Epizode HUM Showcase: Marco Yanes

Marco Yanes is an Italian artist that became known for his residency in Ibiza’s party scene. He is also the founder and one of HUM’s artists.

He answered some questions about his work as a DJ and a producer, his future plans and of course, his performance in Epizode

What were some of the main challenges when starting out as a DJ? How have they changed with the years? How would you compare your experience Djing with producing?

I started without any specific goal, I just wanted to express what I liked about music. Over time things became more serious, the music changed and researching to find new sounds became my main objective.  

All these experiences over the years Djing in different places and with different people, made me be more focused now and have more clarity on what my future goals should be. I’d say I am in a moment of full maturity and soon I will be able to make my work heard. 

My goal for 2020 is definitely to focus on production and the launch of the label HUM.  

Having performed in almost every continent, how would you describe or compare the Asian DJing scene with the rest of the world?

The Asian scene is less known but it’s also certainly growing fast, in contrast to the European scene for example. There are many quality artists and events, and there’s undoubtedly the desire to be heard and to expand the Asian scene to attract more and more curiosity from the rest of the world.  

There are different ways of approaching music but again, the level here is very high. The “problem” is having the right audience to be able to express themselves and live the experience fully. But it’s just a matter of time.

You’re keen on minimal techno. How would you describe this genre? What do you think it generates in the crowd?

I followed the Minimal scene all my career until I decided to take a break to reorganize my music and my life. Over time I felt the need to find a sound a little more aggressive but with the same elegance of the minimal sounds. I found all this in a specifically deep techno genre of nordic origins, with emotional and intense sounds and atmosphere.

I started following labels such as Hypnus, Delsin Records and the Italian Spazio Disponibile, and also artists like Deepbass, Evigt Mörker, BLNDR and the Italian master Donato Dozzy. 

The change in my music taste was possible thanks to some research done together with a great friend of mine, Roberto Boscani (childhood friend and vinyl collector) His support has been very important if not fundamental for my growth.

Minimal techno is a very deep sound and it’s certainly not music for those in a hurry. It’s a set of emotions and colours that must be experienced with time.

What makes you decide to play a particular record during one of your sets? What role does the improvisation have in your sets?

It’s different every time. It depends on the club, the schedule, the mood and what you feel just before and during the set. I try to keep the style but obviously adapting to the situation. The playlists help you to have a hypothetical line but everything is improvised. 

I’m working on a new all-analogue live set. The sacrifices made during these years have given me the opportunity to buy analogue instruments that I will need in both production and future Live sets.

You have a very important gig coming up -Epizode- How do you approach it? How do you feel about it and your participation in it as part of HUM? What are the next moves?

Epizode is the achievement of a very important goal that both me and my team (Ana and Laura) have worked for during the past few months. I am proud and grateful to those who gave us this opportunity and personally I will try to live this experience without thinking too much just living and feeling the moment, then the rest will come by itself. 

HUM is a still fresh project. We try to give support to the Asian scene and in particular to Vietnam. The new year will bring other innovations, one of which will be to build a real movement where the locals will be the protagonists.