Martinez Interview

Martin ‘Martinez’ Swanstein was destined to play and produce music. A natural musician, he got into DJing and Techno music at a young age, moved from his small hometown in Sweden to Copenhagen to focus on mixing and production and landed a record deal with Chicago-based label Guidance Recording. This led to the release of ‘Laidback Grooves EP,’ bursting with Deep House and Broken Beats. He has since worked with some of the greatest in House such as Steve Bug and formed his own labels to support his music and that of his friends. He has made a name for himself due to his changing sounds, found on ‘Skywalker EP’ and ‘A Chemical Imbalance,’ and certainly deserves his spot at Cocoon in Ibiza.

You are part of an exclusive group of acts to be playing at Cocoon in Ibiza for 2013. What can we expect from your set?
Yeah I am very excited to be playing at Cocoon Ibiza this year. It’s been my favourite party on Ibiza since I first came to the island. What can you expect? I’d say a set of my “trademark” sound, a hypnotic groovy blend of techno and house music.

Cocoon is one of Ibiza’s best loved underground parties, what are your views on dance music’s explosion into the mainstream and how has it effected the underground scene?
Indeed, I think Cocoon is one of those parties that help to change the music climate on Ibiza and really introduced underground Techno to the scene there. It’s inspiring that they keep it real and introduce good quality of underground line ups. For me, it is a place where you feel that it’s really about the music – DJs get a proper set time and can express themselves properly, as well as the people on the dance floor is as big a part of the party as the DJ or anyone else. I really love that. About dance music exploding into the mainstream, this really seems to be the topic of the moment. I must say honestly I don’t have much opinions or views about this. I don’t compare Britney Spears with Depeche Mode, so why should I compare Swedish House Mafia with underground techno? It’s two different worlds. In the end “mainstream” is a lucrative business that jumps on what ever seems to work at the moment.

Are you working on any collaborations at the moment?
Honestly I’d love to collaborate much more, but I’ve always been more of a lonely wolf in the studio and working my own way and pace. Though I did start a track with my good friend, Alex Celler. We did a session on his modular system in London and came up with some very inspiring sounds. It’s more of a trippy laid-back experimental track, and we are currently working on finishing up that idea, which will most likely be included on my next album.

What are your plans for the European festival season?
I’m scheduled to play at the Cocoon Heroes stage at We Are FSTVL in Essex in the UK. It’s a very exciting gig as I am opening for Sven Väth and Ricardo Villalobos, and it’s the first time they’re playing together in the UK in a very long time, I’ve heard, so I am sure it will be a special moment. I am also playing at Sonne, Mond & Sterne Festival in Germany, as part of the Cocoon Heroes stage there.

What is the biggest track you are playing right now?
Micawber – Shinkansen (Sylphe 001). A huge hypnotic Techno tune for this mystery producer that I always end up dropping somewhere in my sets.

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