|
 Another great interview, this time with the production duo Mark Kruger and Anna Sennikova, who make up the trance project, Majai...
Majai - Releasing on Talla 2XLC’s Label Tetsuo
Wasinghton DC isn’t only known for deciding Americas politics, but it is also has an up and coming trance project named Majai. They are a duo consisting of DJ / producer MK and the Russian singer Anna Sennikova. The two met in Washington DC in the fall of 2001 and hit it off and began working together in the studio. MK found his love for EDM in the early 90s as he began going to clubs. He was impressed by how DJs could easily change the mood of the clubbers by changing the style of the music. He soon began to DJ, but noticed that since trance was still developing in the States, he had to mix in hip hop in order to play his love of electro, trance and techno in his sets. MK started getting contacts like Steven Melrose of Leftwing Records, who had signed Cyrstal Method, but nothing was released as the label was focusing on another musical direction. The duo decided to focus on recording and have been working on an album since 2005. Anna Sennikova got interested with music by singing in the choir and playing the piano. She has been composing music since an early age and still has many songs that are on paper and have not been recorded yet. In the last two years, progression has been made with some tracks. ‘Lightwave’ was released in 2007 and found fans in Armin van Buuren and Tiesto, who started supporting the track. The whole world heard it at Tiesto in concert in 2007. The German techno pope Talla 2XLC also became aware of their musical talent and signed ‘Phoria’ to his legendary label Tetsuo. This duo seems to have a very promising future ahead of them. i:Vibes had the chance to speak to the duo...
i:Vibes: Hi Mark! Thanks for taking some time to speak to Talla’s website www.technoclub.tc and www.ivibes.nu. How’s it going? I am being entertained by your tunes on your MySpace page. After many years of having problems of really getting Majai started, you now have produced some very credible tracks and your fanbase is growing. Were you always content from the start that Majai would take off some day?
Majai: Hi Miles, Yeah we’re always sure that things would take off eventually. We’re just trying to feel out our sound as well as gauge which facet of the industry we would lean towards. Would we concentrate more on the pop radio side or more on the edgier club side? We decided to compromise and do a little of both. However we did try at first to go after dance radio but there was too much politics. We could not get airplay on the largest dance stations, and our music was play worthy. We found that unless we were with a large label or an established artist we would not get anywhere. So we shifted our focus to club land. :-) Because we knew that the best DJ’s in the world play for the music not the name of the artist on the track.
i:Vibes: You began to find your love for EDM in the early 90s. What was the scene like in Washington Dc in the early 90s?
Majai: Early 90s, that goes back a way! What I recall of the scene in DC in the early 90s, it was more of a techno sound with a rave atmosphere. There was a place I remember going to in ’92 called the 5th Column. Kind of like a melodic techno is what I remember. While there was another club in DC named Traxx that offered more euro music which I enjoyed as well. The EDM scene seemed like it was in its infancy, and it was all new to me.
i:Vibes: Do you remember a special experience you had in a club in the early 90s, where you instantly knew that you wanted to be a part of this growing scene in some way?
Majai: I do remember going to Traxx for the first time, and you may laugh but the first time I heard ‘Please Don’t Go’ by Double You... I was like, “Wow! This is great!”. The emotion in the music is what grabbed me. The melody and hearing it for the first time over a loud system was great! I didn’t get to hear this music anywhere but in a nightclub. In the beginning I was just content with being a club goer, I just wanted to hear, dance and enjoy the music. It wasn’t until a few years later that I wanted to get behind the decks.
i:Vibes: Who were your early musical inspirations while you were growing up?
Majai: I didn’t really have any early artists that I followed. I just kind of listened to whatever played on the radio. But I guess you can say the songs I really enjoyed inspired me had a strong melodic base - artists like Phil Collins, E.L.O., Pink Floyd, Beatles and soundtracks from movies, for example the Superman, Star Wars scores, also had an effect on me. John Williams is an amazing talent. Maybe that brought out my trance side.
i:Vibes: You met Steven Melrose, who discovered Crystal Method in 2002, who helped you get a foot into the EDM scene. What was the most important thing you learned from him?
