Dutch artist David Mackay add’s New York imprint Palosanto to his existing body of work, which includes outings for Sound International and Madorasindahouse.
We spoke to him about the release of his latest single ‘Lighthouse’, future releases, and what he has planned for the upcoming summer months.
How has 2025 been for David Mackay so far?
It’s been unreal. I haven’t been DJing for long, so to already be playing shows across Africa, South America, Asia, and Europe this early in the year is more than I ever imagined. I’m incredibly grateful for every opportunity that’s come my way. What makes it even more special is the response to my remix of ‘Yamore’ – it’s not even out yet, and the support has been overwhelming. Tracks like ‘Lighthouse’ and ‘Yamore’, with their emotional piano-driven melodic house sound, really capture the sound I want to bring into the world.
You’re about to release ‘Lighthouse’ – how would you describe the track to someone who hasn’t heard it yet?
‘Lighthouse’ is melodic, organic, groovy, and emotional, all at once. When I wrote the piano progression a few months ago, I immediately knew it deserved to become the foundation of a full track, simple, yet undeniably captivating. I experimented with a few different vocalists and top lines along the way, but in the end, I decided to keep the vocals minimal, to fully keep the focus on the pianos and ambience. For me, it’s the evolving interplay between the piano and the ambient textures that makes this track truly special.
And it comes out via New York imprint Palosanto, how have you found working with those guys?
Working with the Palosanto family will always hold a special place in my journey. Oktave and the team believed in me before I had even started D’ing – they discovered my music purely through sound, before any gigs or official releases. What makes this collaboration so meaningful isn’t just the professional support, but the genuine personal connection we’ve built. There’s a real sense of trust, shared vision, and mutual understanding. They don’t just release music, they welcome artists into their family, and that’s rare these days.
What synths or studio gear did you use to make parts of the track?
I always use a few different layers of pianos in my tracks. I often use LABS pianos for realism, something I find very important. That’s why I always record my pianos instead of drawing them in manually, I want people to “feel” the progression of the chords. On top of that, I usually add a piano layer to enhance the stereo sound of the piano, Kontakt’s Grandeur or Piano V3 by Arturia are perfect examples for that.
You’ve also released music on Sound International and Madorasinthehouse, where else might we see you release in the coming months?
Haha, I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to reveal just yet… I’ve got around 10 to 15 original tracks and remixes ready, but I’m really focused on only putting out the ones that truly feel special – quality over quantity. That said, I can share that next month I’ll be releasing an official remix for one of my favourite artists in the electronic scene together with one of my favourite collaborators. It’s a big one, and I’m incredibly excited about it!
Do you have anything special scheduled in for this summer?
I’ll have two more official releases before the summer starts, and a lot of shows that I can’t wait to announce. I’m also looking into playing a live piano in my sets at some point.
Anything else you want to plug before we go?
Window seats > aisle seats.
David Mackay – Lighthouse is out now on Palosanto.