If the sound of Italo disco, punk funk, new wave, Headman or Who Made Who makes your mouth water, there’s a good chance you would have already heard of Munk. As record label owners, DJ/producer, designers and pioneers of the neo-disco sound, the German duo of Mathias and Jonas have been responsible for pushing all of the above into the consciousness of the style-savvy dance music connoisseur. Always choosing to stay one step ahead (and a little to the left) of the mainstream, their record label Gomma is home to the afore mentioned Headman and Who Made Who among others. They were also early champions of the electro house sound, and their remixes and productions have been picked up by everyone from LCD Soundsystem to Erol Alkan to Cut Copy.
They’re in Australia now for the V Festival; so what can we expect from their DJ sets? “We play a mix of mostly new disco stuff and very funky techno. The disco never cheesy. The techno never to hard. We play the stuff slow and funky, but don’t expect us to do a little girls afternoon tea party. We like people to jump!”
So it sounds like they get the techno/disco balance just right… In anticipation, ITM delves deep into the world of Munk.
More than ever DJ’s are starting to play older music again – Chicago house, classic New York disco and deep house and so forth. Why do you think it become relevant again?
Because for over 10 years, club music had become a nerdy thing of computer-addicted guys without friends, who had no clue about musical skills but knew only about how to get the newest computer programs. So boring minimal music rules the male-dominated magazine stories. Now it’s the revenge of the dancing girls and real music lovers. So real music is taking over again. The funk and the melody. The beat and the harmony!
Trever Jackson recently said that it seems lots of people are over the new music that’s around at the moment, but he went on to mention that he’s actually really excited by how much good stuff is out there at the moment. What’s your take and this?
He might be right – the web offers the possibility to everyone to release music somehow. So there’s a lot of interesting stuff outside… But of course also a lot of too of boring homemade stuff which that will die fast; the boring fake Justice imitations, and minimal overdose for example.
What about the disco revival?
Lets not call it a ‘disco revival’ anymore. It was a revival 5 years ago when we released the first Disco Reissue compilations on Gomma and Souljazz started. Now it’s just a demand for good new and old songs which you can dance and have fun too. Are The Libertines and Queens of the Stoneage ‘revival’ bands? Or are they just inspirited by music from 30 years ago, and do a own thing with it that is fresher then a lot of other stuff? Lets see the disco ‘revival’ like that maybe…
Favourite 5 Tracks at the moment?
Munk – Live Fast Die Old (Busy P remix).
Ben Mono – Jesus B Boy (Moulinex remix).
Mike Monday – ZumZum
Edu K – Gatas (Crookers remix)
Rodion – Electric Socca (Kaos remix)_
You guys run your label Gomma, and it’s been releasing some pretty skewed and eclectic releases for nearly eight years. The roster has included artists like Headman, Who Made Who, Mocky, yourselves and of course Franz Fredinand’s Nick McCarthy and his side project Box Codax. The releases have ranged from avant hip hop, electro, house and some stuff you just wouldn’t bother to try and tag. And you’ve been pioneering the new disco sound, be it Italo or otherwise. Tell us in 5 words or less what Gomma is all about?
Fresh, individual, strange, young, kaput.
Where’s the strongest Gomma fanbase, and is there much of a scene for the Gomma stuff in Germany?
In Germany it’s Munich and Berlin, as they’re the two cities most interested in music. Apart of that, France, Italy, Benelux, UK and Japan.
Your own personal Favourite release on Gomma?
The Who Made Who album, Munk’s new single Live Fast Die Old and the remix that Busy P did for it. And Rodion, everything this guy makes is pure disco genius.
What’s coming up for the label?
Headman album in March including remixes from Bag Raiders, Tronik Youth and Parra). There’s a Munk album in June, also featuring Asia Argento who sings three songs, along with remixes by Juan Mac Lean, Who Made Who and Busy P.
If money grew on trees, who would be your dream Gomma artist signing?
Kyle Minogue haha. Or let’s say… Michael Hutchence.
How’s the response to your releases changed and what sort of things have changed over that time?
Main thing that changes is that it seems that the Gomma fan community is getting bigger and bigger… We are very proud to have nearly no enemies, but more and more friends.
Munk is touring Australia over the coming weeks as part of the V Festival…
Mar 29 – V Festival, Sydney (Virgin Mobile Venue)
Mar 30 – V Festival, Gold Coast (Virgin Mobile Venue)
Apr 4 – Arq, Sydney
Apr 5 – V Festival, Melbourne (Virgin Mobile Venue)
Apr 6 – V Festival, Perth (Virgin Mobile Venue)
And here’s the duo’s collaboration with LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy _Kick Out The Chairs…
Violentine says...
fuck, these guys are amazing!
mutta says...
yeah there good I just got word from sensation in Amsterdam that they are currently in the process of making plans to bring SENSATION WHITE to Australia. ohhh shiat