Majai: What I learned from Steven Melrose was that we could do it. The fact that they were excited about a song we did which was rather rough in quality gave us hope that we could make it.
i:Vibes: You met your partner Anna Sennikova in the fall of 2001. How did you meet?
Majai: I met Anna through a mutual friend I met at a club I used to DJ at. The friend knew I was looking for people to work with in the studio and she mentioned this to Anna who was also interested in making music. Anna gave me a call, and she played a couple of riffs on a keyboard over the phone, I think she played a ‘Castles In The Sky’ melody. So we met up a couple of days later, and we immediately clicked after the first time meeting in my home studio.
i:Vibes: What was the first thing you noticed about her, where you knew that a working relationship could be very fruitful?
Majai: Well, firstly she had a love for electronic music. I have worked with other people that did not follow electronic music, and it flows much better when someone can truly appreciate the genre they are creating. Anna was and is still very easy going in the studio.
i:Vibes: How would you describe your working relationship in the studio. She has the dreamy voice, but what else can she contribute in the studio?
Majai: The funny thing is that initially she came on to work with me on producing songs. It wasn’t until a few weeks or a couple months later that we discovered that maybe she should sing on them as well. As I touched on, Anna plays the keyboard nicely. She is wonderful at creating vocal melodies too. And now she is learning more of the engineering aspect of things so she is a huge asset. In the studio we seem to know what the other person likes.
i:Vibes: How would you describe the Majai sound?
Majai: Majai sound is hmm... well, electronica with a melodic touch. I know this is still probably broad. But if you were to listen to ATB, 4 Strings, Tiesto and Royskopp we would like to think our album CD when we complete one would fit in the same CD case.
i:Vibes: Does the project name Majai have any specific meaning?
Majai: The name came from the New Testament in the Bible. The three wise men that went to Jesus after he was born. We spell it differently so maybe there would be less confusion with pronunciation. In the bible it is spelled M-a-g-i, so we spell it M-a-j-a-i.
i:Vibes: The German techno pope Talla 2XLC will release ‘Phoria’ on his legendary label Tetsuo. How did this contact come about?
Majai: Well we are involved in booking many of the acts that come to Fur Nightclub in DC. Prior to Talla coming to DC I sent the track to his agent to pass on to Talla. When Talla came to DC we hung out and got along great! He liked the track so it just made sense for both of us. It worked out well! We wanted to only sign the track to a label that would be excited about it. It didn’t matter if it was the biggest label. If they were not excited then we would not sign it. Talla was excited to work with us on it from the beginning and so were we. So we signed it.
i:Vibes: What does it mean to you, to have this legendary DJ / producer Talla 2XLC supporting your music on his label?
Majai: It means a lot to both Anna and I. Talla is a legend. His name has made it into some books written about the scene. The other artists on his label are talented so we are in good company. It is cool how things worked out.
i:Vibes: You have a huge fan base, with over 30,000 friends on MySpace. You are known in USA, but in Europe quite unknown. Do you think that with Talla´s support, you can make your breakthrough in Europe?
Majai: Well we’re working on it. :-) Tiesto’s support of ‘Lightwave’ was a nice introduction to the EDM scene. Tiesto supported ‘Lightwave’ for about 10 months. So I think this helped a lot. We’ve had some earlier regional dance radio support on our track ‘Change My Mind’. ‘Phoria’ is bringing us more attention than before with Paul van Dyk, Armin van Buuren and Tiesto supporting the track. The cool thing about MySpace is that it is world wide.
i:Vibes: ‘Lightwave’ got huge feedback in the last 12 months and has been hammered by the likes of Tiesto and Armin van Buuren. If you listen to the DVD in concert by Tiesto from 2007 and you hear your track, does someone need to pinch you or have you realized that your music is being loved by so many?
Majai: [Smiling] I always remind Anna. That’s your voice! It is flattering. Because there is a lot of competition with the music industry and I always looked at it like a closed door. No one is going to just open it for you. You have to give them a reason to open it. It is awesome to have the support of the biggest DJs like Tiesto and Armin, but we also worked hard on ‘Lightwave’ to make it so that the vocals and music would be primed for a remix so that the big guys could support it. I have heard many songs that were not that strong initially but had talented remixers do remixes of them. In many cases the remix is still is missing something. We did not want to fall in this category. If a song is strong at the core almost every remix that follows will be strong as well. Knowing this we kind of expected good support because we knew and we planned that if the tracks were strong and had the right remixes then it would be supported by the likes of Tiesto and Armin.
i:Vibes: Was ‘Lightwave’ an easy track to make, or was this something that took a lot of bleeding to make?
