MASON
The house master invites you into his studio for a creative session
The chart-topping Dutch DJ dissects his typical workflow in detail
Mason in action
Dutch producer and DJ Mason, aka Iason Chronis, has enjoyed success and acclaim in both the pop and house scenes, with a hits including Perfect
(Exceeder) (featuring Princess Superstar, 2007), Runaway (2010) and Boadicea (featuring Róisin Murphy, 2011), bolstered by an immense list of remixes and several albums. As well as affiliations with record labels (Island, LouLou, Great Stuff, Defected et al), he also owns his own imprint, Animal Language, home to much of his own output.
We caught up with Mason in his studio in Amsterdam, where he gave us a top-down overview of his production style and techniques. We started by asking him where he finds musical inspiration.
“I’ve been a DJ for years,” he says, “so that always gives ideas as to what’s fresh. But I’m always listening to old music.”
: What kinds of things? IC: “Well, I’m always finding new stuff, from a lot of African music to blues, to all sorts of things. So I get inspired by music in general, and definitely not house music, although obviously I also listen to a lot of that, too.”
: You work in both commercial pop and less mainstream house. How do you move between the two? IC: “I kind of like the area in between a little bit, and I like pop music in general, as long as it’s done well, because I think a lot of things are focused on the sound of today, and I’m not really that kind of guy. I like to work with vocals, and sometimes it turns more underground and sometimes it turns more, let’s say, accessible. But it’s never made in a format, if you know what I mean. I never try and make stuff that sounds like what’s being played on the radio – that’s not the kind of producer I am. I just make music, and if it’s accessible and more people can enjoy it, then that’s great; but if not and it’s more weird, then I’ll just release it on my own Animal Language label.
“So I’m a bit stubborn, I suppose. I’m definitely not always making the right business decisions, but f**k that, you know? I’ll probably never have a private jet, but who cares?”
“I’ll probably never have a private jet, but who cares”
: So you’re going with your heart, not your wallet… IC: “Yeah, as long as I can live from it – and I’ve lived from music for the last 15 years or so, full-time – I prefer doing it my own way and making no big compromises in that sense. I’m not saying it’s super chin-stroking, weird, arty, difficult music that I’m making – it’s still easy-to-understand music. But if you put it next to what’s on the radio, it’s pretty indie and left-of-centre, I suppose.”
: You’re a DJ as well as a producer. How does playing out influence your music in the studio? IC: “Obviously I test all my stuff in clubs before I release it, and there are always two or three rounds in the club, taking feedback or making notes in my phone. Then I go back to the studio, then the next week I play it again in the club. So there’s always a few rounds before I’m satisfied.
“I don’t go out as much in my spare time as I used to, so DJing is a great way to see other artists, as there’s always somebody playing before and after you. And it doesn’t need to be somebody big – it can just be the resident guy, who might have interesting records. It’s no coincidence that a lot of DJs are producers and the other way round; you can ping-pong back and forth between the two really nicely.
“If you’re in the studio, you think about playing it in the club, and if you’re playing, you’re thinking about how you can change it in the studio. Even if, sometimes, you need to make notes at 5 o’clock in the morning while DJing and have had a few beers…”