M.in Interview
TGN caught up with Frankfurt producer M.in in occasion of the launch of his first LP ‘A Matter of Taste’, to talk about his jazz- inflected tech- house style, live vocalists, sax players and how eggs on pizza can help in recording an album!
The album seems to take you on a journey that goes from being danceable to an enjoyable softness at the end. Was this what you initially wanted from the album?
Sure! An album should tell a story or show a journey through different styles. A normal dance album is boring because every artist is releasing danceable tracks so an album must be something different and special. This is also why I started the collaboration with Chriss Vogt. With him I could do what I never did before: melodic tracks! After learning so much from him I also played melodies for some of the album tracks because now I know more about harmonics.
I imagine recording an album must be great fun but sometimes there's also a hint of stress. What do you do in those moments to calm you down?
The album was no fun in the beginning. It was only stress because every track wasn’t good enough and I never thought I would need nine months to complete it! But after Chriss started to work with me the stress was gone and the fun came back. It was easy working with him. He’s a classic pianist so I would always tell him where I want to go and how he should play but, I was open minded and started to work on the track after we recorded his piano sounds or synth lines. It was easier to do the beats after because we never knew where we would end. But this was the best way without having stress. We are a good team and also will work together on a new project or maybe a new album.
How was the collaboration with other artists such as Chriss Vogt or Lanny Kravitz' saxophonist, Harold Todd?
You always learn from each other and that’s why it is always something special to work with talented musicians! Also, Harold Todd is a great, funny and sophisticated guy; that’s why it was always a pleasure to work with him. I’ve known Chriss for a longer time as he is a DJ I played with a lot. It is much more interesting to work with real instruments or singers because it always gives your tracks a special touch.
Did you feel more comfortable in not using samples to record this album?
Sure. Everybody samples stuff from other pop, hip hop, jazz, balkan songs or other popular house tracks so there is nothing new with most of the new underground music. Tracks like ‘Laurent Garnier – The Man With The Red Face’ still inspire me because they did real techno songs and not the typical minimal techhouse tracks we have at the moment. To me, everything is minimal because there are only a few artists out there who are still doing real underground songs. Most tracks are based on samples, loops and some stolen ideas. How many producers got a hit with vocals by Nina Simone, Johnny D, Miss Fitz, Tyladomid or Mark Knight? It’s a pity but, it is nothing new. That’s why I love to work on fresh new music! I also sample other stuff but if you have the chance to do something special, then do it!
Which track of the album has the funniest anecdote?
This is easy! ‘M.in feat Chriss Vogt & Wipa – With N Egg’. I had Wipa in my studio but she didn’t know what to sing and that’s when I said she should improvise a bit. We also ordered some pizzas during recording and she ended up saying, “I don’t really know what to think now… because M.in is putting me under pressure… and he’s eating a pizza… with n egg”!
Your sound is very swingy and jazzy or as you define it "it’s a spiritual thing." Where does this come from?
House music was always a spiritual thing because at the beginning this music brought us a special time of peace, love and unity. With the music, you can always dive in and lose yourself, forget everything around you and have fun. As a child I always visited hip- hop jams but there was always trouble and you couldn’t get into conversations with new people. I was always on the dancefloor but my roots are from old school hip- hop, through to jazz, afro and Latin but all of my experiences are mixed with house music!
Your selection is full of playful tracks. Is this your approach to life as well?
Playful? Sure! I also have a six month old son so you have to be playful or he gets bored of you.
Reading through your discography I was wondering: Can you sing and blow at the same time?
Not me but my wife! Joke! No, not really, but I practice...
One of your tracks says "As long it makes you happy we can do it"….What makes you happy?
Watching Science Fiction movies with my wife and our son, sleeping, a special three- course meal and a cola. That would be the best thing! I would like to do every day but normally I have no time for it as our son is screaming, my wife is tired and I have to cook our meals. So no relaxing on the horizon!
If you could be invisible for one day, what would you do?
Rob two or three banks and then watching a Sci- Fi movie on the couch, order something to eat and drink a cola.
Thank you M.in, best of luck for the future!
The album will come out in March on the Cologne label Yellow Tail.
