TSC Behind The Decks | Möd3rn
Möd3rn is the meeting of three minds: Electric Rescue, Maxime Dangles and since January 2018, Kmyle. The techno-trio is producing and playing live together, also started their own label ‘Möd3rn records’ with the purpose of releasing exclusively their very own productions. Deuxième Monde is their latest EP, which follows Möd3rn’s album from last year ‘Trois’ and marks the group’s first EP together with Kmyle, shaping the sound for a new and exciting beginning. We caught up with the Parisian trio to talk about their latest EP ‘Deuxième Monde’, their immense live dj setup, how Möd3rn was born and how the future looks for them.
Hello guys and thanks for taking the time to do this interview with us. Where are we catching you right now?
Hey, thanks for having us. We are currently in the studio to record our next EP.
What is the history of Möd3rn? How did you start it and were you at first serious about it or was it more of a hobby (side project)? Has the success of Möd3rn caught you by surprise?
ER : Möd3rn was born 5 years ago, and wasn’t meant to last so long. At the beginning, I was doing some live acts with Maxime Dangles, and Max was also doing some with Roman Poncet aka Traumer. With Romain we were discussing to do one together but at the end we decided to propose a live with us 3 together and name it Möd3rn. We were working everyday on different projects for different labels and wanted to go further together.
Then we did our first live and magic happened, we then decided to build tracks for that project and naturally the idea of creating a label arrived quickly. The first release was a nice success with close than 1000 vinyls sold. We didn’t expect this at all, it was first made for the pleasure of it but the people received this live machine concept super positively and the label too, so we pushed it further. And now we’ve had the chance to push this project for 5 years with 9 releases including an album and we are now working on the 10th release.
Listen to Möd3rn’s LIVE recorded show from the legendary Rex Club – Paris, France in our latest podcast.
Officially since the beginning of 2018, Kmyle is the latest member of Möd3rn. He has been involved in the Möd3rn project for a while, which as you mention, led to him joining officially the group. How did you meet with Kmyle, and what characteristics and elements does he bring to Möd3rn?
ER : Kmyle contacted me 4 years ago with some demos for Skryptöm. I really fell in love with his sound. He had come to propose a new project, but it was more connected to his first techno life. Then i suggested him to take a totally different name and he proposed Kmyle, I said it was good and I quickly proposed him to release on Skryptom. Four records soon followed including last year’s album Northern Landscapes.
I had the idea of including Samy (Kmyle) into Möd3rn to bring in some fresh ideas and we discussed this with Maxime and Romain, of course they said yes as they were already friends and working together on different projects. It was a year ago and it was a good thing because his releases brought a lot of great energy into the project.
MD : Kmyle has a really nice approach to texture and melody, he has a good technique and a lot of respect, he’s a real plus for our live shows.
You are all respected djs in France and Europe. How do you make the Möd3rn project work with your solo careers?
ER : To be honest we don’t really calculate that kind of things, we let our management suggest things to us and we also do things when we want to, if we think it’s artistically cool we do it and for us the projects are separated, different. Our solo projects are our personal ways of doing and Möd3rn is more like meeting with friends and we have fun together doing music, share good moments and I think people feel it. At the moment, we are lucky that all the projects work and we have the chance to express all of them on stage.
MD : Möd3rn has given me more self-confidence on stage, so it has of course influenced my other projects (especially DNGLS) . There’s also emotions on a deeper level, as feeling and sharing something that intense on stage with your friends brings a lot of good energy in your everyday life.
KM : Yes that’s right! We don’t calculate anything. It is mainly the pleasure of celebrating one moment together with friends around music and that is the most essential point. I think Möd3rn is for us a bit of an emotional rejuvenation cure.
In a Facebook post earlier this year you announced that Roman would not be able to continue with Möd3rn due to his solo career. Can we expect him to re-join the group in the future?
