. Sometimes I go see some friends, just to go out and talk to people, exchange ideas. Yesterday I had launch with Toby Newman and today I’m going for dinner with Ali from Tiefschwarz; just a nice talk.

Beat Factor: What your artist name means?

M.A.N.D.Y. It’s a game word from “me and you”. M from “me” and Y from “you”. It’s simple.

Beat Factor: What do you know so far about Romania?

M.A.N.D.Y. I played in La Mania, it was super beautiful, really really good; the club was full and people were excited, it was nice, very beautiful people. And at Studio Martin in Bucharest, but I had no time to go check the city, so this is what I’m looking forward next time, on March 1.