1) Firstly thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to talk
to us. Could you tell us a little about yourself and how you got into
producing music?
My pleasure Martin.
I was spending hours listening and recording music to cassettes from
the radio, then collecting cds and vinyl when I was a teen, but what
hit me into production was back in 1995 or 1996, at the age of 16-17
years old, when I listened to a completed electronic goa trance track
from my neighbour and close friend George (aka Cydelix). He was
always doing music lessons and in that period he had start electronic
music production. I still remember my surprise of what I heard being
performed by my friend and his teacher so i asked for more details
and he helped me with insights. Since then my brothers complained
that I stopped playing video games and basketball with them (lol), I
remember I was making music daily. Nowadays, George (aka Cydelix) is
the sound engineer of the label and majority of our releases have
been mastered with his magic touch, he continues to update his
knowledge and hardware for mix/master services.
2) Who were your
influences towards making your own productions and what set up do you
use to achieve this?
My early productions
where poor and it didn’t matter that my influences where mostly
from the early goa and psychedelic scene of 1994-1997, I never
reached a good level back then. I did have the equipment that was
necessary and also computers where not so powerful as today and
software synths also were not so technologically advanced and
numerous as today. However, with continued practice of music
production, hardware updates etc I start moving forward, especially
from 2004 and later. My main setup nowadays is software and
recordings with my ZOOM recorder.
3) Your currently
playing as Side Liner on the festival circuit in Europe. Are you
playing live or dj’ing your own productions?
I am currently dj'ing
my own productions but also insert also a lot of tracks from my label
Cosmicleaf and sometimes with cherries from third artists/labels, I
prefer the flexibility to rotate my playlist 100%, sometimes the mood
of audience is different from what you planned at your studio and
want to follow/work with their mood than hit what I planned, no
matter if they like it or not. Usually the previous set and people's
reaction change my view a lot for what i’ll play first
and how this will
progress throughout.
4) Your also the man behind Cosmicleaf Records. Can you tell us how this came about? The ethos for the label and how you feel it has panned out so far?
That's right, I was
running Unicorn Music, a trance label since 2003 and I decided to open
Cosmicleaf in 2004 for chillout. I still thank my label mate and
great artist Zero Cult who sent a chill out cd demo by post (P-Ray
and If tracks) to a trance label. I remember when I heard the music I
said to myself, this is so good that I have to find a way to push it
out there. So I called the trance artists of Unicorn label and asked
them to make a chill out track to start a new label and do the "Chill
On Ice" compilation. Also, because of Zero Cult I got more
involved in downtempo production than trance. Previously to Side
Liner I produced with different names.
I always loved to
work with a specific roster and I guess that relation with my artists
brought back the love too. As I’m now working with more than 50
songwriters and can’t count on one hand how many have stop
submitting new material (and they were not from the old roster). I
feel proud and happy to have worked so many years with these artists,
with some since we began. To look back and see what we shared then
and what we share now. The trust we build and the patience to do it
better … it worked and we hope it works even better for us and the
new artist members. Viral success is not for all, few are lucky to
stand out, but productivity and good trusty partners can work. Its
like agriculture, you seed - you care - then you can enjoy the fruits
of your land after working hard with your team. So I believe we
reached this point due to a solid trusty team of artists with the
same goals, that year by year are getting closer to our goals and
things keep moving.
5) Recently you’ve
launched a deep techno sister label Koslif. Can you tell us a little
about the label and the artists on board?
Yes, Koslif is the
new techno sister of Cosmicleaf. Started from scratch for a more deep
hypnotic and ambient techno style. Again the focus is to begin with a
small roster that grows with releases and success. The basic roster
now is Atypikal, Bias, Artifical Drm, Victor Zala and myself as Side
Liner. On the 6th of Septemer we have our third release
and so far we have received big support from known names of the scene
such as Maceo Plex, Pan Pot, Joachim Spieth etc
6) Do you have any
advice for budding producers or people thinking of starting a label?
About producers try
to choose a few labels (but the right labels to work with), do your
research and work with a specific roster rather than take anything,
usually those with the right roster will treat you better and work
more with you. If that labels also keep accounting you through the
years, then you’re tight with them. If you spread your catalogue
around, you make succeed a wide discography but you may lose lot of
royalties over the years than having that catalogue under few good
labels
who would continue
to account you. Its true that most of the labels account small
amounts or stop account laters if you don’t bother, so artists in
the end they don’t bother for small amounts, but a big discography
multiplied by small amounts is something for an artist. So work with
a few good labels.
Also never say to
yourself that you don't fit into a label style, sometimes it’s just
about good timing, remember that I started Cosmicleaf because Zero
Cult sent a chill out demo to a trance label and that I liked it,
from that period I became a fanatic ambient/chillout listener. You
have nothing to lose.
About people who are
considering to start a label I would advise to do it only if they
will face the artists with respect throughout the years and be
connected and true with them, not be a part of why labels are bad for
the artists but a part of why label is good thing for artists.
Especially now that is easier for any artist to self release the
importance of the labels is the development and the power of team, a
team can always do more than one person, but to be a team should be
trust and efforts from all parts to succeed in future.
Links:
Website:
http://cosmicleaf.com
Bandcamp:
http://cosmicleaf.bandcamp.com
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/cosmicleafofficial
