There’s a certain aura that surrounds the music coming out of Romania. The scene, something that has been in existence since the early’ 90s has long been acknowledged as a breeding ground for illustrious DJs and producer talent. Anyone with even a passing interest in underground electronic music will attest that.
Having spent countless hours listening to a plethora of music genres while growing up in Romania, Adrian developed a wide knowledge of music, which helped him craft a rich sound of his own.
We caught up with Magician On Duty to talk about the label’s new VA compilation and current musical projects.
Electronic Groove: Hi, Adrian, how are you? It’s a pleasure having you with us. Congratulations on the 4 years of Magician On Duty compilation! What a year it’s been, right? How was it like for you?
Magician On Duty: Hello Electronic Groove team, thanks for your kind words and support. Yes, you are right: what a year! It was obviously difficult in the beginning, as there was so much uncertainty about everything. I got back from performing at SXM Festival in March, only to go straight into lockdown one day later. As things were progressing, I quickly realized that the whole situation will last for a while, and I decided to create and publish more music and podcasts as almost everyone was at home. I’ve been releasing about two EP’s a month on the label and also a new podcast every Friday for the last six months. It was exhausting, but the feedback was incredible. I was happy to see that what I was doing was bringing joy and some comfort in these weird times.
Electronic Groove: So, let’s start from the beginning of this wonderful story. How was Magician On Duty born? Why did you feel the need to have your own label?
Magician On Duty: I’ve been in the music industry since 2009 and I was performing and producing music under different aliases. I had a different stage name every six months, and I was also experimenting with lots of different genres, you can say that I was searching for an identity. Magician On Duty came up when I was writing a press release for a podcast. It was very random, but that was a magical moment. At that time, I was running my first record label and I was going “down the rabbit hole” in regards to exploring new music.
I launched Magician On Duty because I wanted to showcase the new artists & music that I have been discovering as I was navigating through the neverending sea of music.
Electronic Groove: How would you describe the brand’s sound? Do you feel your vision has evolved over the years?
Magician On Duty: The label’s sound ranges from electronica, organic house, downtempo to melodic techno to slow techno, and house. Pretty much the type of playlists that I carry in my 100GB USB. I don’t like to stick to one genre, and I will release music that I enjoy playing as an artist, but also music that does not necessarily fit into a club’s dance floor. The label’s sounds evolve at the same time with my sound as a performing artist. I am listening to in between 400 to 500 promos/demos each week, and I get very excited when I find a gem or something that I consider special.
Electronic Groove: Recently, the label has undergone a re-design in terms of its covers and artworks. Was it an easy decision? How did you arrive at this new look?
Magician On Duty: The label re-design was something way overdue. I was creating all the covers for the past three years and it was taking up a lot of time from my schedule. I am running the label by myself and it takes time to be creative. At the end of the day, I just want to be able to make music and play music. I’m very excited that I got to start working with Orhan Ata, an incredible graphic designer/illustrator coming from Istanbul, Turkey. His work is whimsical, magical, and inspiring. When I found his designs online, I immediately messaged him to work together.
“Magician On Duty came up when I was writing a press release for a podcast. It was very random, but that was a magical moment”
Electronic Groove: So, you’ve just released the ‘Four Year Anniversary [VA]’. Could you tell us a bit more about the project? What can listeners expect?
Magician On Duty: Time flies when you’re having fun! Yes, the compilation was released with lots of great feedback and support. On this year’s edition, I decided to do something different: the mood and the genre is very much into the slow techno/slow downtempo Berlin vibe that I have been enjoying for quite some time. All of the artists on the release are making their debut, except for BVA which has previously released on the label. I think the collection has a bit of everything that you would expect from lush and sexy opening tracks to high-intensity psychedelic closing tracks.
I’m very happy with the end result and I want to say thank you to everyone involved in this project, including my incredible mastering engineer Robert Trifunović and graphic designer Orhan Ata.
Electronic Groove: What do you look for in a tune these days? Do you feel it’s important to like the artist as well? Is it possible to separate the art from the artist?
Magician On Duty: There are a lot of variables in regards to my thought process of picking a tune. My mind & thought process are a bit different. First, I will notice the quality of the track, if the mixing is right, and if the producer sent something unique or different in terms of sound. I always try to concentrate on the music and not the person, however is very important for me that the artist is a nice person. Running my label for the past four years I have met many artists and luckily most of them were very easy to work with, however from time to time you meet artists that are a bit more difficult to work with; at the end of the day we don’t really have to like each other, however we have to have mutual respect for each other.
Electronic Groove: What can we expect from Magician On Duty for next year?
Magician On Duty: I’ve got some incredible projects in the works, along with the first Vinyl release for the label, merchandise, and my very own event series called ‘A Life Of Magic’.
Electronic Groove: We know there’s a lot of hard work that comes with running a label, and it’s not always economically rewarding. What advice can you give to anyone thinking about having a successful label in the near future?
Magician On Duty: I would advise anyone who is thinking on starting their own label, to make sure that music is their passion, It might sound cheesy, but doing what you love it’s very important and it does not feel like a chore when you have a lot of work on your plate. Always follow the music and not something else; sign and publish quality (first) before making favors to friends or what is “hot” right now.
Electronic Groove: Thank you so much for sharing this moment with us, Adrian. We wish you the best going forward. Have a great end of the year!
Magician On Duty: Always a pleasure, thanks for having me!
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