We caught up with EDM superstars Michal Menert and AC Lao about their new, groundbreaking live show and how being best friends forever influences the music they make.
Michal Menert has been assembling his transcendent music with a computer since before you knew who he was. Now, the Pretty Lights Music label mate is stepping away from the digital world for his Sonic Bloom set. Taking a completely electronic track and integrating live instruments, his set will certainly catch your attention, and he’s ready for you to experience it.
Modern music, whether we like it or not, has transformed into an art craft created almost specifically within a computer. Throughout the hours of mixing and mastering, it comes as no surprise that some sounds are watered down and fall short of their original purpose. Just imagine if Jimi Hendrix didn’t actually play the Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock, and instead played a pre-recorded mix through million dollar speakers. All of those crazy hippies would probably be a little less crazy.
EDM artist Michal Menert has been a benefactor of the digitalization trend in music, but he hopes that he can bring a little something extra to the table at this years Sonic Bloom Music Festival in South Park, Colorado. “I want them to lose themselves in it,” Menert said about what he wants his fans to experience, “I want them to feel that bittersweet excitement that you get from life and love and experience.”
Michal isn’t going to show up at Sonic Bloom on June 19 to play another set through computer; instead he is going to bring his music to life. Menert’s set will feature the “Michal Menert Big Band”, consisting of 13+ musicians that will each provide an important aspect to Michal’s music. “It’s amazing to hear what the songs sound like out side of a machine. The rhythm breathes. The groove captivates you.”
The core of the “Big Band” comes from a high-energy funk group from Washington called Snug Harbor, who will have no trouble amusing the vivacious crowds in South Park. The Big Bands drummer, AC Lao, has been alongside Michal since 2008 and is excited about the chance to do something new. When asked about his admiration for Michael, AC commended his partner. “One thing about him that I always have and always will gravitate towards is his relentless curiosity and fervor (borderline stubborn) for pushing boundaries. His mind is never at rest unless he’s creating. I have such a deep admiration for his artistry and am blessed to call him my best friend.”
Maybe Menert’s “relentless curiosity and fervor for pushing boundaries” is what makes his upcoming Sonic Bloom set such an interesting choice. “I wanted to do it without backing tracks or clicks or a laptop,” Menert says, “I wanted the drummers to carry the rhythm and all the pieces to be recreated. It’s taking 17 members to do it, and make it sound full.”
The best part about a live performance with live instruments is the element of unexpectedness that comes along with it. As fans, the sound is noticeably heavier and can send chills up your spine (if you’re just high enough for it). Michal is just as excited about this aspect of his new, live show after experiencing a smaller portion of it with AC Lao. “He brings life to the drums. His dynamic skill brings another dimension and we feed off each other by playing with what is and isn’t already there. There’s a few moments in every set where we let loose and it has the potential to be amazing, just as much as it could all come tumbling down. I like that. Risks make performance fun.”
Sonic Bloom’s 2014 lineup is chalked full with funky, groundbreaking EDM artists, but none more exciting than Michal Menert’s Big Band. For the first time ever, we will get to see Michal bring his music to life with the help of an array of talented musicians, and he couldn’t be more thrilled to let us experience it. “It’s important to me because I think it shows the audience the pieces that get overlooked when you hear a stereo mixdown that’s mastered. I think that with the sound my friends and I have pioneered, it’s important for the audience to see all the moving pieces, so they can appreciate the details and subtlety we work on.”
Michal Menert
Your music sticks out as being on a different plane than the rest of the current EDM being released. How would you describe your music and how would you say it's different than the normal sounds we might hear?
MM: It’s tricky locking down a definitive genre or style to describe it. I’d say it’s instrumental hip hop production with an emphasis on instrumental narrative and a bit more dance floor sensibility. My approach is rarely focused on writing a song for a crowd to go crazy to, but rather imagining a story and trying to tell it through the progression of a song or series of songs. Obviously there’s an awareness of the live translation, but I think it’s become a focal point of a lot of production that you come across, which can often neglect the music’s potential for personal listening and intimate emotional connection away from a show or festival.
