You have no items in your shopping cart.
0item(s)
You have no items in your shopping cart.
There are few patrons of Drumcode who have not heard the name Mark Reeve before and for good reason. Since his first appearance on the label in 2012, the renowned techno producer and DJ has continually delivered impeccable releases on Adam Beyer’s flagship imprint.
He saw demand for his knockout ‘Run Back’ EP being matched and surpassed by his ‘Far Away’ EP, which bagged the number one spot on Beatport’s techno chart. Not mention his string of other flawless releases on the likes of Do Not Sleep, Terminal M, SubVision and many more.
We wanted to catch up with Mark coinciding with his most recent release on Drumcode to find out more about production, DJing, how to relax and what inspires him.
Hey Mark, thanks for chatting with us today. Before we kick things off, what you are up to at the moment? Are you currently touring or scheduling in-studio time? Do you try to get more studio sessions in over the winter months?
Hi there, yes you’re absolutely right! I am taking some serious studio time action at the moment before I leave in March for my South American tour. Yes, Winter is the time for studio sessions no doubts about that!
With a wealth of recent gigs across Europe and with more on the horizon, are there particular events or times of the year which are highlights? Do you prefer playing to smaller, intimate crowds or large, warehouse-type audiences?
Well, to be honest, I like playing everywhere. Not only the intimate sessions at smaller clubs but also big festivals like Awakenings. Really looking forward to Ikarus 2020 and Sonne Mond Sterne this year playing with some really big names as well.
Outside of the studio and DJ booth, what inspires your creativity and music production? Do you have specific cities, places or environments you find that particularly get the inspiration-fire going?
I get inspired by a lot of things even if its a small part of music in a Rocky film for example. Even an old Stevie Wonder CD got me going the other day! I would say I am most inspired after a gig. All sorts of different melodies go off in my head.
Since moving from the UK to Germany, would you say that both countries have changed musically for the better? Do you think that London and Berlin are at the forefront of new music or are there other cities which are emerging as hotspots? Are there any specific cities you like to visit for techno or any other particular genre?
I would say there are more festivals in the summer in Germany. I have noticed a large boom in festivals and the interest in outdoor parties.
There is also a lot more going on in the UK but I would say Berlin can’t be topped by anything music-wise. Getting stronger are places like Chile and parts of South America. I have noticed a big reaction to Techno over the last 2 years.
Having released standout tracks on Drumcode, as well as many other notable labels, how would say your latest release differs? Would you say it captures a specific emotion or is it designed for a particular time of a party?
I would say the “Distance EP’ is a mixture of all of my other releases combined somehow into one. ‘Distance’ was something that I had to come to grips with last year in many situations. Serum and the others where more or less getting inspired after gigs. I then went into the Studio and gave my best to create what I was feeling in that moment.
You recently posted on socials with a video of yourself boxing, would you say that maintaining personal health and fitness is complimentary towards performing and producing music? Are there particular sports or routines that you practice to maximise your creative energy?
Of course, sport is so important for everything. Even if you have a totally different kind of job you can let go of all that energy or stress and for example, go and box up that punching bag. I love boxing and that builds up my energy levels a lot. It also trains your whole body and I feel amazing after.
I have been overweight a lot of times due to alcohol and eating fat when being at parties, after-parties or feeling hungry at night. But now I think it was time to really get back in shape and I will stick to going to the gym and eating healthy.
Finding a balance between a busy professional life in music and downtime away from music can be tricky. How do you tend to relax or escape? Do you spend time in a bustling city, hiking through nature or being near the sea? Do you find that this helps clear thoughts and focus ideas
Well, Austria or Switzerland is not far away and I love walking through the woods sometimes. You hear a lot of things all sorts of Animals and the trees swaying side to side. Even snowy places can be fun hiking around and enjoying the wildlife. I also love having Saunas and everything that has to do with Wellness.
Yoga is also something I have found helps to control your body and mind. It is very important to keep a clear and calm state of mind especially when problems occur. In the music scene with lots of social media around it is so important to find your middle.
What else do you have coming up soon? Should we be keeping an eye out for any specific tour dates, releases or any other projects you would like to mention?
Yes just finished a remix for Rocky Valente which is coming out on Pig & Dans Elevate in Feb. I also might release another EP on my own label SubVision called ‘Metron’ this could be around April.
Plus I am now working on another EP obviously for Drumcode to follow up my new one coming out now.
Mark Reeve’s ‘Distance’ EP is out now on Drumcode, stream/download here