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1. Hi David, great to speak with you. We understand you’ve travelled around a fair bit, can you tell us a little about the countries you have lived in and the musical influences you gained from them?
I arrived in Norway when I was around four, so I spent most of my childhood in the kind of place where farms and houses are loosely scattered all across the hills, with plenty of space for kids to roam freely. Living in Norway means living close to nature. Anywhere you live you can start a weeks long hike into the wild right from the back of your house. Not only from a child’s perspective, mythical creatures and trolls are literally everywhere. Music and sound comes with that naturally. The very distinctive sound of the Norwegian folk music is still ringing in my ear, although I can’t tell how much that influenced me in particular. Generally, music played a big role in my childhood and I sucked it all in. In retrospect, I am sure that literally every sound I’ve ever heard has had some kind of an impact on me. But it was only much later that I realised how much sounds and melodies meant to me.
I did not see any of that coming until I was well into my twenties. I had been making music by electronic means in my bedroom since I was 14, but only for myself. Every now and then someone got to listen and would hint at me that I had something going on there. But I was not convinced. Still, it was my getaway. I got a computer and sat down every day for years. But it was only after I had moved to Berlin by chance that I came to realise what was actually happening.
My walkman was my most precious item. I excessively listened to early 90’s Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube everywhere I went. So that was the soundtrack of my time on Lanzarote.
3. We’re very excited for your forthcoming release on Connected called ‘Facts Matter’. Could you take us through your creative approach for this EP?
I like the idea of having two distinctive tracks rather than one strong track plus something similar on the side. That can work well in many ways. But my most important guideline when I make music is that I want the tracks to fit into my own current set. So I like it when all the tracks of a release can be played as part of the same set.
4. This is your third appearance on Connected, what’s your relationship with the Stereo MCs now, as a label regular?
I was introduced to Nick and Rob by Adam Port, who had been working with them earlier. When they asked me if I wanted to do something together I was excited. I depend on feeling comfortable in a situation in order for musical undertakings to turn out well, and the casual expression of mutual respect is a very good start. Add good conversations and some easy online communication and the relationship will be growing strong enough to overcome all sorts of obstacles. In the end it is about having fun, so it’s good to have all of the professional basics in place. I love the the Stereo MC’s and working with Connected on all levels, I have all the freedom I could wish for. Thanks Nick and Rob!
5. Do you usually have an idea of what label you are planning on releasing on when producing, or is that only something that becomes clear once you’re done in the studio?
I usually feel I can’t do justice to that question, because I have a very specific experience every time I go somewhere. I have had the most amazing nights in converted restaurants and other places you would not even call a club. Also there have been disappointing experiences in renowned clubs or on festival stages. I could name the obvious good clubs, names you have probably all heard before, but then what about all the other ones. In fact I equally appreciate each and every one of the places where the sound is not only a certain brand, but also taken care of by an expert, where the door policy is on point, where there is a motivated light jockey and where the bar is not overpriced and so on. It’s hard to put the finger on that thing that makes people free to enjoy themselves, but that is exactly it.
The greatest thing to me is to develop a relationship to a city or region. The connection to the crowd grows stronger over time and in the end it doesn’t matter if you play in a club or on lousy speakers somewhere in a backyard.
At the moment I don’t own any sound generating hardware at all myself. My greatest hardware experiences were the times when I borrowed something for a short time or when jamming together in a friend’s studio. That’s when the most unexpected things happen. But ever so often that has been a one off, it seems hard to reproduce that rewarding experience simply by buying particular hardware. I’d probably end up buying and reselling stuff on such a high rate, it might become such an obsession that I lose the last bit of my precious focus.
8. What can we expect from David Mayer for the rest of 2019?
Stream and Download here:
Traxsource.
Hype up David Mayer on:
Totally Mobilee: VA – The Greatest Hits 2018 on Beatport.