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INTERVIEW: Rachel Rixham talks MELLOMANIA with Pedro Del Mar

With a career behind the decks which has taken him from the USA to China, Ibiza to South Africa and beyond… over sixty countries to be exact, Pedro Del Mar is a DJ who’s international reputation is renowned thanks to his Balearic and Uplifting influenced Trance set’s which also delve into the styles of Progressive and an edge of House.

www.pedrodelmar.com

Rachel Rixham: Give us a brief description of who Pedro Del Mar really is, where is he located? How did you first become so involved in the music? And what drove you towards a musical career?

Pedro Del Mar: Based in the south-west of Germany, in the music industry since the mid 90s and full-time since 2000. Since then I lost most of my hair but also released my tracks and remixes on labels such as Armada, Black Hole, Be Yourself, Ministry Of Sound, Universal, EMI, Sony, Warner, Jive amongst others and not to forget on my various own Shah-Music labels.

I never wanted becoming either a DJ nor a professional in the music industry, both happened by accident! After hanging around in the club scene for a while, I took on a job as a LJ in Stuttgart’s Trance & Techno temple “Zenit” to pay for my driving license back in 1995. A few weeks later the venue needed a warm up DJ and even though I didn’t DJ so far the club owner forced me to do it. That’s where all begun!

Rachel: How do you feel you have grown over the years? And what do you hope to achieve in 2012?

Pedro: Over the last decade I’ve always been focusing on the Shah-Music and Mellomania companies and the time for my solo career has always been limited. I had some major success with my first Pedro Del Mar single “Harder?!” which became physically released in more than 60 countries on the biggest labels in each territory but at the same time I’ve put my full energy into the Shah-Music company. I don’t wanna complain at all as it was my own decision and I like my job, I just sometimes wish I could realize all my musical projects that I have in mind. If I have grown or how much I’ve grown over the years need to be judged by others!

In 2012 I will put full energy into my solo career, I can even imagine doing my first solo studio album but before I can start working on it I need to finish some pending projects and remixes and I will also shortly start working on “Playa Del Lounge Vol. 3” which is my annual chillout CD series. This CD is not just a collection of tracks but most of the tunes are to be exclusively produced for this album which means that I’m as supervisor behind almost all tunes and I will surely also produce again 2-3 own tracks for it!

On the business side I’m in the process of launching a new label called “delmar” which will be distributed by Black Hole and behind the scenes we will also work closely together on different projects! First release will be release by one of the global Top5 artists incl. a great remix package. It is just an edge too early to announce the full details! In the second half will be the release of “Mellomania 22” and there is probably another global CD concept we’re actually developing! Not to forget many great releases on our different Shah-Music labels by outstanding international talents!

Rachel: Pedro Del Mar an artist renowned for bringing a Balearic flare to the airwaves, tell us about the Mellomania Radio shows? How long has the show been running, and how has it developed over the years?

Pedro: The first Mellomania show was broadcasted on November 1st 2001 on Germany’s biggest dance station “Sunshine Live”. Over the years we expanded with the shows in numerous countries and on 40+ stations with around 1.5 million listeners weekly.

Rachel: If I was a new listener, what would I experience listening to the show for the first time, and what would you like me to take away from the session?

Pedro: A two hours journey through different edges of electronic music. Starting with Progressive House over Progressive Trance and Balearic and after a chillout moment it is time to take off with emotional and uplifting Trance ending with a classic tune! Oh and not to forget listening to my cute German accent!!!

Rachel: Your new compilation ‘Mellomania 21,’ recently released on the Black Hole Recordings label, features tracks from Cosmic Gate, Roger Shah, Paul Oakenfold, Gareth Emery, Orjan Nilsen, Arty, Alex Morph, Andy Duguid, Tritonal as well as a few of your own new Pedro Del Mar releases. Talk us through this compilation in your own words. What can we expect from CD1 and CD2?

Pedro: I’m always trying to find an equal balance between tunes by some of the biggest names around but also exploring the freshest talents from across the globe. Compiling an album and including 100% known artists would make my life much easier but I love it listening to thousands of tracks by international producers who didn’t get a major attention yet or who even never released any tracks at all. CD1 is always dedicated to emotional and uplifting Trance music whilst CD2 is always a bit deeper, clubbier and in the first half Progressive and Balearic influenced.

