We're back on an interview hype, this time with the frequent collaborators that are based oceans apart, Module Module and Mono.Mental. They've also kindly given away a stunning free download in the form of Kinematic. Read on, and grab the download at the end.
NT: Hey, introduce yourselves! Tell us a little about your backgrounds. How long have you been producing, and why did you first start? Was there a particular moment that kicked it off, or was it something you gradually worked into?
Module: I'm Alex - living in Nashville with my roots in Chicago where I studied Sound Design. I definitely have a behind the scenes personality. I'm most comfortable having a conversation in the corner of a house party or running a sound board in the back of a room.
I've been producing for 12 years. I bought my first synthesizer when I was 11 after listening to Joy Electric, a synth-pop artist from California. I started writing really bad snyth-pop tracks for a couple of years until I heard Flim by Aphex Twin. I copied that track to a cassette and wore the tape out playing it over and over. My brother gave me a copy of Fruityloops 3.56, that's when I started producing daily.
Mono: It all started with this band I had with a few friends of mine, where I played the drums. I already listened to more and more electronic based music at this time and was very interested in this, for me, more or less new sound.
The moment I started DJing was about 5 years ago. I first came into touch with it at a friends place. It really fascinated me, how you can mix tracks and create something new with it. So I wanted to do it as well. A few weeks later, I bought some turntables and a mixer and started buying records. The first records I bought where actually all drum and bass since I mostly grew up with that kind of sound. When I was 14, a friend of mine gave me a CD with Aphrodite's Urban Junglist and Shy FX Original Nuttah, which really infected me. Maybe two years later, I started playing more 130 bpm stuff as well, all the things like House and Garage.
To Producing itself, I came about two years ago. I guess it was kind of a natural progression from the DIing. After one year, I got into serious productions, when I checked everything out and learned how to use a DAW.
NT: Following on from that, who and what are you influenced by, within music and outside of it?
Module: I feel really lucky to be part of such an awesome community of artists. I don't want to name anyone because I don't have time to list everyone, but anyone who follows Night Tracks or anyone producers in the community will know the circle of people I'm talking about. That is my inspiration, hands down.
If I didn't feel like I was a part of something bigger, it would be a sad journey. Outside of music my main inspiration would be minimalism. Living a minimalistic lifestyle is key to who I am. Moving to Nashville and getting rid of 90% of my possessions has allowed me to focus on my music in a new way. I contact juggle as well, which has been a great way to calm myself down before sitting in front of my DAW.
Mono:The CD I got from this friend with Aphrodite and Shy FX were actually a big influence. It was the first thing I heard in drum and bass and I began to dig deeper into these music genres. Later I listened to a lot of House, Garage and Techno and also the early Dubstep things.
Outside of music there are a lot influences of course. My biggest influences are probably my family, friends and my girlfriend as well as weekend club nights and sunday hangovers. I like being in the nature, I like being alone during the night, listening to music and sometimes just bathing in melancholy…
I think the whole life around me is kind of an influence.
NT: How did this cross-Atlantic collaboration come about? Will there be any other collabs from the two of you? Can you tell us about the tune you're giving away, Kinematic?
Module: I had heard Mono.Mental's stuff he did with Gasface and really connected with his style so I sent him a message on soundcloud and luckily he was open to working with me. As for future collaborations from the two of us, well, I've already got the next batch of stems! All great things seem to start with a soundcloud message haha.
So, I think Kinematic is an appropriate title for this one on a few different levels. In mathematics Kinematics concentrates on the movement of objects. I feel like this track drops you in the middle of a movement that's been going on for hundreds of years. It comes from the Greek word Kinema which simply means ‘motion’ and is where our word Cinema is derived from. I do production audio for films and there are a lot of field recordings from films in this track. I sent Mono.Mental the first batch of stems, and when he sent them back to me I was blown away. His use of FX and bass work really put the track in the world it needed to be in.
NT: Any plans for the future? Can we catch either of you playing out anywhere? Do you have any releases we can grab soon?
Module: I've got a collection of ambient tracks I did about ten years ago, and a crate of cassettes to release them on. I've just been waiting for the right time. 2013 feels like that time. As for playing out, it's never appealed to me. I've been lucky enough to be friends with a lot of DJs to get my stuff played.
Mono:I have a release on Loveless Records soon. It's called Reflections EP and it will come out in December. A few other Releases will come in 2013 and another collaboration with Alex.
I usually play every month at this event called “Deep Contact” in Munich and some others gigs in and around Munich. Just keep your eyes open.
NT: Finally, if you had to pick your three favorite "Night Tracks", what would they be?
Module: Besides my 3 track release with Gasface? Well, I drive the 500 miles between Nashville/Chicago quite often, many times through the night and I keep findig myself play the same handful of tracks. Some of those are Ghost Ark's remix of Sipp's CF 2191, Delete - M8 and AtsuBox.
Mono: Gasface & Delete - Pucinella's Secret, Module Module feat Sissy - When I Look and Venture - Sunset Silhouette.
NT: Thanks dudes! Appreciate your time. Show some appreciation and grab the stunning Kinematic by clicking here or on the artwork below!
Artwork by T. Kelle
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