Following a hectic summer in the studio and smashing the likes of Ibiza and Glastonbury, this exciting UK duo get set for their colossal 22 date European Tour kicking off The Warehouse Project in Manchester. We kick back with Mark and James for a DMCWORLD exclusive…
Interview by Dan Prince
Mark, James…a big DMC welcome to the magazine. You have a huge European tour you are about to embark on, but where are you today?
Today we’re both home in Manchester, getting ready for the weekend, making our debut at Blue Marlin in Dubai with the Circoloco crew!
Are you football fans, hailing from Manchester everyone has their devotion towards the blue or red of the city?
Simple answer… Man United. Both Red.
The last time you heard a new piece of music and thought, ‘fuck me, I wish I’d written that!’?
Mark Jenkyns ‘Sirens’ has been a huge track this year for us, so think we’d both settle on that.
Right let’s get some history going. Mark we used to love back as early as 2000 when you were known as MRK1 and leading the dubstep movement with fellow artists Skream, Benga and Hatcha. What was your first introduction into dance music growing up and how quickly did you feel you wanted to have a career in it?
M: As you say, I’ve been a part of other scenes for over 15 years. Being from Manchester really was the only introduction you needed, growing up listening to everything from the likes of drum n bass, garage, dubstep, and various different forms of house and techno music which I just fell in love with and knew I wanted to pursue it from an early age. I feel that we take influence from everything which we have heard and seen throughout those years.
James, you on the other hand started your love affair with clubbing out on the dancefloor lapping up everything house music could throw at you. What were the early clubs and DJs you were following around the UK?
J: There’s quite a few! In Manchester the Hacienda was a huge part of my life growing up, along with others such as Fabric and The End in London. DJ’s wise, I’ve been listening to Pete Tong’s show from a very young age, so he was someone who I’ve always looked up to including the likes of Carl Cox.
Your stories came together after James introduced Mark to mixes from the likes of Jamie Jones and Steve Lawler and his head started to turn. Mark, was this a gradual shift towards the sounds of house and techno or were you simply looking for a new sound to hang your hat on?
M: For sure, I’d been experimenting with a few different genres and wanted a change in direction. I’d always been a fan of the 4×4 beat and these just tipped me over the edge!
What happened next in the Solardo story, how did you get things moving production wise…and how did you compliment each other in the studio?
J: We’ve known each other for around 10 years. We lost touch for a few years and then bumped into each other in the city centre. I’d been wanting to change career and knew that Mark had some serious skills in the studio, I’d just started investing into equipment and suggested to Mark we tried a few things and, and here we are now! Considering my knowledge of clubbing, I had a real knowledge of house music and Mark knew how to properly build tracks and it just grew from there.
James, Mark was used to lots of traveling and no sleep. How did you take to a new life of airport lounges and motorways?
J: To be honest, I’m used to little to no sleep whatsoever anyway, so adapting to this was relatively easy! How has your studio process developed since you started, I recall you used to belt out tracks in under a day! Mark is the real whizz in the studio, as he’s mentioned he’s been producing music for about the past 15/16 years and my background is in house so they go hand in hand! The production process varies, can be anywhere from a day to a few weeks. We like to work on a lot of different ideas at a time as we’re constantly inspired by the gigs we play and artists we look up too.
Tell us about your summer, we saw you out and about in Ibiza loads. What were some of the highlights?
This summer has been an absolute whirlwind, from the festivals to Ibiza it’s been crazy. But for Ibiza, we’d have to say making our debut at DC-10 and some of the incredible shows for ANTS at Ushuaia, mind blowing.
What are the 3 biggest tunes in your box this weekend…
Carl Cox & Nile Rodgers – Beat The Track
We’ve recently remixed one of Carl’s new tracks (w/ Nicole Moudaber) which will be coming soon, but we had to include this. Two legends coming together to create an absolute smash of a record.
CamelPhat – Drop it
This has a bit of everything, acid vibes with an infectious vocal sample and a seriously fat baseline, you can’t go wrong! Loving everything CamelPhat are doing at the minute.
Solardo – Fall Down (MK Remix)
We were buzzing to get a legend like MK involved on this, to have someone of his calibre remix one of your tracks is a very special feeling and he's absolutely smashed it!
James, what do your young daughters think of your music?
It’s not quite Little Mix, but it’s up there.
What was the last GREAT…
Film you saw:
Mark: Live By Night
James: The Great Wall
Album you checked
Mark: Bicep
James: Agreed, Bicep
DJ you witnessed rocking it…
Mark: We’ve played with him a few times, but I feel Andrea Oliva always brings his A game.
James: Julia Govor in Mexico earlier this month.
Restaurant you enjoyed
Mark: Can never go wrong with a good Nando’s
James: Does Papa Johns count?
Your back catalogue is building up very nicely, loving your ‘Fall Down’ EP on Hot Creations which followed the success of your releases on Toolroom, Of Unsound Mind and your own Sola imprint. What’s coming next from you guys release wise…?
We’ve recently remixed some of our peers who we’ve been looking up to for years including MK, Carl Cox & Nicole Moudaber and a new EP on Lee Foss’s label Repopulate Mars early next year.
Your Sessions 2018 Tour kicks off in Manchester at The Warehouse Project on Boxing Day before heading off to Italy, Spain and beyond. Aside from your home city, where on the planet have you been having the best of times recently, where really gets the Solardo sound?
It’s a difficult question as we’ve been lucky enough to play some crazy shows over the past year or two. I mean, we’d probably agree and say Ibiza this season was one we’ll never forget, from playing at Paradise at DC-10 to ANTS at Ushuaia, Sankeys and Hi!, it’s a very special place and we can’t wait to be back!
And finally, Christmas is around the corner. Other than sleep and a time machine which Santa has run out of, what do you two want to find all wrapped up for you on the big day?
Mark: My new house ready in time!!!!
James: Bit of a softy, but just spending time with my daughters is enough.
Tickets are on sale now and available here
Stream new track ‘Fall Down’ here