Rachel: With a massive 37 tracks in total, can you tell us how long it took to compile the compilation and what kind of vibe were you looking for? Furthermore do you believe you have achieved that vibe?

Pedro: The whole process is usually going over a couple of months. It’s not only that I’m just licensing or compiling tracks for the Mellomania series, but many tracks have been exclusively produced for the album by working closely together with the unique producers and artists to match the concept. This process is usually taking up 4 or 5 months. But the process of collecting external content from other labels happens as close as possible before the deadline by listening to thousands of tracks from all parts of the world.

Yes that’s right there is surely a certain vibe or let’s call it a kind of master plan in which direction I’d like to go. Aside of the exclusive tunes I’m always dependent on the current and upcoming tracks on the market, so that’s why I need to listen to that big amount of tunes until I’m personally 100% happy with the tracklist and the vibe of each CD.

Rachel: When putting the tracks together, how did you decide which tracks would make it in the final track listing, is there a method? or did you just go with the flow and include only tracks you most enjoyed?

Pedro: Not really a method but as explained I’m having a certain vision and I’m listening to as many tracks until I believe I’m done! No doubt that I do only include the tracks I like the most at that time and that match the concept!

Rachel: Talk to us about your tracks ‘Windows To My Soul‘ ‘The Aquarius Shift’ and ‘Hold Me Now ‘. The tracks titles are very interesting, care to share more about them? What do the titles mean for you? And where did the inspiration come from for each track in question?

Pedro: The easiest story is behind “The Aquarius Shift”. It is one of the two intros on the CD and I was talking to a friend of mine who told me about the age of the Aquarius and the Aquarian Shift so I just adopted it as I finished the intro on the same day.

“Windows To My Soul” is a collaboration with the team around Christophe Chantzis who is better known for his many international “Ian Van Dahl” hit records and it is always a pleasure to work with him and his team. The track is not scheduled as single release, but could be included on the forthcoming Pedro Del Mar artist album.

“Hold Me Now” is my next single which is scheduled as second release on my new “delmar” label. It is probably my best track to date and I’m very excited about the forthcoming release. Even though people donÄt know it yet, it is always doing great during my global performances.

Rachel: For those not aware, you have recently finished a world tour with Mellomania. What places did you visit and how was the Mellomania experience received worldwide?

Pedro: I played gigs from South America over Europe and Russia to Asia and China and the experience has always been fantastic. It is the best part of the music business when you can tour and bringing your sound to the people across the globe. The most exciting part of the tour was a nonstop trip with one country by every day in Malaysia, Macao, Thailand, Siberia and Russia. I remember leaving Bangkok with 35 degrees Celsius and arriving in Novosibirsk at -10 degrees Celsius. But the main highlight was a gig in Colombia at a lake in the mountains where I’ve been headlining a 7.000 people open air festival, playing from darkness into the sunset, watching the clouds slowly moving out of the valley until the sun burned down!

Rachel: Stranded on an Island, you are given only 5 tracks to put in your play list on your Ipod, which tracks would those be?

Pedro: You may call me a girl but:

Hans Zimmer – Now We Are Free
Sarah McLachlan – Possession
Metallica – Nothing Else Matters
Christina Perri – Jar Of Hearts
Cranberries – Zombie

Rachel: One country you would like to revisit soon? And why?
Pedro: Less a country but more a territory: South East Asia! Always having the time of my life there!
Rachel: Name one favourite food, one colour, one city that best describes Pedro Del Mar’s character?
Pedro: Chicken Sweet & Sour, Pink, Ibiza (small but full of energy!)

Rachel Rixham: Finally, if you could describe ‘Mellomania 21′ in 3 words, what would they be? And most importantly where can we grab a copy?

Pedro Del Mar: Emotional, Energetic, Sunny! Out now on all major CD and MP3 stores including Beatport, ITunes, Amazon, Finenight or the Mellomania Shop.

www.mellomaniashop.com
http://www.finenight.com
http://www.beatport.com/release/mellomania-21/844608
www.amazon.com

Connect with Pedro Del Mar
http://www.pedrodelmar.com
http://www.mellomania.com
http://www.facebook.com/pedrodelmardj
http://www.twitter.com/pedrodelmardj