Majai: Easy. [laugh] No it was very difficult. It was a defining track for us. The version you hear is actually the 3rd or 4th version. The first version was started on our PC based studio with limited sounds from just 1 keyboard. Then our computer hardware was giving us trouble so we upgraded our PC to a faster PC and we bought another keyboard. So we started a new version rather than start from the previous version. We thought we could make the song even stronger. Then we eventually upgraded our entire studio and restarted the track from scratch again because now we had new gear and new sounds. We kept second guessing the track because we wanted it to be just right. Finally, we finished the version that you hear. We were happy with it but as we look back we find that the very 1st version would have been good as well. [smile] Maybe we will release it later. Maybe as a new song because it is totally different now [laughing] The hardest thing was not trusting our track was good enough, and we wanted so much for ‘Lightwave’ to be welcomed in the trance community. Now things are smoother because we have a better trust of what works and who we are as artists, so we won’t second guess as much.
i:Vibes: Do you have a certain method, how you work in the studio or is it just go in the studio and start playing with sounds and experiment?
Majai: We kind of have a process. We just go in and play with sounds and experiment and then if we think we are onto something. Like a melody, and vocals then we will build a rhythm track, bassline and then work the melody on top. We almost always start out with melody first before anything else. i:Vibes: What else can we await from Majai in 2008? Majai: We hope to drop several more songs this year. We plan to switch it up to show people our different sides, but trust me we won’t be abandoning the ‘Lightwave’s’ and ‘Phoria’s’! i:Vibes: You’re also a DJ. Who were your DJ idols in the early 90s and who do you respect now? Majai: A couple of DJs that I followed and that inspired me were Armand van Helden, Razor & Guido, Johnny Vicious. In the late 90s I was following the sound that was coming from a lot of productions out of New York. Since then I think the New York sound has changed and maybe I have as well. Now I respect the guys that I think are ambassadors of the scene or who paved the way for the scene. Guys like Tiesto, Armin, PvD, Rank 1, Cosmic Gate, Talla 2XLC, Paul Oakenfold, ATB and Ferry Corsten. One of the newer DJ / Producer’s I really respect who I think is humble, and down-to-earth and talented, is Gareth Emery. i:Vibes: What kind of a DJ set could we await from you in a three hour set? Majai: The type of set you could expect would range from Prog, Techy, Electro, to Melodic, Tech Uplifting Trance. I think that with the music that is being produced these days people are open to hearing a variety to take them through the night. Just listen to the range of remixes of ‘Phoria’ any one of those remixes could be played in our set. i:Vibes: You’re a resident DJ at FUR in Washington DC and have opened up for current trance legends like ATB, Sean Tyas, Rank 1, Filo & Peri, Kyau & Albert, Ronski Speed and John O’Callaghan. What have you learned from these guys just listening to their DJ sets? Majai: Most of the DJs that I have played for at Fur are mostly Trance DJs. What I have learned is that the guys that mix it up throughout the night - who offer a balance of edge, techy, melodic, vocals - are the guys that do best. Since I have opened and played earlier in the evening, I have learned how to tweak my opening sets versus when I play a peak time set and how to build the night without trying to take the spotlight from the headliner. Prime the crowd for the main guy to do his thing. [smile] i:Vibes: What has been your craziest experience behind the decks? Majai: Craziest experience hmmm I guess receiving $500 from a guy that really wanted the track that I was playing. Initially he asked for it and I said it was not for sale. Then he came around the booth and laid down 5 bills and said he needs the song. So I said ok. Take it. [laughing] It was a good night! i:Vibes: What has Talla 2XLC told you about his legendary Technoclub? I am sure he will invite you soon to DJ in Frankfurt! Majai: He has told me cool things about it. Just the name itself sounds like it is a foundation of the scene. We need to get out there! [smiling] i:Vibes: How is the American trance scene at the moment? In the late 90s there was a small boom as guys like Paul van Dyk, John Digweed, Sasha and Paul Oakenfold