American born DJ, producer, sound designer and music production student Mad Villains is solid evidence that staying busy and working hard can get you exactly what you want.
His music has landed with labels like Shadow Child’s Food Music, as well as Strictly Rhythm and Avotre. We spoke to the now Leeds based artist on his forthcoming remix with My Vision Records, his move to the UK as a teenager and what else he has in the pipeline.
Hey Adriane, how are things in the life of Mad Villains?
Things are going splendid! I’ve just finished up my second USA tour which was off the chain. This summer I hit NYC, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Eugene (Oregon). Now i’m back in England getting ready to go back to university and finish my Masters degree in Music Production and also start releasing all the new music i’ve been writing this summer.
You’re about to put out a remix for M.F.S Observatory on My Vision Records, how did you approach the remix?
I’d say this remix really represents the ‘Mad Villains’ sound and the vision that I have had for a while. My true sound has always been majorly characterised by old school Ghetto House elements fused with Deep House and UKG elements. You can hear these come together nicely in the remix. Considering the original is more of a Tech-House vibe, I felt I could really beef it up with my sound, chunky and deep!
And how about your next original record, what can we expect for that?
My next single ‘Crossland’ will be dropping on the mighty Sense Traxx sometime between October and November. This track encapsulates the same Ghetto House x Deep House x UKG vibe that I am currently pushing. To put into context, it almost sounds like a 2014 Detroit Swindle production with a bit of a harder edge!
You were originally born in the US, how did moving to England influence you as a producer and DJ?
English people think i’m mad when i say this, but moving out here is probably the best thing thats happened to me (musically). I moved here when I was 17 years old. I was already producing for few years prior to this but when I came to England I got taken under the wing of a good friend I made called Damo Walsh, who was a fairly established DJ at the time. He would take me to as many house events and gigs as he possibly could around Essex and London and would even sort me out gigs supporting big artists with him.
He helped to expand and develop my palette for house music and UK music in general and just really educated me on the music industry as a whole. Arguably, he is the one that kickstarted my music career on a more serious and global level. Having been given this kickstart, I eventually branched off and started doing my own thing and developing my sound even further with influences from many different scenes.
Now, I am fortunate enough to have landed music on legendary labels like Strictly Rhythm, Madtech, Avotre, Toolroom, Food Music as well as play many shows all around the world with my sound being well-received more and more every year!
We noticed on your social media that you have teamed up with Loopmasters to work on a sample pack, is this something you have always been interested in working on?
Yes! Its something i’ve had in mind to do for many years but have been waiting for the right time. Now that I feel my sound has been widely recognised and appreciated by many folks around the world, I felt releasing a sample pack that encapsulates this sound was necessary.
I’ve always had requests here and there about it, but when I first announced I was in the studio working on the pack, the response was much greater than I expected. I am blessed to be working with Loopmasters on this debut artist pack!
And what can any producers who buy your pack find inside?
So the pack is inspired by unique labels like Dance Mania, Slapfunk, Cajual and Strictly Rhythm. It has 2.1 GB of loops, one-shots, construction kits and midi files that have been synthesised, recorded and processed using various pieces of hardware and software instruments/processors such as the Roland Juno 106, Akai MPC drum machines, Korg MS2000, TLA C1 Valve Compressor & Warm Audio EQP-WA Classic Vintage Tube EQ to name a few. All samples have been processed and mixed to a high standard, whilst also retaining their intended raw and rough aesthetic.
Besides the releases you mentioned and the Loopmasters collab, what else can we look forward to from you in the next months?
Expect some large gig announcements, tasty parties, a free download coming real soon, big collaborations and more general shenanigans from myself.
Thanks for taking the time out to catch up, good luck with all your projects. Let’s close things out with one piece of advice you always find yourself going back to?
One thing I would really like to advise to budding artists is to just always be true to yourself! Push what you truly believe in and don’t ever let anyone or anything make you feel you have to be a certain way, look a certain way or make a certain style of music in order to succeed in this industry. Don’t worry about what next man is doing. Focus on your own shit and put out a positive message with your music. Patience is key, and never stop educating yourself. Bless
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Mad Villains’ remix for M.F.S Observatory will arrive on My Vision Records on October 8th.