Italian label Beat Machine have been blazing quite a trail over the past few years, bringing out top releases from the likes of Lynch Kingsley and netting themselves some big remixes to boot. We’ve been thoroughly enjoying their Swinging Flavors series so with the third instalment about to drop we grabbed label co-runner Luca for a quick chat about the Milan scene, the label’s origins and their plans for the future. Check it out!
DNB Dojo: Hi Luca! Thanks for chatting. How are you doing today?
Luca: So good thanks and thanks for this interview, unexpected!
DD: How did you both first get involved in the scene, and how did you come to start Beat Machine?
Luca: In the early 2000s Alberto organized techno and house parties here in Milan and, with a friend, started a record label (Expresso Records, no longer operating) focused on the same music style, from house to techno.
In the same years I (Luca) moved to Milan to study at University. In 2010 I met Alberto and we began to work together at Expresso Records. The possibility to work on some recording projects that didn’t fit the musical style of that label was the spark that led to the birth of Beat Machine Records, with the label officially born in July of 2014, but operating for a couple of years before.
DD: So you’re gearing up to launch the 3rd instalment of your Swinging Flavors series. How did the idea for these releases come about, and why did you choose the 7″ format?
Luca: Swinging Flavors was born as a response to the “immediacy” that the music market demands today. For a while the album format seems to have lost its appeal. Even if we consider an emerging artist, it is difficult to get people to listen to a 4/5 track EP in full!
Instead, Swinging Flavors is immediate. We present an emerging artist (Sun People, Lynch Kingsley, Ticklish) by publishing a single track combining a big name as remixer (Moresounds, Dj Madd, Addison Groove) to reach an even wider audience… and here we are, ladies and gentlemen, this is Swinging Flavors!
The choice of the 7″ format is a consequence of all this. We love vinyl and 7″ is the ideal physical format for this new series.
DD: Each of the releases so far has featured a pretty big name on remix duties. How have you linked up with each of these artists? Any tips on who we might see on remix duties in future?
Luca: We do a great job of networking to get in touch with many artists of the niches that we like to represent. Some of the remixers already received our promo and it was easy to involve them. To others it’s enough to present our projects to receive their approval for the remix. But then there was also someone who has politely declined our proposal! The choice of the remixer is the result of a thorough study of the target market and the artists who are part of it (and that we like of course!) As for future remixers…well, great profiles for sure!
DD: Is there a big scene in Milan for the kind of music Beat Machine is pushing? Do you guys run parties locally to help spread the word?
Luca: Well, it must be said that it’s very hard to identify a unique musical style for a catalog so stylistically varied as that of Beat Machine Records. However there are some parties where we hear some of the Swinging Flavors sound, like Lobo, which takes place in Leoncavallo hosting names such as DJ Food, Om Unit, µ-Ziq and also involving some of the best italian electronic artists. Another organization we must mention is Elita: they have been running some nice parties for a few years and they manage Design Week Festival every year with Milan Design Week. Milan is such a vibrant city, maybe you can’t find a real, united electronic music scene but you can find many musically interesting nights and people.
It would be great to organize a party that allows us to present our projects, but unfortunately we haven’t found time just yet. Hopefully, sooner or later…
DD: Lastly, any shouts or announcements you’d like to add?
Luca: No announcements, but we want to say to everybody: whether you follow us or not, be musically open-minded and you’ll enjoy more music than ever (especially if you listen to Beat Machine).
Swingin Flavors #3 featuring Ticklish and Addison Groove is out tomorrow; check out the previews below and hit up their Bandcamp to grab it on vinyl or digital. Boom!