'Mood Independent' [ILIO Records] / Marli [Interview]
We speak with Marli about the production of her debut EP Mood Independent, out today via ILIO Records.
Anyone who spends any time near the electronic music scene in Naarm will have at some point had their night transformed by a Marli mix. Playing sets at Pitch and Let Them Eat Cake, as well as being a regular fixture of the iconic smalltown street raves, Marli’s unique and diverse style of mixing and producing draws on classic techno and house sounds and spins them into something singularly her own.
Having released the track “Walking Running” on Revolver Upstairs Records in February of this year, Marli now turns her attention to her release out today via ILIO Records - Mood Independent.
What was the process of putting together this project? What ideas/experiences were you drawing on while putting this EP together?
Mood Independent came together pretty seamlessly for me, which is really nice. Sometimes if you feel like you’re forcing a track, or it’s not fitting together easily, it’s probably going to be awful. I was spending a lot of time on my own due to Covid-19. I wasn’t really working, and I wasn’t collaborating with other artists. I also didn’t show anyone any of these tracks until I was certain they were done. So I think all that time spent alone brought with it a wisdom and assurance in my own work, because it wasn’t really influenced by any other music that was being released at that time, or influenced by other people's opinions. I'm pretty proud of that, because it feels like the truest expression of myself. So of course, Mood Independent felt like an apt title.
How does a track take shape for you? What does your writing process look like?
I nearly always start with a melody, or an interesting sounding synth. Typically I’ll look through my Arturia software plug-ins, and try to find a weird sound that acts as the foundation. Or sometimes, I’ll source an unusual glitchy audio clip from a sample pack - think artists like Legowelt - and then build from there. Drums are always second, bassline always third. Usually the structure of the song pretty much rolls itself out from there. If it’s a good day, and I’m on a roll, a song can round out within a few hours, and the rest of the time is spent tweaking and touching things up. I also like to include as many weird sound effects or samples as possible, even if they’re really quiet, and sit in the background of the track. I feel like it helps prevent the piece from sounding tired or repetitive.
Marli supporting DJ Boring at the Forum, Captured by Ash Caygill.
How are you feeling about releasing this project to the world?
Elated! Nervous! Excited! Shy! Happy! All the feelings! This release has been a really long time coming, so it’s somewhat of a relief to finally set it free.
What were you listening to while working on this EP? Is there an artist that has influenced your work that you feel is under-appreciated?
To be honest, I wasn’t actually listening to a whole lot of dance music whilst writing this EP. I was listening to a lot of Cleo Sol, Hiatus Kaiyote, SAULT, Aldous Harding, ELIZA, Tame Impala, really slow and soulful. I think maybe that’s why the melodies and lyrics are a little more emotional than your typical dance track.
An artist who has influenced my work in a massive way is Kedr Livanskiy. She’s a Russian producer, and songwriter, who beautifully toes the line between dance music and pop music, always featuring her own vocals. I think she has beautifully mastered writing club music with lyrics that are tasteful. It’s something I’m trying to implement into my own work, so she’s been a great reference point.
Outside of musical influences, how do environmental or visual influences play into your writing process?
Comfort is key! My studio space in my last house had no windows, and was really small and cramped, so funnily enough I didn’t spend much time in there. I’ve just moved into a new space that's much brighter, there’s more space, all my instruments are easily accessible, and it’s made such a difference in my productivity levels. A natural light source, comfy chair, and a heater are key.
How much of an impact did the pandemic play in the creation of this project?
The pandemic was bittersweet for me, because on the one hand, I fucking hated it, and I felt really anxious and trapped being locked inside for that long. But, on the other hand, I don’t think I would have finished this project if I didn’t have all that spare time. A bit of a catch-22 really. Writing this project was an extremely cathartic experience for me during lockdown, and I think the four different tracks reflect the different moods and emotions I was going through. Some tracks are grittier and more guttural, others are peaceful and quiet. I think it's a nice reflection of that period in my life.
Captured by Jackson Grant.
Who is your dream collaborator?
The only answer to this is Kaytranada. He has always been, and will always be, my favourite producer, and whilst my music doesn’t necessarily sound all that similar to his, my own style of writing and production is so heavily influenced by techniques and motifs that he uses. I think he’s a genius. I’ve got a cheeky little tattoo dedicated to him too!
What is the best piece of advice you were ever given as a producer?
That it doesn’t matter what path you take to complete a track, all that matters is the end product. I spent a long time feeling insecure that I didn’t use enough hardware, or that I didn’t have the most expensive software or plugins, or even that perhaps the way I mixed my tracks wasn’t expert or perfect. But you get to a point where you realise there is always going to be someone more technically skilled than you, so you’ll always lose that battle. Plus, you never listen to a song and think, ‘wow this is a beautiful track, but I can tell they used stock standard plugins to write it’. You just think ‘wow - this is a really beautiful track'.
What does the future look like for you? What is coming up that makes you excited?
This entire summer season is looking very exciting! I feel really grateful to have been given so many incredible opportunities this year thus far, and to round out the year playing the main stage at Strawberry Fields [editors note: now cancelled :( ], supporting Caribou at the Forum, and supporting DJ Koze up in Eora just feels so surreal. I am hoping to allocate more time to writing music. Gigs have kind of taken over whilst production has been sitting on the back burner for the last couple of months. But more than anything, I’m trying to go easier on myself, have more “me” time, spend more quality time with family and friends, and not put so much pressure on! Which I’m doing pretty good at for the moment.
Stay up to date with Marli on Instagram, Soundcloud and Bandcamp.
Marli at Pitch 2022.
Article by Asha-Mae Chapman Ralph (@flaming_mongrel)
Header image from smalltown (@wearenovel). Other photo credits below photos.
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