Dive into the enchanting world of Malin Linnéa as she unveils the inspiration behind her debut EP, “Fate & Fiction,” set to make waves on the iconic Latin American label, Sonido Profundo. In an exclusive interview with CelebMix, Malin shares the serendipitous connection with DJ Albuquerque, the label head, forged during the Warung Tour in Paraguay. The opening track, “Orb,” a dancefloor anthem, unfolds the artist’s creative process, blending sounds and steering away from the mundane. The ethereal title track features the soulful vocals of New York-based Sage Bava, offering a dream-like escape. Malin delves into her genre-fluid approach, creating a balance of dark and light, masculine and feminine, captivating listeners with her unique sonic journey. Journey back to her early days in the 2000s house music scene, and discover the evolution of Malin Linnéa’s musical career, marked by contrast and a refusal to conform. As “Fate & Fiction” takes center stage, Malin unveils her hopes for the EP and teases upcoming projects, promising a musical future that transcends boundaries and expectations.
Your upcoming EP, “Fate & Fiction,” marks your debut on Sonido Profundo. Can you tell us what inspired you to collaborate with this iconic Latin American label and how did you connect with DJ Albuquerque?
I played before Ricardo Alburquerque for Warung Tour in Paraguay earlier this year. He’s an amazing person and seems like a serious label head. I’ve always had a strong connection to Brazil and love playing there so I thought it would make sense to release on a label with a strong presence in South America. I love the Argentinian crowds too.
“Orb,” the opening track of your EP, has been described as a “rousing dancefloor weapon.” Could you share some insights into the creative process behind this captivating and hypnotic piece of music?
I normally have an idea of which direction I want to go and then I try a bunch of different sounds. Of course you need to have some sort of north star of where you are heading musically though, if not you can accidentally sail away into tech house land or someplace else you were not planning to go (smiles). I initially had another bassline which was more bouncy but I changed it for the rolling bass and that transformed the whole vibe.
“Fate & Fiction” is the ethereal title track of your EP, featuring New York-based vocalist Sage Bava. What drew you to collaborate with Sage, and how did you work together to create this dream-like piece?
I originally sang on Fate & Fiction myself but I felt that my voice didn’t really suit the track.
I met Sage in Mexico and I thought her soulful and deep jazz singer voice worked much better. I sent her the track, lyrics and melody on a voice memo, then she sent updated ones back. She’s an amazing vocalist.
Your music has been characterized as genre-fluid. Can you elaborate on your approach to blending different musical styles and how it contributes to your unique sound?
I guess it’s a matter of personal taste. I often find it boring and uninspiring when every single element in a track is from sounds that are associated with that same particular genre so I just try to blend things a bit more.
In your own words, you mentioned a fascination with creating contrast in music, balancing elements like dark and light, masculine and feminine. How do you achieve this balance in your tracks, and what impact does it have on the listener’s experience?
Again I think this about taste – everyone likes different things and that’s a very good thing. Some people prefer the slight roughness and soul of the Rolling Stones and others are more into ‘We all live in a yellow submarine’ types of melodies. I have plenty of extremely talented friends that create super beautiful tracks. I often feel like I miss just a tiny bit of imperfection or a little distortion to contrast all that beauty and perfection in their tracks, but it’s just my personal music taste. I don’t like when everything sounds too perfect.
Can you take us back to your early days when you first got into house music in the early 2000s? How has your journey in the music industry evolved from then to now?
I started playing house music in London in 2010 and was a touring DJ for Ministry of Sound. Then later during the pandemic when everything was a bit weird I had a residency at Scorpios Mykonos, which was amazing as I was actually working in a paradise when a lot of artists couldn’t play out at all. However I felt that it pigeon-holed me into a genre I didn’t belong to. Of course if you play on a beach during sunset in the pandemic (which at times also had a ‘no-dancing policy’) you are most likely not going to play the same style as you would in a warehouse basement in East London at 3 am. I thought everyone would understand this but I noticed it made it much harder for me to book peak time DJ sets after. This has been a huge area of frustration for me. It’s still a little surprising to me that people don’t understand that an artist can play a certain vibe for one setting and then another for a completely different crowd.
With the release of “Fate & Fiction,” what message or emotions do you hope your listeners will take away from the EP, and what do you want it to represent in your musical career?
I think that is in the eye (or ear?) of the beholder. As long as my music makes people feel something I’ve accomplished what I tried to do.
Looking beyond this EP, what can your fans and the electronic music community expect from Malin Linnéa in the near future? Are there any exciting projects or collaborations on the horizon?
I’m finishing another set of tracks as I’m writing this, which are actually even more hous-y than Fate & Fiction and where I sing myself on one of the tracks. I’m also doing a set of dance music events, the first one in Mexico City when I go back now in the fall.