ER : Roman is still our friend, and we keep in touch regularly. He has the chance to have a lot of success with his two solo careers, Traumer and Roman Poncet, and he seriously couldn’t give more time to the project even if he wanted to. On our side with Maxime and Kmyle we wanted to push the Möd3rn project further, so there was a point where it wasn’t possible anymore that Roman stayed onboard with us but he might come back one day. It’s open, we are still friends and love each other. But in life, you can’t always do everything you want and you always have to make choices if you want to do good, that’s what happens. No troubles, just serious work and choices. But he knows Möd3rn is also his home and he can come back if he can give the energy the project needs.
MD : We all hope that Roman can come back on stage with us: I personally love his sense of groove and his unique way of building tracks live.
KM : That is true, Möd3rn with 4 guys, I would be curious to see that. But for sure, life is long and full of surprise!
What was the process of doing your latest EP – ‘Deuxième Monde’? What was the hardware/software you used the most in making it and was it the first EP you work on together officially with Kmyle as part of Möd3rn?
ER : Yes it’s the first record with Samy and without Roman, he was supposed to be on it but he couldn’t. That’s also why we decided to spend from 3 tracks (3 members) to 4 tracks (4 members) but Roman left.. we still kept the idea of keeping 4 tracks. « Deuxième monde » , means « second world » like the new step from Möd3rn, without Roman. On this EP, as usual, we build our tracks as we are on scene, one of us starts a track, sends it to the others, others send back and we speak and decide, choose, and we push to the end.
By my side as equipment I stopped to use modular system as I wasn’t so much into it, and we have the world champion of modular systems in the band and it’s a bit of his speciality. So I use synths like Blofeld, Analog Four, Maschine, Streichfett, TR8, MicroBrute, GR1 tasty chip, Computer, Analog desk, Summation system with SSL converters and Junky Junk industry summing box and many secret weapons 😀
MD : Yeah, a few sounds come from my modular system but not only… I’ve also used SEM et BUCHLA EASEL VSTs from Arturia that I find awesome… I’m not into that hardware/software debate, as long as it sounds good!
KM : Yes, our method of work is more like “the kitchen of the devil“ lol.. sometimes I use sounds from Maxime’s modular that I resample to create melodies, sometimes I use my Elektons, my modular and spicy weapons, other times Antoine uses my rhythmic material or the total opposite. Once again, like our live act, there is absolutely no rule except to offer music that brings emotion and energy!
Listen to Möd3rn’s latest release ‘Deuxième Monde’ below.
Buy Möd3rn – Deuxième Monde vinyl here.
Digital release (June 15th 2018 on Möd3rn records).
You have an impressive live configuration for 2018. Can you take us through it in more detail – what hardware and software does your live setup consist of?
ER : Our Live set up consist of a big Jam, we are not preparing anything before. We start like this 5 minutes before a show, someone asks, who’s pushing an intro? Someone replies, « me ! » then the others say, « ok we are following you buddy ! » . The most important thing is to always listen to the others and always let the place to the sounds, not pushing to many things at the same time. We are here, at the service of the music from Möd3rn and not here to satisfy our egos, we are here to have fun together.
On the material subject, I use TR8, Blofeld, GR1, Akai APC40mk2, Traktor Audio 10, Midas venice 320. And I’m synchronized with my buddies via a midi box that Maxime will speak about very well.
MD : The midi box we use is called ERM Multiclock, this is what gives the master clock to everyone. No more sync problems since we bought this gear, real fun and much less stress! Since the very first Möd3rn gig, I’m in charge of the modular synth: I always bring a different configuration and I never know what’s going to happen. I patch and un-patch dozens of times during the live. As soon as I get a nice sequence, I let the others know and they live a bit of room for my improvisation. It’s really exciting and fun to work this way, but it requires a lot of concentration and of course a bit of technique not to get lost… and once more a lot of respect between us so that it doesn’t become a complete mess! In fact, respect is the most important thing in our live.
