MARTELLIÂ is one of the leading tech/house artists from Slovenia, with more then 20 years of experience in the music scene. He is a DJ, producer, label owner of Main Main Music and event organizer, an artist that considers his work as a mission and puts all his love into everything he does.
The unique rhythm and recognition has brought him up to many major clubs. In 2013 he made a big and courageous step in his life and moved to the central European metropolis Berlin, where he happily lives and dedicate all his energy and love to music production and performances in the clubs.
Now based in Berlin, MARELLi is behind the fourth release coming out of Chicago imprint Pool House Black. We are premiering his two-track Put The Mask Down EP and took the chance to chat with him about his Slovenian roots, move to Berlin and, of course, the release itself.
Hi there, congrats on the upcoming EP on The Pool House! You’re a Slovenian artist living in Berlin… how did you first get in touch with the Chicago label?
Hello! Thank you for your wishes. Yes, I come from Slovenia, but I’ve now been based in Berlin for almost 4 years. My first contact with Pool House label was a few months ago when I got a request from them to make an EP for their new sub-label Pool House Black. Generally I’m quite selective with whom I cooperate and where I’m going to release my tracks and I don’t always say yes to the labels, but with this label I have a feeling that the guys are on a really good path and they are doing their job very well, also with their events, so I’ve decided to prepare something for them.
What about it made the it the ideal imprint for the release?
Like I said, the guys are doing a good job and they have a good vision and I like to support things which are going in the right way. As well it’s a good way to introduce my sound to a new audience. The feedback from the guys and other people about my EP are good and I’m really glad that they like it.
Let’s talk about the two tracks. They are signature minimal deep tech… is that your usual sound?
The sound which describes myself as a producer is flowing with my feelings and how I feel in that moment when I’m producing music.
If you listen to all my previous tracks you can hear that every release sounds different but generally I’m flowing between deep house and tech house. In the moment I’m working a lot on a completely new sound which is going to be released very soon on my label Main Main Music with a vinyl-only series and on digital format too.
What kind of emotions were you feeling while producing them?
If you ask me now, I really don’t know. It’s been a while since I have done these tracks. For me, it’s always hard to explain those feelings inside, but definitely I use my music as a tool to spread positive vibration through the audience.
In what kind of setting can you imagine them getting played?
I would say more for some after-hours vibes, outdoor venue, somewhere in nature with true music lovers, where everybody is in the same frequency and where only music matters.
Let’s talk about you a little. You’re originally from Slovenia, how is the techno/house scene out there?
Yes, I was raised and born in Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia. Slovenia is a small country, so we have quite small scene but in my opinion is good for such a small country. If we go back in early ’90s when electronic music began, we had few spots where people could find and hear something different, new sounds, a new dimension of dance… places where everybody was there for the same reason, to enjoy in music and share the love… nothing else mattered. LOVE those times!
In that time was house and techno were popular with sub-genres such as disco, funk, Chicago house, Detroit techno, hard house, acid, minimal…Very soon trance, psy-trance and drum ‘n bass started to grow. For me and probably for many of the people then that was the best period of the music scene… from ’96 till 2005. There was a lot of good and quality music, and not so many DJs and parties like nowadays, the events were mostly always full and the vibe on the dance floor and behind the decks was magical and pure. That was the time when everything was new for us and we liked it. We had and still have many big and small festivals and some nice clubs where a few good promoters other than me work and always take care to bring big names from all over the world to our country. We have also two well know spots called Ambasada Gavioli  and club K4 which are main creators of the electronic music scene in Slovenia from the beginning until now. We have also weekly after-hour shows and some secret location events. There are also some great and talented producers, labels, so I think that Slovenian scene have a good potential.
Is that where you discovered DJing? How did that come about?
