We had a chance to chat with Space 92, a French producer with a unique vision for his sounds and productions. 2023 is shaping up to be another monumental year for the artist. Fresh off the back of one of his most productive years in the studio to date, the in-demand French techno icon now steamrollers with the same emphatic conviction with which he concluded the last, as he announces his latest musical project, Gravity EP.
Due for worldwide release on Friday, February 17 via Reinier Zonneveld’s esteemed Filth On Acid imprint, the hard-hitting, three-track package sees Space 92 return to the long-standing Dutch imprint for his eagerly-anticipated fifth label release, following the international success of Atlas EP, The Game EP, The Door EP and Mercury.
Hey, Space 92! Welcome to CelebMix! Could you say a few words about yourself?
Hi guys, thanks for having me! Well … my real name’s Mathieu and I’m a French producer based in the South of France. I’m the luckiest man in the world because I’ve managed to live off my passion, music.
How long have you been making music for?
I’ve been producing for more than a decade
You are kicking off 2023 off with your brand new EP ‘Gravity’! How did the record come about?
Yes, ‘Gravity’ is out very soon on cult label Filth on Acid and I’m unbelievably excited because I’ve been playing it a lot to various crowds around the world and the reactions have been so positive! I worked on this EP for several months last year, perfecting every single detail and trying really hard to convey my vision. Hopefully, I have achieved that. As always, ‘Gravity’ intense, acid-y, hard but emotional. It’s a musical rollercoaster, I guess.
What inspired you to record all three featured tracks? What distinguishes them from each other?
For ‘Gravity’ EP specifically, the title track has this fizzing peak-time cut, marked by heavy kicks, dynamic samples and a mind-bending breakdown. The second track, ‘Reaktor’ sees a combination of deep, pulsating lower end, warped acid basslines and old-school synth leads. The last one, ‘Cooper’, has intermittent bassline drops, piercing sirens and arpeggiated synthesizers front and center. As for the inspiration, it’s a mix of many things, really. Stuff that’s stuck in my head, melodies or ideas I pick up on the road…
If you could sum up your style in 3 words, what would you choose?
Energetic, emotional, groovy. Musical Punch in Face was too long, haha
What does your creative process look like?
It always starts with bits and pieces of melodies floating around in my head; then I just have to do something with them. This can never be planned, it just happens.
Do you enjoy working with collaborators? Or do you prefer to produce in your own space, solo, when in the studio – or is it just not fair to compare the two? Enlighten us!
I honestly enjoy both!! I really love hearing other producers’ opinions and learning from their experience, but I also like doing my stuff alone in my home studio so… I’d say both have their perks
Please tell us about any exciting news or plans you have for 2023?
I’ve got a million. Apart from ‘Gravity’s release on Filth on Acid, I’ve got so many collaborations coming up soon with incredible artists like Reiner Zonneveld, Hi-Lo, Carl Cox and POPOF, Hardwell, Camelphat, UMEK, Charles D, Eli Brown…. The hybrid/live project I’m part of, POPOF x Space 92 present ‘Turbulences’, is due to perform next month at Ultra Miami – the Resistance Megastructure stage. Turbulences will also be part of the Resistance Brazil and Peru headliners… So many things, it’s amazing and I’m truly lucky.