were dazzling the kids. The scene seems to be healthy in Washington DC! Majai: The trance scene in the late 90s was good, the EDM itself was very strong. It seems like there is a small lull with the scene now. The lack of radio support would be one reason. In the late 90s we had 2 FM stations that played EDM all day and night. Also there was Tower Records with huge singles section that had many songs with remixes. Now CD singles with remixes are no longer in the hands of the mainstream and radio support is absent. It is a time where we have to be strategic with promoting each party. We can’t just depend on the DJ name, or just expect that people will be there. I am confident that the scene will grow. It is just a matter of time. I can’t imagine people can resist this great music for so long... i:Vibes: How is your relationship with the American trance artists? It seems like the American trance scene is growing. Is there one particular DJ or project, where you have a special friendship or relationship? Majai: In the U.S., I don’t have many relationships. I know of some other artists and many acquaintances but it seems that things are splintered. It seems that many people are interested in just trying to help themselves rather than help the scene. We hope to change this. I don’t sense a camaraderie that I think should be there. I am fond of Kenneth Thomas and Elevation - both are great and talented guys out of Detroit. DJ Eco is a newcomer on the scene with a few tracks getting some nice attention and he is an awesome and humble guy. Noel Sanger is another person that I think highly of who is local to me. Zoltar, has been a long time staple in the EDM radio scene and we try to have him at Fur on a regular basis. Andrew Parsons is a cool guy working the scene out in Austin, TX, we chat regularly. i:Vibes: What other goals do you have in the music scene. Majai is just getting started, but maybe there is some dream that you would like to have fulfilled in the future? Majai: Well we started with one goal and it was to change the scene. We want to help kick the scene into ‘5th gear’ here in the U.S.A. Working with Fur has enabled us to bring more attention onto trance music in Washington, DC. Many clubs chose not to book many of the artists that we have brought to Fur. Guys like ATB, Sean Tyas, Rank 1, Filo & Peri, Kyau & Albert, Ronski, Speed Blank & Jones and John O’Callaghan have seldom or never been to DC. I like to think that maybe the last 10 months will have some positive effect on the scene in DC. Our long term goal is to reach the world with our music. To have it sustain us so we can continue to do what we love full time and hopefully help pave the way for others that come after us. i:Vibes: What are your five all time favourite tracks? Majai: This is a very tough one. [smile] There are so many favourites that I could create an all time 50 tracks. To narrow it down I will say:
1. Goldenscan - Sunrise (Tiesto Remix)
2. Way Out West - Don’t Forget Me (Original Mix)
3. Reflect - Need To Feel Loved (Original Mix)
4. Faithless - God Is A DJ
5. Kyau Vs. Albert Feat. Julie - Not With You i:Vibes: What are your hobbies? Majai: I like to watch movies - cool dramas, action and occasional comedies (Ben Stiller or Mike Myers). I also like all the informative channels like the History Channel, Discovery etc… I like to exercise when I can and spend time outdoors when there is time. I like video games... Burnout on the Xbox is one of my favourites! i:Vibes: What is it like living in the nation’s capital, where there is a new political scandal each day? Majai: Nation’s capital is great. Not so much just because it is the capital or where all the politics are but because DC is laid out nicely, not too big not too small. Two and half hours from ocean beaches, one and half hours from mountain hiking and only 30 minutes from another major city, Baltimore, MD. Of course there are problems with crime and such but this is everywhere right? Since I don’t really follow politics in the capital and the scandals and issues that follow so they don’t keep my attention for too long, I am busy focusing on the EDM politics! [laughing] i:Vibes: Thank you Mark for doing the interview. Hope to see you in the Technoclub soon! Majai: Thank you Miles, the questions were very thought provoking!! I hope to make it there.
|
![[i:Vibes]](i_pic/ivibes_new.jpg)
Frontpage
News
Reviews
Interviews
Party Reports
Artist Profiles
Label profiles
Diaries
What is...
Tutorials
Links
Radio-info
Forum
Chat
User Stats
Crew-info
i:Vibes Info
Related Links
Tell a friend
