Interview avec Tooli & Mad Mats

Mats & Tooli press 2

Mad Mats & Tooli are two of the top representatives of Stockholm House scene where they started as Djs and club promoters.

In 2011, they founded Local Talk based on their love for House music. Through years, Local Talk grew up and eventually became one of the leading house label at the moment. By releasing acclaimed EPs from artists such as Art of Tones, Fouk!, Henry Rodrick, S3A and many more, their upcomming releases are now eagerly awaited.

Always hyperactives, Mad Mats & Tooli also created two sub label of Local Talk named 1nce Again and OneOffs. The first one is born with the idea of bringing back « 1nce Again » old gems and house classics. The second one consist of Various Artists compilations of Local Talk’s artists. Recently Tooli also start Omena Records with a new vision, exploring different formats of music…

This friday we will have the pleasure to receive the two friends at Le Bleury Bar for an amazing house night. With this occasion, we asked them a few questions they gladly accept to answer to, in order to warm you up for friday

How did you guys meet? What gave you the impulse to create Local Talk together ?
Tooli : Stockholm is not that big and both of us have been doing club nights, playing records and have some friends in common so you tend to meet the people ”in the scene” eventually.

Late fall 2010 we had a few meetings talking about working together. Mats had already been working with Raw Fusion for many years and wanted to do something new, I wanted to set up a label myself so the timing was good. Early 2011 we had our first Local Talk office and started working on the first releases.

@Tooli : A couple of months ago we made a review of the stunning Henry Rodrick’s Daybreak EP released on your young label Omena. What was your main idea when you created Omena ?
Release music with artists that have a strong identity within their music, not compromise, explore different formats. I think it’s been very exciting so far, also I really enjoy working with Ivo who creates the label art, It is a very important part of the label.

@Mad Mats : I read on your bio that your were a break dancer before you Dj’s debut. How did you get from break dancing to being a DJ ?
Well, I more or less started DJing at the same time I begun my b-boy journey. It was synched with the whole hip hop movement in the early/mid 80s.

You’re in the game for quite a long time now. What do you think about the movement’s evolution ?
Mats – Back in the day the clubbers were not so many and not that eductaed in what club culture is all about. Nowdays everybody is aware of the club culture boom and travels to Berlin and other party cities to experience 24hr dancing which is kind of cool. The bad thing is that the actual music very often gets lost along the way. There is way too much club music around that simply lack the music or an honest/personal approach to the art ( !) of DJing.. Anyone can play big bangers (and get away with it) while a very selected few DJs plays what they actually like and dares to go through with it.

Tooli – I think it’s great that there’s new labels out there, people producing and it’s pretty easy to stay in touch with what’s happening around the world, getting inspired but as Mats wrote – the actual music do get’s lost sometimes. And all this 12″ Vinyl Limited Edition Hand Stamped only pressed in 7 copies discogs mega expensive house edit bla, bla, bla…I don’t get it.

All of your projects or at least the most part of it, are connected to house music. How did you fall in love with Chicago’s child?
Mats – In the early 90s I went to NYC as b-boy, went to The Sound Factory bar and came back as a house head.
Tooli – Thru listening a lot to the radio and going to record shops.

How was the early house scene in Stockholm ? How is it doing right now ?Mats – Its basically the same as now. Loads of dull techno djs spinning dull techno or even more dull tech-house…its just energy up, energy down. I guess real house music is too complicated (= soulful) for the ordinary Swedes haha. But in the last year I’ve had a feeling that the house sound is gaining ground.

Tooli – I was not around when the early house scene started so I can’t say much but today…there’s def more techno played in clubs than house but there’s hope.

What are your main influences ?
Mats : Afro american dance music (and everything that includes)
Tooli : Anything with a good bassline and Swedish Fika.

What is your favorite place to play ? Is there one you dream to play in ?
Mats : I love spinning at my friend Paul Knights Better Days party in Manchester. Small, intimate, open minded, full of dancers and 100% soulful.

Tooli : I’d love to play at a venue called Gold Hits here in Stockholm. It’s always packed, the que is ridiculous on weekends and from what I’ve heard people seem really, really into the music and sing along to every track.

What were the last releases that blowed your mind ?
Mats : 3 Winans Brothers, Clarke Sisters – Dance (Louie Vega Mixes). Play it more or less every time I can and it always blows both me and the crowd away !

Tooli : A few days ago I heard Silhouettes (I, II & III) from Floating Points upcoming album ‘Elaenia’ and it blew me away. The Highlife World Series by Auntie Flo & Esa is brilliant and worth checking out, Those Larry Heard / Mr Fingers remixes of Kai Alce that came out recently is superb. Perhaps I should mention some techno since it’s been a hot subject here ;) Matrixxman released an album called Homesick a while ago and I really enjoyed it. It’s not easy to do an album and techno can be, as mentioned earlier a bit dull but this one is really good.

We’ll have the pleasure to recieve you in Montréal this september 18th. Do you have any words or intels to warm up our readers ?
Mats : Bring a good pair of dancing sneakers !
Tooli : no requests !

Thank you guys for your time. And see you Friday !
LINK EVENT : http://on.fb.me/1EvTmsU.

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