Artist to Artist – Rebolledo and Munk

Music

Gomma overlord Mathias Modica, aka Munk, and Paris-based Mexican maverick Rebolledo (and Pachanga Boy) have just put out a stunning collaborative release on Modica’s Gomma imprint – with each of the duo providing their own mix of lead track Surf Smurf – a kind of ‘Munsters techno’ surf-rock monolith, and Munk providing a bonus B side, the brilliant ‘You Got It’.

We asked the pair to talk amongst themselves to find out how they first came across one another, their preference for endorphined over informed and their desert island musical instruments….

REBOLLEDO QUESTIONS TO MUNK

When/how did you get to know about this Rebolledo guy?

There were some weird 12inches in my bag one day. I realized it was all Mexican hombres doing that funky dance music – that fits so well with the gomma vibe.

Then you guys invited me to play in Mexico and I came to your club Topaz de Luxe in Monterrey.

What’s your impression of Mexico after your visits?

I love arancera meat. Before playing your club I had the best one ever! Then the people in Mexico are all so well informed about music and a lot of guys to great stuff. The tunes from Mexico always have a funky vibe, moody..sophisticated…. fits very well with my own gusto and the gomma vibe!

How did Munk became Munk?

As a kid and teen I only loved Jazz music. I played Jazz piano, saxophone and other intruments in bands. Then I discovered djing so I started to party… and fell in love with house music and electronic productions. So I stated my musical target and we started to make electronic records.. under the name of Munk.

How did Gomma became Gomma?

Nobody wanted to release our tracks. So we had to start a label. But we didnt want to make the impression that there was only one artist on the label – me and my friend Jonas. So we inveted many different names to release our music. People had the impression of a big bunch of cool kids doing this new sound. But it was only us 2.

Why Berlin suddenly?

I was in Munich, then 4 years in Marseille, but all the musicians I am working with now for Munk and Gomma are based in Berlin. It was simply too stressy always going back and forth. I won’t stay there forever.. don’t worry… 🙂

Disco ball or laser show?

Laser!

What do you do when the electricity is gone?

I sing and scream.

As my CDs are very fucked up and dirty the music often stops during my sets. Then I always scream at the audience.. and they get in a better mood..

Any tips for 2014??? ( what to see, what to listen to, what to wait for, what to pray for, etc )

Start to smoke and eat more Arancera…

How long is too long?

Long..

MUNK QUESTIONS TO REBOLLEDO

Where did you first hear Munk’s music?

About 10 years ago when a friend of mine told me about this really cool out of the ordinary label called gamma I got hooked when I started listening to some of that material as usual I was not even checking the name of the tracks or the artists, I was just enjoying the sound Next time I had a chance to travel and go to a record shop, I got my hands in some gomma records of that time Some Munk eps, remixes and the Portofino album where in that selection

What kind of parties were you playing at the time? What kind of music?

I was resident at La Santanera, a pretty cool club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Hard to put a name on the music I was playing Like I do today, I was also mixing different styles, raw beats, old stuff, disco and techno all together with my approach and vision to the dance floor…

Did your dj style change between that time and now? How?

Not so much I think. The spirit remains the same even if the music has changed somehow.

Back in the day being a resident, I had longer sets more often than now so that gave me somehow a bigger spectrum and possibilities, but still the essence has remained.

Is there a kind of music that you would like to play – when you dj – but it never fits with the audience? So you don’t play it? Which tracks ?

Actually no Every weird desire Ive had I have played Somehow Ive always managed to fit the not so common things that I wanted to play into my sets

If you were only allowed to bring 3 (electronic) music instruments to an island, which would they be?

A microphone, a Looper ( or sampler ), and an echo machine I would go crazy doing my own maracas and other self made instruments, recording my own voice, improvise percussions, record nature sounds, do endless mantric loops and fly away with echoes

Drinking a coconut and then make it an instrument sounds like paradise

How important is it for you that after a party (with you on the decks) there are many new couples trying to do little babies? 🙂

This is really important! I love the idea of helping humanity to keep on existing What would be really exiting too is that a lot of these babies would be named after me

Do you prefer very informed boys – next to your dj deck or some very endorphined girls – infront of the records players?

Ufff Nothing worse than boys (or even girls ) a bit too informed being near by, Know it alls are so boring Endorphined naive girls ( or even boys ) with fresh ears and hearts sounds like the right answer

Tell me about the club you run in Monterrey ( Mexico)

TOPAZdeluxe is still there overcoming all kinds of difficult times after the violent couple of years the city went through and tough new laws that affected the citys nightlife Im not involved any more in the operation because of my calendar and being based in Paris now, but my partners still keep the fire burning and every time possible I go back there to play still one of my favorite dance floors and its still one of the most fresh options in Mexico I think.

Can you explain why there is such a big scene of producers and clubs in mexico since a few years ago that are so into european underground electronic music?

We like to dance and we have to find ways and places to do it!!!

Surf Smurf is available digitally here. The Vinyl is due out soon.

Keep up with Munk here and Rebolledo here.