Interviews

A brief interview with one of the greatest new talents to emerge on the electronic music scene in the last few years, Max Cooper along with a 1 hour live set (featuring tracks from his upcoming Metaphysical EP).

-Can you tell us about your background and your venture into electronic music?
I have been really into electronic music ever since I first heard it as a child, and then actively involved since I started Djing in about 1998. My production venture was more recent, initially starting because I wanted to get more DJ gigs, and now being the focus of what I’m in to.

-How long have you been making music ?
5/6 years I think.

-How would you describe your own sound?  How has your sound evolved since you started producing?
I suppose it’s emotive electronic music a lot of the time, but not always. Detailed. I don’t like to put genre names on it, because people around the world have drastically different understandings of what any given genre name means.

-What is your production setup?
Ableton Live, NI Komplete, Piano and Strings sampled instruments, sony Viao laptop, midi keyboard, m-audio soundcard, Genelec 8040 moniters, Akai APC40 and iPad midi control – pretty basic stuff really, the only thing I’ve bothered investing in properly is my monitors. I’d love to have some nice hardware synths but they’re expensive and I’m still developing other areas first, like acoustics and software.

-What are the differences (both production & output) between your own tracks and your remixes ?
The main difference in production would be the initial musical experimentation stage, which is much more drawn out for my originals, with remixes already having this partially defined most of the time. As for the output, I suppose my remixes often have more sampled elements, drumloops, real life samples, whereas my originals are largely synthetic and probably more electronic sounding on the whole. One other thing would be I often go more electronica on my originals, while remix jobs are usually after something more dancefloor.

-Are there any plans for performances in the U.S.?
I played in El Paso recently, and I think I’m in Canada soon, but I’m not sure about my next US date, hopefully soon.

-How do you think the electronic music scene will evolve in the next 10 years?

It’s been fragmenting in to smaller and smaller units recently, with all sorts of new scenes picking up support around the world. I suppose that fragmentation process will continue, as will the explosion of new music out there as more and more people start producing. So more music, more styles, and more variation perhaps.

-What’s on Max Coopers’s I-pod?
Max Richter, Stars of the Lid, Jon Hopkins, Olafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm, EOD, Vaethx, Autechre, Tim Hecker, Apparat, Gareth Clarke, Deaf Center.

-What genre of music would you have produced if you lived 40 years ago?
So the 70s, synthpop!

-What does the future hold for Max Cooper?
I’m just finally getting round to focusing on my album now, where I’m going to drop a lot the constraints that go with producing records for dancefloor use. I’ll maintain the same feeling and approach, but I’m looking forward really letting go and seeing what happens.

Max Cooper Live – Reflections/Contortions 1-Hour Live Set (Right Click to Download)

Dominik Eulberg – Sansula (Max Cooper’s Lost In Sound Remix) (Right Click to Download)

Good Natured – Animal (Max Cooper Remix ) (Right Click to Download)