You’re embarking on a new journey today. Starting today, we’ll be posting a monthly interview with one of our artists. You’ll get to know them. You’ll be invited to go deeper with them through our Patreon membership. You’ll be invited connect with them via Beatport and Spotify.
I hope that you enjoy this ride. It’s long overdue and I want you make sure that you fall in love with each of our artists as they truly do make the label.
First up on your journey is an artist who goes way back with us. It’s J Lauda – progressive house guru and one of our first artists really starting to break out.
Dave R
Label Owner
MK837
How did your experiences growing up within a vibrant region influenced by both local underground energy and nearby international scenes shape your progressive house sound?
I grew up in Buffalo NY with Toronto an hour away which had a massive trance scene. It was the first music that really pulled me in. My friends in school organized a 2 bus trip to the Guvernment and that was my first “club” experience. I dont remember who played, just hanging out with my friends and taking everything in for the first time…..it was like being in another world.
After that we all started looking for events locally and there were things happening all over the place. The events and nights were very underground and that gave it such a cool element much different from the normal club/bar scene in Buffalo which was predominantly based around hip hop.
Looking back at your early breakthrough with labels like Pangea Recordings and Polyptch, what memories or lessons from that period still inspire you today?
I would say mk837 was helped me get out there the most. My remix for Dave Richards “After Midnight” helped me get in touch with Samer from Pangea and the track “The Light” put me in touch with Yotto as he liked it alot and I eventually was able to release on his label Odd One Out.
Having seen your work repeatedly chart on Beatport and featured on numerous DJ mix shows, how does that recognition influence your creative journey?
It definitely helps to see your music get played and charted, I think anyone would agree to that. First and foremost, writing music is a hobby that I love to do, and it is a release for me, but it is nice to get some recognition along the way
Your tracks are celebrated for their intricate melodies and punchy grooves. What would you say is your secret ingredient for creating that irresistible dancefloor vibe?
In regards to punch, I’m a big fan of using transient shapers. My favorite is the one that neutron makes from izotope. As far as a groove goes, I always try to use some type of call and response within the percussion in the base and a synth, just somewhere in there so you have a couple elements that are talking to each other. I’m also a big fan in incorporating unique sounds that you may only hear once in the entire track, because the dance music is looped I feel like it can get repetitive rather quickly so new fresh sounds that again, you may only hear once, keep things interesting.
When your music appears on sales charts or is supported by renowned DJs, what type of validation or motivation does that bring into your production process?
I think if anything, it’s confirmation to keep doing what you believe in.
How do you balance the demands of progressive house—as a genre built on deep, evolving layers—with your own unique artistic voice?
I try to stay true to the sound that I have developed over the last several years but also realize that I do have to evolve as time goes on. I think the thing with evolving your sound, it keeps things interesting because nobody wants to make the same track over and over. So overtime, you change how you do your builds, or how long your breakdown is, or when the base comes in, or the type of percussion that you use. But at the end of the day, my mind works the way that it works so it usually falls back on the type of sound that I create in some form.
Can you share your approach to curating a DJ set that not only energizes the crowd but also unfolds like a story for your listeners?
I am a huge fan of telling a story in a DJ set. The first DJ that really captivated me was Paul Oakenfold and his mixed CDs of another world, transport and all the other ones that I’m sure everybody else knows put a lasting impression on me. The sets were always multi genre And because of that I really like to hear and create a multi genre set that maybe progressive brakes, progressive house, and even some trance for example . It keeps things really interesting. Genres are so pigeonholed now, I feel like as a DJ, you have to be careful, because you’re sound like the same track playing over and over.
With your music resonating across streaming platforms and live environments alike, how do you adapt your sound to suit different audiences or contexts?
I really don’t think too much about that, only that some labels I’ve noticed have me create three minute radio versions and those seem to do better on Spotify.
In a fast-evolving music landscape, what methods do you use to keep pushing the boundaries of your genre while staying authentic to your sound?
I think technology with music production software definitely helps that. It is now easier to do things like create winding effects for example, or cool sounding fills in the drums with effects that we didn’t have access to before. I think grabbing even just a new stock Ableton plug-in that came out and messing with it can’t help you create something that nobody has ever heard before and that’s what keep things interesting.
What core emotion or message do you aim to deliver in your tracks that keeps fans coming back for more?
That will change depending on the track, sometimes I wanna go uplifting, sometimes I would like to go deep and dark, sometimes I would like to provide a message.
I also would like to add that I have a great support system at home. I met my wife because of electronic music, she actually bought me the speakers that I still use today and my studio many years ago. We still throw down tracks together in my studio and even though our taste are somewhat different, they have a lot of similarities and we definitely rub off on each other.
My son loves progressive house, and he always gives me the thumbs up or thumbs down on every track. I wouldn’t be able to do it without them.
