Contributing Writer
A young upcoming rising artist, Magnuss has recently been performing at ADE.
His own imprint, Release Your Mind Records, has been a champion of rising techno sounds, including a string of his very own releases. He has joined us in a conversation about music including his newest release, Bombass.
How are you, what’s been going on with Magnuss lately?
I am doing well, thanks. Lately I have been in the studio cooking up some new beats!
What’s the aim with your label, Release Your Mind – what musical output are you looking to share?
My vision with the label is to create a hub where artists may grow their musical skills and expand their network. My goal is to create a big family environment.
How do you judge success, is it by sales, high profile support, or is it simply bringing great moments to full dance floors?
I honestly don’t make music for the money, I do it for the love of music, so I do enjoy seeing everyone happy. That for me would be more of a personal success…
How important is artwork, format, merch, that sort of thing, do you think the brand image plays a big role for the sprint?
In my label it plays a massive role in the identity of the label as I enjoy visual art as well. So I have a guy in Italy that paints the paintings and sends them to me here in Amsterdam.
You featured at ADE last month, how was that to finally be seeing people and also performing there?
I threw my first label party! It was good, but it was even better just to see everyone again and to enjoy the music all of us together.
Your latest track Bombass is set to be premiered with us this month, talk us through it. More specifically, what was the inspiration for the production?
The song that inspired bombass is actually conjure balearia by Maceo Plex. I love that song.
What artists have inspired your route into dance music, any to share, perhaps a specific track?
So a lot if not most of my inspiration comes from Pig&Dan. Pig from Pig&Dan has been my mentor for years now giving me feedback and taking care of me and showing me new music tricks and all kinds of good stuff so my main inspiration is them. Apart from them I like Dubfire, Maceo Plex, Joseph Capriati, Carl Cox and Richie Hawtin.
Your music is largely melodic techno, what makes this genre standout to you?
I generally listen to all kinds of music. I do produce lots of different variations of techno at different speeds but up to now only have shown my melodic side.Honestly I just enjoy melodic techno for all the feelings it makes me feel such as euphoria and I find many sounds often rather beautiful.
When you first got into electronic music, was you already well-versed on music production, or had a background in music?
I was 12 when my mom told me I should be a DJ. Since she saw I loved music she pointed me in a direction so I could live from music. I played the violin from 5 years old until the age of 7 then played the trumpet for 2 years from 8 until 10 years old, after that I played the guitar and listened to rock or old school hip hop.
At age 12 I fell in love with producing and produced every single day learning through youtube but there got to a point that I needed extra help because I wanted to sound professional . So I applied then at age 17 to the abbey road institute in amsterdam.
What’s coming up next on the Release Your Mind label, anything before 2022, or are you looking to begin the new year with a bang?!
I will be playing for therocketmans party the 3rd of december and I would also like to organize a second label party before the year ends but apart from that not many plans unfortunately due to the covid 19 regulations being uncertain.