What artists do you draw inspiration from?
MM: Beastie Boys were a huge inspiration, just their versatility and growth, without ever losing the heart of their sound. Right now, artists like Ta-ku are really exciting to hear, because they build on the same aesthetic that drew me to hip hop sampling and production. Mux Mool has been an inspiration because we do things completely different when approaching a song, and becoming friends over the last few years has definitely inspired me to see things from a different perspective when producing. He really does some amazing things that even I didn’t pick up on until looking over his shoulder, some great abstract techniques and manipulations that blow my mind.
What music (new or old) excites you?
MM: I’ve really been vibing on records I pick up on the road. You find this unfamiliar album with an intriguing cover and then get transported into another world.
What have you been listening to as of late?
MM: Junip and Mice Parade on the non-EDM tip. Late Night Radio’s Soapbox just dropped as well as Mux Mool’s Appetite for Production, so I’ve been bumping those on repeat. Also, I’ve been working on the first official Half Color EP with Paul Basic and it’s so good I listen to the works in progress daily.
What is the impression you want people to have when they hear your music?
MM: I want them to lose themselves in it. I want them to feel that bittersweet excitement that you get from life and love and experience.
What are you looking forward to at Sonic Bloom?
MM: Everything. So many of my friends are performing, plus I’m incredibly excited and nervous to have the premiere of my Big Band.
What does the future of your music look like?
MM: Like a wide horizon of golden sunsets to ride into.
What can fans expect in the upcoming months?
MM: A release from myself, entitled Space Jazz, the Half Color EP, and lots of random tweeting.
Your drummer, AC Lao, is very important to the band? What would you say he brings to the table?
MM: He brings life to the drums. His dynamic brings another dimension and we feed off each other by playing with what is and isn’t already there. There’s a few moments in every set where we let loose and it has the potential to be amazing, just as much as it could all come tumbling down. I like that. Risks make performance fun.
Michal Menert and AC Lao:
How does The Band help get your music out during live performances?
MM: It’s amazing to hear what the songs sound like out side of a machine. The rhythm breathes. The groove captivates you.
AC: A lot of our fans have seen either Michal by himself or with me as the duo. This is another expression of the music where fans will be able to connect with not only the music, but the manner in which it’s delivered. Fans will have the ability to make connections with the instrumentalists and vocalists. That’s something we’ve never really brought to the performance with such scale.
In what ways do you think you and your band mates complement each other?
MM: They are incredible and are very open to my direction, which has never happened in bands I've been in growing up because everyone wants to contribute their precise vision rather than build onto what I see. They’re champs.
AC: Until we got to Bellingham (Wa), we honestly had no idea how things were gonna turn out. A huge aspect to having bands perform someone else’s music is not just the musicianship, but the compatibility of the people themselves. Lucky for us, we have an incredible group of people and musicians that when it was time to meet and rehearse, the progress of the rehearsals exceeded our expectations and we were really able to dig into the tunes and see what shape they have taken having been given a short period of time to do it (three days.)
You're premiering your live band project at Sonic Bloom. How big is this set in determining the rest of your career?
MM: It’s my long term dream, and it’s hard to say how it will be determining my future because if it takes off I’d love to run with it. Right now it’s about bringing the music to life, and I’m glad I have the opportunity.
What's the best part about playing with a live band?
AC: Anything can happen! Truly! There’s so much room for anything, both good and bad, to happen. Michal wanted the band to play a show after one day of rehearsal with the band. This was absolutely necessary because we needed a marker to see where exactly where we were and also needed to see how we would handle any kind of technical difficulty or off-the-cuff situation … and boy, did we encounter some problems! Really it’s the ability to overcome any situation and keep the vibe flowing. At one point we had some technical problems with Michal's APC and MPC, he had to troubleshoot, and so the band decided to improvise. We started with a nice slow groove and as everybody started to feel that groove, we started to take the jam in so many directions. We jammed anything from Latin to jazz to funk! It was really refreshing to be with a group of musicians that are able to rise to the occasion and keep the music going and not be deterred by some technical mishaps. Once Michal got his gear working, we were able to finish the show. I think the human error aspect to a show is the most exciting. It gives the audience a much more real feeling and makes the fans feel they’re apart of the show. I love that.
