One of the true superstars of electronic music delivers a brilliant new album
Hey Marco, welcome to DMCWORLD! Another incredible year for you dude, congratulations. Right let’s kick off with your next release, the Kinky Malinki compilation, talk us through the album…
“Pleasure! I’ve been playing for Kinky Malinki now for several years, they are amazing parties. I was asked to do my own selection for their new compilation – the other side is from Kid Massive. I wanted to include the tracks that mostly represent my world.”
The launch party is taking place at the world famous Ministry of Sound…why is this venue so important to a DJ?
“
It’s an institution – the most important clubbing brand in the world. The sound system is amazing and the crowd is always so incredibly receptive to new music.”
You grew up in one of the most beautiful cities in the world Venice. For a city that must have so many restrictions for sound pollution and access to clubbing, I am amazed about how so many cool producers are now emerging from the city. How did this happen all of a sudden?!?
“It’s quite crazy but that’s it. However I have to say most of the Venetians producers has a long experience in productions and I think they got the break thanks to their hard work all over the last years.”
What was the record that changed your life?
”No doubt on the answer. It’s “Pump Of The Volume” from M.A.R.R.S. That’s the track that made me fall in love with electronic music.”
What was your first break into the music world?
“
I produced my first vinyl in ’91 and it’s still proudly framed in my studio.”
What is the current top 10 you are currently spinning?
01. Marco Lys: Back 2 The Beat
Toolroom Rec. (UK)
02. Prok & Fitch vs. Amo + Navas: Crest (Amo + Navas Rework) Floorplay Rec. (UK)
03. Tong & Rogers: Shake the Dice Toolroom Rec. (UK)
04. DJ Chus & Sonny Wharton: Runnin’ (Mathew Codek RMX) Skint (UK)
05. Marco Lys vs Ramon Tapia vs Digitalism “Don’t Go For An Encore” (Marco Lys Booty)
06. Ramon Tapia: Vagabonds (Format:B RMX) Say What? Rec. (DK)
07. Veerus & Maxie Devine “Qwerty” (Original Mix) – Deeperfect (IT)
08. Bart Skils: Hold Your Horses (Jewel Kid RMX) CD-R
09. Sebastien Leger: Back On Track Mistakes Music (NL)
10. Alex Piccini: Butterfly In The Stomach
Moan (IT)
What did your family think of your choice of career?
“I first got into electronic music around the age of 15/16, so it wasn’t really a shock to them when I decided to do it full time. I’m really close to all my family and they would have supported me in any career choice I made.”
We love the way you look at a remix before taking it on; what can you add to make it different from the original, how can you improve it. So from an already glittering remix career, what track are you most proud of reworking and how did you approach it?
“Music must give you emotion, when you listen it and when you dance it. I like to add that extra cool bits to transform it into a dancefloor destroyer. I think my best remix ever is the one for My Digital Enemy’s “Wasted”. When I heard the vocals for the first time it was magic, I had a clear idea of what to do with them.”
You have brought out a multitude of dancefloor bangers on labels such as Positiva, Defected, Strictly Rhythm and Toolroom over the years – what were the big labels though that you loved in the early days of your career?
“Well my introduction into House started in the late 80s, so around that time it was all about the Chicago sound, labels such as Trax Records and D.J. International Records, then out of New York I always loved Strictly Rhythm. I remember at that age, the dance music coming out was so fresh and like nothing I had ever heard before there were loads of labels bringing out great music, too many to name.”
What has been the DJing highlight of 2012?
“I’d probably say playing at the Nature One festival in Germany. I had a prime slot and the crowd was really up for it.
Not many people know this, but Marco Lys is really good at…
“Table drumming – If you’ve ever been out to dinner with me you’ll know what I mean.”
Who are the producers from around the world you rate right now?
“Joris Voorn is one of my all time favourite producers, I tend to play anything that comes out of his studio. Prok & Fitch who I have also collaborated with a lot this year would have to also be in my top producers list. There is so much good House music coming out at the moment it’s hard to put my finger on my favourite producers, my sets are always full of fresh artists, you’ll have to listen to some of my mixes to find out.”
Away from dance music, who are the artists you like to listen to at home?
“Angelo Badalamenti.”
You are a huge favourite over in Ibiza – where is the best sunset to catch on the white isle?
“Well everyone always says Café Mambo and Café del Mar and I agree this is an amazing place to see the sunset, but I will let you in on a little secret that I discovered with my girlfriend not too long ago. There is a place that I came across about 10-15 minutes outside San Antonio and that really was something special, I won’t give away too much, you will just have to find it for yourself.”
What song always reminds you of Ibiza?
“Syke & Sugarstarr ‘Release Your Mind.'”
With so much traveling around the world, how much of your production is completed on tour?
“I find it hard to get into the zone to produce when I’m touring, I find the easiest way is to note down a few ideas when I’m away and then when I’m back in my studio, then I put them all down and start a track.”
What do you think of the millions of dollars being poured into the American EDM scene – is it healthy for the development there?
“In my opinion I think change and progression is healthy for any genre, America will always have a huge influence over music scenes and it was always going to happen that EDM would become big over there. For DJs like myself, I think it is very positive because it means that I can share my music to a bigger audience and have the opportunity to play in more places.”
And finally, what crowd from around the world are the craziest to play to?
“I’d have to say Germany and U.K. are the two crowds that really know how to party!”\
http://www.marcolys.com
http://www.soundcloud.com/marcolys
http://www.myspace.com/lysdj
http://twitter.com/marco_lys
