Mishell, a dynamic and interactive DJ from the vibrant club scene of Tel Aviv, is known for his innovative soundscapes that blend House, Rock, and Trance music.
Photo credit: Mishell – Official
His vibe on the dance floor has garnered the attention of industry heavyweights, sharing the decks with the likes of Martinez Brothers, Adam Port, &ME, Mochakk, Ame, Trikk, Echonomist, Denis Horvat, WhoMadeWho, and Red Axes.
Recently, Mishell released his eclectic new EP ‘Lightweight’, which sees him teaming up with singer/rapper Kinna Mone and features a mix of 90’s Goa Trance, old school house, and early 2000s Electro. The EP has not only topped charts but also encapsulated Mishell’s artistic color.
EG recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Mishell to delve into the creative process behind ‘Lightweight’, his experiences in the industry, and his future projects.
EG: Hi, Mishell! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? What have you been up to?
Mishell: Hey guys, happy to be here. It’s been a busy time for me lately, It was three months of multiple shows, I produced a video clip for ‘Lightweight’ EP, had another video set in an unbelievable location deep in the desert, and of course non-stop work in the studio, Stressful yet beautiful times.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the release of your new EP, ‘Lightweight’! How are you feeling about this one now that it’s out? What has the initial reception been like so far?
Mishell: Thank you so much, I’m super happy about this release it’s something that I’ve worked on for a while, actually the title track took me over a year to complete and it’s a close-to-my-heart EP as those three tracks have been a major part of my set and help to define my artistic color.
It’s going really well, I got a lot of support from different artists, the EP has reached the top charts and most of the reactions were about the unique sound and energy of the tracks, which for me it’s the most important part, people could feel my presence on the tracks and started to recognize my sound. It made me feel different in a good way.
EG: So, what can your fans expect to find on ‘Lightweight’? Is there a concept or trigger driving these three new cuts? Where do you usually go for inspiration?
Mishell: ‘Lightweight’ EP combines my main inspirations in electronic music. Each track represents a different genre that I focused on in order to achieve my sound, 90’ Goa trance, old-school house, and electro from the early 2000’s. My main goal was to find the right balance between old and modern to bring new energy with an old-school touch, which is why I used only vintage analog instruments.
EG: The title track, ‘Lightweight’, sees you linking up with singer/rapper Kinna Mone. What was the recording process like? Did you have a previous relationship with Kinna Mone? How did that come about?
Mishell: In the beginning, ‘Lightweight’ started as an instrumental track. My roots are deeply rooted in the old trance genre so I started this project with an old school melody that was developed into a full track. Only after 6 months or so I felt that I wanted to add vocals to it. I consulted with my manager on it and told him about the vibe I was looking for, I knew it needed to be sexy and cheeky sound and character-wise so the singer must fit those guidelines. Daniel my manager immediately suggested Amit AKA Kinna Mone and of course, after the first meeting, I understood why he suggested her. From that moment she started working on the lyrics that were banging like crazy, and it took only four sessions for the track to be completed. The connection between us along with the professionalism created a flow that made it fun and exciting to work on.
“My main goal was to find the right balance between old and modern to bring new energy with an old-school touch”
EG: As an EP ‘Lightweight’ covers a broad palette of sounds. Was this something you planned from the onset? What are some of the keys to covering this amount of ground but with it not feeling disjointed?
Mishell: Thanks for noticing, one of my main goals as an artist is to be different and to always try to reinvent myself in the production, to pay attention to the little details that make all the difference. I think that I’m always aspiring to reshape my sound by small adjustments to make the fine-tuning in order to reach my desired sound. It’s all in the energy and emotion that is put into the music, it’s not about making the tracks sound the same as it is about delivering the same feelings out of them. Like I said before, I combined all of my inspirations into one energy and then spread them to three different tracks but always, the energy is one energy.
EG: By the way, this new record sees you landing on Diynamic for the first time, right? What does it mean to have ‘Lightweight’ out on such a prestigious label?
Mishell: I’m grateful that the team of Diynamic believed in my music and that Solomun wanted to sign those tracks. This label is definitely one of the most influential ones that reshaped our industry, so of course I’m happy that ‘Lightweight’ found its home with them.
EG: Now, stepping outside of the studio for a bit…What do you think the future of electronic dance music looks like? Are all these innovations and big-screen festival performances bringing us closer or farther away from the music? What does the scene look like where you’re at?
Mishell: I think that the future is in the big raves, no matter the genre, the audience wants the full experience, the music has gotten faster, the sound quality has improved dramatically and the music has gotten more powerful with much stronger energy. We can see it in all the big festivals and events, with thousands of people participating in the world’s biggest shows with the biggest stages and the biggest sound systems, therefore, it is inevitable that the music will be adapted to that.
EG: It being such a hot topic, how do you feel about the recent implementation of AI in the creative side of music? Have you explored any form of AI in ‘Lightweight’?
Mishell: AI is definitely taking a bigger part of our lives and I’m sure that it can improve many things but when it comes to music there’s nothing like the human touch, as I said before it’s all about the energy and emotions so as much as AI could give a clean sound with all the “right” elements the artist’s soul is what makes all the difference. For this project, I haven’t used any AI features.
“As much as AI could give a clean sound with all the “right” elements the artist’s soul is what makes all the difference”
EG: Finally, can you provide some insights into what’s next for Mishell? What can we expect from you in the coming months? Where can your fans catch you next?
Mishell: I’m currently working on my next releases, my own party brand that is called Mess, expected to be a worldwide event, and building my live show. I have an upcoming tour in Mexico, you can find there in July and I’m planning to end the year in Europe.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Mishell! See you on the dancefloor!
Mishell: Thank you guys, I loved the flow and vibe. Thanks to my audience for their support and last but not least to my team from Ritual Artists and to my manager Daniel Inbar.
Mishell’s ‘Lightweight’ is now available on Diynamic Music. Stream and download here.
Follow Mishell: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram | Facebook
