Two young and very talented Italian producers, Airbas & Mavee, have joined forces, paying homage to their inspirational Ibiza and creating the very beautiful ‘Avilo (PlayaDemBossa Mood)’… Ratha Gud checks in..
Ciao Airbas & Mavee, a warm welcome to DMCWORLD, where in the world are you today?
Hi DMCWORLD, and thank you for having us. Airbas is based in Oderzo – a town close to Venice and Mavee is based in Milan.
What do you usually listen to after rolling out of bed?
A Usually Rock music, Rage Against The Machine have a special place in my morning playlist.
M I usually listen to stuff I’m working on, like the project of the day before; as the morning after it sounds different.
How did electronic music first appear on your radar?
A The very first memory I can recall is that magic combination of synths on Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
M I clearly remember my expression when I listened to Plastic Dream by Jaydee for the first time. That’s when I understood the true sense of art and inspiration mixed up with improvisation and genius.
You have recently released ‘Avilo (PlayaDemBossa Mood)’ on Villahangar, talk us through the music and how it sounds?
“Avilo” was born with a idea of freedom and peace of mind, trying to find the way to engage the listener. At the beginning we thought about making a tech sound, but day by day we changed the sound and we decided to stay in a deep, melodic style and it worked well.
Was the track inspired by your Ibiza adventures at all?
We can’t help but to be inspired by it; Ibiza is the center for all things new aspiring, it’s natural to get influenced by it.
Were you musically trained in any instruments when you were young?
A I actually did, my parents used to force me to take piano classes once a week; in retrospect I now can say it’s been pretty useful.
M I love percussions in general, in fact I used to play drums when I was Young. I remember my mother forcing my father to put my drums in the square of my village during a celebration day. I felt like Ringo Star. Later on I preferred to drum using Cue and Play.
Whats your current favourite pieces of studio kit essential to your sound?
Essential and practical instruments like Native’s Machine2 and DrumsRack by AbletonPush are Always pretty useful when you produce electronic music: the give you a wide variety of sounds and genres to concentrate on. And then a keyboard Midi conformed to your needs, Waves, Korg, Yamaha or Native. And of course a lot of fantasy.
You both produce music individually, but what are the pro’s and cons of being in a duo when it comes to making music?
A I don’t see any cons, when you work together a fusion of different styles and lines of work is inevitable. That is what often leads you to interesting results.
M I don’t see any cons either, it’s all about your culture and how much you’re willing to share your ideas. Maybe there can be cons if you’re forced to do it, but who sees and lives art on a 360-degree view knows there are none, because everyone benefits from it. Your knowledge is enriched and your ideas expanded. So collaborations are Always welcome.
What’s been the best gig / festival you’ve played at this year?
A Private Party Rialto Venice
M Pineta Milano Marittima, Italy
Who are some of the DJs you have enjoyed shaking your ass to in 2016?
Martinez Brothers & Tiga in Amsterdam… very cool set
What new territories have you discovered this year on your DJ travels that you have loved?
Well, this past year we’ve worked a lot and actually travelled very little. But the traditional appointment at Amsterdam’s ADE was honoured.
What are the big 5 tracks in your box this weekend…
Dennis Ferrer – Right Thing
Daniel Portman – White Russian
Meggy, Till Von Sein – One Time
Quenum – Solitaire
Sublevel & Blakdoktor featuring Lillia – Promise (Atjazz Floor Dub)
Which record do you own that you say ‘damn I wish I made that’?
A Definitely Daft Punk’s Homework.
M Without any doubt ‘Your Love’ by Frankie Knuckles.
As DJ’s, which other duo would you most like to play Back to Back with?
We would like to play with a lot of DJ duos, but for us one of the best one would be The Martinez Brothers.
Who are your top 5 Italian producers ?
80-90 Giorgio Moroder, 90’s Robert Miles, 2000 Gigi D’Agostino, new millenium Benny Benassi and new era Tale Of Us
Looking back, what precious piece of music career advice would you now give to yourselves 10 years ago?
A I would tell myself to always set a target, whichever it may be; playing with the drum machine and synths can be really amazing but the risk is to lose focus and your way too.
M To Always be positive and proactive, no matter what. And I would tell myself to Always set a target too, but to never set a finish-line: just milestones and starting points, but never an end point.
Finally, tell us why people should be looking out for your music in 2017?
When we compose a track we do it with a specific feeling and state of mind; we often get carried away by our emotions, maybe a little bit too much. We just would like to share them with people, who might feel like us. I’m not saying we sell emotions, just that is the true definition of art and more specifically the essence of music. We are working on a new projects like: Avilo Remix, Reason Remix (Mavee), Weeknight ( Airbas) and Jumbo (Airbas , Mavee).
‘Avilo (PlayaDemBossa Mood)’ is out now on VillaHangar.
