Hey Marcelo, how has lockdown been for you, what’s kept you motivated?
Well it hasn’t been that bad actually, it got me in Uruguay and things were more relaxed down there so everything was more voluntarily than compulsory. In addition to that I realised that my life didn’t change that much as I spent most of my time lock in my studio anyway.
What made you start SURO? What does the label mean to you?
Suro is actually my second label I owned SexiBeats Records before and was more orientated into Tech House but that wasn’t working for me as I always prefered a darker and harder sound so I think this was part of my musical evolution.
Did you produce the new track especifically with the label in mind?
When I am producing I don’t have the label in mind or anything else, production process for me is something independent and I never know how exactly is going to end, I just follow the inspiration of the moment and just focus on that specific track.
Has it been harder to produce without DJing and interacting with crowds?
Not really but don’t get me wrong I miss DJing in contact with the people, thats my passion. However being Isolated gave me more time to spend in the studio with a different frame of mind. Not being hangover helps a lot.
What have you missed most about playing each weekend?
What I miss most is for me to party with the crowd, when I am playing I am also dancing and having fun as everybody else. That’s why I do it, it’s not work for me, it’s fun.
Have you still been buying music, or maybe a different sort of music?
I have been buying music as I have been DJing, not in clubs but we are now in the streaming era, since lockdown there has been a shift into virtual life. And there has been so much great music being released now, probably because all the producers have more time and you can tell when you are going shopping.
How has your sound evolved since you first emerged and why? What drives that?
This is a very complex question, to begin with I think music like everything else is changing constantly, all creators from architects to fashion designer follow and create trends and thats part of evolution itself. Talking specifically about electronic music I think there is a couple of things that push those changes, first is the constant search of people for new sounds and second is the technology that gives the producer new tools and sounds constantly which one comes first? I think they are in interaction. My sound is evolving like everything else. I put my own vision but I am using the same tools that everybody else.
What’s the most challenging thing about producing to you? What do you struggle with?
I don’t find producing hard at all, don’t have any particular struggle there but what I don’t like is what happens when the production is finished. Mastering is the first step I give it to the experts but promoting is what I hate, it’s so time consuming and not something I am very good at anyway but it needs to be done. I would prefer to finish one track and jump straight to the next one, for an independent artist that is just a dream at the moment.
And what the most rewarding bits of it all, which bits of your job give you most thrills?
There are two things that make me happy with my music, the feedback from other artists, djs, producers, media etc. And finally the ultimate test when you drop your track in the dancefloor and you see the reactions on the crowd. At the end of the day I think that is why I stay locked in the studio.
What else have you got coming up?
I have 2 more releases coming on Vitamina Recordings, first one is a single “Martial Law” and the second is a remix of a classic “Kristian Conde – Dolce Vita”.
Where would you like to play your first DJ set post lockdown, what venue, crowd size, time slot?
To be honest I don’t care I am so desperate to play that it doesn’t matter if it’s in a beach club, pool party, dark club, private party as long as we can dance free I am happy.
‘Marcelo Demarco – A Matter Of Time’ is out now on Beatport.