Why is it so important that you perform with live instruments and turntables?
MM: It’s important to me because I think it shows the audience the pieces that get overlooked when you hear a stereo mix-down that’s mastered. I think that with the sound my friends and I have pioneered, it’s important for the audience to see all the moving pieces, so they can appreciate the details and subtlety we work on.
The set at Sonic Bloom will have 13 plus artists performing your tunes. Why did you choose to have so many other people bring your music to life? What advantage does this give you?
MM: I wanted to do it without backing tracks or clicks or a laptop. I wanted the drummers to carry the rhythm and all the pieces to be recreated. It’s taking 17 members to do it, and make it sound full.
It's very admirable to see an artist do something as exciting as your new project. I think it brings an element of diversity to this summer festival. Where did this idea come from?
MM: It’s been a dream of mine forever, since Derek and I started producing and playing in bands. We dreamt of bring all the pieces together live but until recently there wasn’t a chance or money to do it. Scott from Cervantes has been pushing me to do this since last year, but this year I met Will from Snug Harbor and the potential for it to be done proper was finally there.
AC Lao:
What do you try and bring to the set?
AC: Knowledge and direction. Since Michal and I are the only ones that know that tunes back and forth, and considering we’re working on such a short schedule to get this all together, he and I have to take the reigns on this. When we got to Bellingham, it took us a minute to see what roles we were going to have to take on, but ultimately I took on being in charge of the rhythm section and I helped with some of the arrangements of the tunes. Mic and I both have experience in playing in bands so taking on these roles was not unfamiliar territory to us. It was really exciting to put on a few more hats than what we’re used to.
How exciting is it to work with someone who is as groundbreaking as Michal?
AC: We have been friends for over a decade. I’ve seen his career go up and down over the years, but the one thing about him that I always have and always will gravitate towards is his relentless curiosity and fervor (borderline stubborness) for pushing boundaries. His mind is never at rest unless he’s creating. The music he creates is truly an expression of his life’s journey. He’s able to execute the transition from his emotions into his music all the while staying artistically true to the inspirations he draws from and the musical path he’s creating for an unknown future. When you’re an artist that has had to swim upstream for most of your career, people start to dig a little deeper into the connection between him and his music. To me, this is his bread and butter. This is and what always will separate him from any other artist. I have such a deep admiration for his artistry and am blessed to call him my best friend.
You and Michal must trust each other deeply. With him asking you to help bring his music to fans, how is your relationship?
AC: It wasn’t always like that at first. When I first approached him in 2008 about the idea of bringing drums on, he was pretty skeptical. That was really a time when producers and DJs were doing the solo thing. Nobody really knew that this scene was going to evolve the way it has. Lucky for me he was willing to give me a shot. For a while I was only playing on the local shows and some major festivals while he was getting the name out, so really there were technically two types of Menert shows. One solo, and then one with me. For the longest time only our Colorado fans were getting the duo show. This past fall on the Space Jazz Tour was really the first time I was able to get out across the country with Mic and show our fans outside of Colorado the duo show. It was dope to see a lot of his fans say “I’ve been to a MM show, he doesn’t have a drummer” and then give them a completely different show. Because of only playing locally as a duo for the first couple years, we were really able to hone in our connection on stage and bring a totally different meaning to his songs through our relationship on stage. Again, the songs evolved into something that not only meant something to him, but now also me. He has been very understanding in knowing that as a drummer I’m always going to play for the song. That is just my style of drumming. I’m not flashy. I don’t solo, nor does his music call for any of that, but I love adding what I can to take his music to the next level. We’ve built enough trust over the years that he knows that whatever I do is strictly for the song. I’d say we know each other pretty well, both musically and personally. Sometimes the two are indistinguishable.
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