KM : Respect is the most important thing indeed: you must listen to your friends, interact with the elements as on a giant piece of land-art. Inside my set up I have an Analog Elektrons Rhythm and Analog Four on which I improvise totally. I also bring a small controller with Ableton to send lots of material. But our config evolves all the time with our desires.. I’m thinking I may bring a modular system as well for future gigs. Maxim already added the new TR8s and Antoine also changes his material often. A good big delirium!
What is your favourite time to play: opening, peak-time or closing?
ER : We love everything, no favorite moment, each part of an event are important and we love to play all part, of course there is a bit less people at the beginning, so we might prefer peak and closing but everything is important.
MD : It reminds me of our last gig: we were still backstage when the music stopped and it was our turn to play… luckily we were not far from the stage. We ran behind our machines, not knowing what would happen. We just hit play and let each others’ sounds lead the way and it was amazing. Not sure if you guys felt it as well? But I really enjoyed it.
KM : Damn right! We came on stage as if it were a dance show lol, I loved it but I think we can do this only because we unplug our brain directly when we press “play”.
You are releasing all your material only on your own label ‘Möd3rn records’. Did you create the label as an output to release only your productions? What lead you to that decision and would you in the future release other artists music?
ER: At the beginning, we wanted to release only on Möd3rn records to be totally free of what we wanted to push and not spend too much time trying to convince labels, who already have a lot of proposals… but recently we decided to open-up a bit for different reasons. We love to share music with people. We think we now need to exchange with other musicians to make this project evolve and develop. There are some labels we really love and we will see soon if they are open to produce some of our records. It has to be a label we really love and that is ready to build over time.
KM : Yeah, I think our music should not be restricted to Möd3rn records only. As Antoine just said, we love to share, that’s also why we make music.
Do you have favorite club or venue to play at and what is the most memorable show you have played?
ER : I don’t really like to give favs as it’s not really fair for the others, besides some clubs are good in some situations and others in other situations. Of course, the places we play the most are the Rex club (who’s celebrating its 30 years in 2018) and Astropolis so they could be our favs but we had the chance to play in some very different and interesting places.
MD : Astropolis 2017 for me! The sun coming up, smoke machine and the crowd of regulars… priceless.
KM : To me, every party is different and each is like a different kind of pleasure, such as when you taste a good wine.
What shows are you planning for the remaining of 2018?
ER: We have a very special gig coming up in Caen on June 9th: the whole Skryptöm Family will be united during a week for workshops, tutos, exchange between each other and the public. And we will all play on June 9th. that should be really fun!
MD: After that we’ll be back to Berlin for a live at Griessmuhle on July 21st.
And what does the short/long-term future hold for Möd3rn and also for your solo careers as MaximeDangles, Kmyle and ELECTRIC RESCUE?
ER : The latest and ninth release of Möd3rn ‘Deuxième Monde’ EP is already out on vinyl and soon on digital. We are already working on the next one, and then as we told you before we will start discussing with labels to see if one will be interested to give a new direction to Möd3rn. I’m also still developing Skryptom records and next releases are by Moteka with Jeroen Search Remixes (June 8th) after that we’ll have an EP by the Wlderz with a Sleeparchive Remix.
For Electric Rescue I’m preparing a brand new label for my own solo projects and one shot collaborations. In september I will also release my first RE.KOD Album (ambient electronica project) on WIC recordings, plus some releases on Virgo and remixes on different labels.
MD : I’m putting the final touches on my DNGLS album which will hopefully see the light of day in 2019 😉
KM : With Antoine, we have a project called Laval and we just released a mini-LP ‘Cold Hearts’ on Stockholm LTD. I’m also preparing a new EP on Clergy records, Cleric’s label. Plus a new secret collaboration and some remixes.
Sounds like you are all getting busy with your productions! Thank you for the interview guys, wishing you all the best and looking forward to the next release.
Thanks, it was a pleasure!
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