Mark Greene is an up and coming Irish producer taking influence from the likes of Chris Liebing, The Advent, Gary Beck and Industrialyzer. Each month Mark hosts his Progress Radio show which airs exclusively on DI.FM.
Having initially being known for his harder take on Techno, Mark’s productions have moved toward a more groove-orientated approach in recent years. With original releases now signed to labels like Carl Cox’s Intec Digital, Spektre’s Respekt Recordings, Steve Mulder’s Orange Recordings, Oscar Aguilera’s HE-ART and Hollen’s Italian imprint Prospect Records, Mark looks to be riding the crest of a wave.
We had the chance to talk with Mark Greene about his current musical projects.
Electronic Groove: Hi, Mark, and welcome to EG. Tell us, where are you right now and what have you been up to this past days?
Mark Greene: Thanks for having me. Currently I am back home in Ireland in my studio finishing off some new remixes and doing some pre-production for a new EP of mine.
Electronic Groove: You’re recent EP ‘As If” just came out on Misfit Music. What can you tell us about the inspiration and production behind it?
Mark Greene: The EP is 100% geared towards the dance floor. Every time I approach a new production I want to make sure it has lots of energy and keeps people engaged throughout. The lead track ‘As If’ was a lot of fun to make. I came across the vocal sample quite some time ago but I instantly knew I wanted to do something with it. I wanted to make a track with an uplifting break and then slam it back on the drop. ‘Bounty’ and ‘People’ round off the release and will appeal to anyone who has liked my recent tracks on Funk’n Deep and Miles From Mars.
Electronic Groove: What has been the reception so far?
Mark Greene: The reception has been absolutely incredible. The label has done a great job in promoting it and so many people have got behind this EP which is very exciting for me. I’ve gotten messages from a lot of people ever since Carl Cox played ‘As If’ in his Miami Ultra set back in March. I even got to stand behind him as he played ‘Bounty’ in The Telegraph Building in Belfast which was a great experience for me.
Electronic Groove: What are some of the challenges you find when producing some quality techno like ‘As If’?
Mark Greene: I suppose the real challenge is making sure every production is of a high standard. The occasional bout of writers block strikes from time-to-time which can be frustrating, but thankfully they don’t last too long. I tend to leave a track alone for a few days and come back to it with fresh ears.
Electronic Groove: We know it’s quite early to ask but do you have any new releases for the winter season?
Mark Greene: Yes I’ve quite a few releases lined up for the end of the year and the start of 2020. I’ve done a few remixes for guys like Danny Fontana, Mike Pipes, D.A.V.E The Drummer and my good friend Phutek that will be released at the end of the year.
In terms of originals, I will be releasing a new track entitled ‘Orca’ on Montel’s ‘Miles From Mars’ imprint on November 15th. I have also just signed a new 4-track EP to an amazing Berlin-based label that will be released early next year. I’m really excited about that one.
Electronic Groove: You recently came back from ADE. What can you tell us about it and what did you hear that stood out from the rest?
Mark Greene: ADE is always an amazing experience. I love just walking around the city and taking in everything. I have a good few mates living in Amsterdam so when I do go to ADE I am usually with people who know the city inside-out.
One of the stand-out people that blew me away this year was Anfisa Letyago. I saw her at Pan Pot’s Second State showcase and her energy and track selection was just perfect. Industrialyzer was also on that night and is someone who got me into techno so I always enjoy seeing him.
EG: Are you happy with the current state of music?
Mark Greene: Yes and no. I’m absolutely delighted to see techno thriving at the moment. It brings so many people together from all different backgrounds and that’s what music is all about. The only issue I have with the scene at the moment is the shelf life of tracks. It seems that after a piece of music is released and its a month or two out it is considered old and can be forgotten. So much music is put out now every week that it can be difficult to even find the quality tracks among all the new releases.
“I suppose the real challenge is making sure every production is of a high standard”
EG: Moving into DJing, what is your dream location to play at? Small club, boat party, massive venue? And why?
Mark Greene: Obvious choices would be Berghain or Tresor in Berlin. But going a bit closer to home I would love to play one of the main electronic stages at a festival called Electric Picnic here in Ireland. I’ve played at quite a few festivals but this is one I’ve always dreamed of playing at.
EG: Do you have any gigs coming up your looking forward too?
Mark Greene: Yes I’m just back from gigs in Austria, Scotland and England and I have some gigs coming up in Belfast and Derry over the next month or two, and then after the Christmas I’ll be playing some dates in Europe.
Electronic Groove: Can you share a classic tune you can’t live without? One that really made an impact on you?
Mark Greene: I’m not sure if it’s a classic (yet), but it is my absolute all-time favorite and one I play quite a bit – Gary Beck – Video Siren. It’s just filth.
Electronic Groove: Where should we go for pint or two when visiting your hometown?
Mark Greene: (Laughs) First of all you never just go for one or two in Ireland. I’m from a small town in Meath, just outside Dublin called Dunboyne. I normally drink in a pub called Slevins. They welcome me with open arms every weekend so I suppose we could start there.
EG: What’s the hardest part of being Mark Greene?
Mark Greene: Hmmm the hardest part about being Mark Greene is probably finding enough time. I have a full-time job and then music is like another full-time job. I work from 7:00 am until 16:00 pm every Monday to Friday and then by 17:00pm I’m in the studio until 20:00pm. Weekends I usually try to do 3-4 hours of studio work each day and then prepare for the week ahead. It’s tiring but I love making music, so it’s not a chore or work for me.
EG: And the easiest?
Mark Greene: It can be sh*t dealing with some labels, waiting for answers on demos, getting turned away, etc. But what’s easy for me is to just keep on making new music. I never get to bogged down, I just keep going.
EG: Many thanks and we wish you nothing but the best!
Mark Greene: Thank you guys. It was great chatting with you.
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