Yes. My DJ carrier started in my hometown of Ljubljana back in ’96. Huh… it’s a long long story to explain, but if I look back at my childhood I was always connected with the music and vinyl of my parents. Like a kid, I was interested in vinyl, turntables and how the sound was going out from the wax. The best fun for me was scratching and discovering that funny sound. Sadly, I also destroyed few vinyls (laughs).
I remember, when I was twelve-years old that I got a gift from my uncle, a radio tape recorder where it was possible to play two cassettes at the same time and I started creating in this way my first home mixes. My first DJ experience was at a school dance. A few years later I bought my first vinyls and start to practice on a professional turntables… Technics 1210. Very soon I started to meet the right people, clubs owners who liked my skills and music and from that point my music journey began and it’s still going. There were also many ups and downs, but that’s the spirit of the path, to learn something and to grow. I had the opportunity to play many amazing events, festivals, venues, and countries in a company of many great world-known artists. My passion also include percussions and I have many of them at home and time to time I make exclusive performance where I’m playing live on percussion during a DJ set. I love this combination and also the feedback from the crowd has always been amazing. Music is freedom!
You moved to Berlin, as many artists in our industry have. What prompted that change?
I was always dreamt and had a wish to move to this big monster city to discover the scene, new music, meet great artists, visit the many vinyl shops, clubs and people from all over the world. For me, this is a really good experience and I’m enjoying it. If you want to grow you need to make steps out of the border and out of your comfort zone.
How has the move been for you both personally and career-wise?
I’m always looking on the bright side of things and I can say that moving to Berlin influenced me in a positive way. If I look at it form a DJ point of view I I have now had the opportunity to play in many great clubs, I changed my style of music, I got a lot of good inspiration to make my own style of music, a lot of knowledge about production and analog sounds. The scene is very big and if you want to keep yourself at the front of it you need to work hard and that’s the thing that makes me stronger, wiser and motivated.
Before my move to Berlin I knew nobody here and had no contact with anyone in the city, so I had to start from zero and go step-by-step, socializing with people and staying focused on my goals. My personal motto is “Less Talk, More Work”!
Where do you go record shopping there?
I highly recommended Black Round Twelve. It’s my favorite shop. The staff is really kind there and they are specialized in quality deep, tech, minimal music and they also have a little section of techno, Detroit techno and Chicago house.
Berlin is rapidly becoming known as a city with a great undiscovered food scene. What are some of your favorite spots?
I’m vegan, have been for a few years already and my favorite spot to eat is my kitchen where I like to experiment with a lot of flavors… I always prepare something good! But yeah, generally Berlin many options for good food from all over the world.
Where does a Berliner like you go party?
Hmm… there are so many options to go out here 24/7, but it all depends on what kind of music you like. The most popular techno clubs are Berghain and Tresor, but for my taste of music the best are Club der Visionaere and Hoppetosse. There I feel like at home, always quality underground house music, good people, amazing artists and a big inspiration for my production.
What does Chicago mean to you, as an electronic music producer and DJ?
For me Chicago house was one of the first genres I listened to when I discovered and started to play electronic music. At that time my biggest influences were artists like DJ Sneak, Paul Johnson, Derrick Carter, Marshall Jefferson, Roy Davis Jr., Lil Louis, Steve Silk Hurley and many more. Chicago’s sound is still one of my favorites and I have many great vinyl in my collection from that time. My opinion is that Chicago house has a big influence on the whole music industry from the beginning and still today. And in last few years I have noticed that Chicago is becoming more and more popular on vinyl releases. I’m really happy about that!
Do you plan on coming to the States to play any time soon?
Yes, definitely! I would like to meet the guys from The Pool House and discover the scene out there, to meet new people and to see the city. I have never been in the States and that’s for sure my next goal in the future… to manage to get on a tour there. I believe I’m going to like it and I will do my best to make people on the dance floor happy!
Purchase MARTELLI’s Put The Mask Down EP via Beatport
Connect with MARTELLI: Online | Facebook | SoundCloud | Mixcloud | Beatport
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