EMEXL is a DJ and producer originally hailing from Teesside but now based in Newcastle UK. Previously releasing on some of the most infamous North East rave scene record labels under other aliases, EMEXL takes him into the world of house and techno, influenced by the likes of Patrick Topping’s uptempo productions and KINK’s mastery of analog hardware.
Here he debuts on Doc Brown’s Unlearn Records with Prepare For Drama. As the name suggests, this a tense, seething tech house cut, with ultra-crisp hats, thunderous drums and an acid lead line creating a seething, boiling atmosphere.
Hi Matt, thank you for taking the time to chat with us today! How has the year been treating you so far?
No worries, it’s a pleasure to chat. This year is flying by so far and I’m loving every second. I’ve been refining a lot of my workflow and creative processes and have made some of my best music yet. I can’t wait for you guys to hear it. Family keeps me busy too, I have two kids 7 and 4 and making music around all my other commitments comes with its challenges but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Where do you think the impulse to create music comes from for you?
I mostly get inspired by the music I’m currently digging or I get ideas inspired from dance floor experiences. I wouldn’t say it’s a particularly deep or spiritual experience for me or that technology such as plug ins or synths inspire me either, but sometimes it’s a vocal idea or a sample I’m into. Different type of tracks have different starting points and that completely changes the vibe that track.
You’ve produced under a range of alises previously – how did EMEXL come about?
The name came from an old job I used to work where each team member had initials to make the timetables easier to read – mine had always been ML but when I moved companies it switched to MxL because there was already an ML on the team. As a producer, the name stuck for a while but there were about 5/6 other MXLs releasing music on Spotify so I decided to mix it up. Lots of people think it’s pronounced E-MXL but it’s actually M X L. Choosing an artist name is harder than making the music in the first place!
What aspects of the North East rave scene influence your current productions?
Local artists like Patrick Topping, Ben Hemsley and Schak have been bringing back quirky rave sounds and increasing tempo’s for a little while now and I’ve always loved playing music at plus 130bpm, but my love for the scene in the North East of England goes back further than that. I grew up listening to tapes recorded in local nightclubs playing music at plus 160bpm – it was similar to Dutch Hardcore, artists like Paul Elstak but with more happy hardcore influences. The rave stabs still make it into my tracks today and that’s cool because its quite a popular sound at the moment.
Is emotion an important part of your music-making process? Or are you more driven by function in the studio?
I wouldn’t call my tracks emotional. I feel the groove and want to make people dance. I’ve tried making more serious or intense tracks but I always come back to wanting to create fun dance floor moments. I do enjoy experimenting with new sounds and plug ins but like I said it’s often the initial idea that inspires me to start and eventually finish the track. I’m good at following through with tracks and rarely starting something I don’t finish.
Tell us about your current studio set up – any particular bits of go-to kit you find yourself returning to?
Studio? I’d love a studio but right now due to family and other commitments I make all of my music with headphones. I’m used to it now though and it means that I can take my music anywhere and that I haven’t had to spend a fortune on acoustically treating a room. I have become distracted by buying loads of analogue hardware in the past and I find my current workflow to be well suited to the music I’m making.
Your latest single Prepare For Drama – talk us through the process with this one…
The idea for this one came from me just wanting to use a more 808 type kick than I’m used to working with and that developed into experimenting other classic Roland drum sounds. I used a free plug-in called Helm for the main bass as I always find myself messing around with the legato and portamento functions, and end up creating some funky acid vibes. After that I found the vocal and worked hard with the arrangement and automation – the rest is history. The name for the track was inspired by my day job – I’m a school teacher and I had drama lessons to prepare for!
Do you work well when collaborating with other artists? Or do you prefer to go it alone in the studio?
To be honest I’ve only ever completed one collaboration with another producer but I’m keen to explore more collaboration as I know it can teach me so much about other people’s and my own approach to making music. It’s so much easier to just jump in the DAW and work alone with my own ideas plus composing remotely with other artists can be extremely tedious. I’ve had plenty of experience writing songs with some awesome singers over the years and it’s something I keen to continue. Watch this space.
Which artists are currently exciting you?
Right now, two new artists I’m into are GHSTGHSTGHST and Alex Culross. GHSTGHSTGHST from Belfast makes the most amazing hard rave techy bangers. I first stumbled across him on a discord server and I know he’s destined for big things. I first noticed Alex Culross a DJ/Producer from Scotland last year when I found his release “No Fear”. I followed him on insta and mark my words its just a matter of time until he blows up.
What should we expect from you for the rest of 2023?
I’m really excited about the rest of the year. There’s some super cool things in the pipeline as well as a bunch of releases on the way. I’m really excited to be launching a new radio show which will showcase my DJing and give opportunity to chat with various guests and other DJ/Producers. In terms of music making, I’m aiming to continue explore the sounds of the 90s scene but with my own EMEXL spin on things.