Page 11 - Zone Magazine Issue 008

Hi Dosem, Welcome to Zone Magazine and thanks for talking to us.
I wanted to get started by taking you back to when we first started hearing releases from you. Between 2007 and 2010 you had a number of
quality releases on labels such as “Cutz, Antiritmo, Green and Sino”. This included the well-regarded title “Beach Kisses”. After this period you seem to rapidly propel as an artist and became under the spotlight with the likes “Christian Smiths” “Tronic” and more.
Can you tell us what chain of events or moments were pivotal in taking you from that period to the “Dosem” we know now?
After my album on Tronic I was thinking deeply about my next steps. I felt the need to do something slightly different and that represented the wide spectrum of sounds I play in my sets. I was known to be mainly a techno producer, but during my sets I was playing all kinds of stuff from House to Techno. So I started to create some ideas while on the Origin’s tour... on the plane, in hotels, on trains... and the idea of “City Cuts” started to take form. Coyu knew I was preparing a new album so he proposed that I release it on Suara. I thought it was a great idea, because it’s a label that represents very well the eclectic approach of my sets. Releasing the album on Suara was a turning point. The label became one of the strongest in the scene in the recent years and it felt it was just at the perfect timing to release the album. Another turning point were my residencies in Ibiza playing several times at Blue Marlin and Sankeys.
As an artist you are often categorized as “Techno” but there are a lot more influences to your sound. How would you describe your sound and your influences?
Techno has probably been the most persistent approach throughout my productions and club sets. I like mental grooves, deep futuristic sounds and powerful beats. But like you say my sound is a mix of many influences from Techno, to House, to Electronica... I started listening to electronic music thanks to Vangelis, Mike Oldfield, William Orbit... and then jumped into groups like Chemical Brothers, Orbital, Underworld, Fatboy Slim, etc. After that period I started to dig into many other genres and different artists like: Luomo, Alexander Kowalski, Joris Voorn, Richie Hawtin, etc.
You originate from Girona (Catalonia) In recent years Spain on a whole has become a powerhouse for club music. What is special about what’s happening there with the likes of yourself, “Coyu, Henry Saiz & Ramiro Lopez” all at the forefront of the scene?
I’m very proud of our national scene. Most of us started playing in the clubs in our country before going international, so we’ve known each other very well for about ten years already. It’s amazing to see the Spanish scene growing on so many levels. We have labels like Suara that have a very strong presence in the scene and many great festivals to be proud of, like Sónar, Aquasella, Dreambeach, etc.
Since 2011 you have released three original artist albums. How important is for an emerging artist to release albums rather than just singles and remixes?
From my point of view, an album is a perfect format for an artist to express the wide range of sounds, styles and concepts attached to his profile as a musician. It is also a very useful way to present yourself to your audience and show them what are you working on at that moment. It has become harder these days to release albums, because it was a format strongly attached to the physical format, where you could buy a CD at a shop, arrive at home, open the case, and listen to the full album while you check the booklet. It was a full immersive experience that nowadays has been lost a little, because we
have so much information available, so many new tracks, releases, albums, mix-tapes... there’s no time to focus your attention on everything unless you have a real will to do it. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing - I personally embrace the changes and I think it’s a very interesting challenge to redefine the format and research new ways of approaching it.
You’re obviously very motivated and focused. What keeps your energy flowing and drive for what you do?
Creativity, new challenges, new goals... these three things make me feel full of energy every morning. I also have an amazing group of people around me that makes my life much easier on my daily work.
You have certainly developed as an international DJ with some impressive gigs over recent years. Has DJing always been a love of yours or emerged as a consequence of producing? What would you say your style and approach to DJing is?
I started off by doing both things, but the approach I had as a Dj when I started was to play my own productions. So we did a party with some friends and I was one of the Djs. The whole event was a big success, so after that I received an offer to be resident in a club and my friends got the chance to promote more parties. I have very good memories from those days. Becoming a resident in a club was a turning point for me because I had to do longer sets, containing all kinds of music and I still use the same approach. I like my DJ sets to tell a story, but at the same time it has to make people dance.
Continuing with DJing you have played quite a lot of dates in Asia over the past few years.
I watched a video clip of yours where you were talking about being inspired by playing there but not only by the clubs themselves but also the sights and architecture of the places you visited with references to films. Can you tell us more about this?
I love to play in Asia. Two of my favorite places are Hong Kong and Japan. As a child I was strongly influenced by Manga and video games aesthetics. I’m also a big fan of Cyberpunk sci-fi movies. Both countries have a direct connection with many of those influences. Hong Kong at night for example makes me remember “Blade Runner” a lot. Also the manga “Ghost in the Shell” was inspired by that city. Same with Tokyo and “Akira” obviously. But also the colors, many cultural elements, the technology, the people, the food... everything there inspires me a lot.
Lets talk studio and technology. As a modern artist what equipment or software inspires in the studio? Do you use any older analogue equipment or stick to the digital domain?
I do everything on my computer these days. If you use the right combination of sounds and synths you can get amazing results in my opinion. I’m using all the Native Instruments suite, Arturia, UAD...
How free flowing are you in the studio? Are you the kind of producer who works quickly with an energetic output of say a remix in a day or do you spend lots of time re refining what you do?
Both things. Some productions took me only one day to do, some others took weeks. There’s no one single rule or way to do things in music... the possibilities are endless.
You have recorded and worked with lots of established labels over the years. You have also recently started your own record label. Can you tell us more about your label and
what we can expect to hear from it?
After ten years releasing music under the project “Dosem” I felt the need to go further and take on new challenges. Like my three last albums, I want to continue experimenting with other electronic music genres beyond the club tracks, and connect my music to a visual content directly related with the source of inspiration. Having my own label will let me be able to do that. I can release my own music and have full control on the package at the same time. My old job was Multimedia Design for a publicity company. For me the visual aspects attached to the music are very important, because it gives you a full experience. That’s the main reason to create “Houstrike”. A multimedia platform, a lab of ideas where I can fully experiment and have fun with no limitations and no rules. The concept of the label is the line that connects emotional states through music.
Continuing with your label will you solely manage the label yourself switching from an artist to label A&R, Involved in promotions / marketing and is the business side of a label something you look forward to?
I did all that job myself before for another project I was involved to support upcoming producers. It was a very positive experience that allowed me to learn many things about the management of a record label. For this project I will use the things I to work closely with a group of fantastic people. They will help to take care of the management side so I can focus more on the creative side.
Digital / social media plays a big part in music careers these days. You seem to have had a lot of video footage and video diaries released in 2015. How important has this been for you along with updated social media?
Social media keeps changing the way we interact with each other. It’s a huge asset when it comes to connecting artists and followers, and it helps a lot to keep everyone updated about what you’re doing. The career of an artist is something continuously evolving with every production, gig, or tour date... I think it’s great people can follow that and interact with it in a direct way.
You’re obviously very busy with your commitments and schedules but outside of music what are your interests and enjoyments?
Spending time with my family and friends. I also love watching movies and playing basketball.
Can you please share with us any other events, productions and special gigs you have coming up in 2016?
I’m playing in a couple of weeks my first gig in South Africa, which I’m sure will be a fantastic experience. I’m also looking forward to my next dates in USA and Japan coming in March and May. We’re also working on new projects for Toolroom, Stereo, Suara and of course my new label, Houstrike.
Connect:
http://www.dosem.net
http://www.facebook.com/marcdosem http://www.soundcloud.com/dosem
Words By Lee Softley Pics By Dosem
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