Massimo Pezzetta, known as Mazare, is an Italian DJ/producer who has been releasing his own unique take on electronic dance music since his 2017 Spinnin’ Records-released collaboration with Vorwerk, ‘You’re The One’. Since, his music has caught the attention of renowned labels such as Monstercat, Spinnin’ Records, Seeking Blue, Ophelia, and Gud Vibrations, to name a few. His 5-track 2021 EP ‘Paracosm’ served as a pivotal career point, going on to garner widespread critical acclaim in the short amount of time since its release. Recently, he’s also launched his own radio show ‘The Paracosm’ via Insomniac Radio, which places a central focus on melodic drum and bass, in addition to heavier dubstep and rock influences. He also boasts over 191k monthly listeners via Spotify and commands over 4k followers via SoundCloud, a highly impressive feat that is sure to be effortlessly topped by the venerated powerhouse moving forward.
THE INTERVIEW
CR: Hello Mazare, glad to have you on Canadianravers, how are you doing?
M: Hi guys, glad to be here! I’m doing great thank you, it’s been a really productive couple of months!
CR: Tell us a little bit about yourself? Where are you writing us from?
M: I’m a drum and bass producer and I am currently based in Italy, more specifically in a small town in the northeast, halfway between the mountains and the sea. It’s very beautiful and relaxing, we have a lot of woods and rivers and lakes, it’s pretty chill.
CR: Let’s get right into it, what is the track on your new EP ‘Wide Awake and Dreaming’ with the strongest emotional connection for you, and why does it stand out?
M: It’s like asking a dad which one of his children he likes the most! Jokes aside, I have a strong connection to all the tracks of the EP for one reason or another, but if I had to pick one I’d go with “Wide Awake”. Working with Fiora has always been a dream since her first collabs with Seven Lions, and having her on board for this EP is truly special to me. And she’s an awesome person too!
CR: How did you connect with Ophelia Records for your recent EP?
M: I’ve been in touch with Ophelia since the remix of “Dreaming” I did for Seven Lions a few years ago, and we’ve gone back and forth for years trying to find the right project and sound that could fit the label but still be true to what I am. When I sent over this EP I got an excited reply from Jeff and we started rolling it out.
CR: Do you follow a method in creating your tracks? do you just create based on playing around with instruments or have you already created loops and beats before incorporating them into your tracks?
M: I don’t really have a method, but through the years I discovered that I just need to sit down and open the software every day and push myself a bit even when I feel like I don’t have any good ideas. If you are able to break that ‘barrier’ then the ideas will flow in like a river. Also, I listen to a huge variety of different music, so I get a lot of inspiration and ideas from there as well!
CR: Your fans are already aware of your love for Drum & Bass, but is there another genre you enjoy mixing in that your fans might not know about?
M: I think my second favourite genre (aside from all things electronic music) is definitely pop punk/alternative rock, and it’s actually what I listen to most of the time. I am also a big fan of blues and jazz music, but I never actually tried to incorporate them in my music. Maybe I should give it a shot!
CR: Before you release a track, do you listen to it repeatedly to see if anything is missing?
M: Yes, absolutely! I am super-picky about my stuff, I work on something like ten different versions of the same track before settling on one, then I listen back, writing down notes on a piece of paper and finally I go through the track once again to check if everything sounds right. It’s actually the longest part of writing a song for me!
CR: What single night out has been the most memorable for you? As a DJ? As an attendee?
M: As a DJ, definitely my first Monstercat ADE Showcase in 2019, in Amsterdam, right before the pandemic hit. I was playing the final b2b at 5 AM and the room was PACKED. A ton of energy, I don’t think I will ever forget that night. As an attendee, hands down the Shelter tour by Porter and Madeon. I went to Paris with a bunch of friends for the show, and it was truly unforgettable.
CR: What has been your biggest accomplishment of 2022 so far, personally, or professionally?
M: Aside from the EP, which I consider a huge milestone for me, I am working on a lot of official remixes for artists I love and finishing up a lot of new music in general. That’s already a big accomplishment to me ahah!
CR: Since summer is here, what are your plans for summer this year? Are any performances and music coming out this year?
M: As previously mentioned, I am working on a load of new stuff, including remixes, originals and edits/bootlegs to play live. On the show’s side, I might have some news soon but I can’t spoil anything yet! ;) Also, I’d love to take a couple of days off with my friends sometime this summer, I definitely need to chill for a bit!
LIGHTNING ROUND
Coffee or tea? Coffee!
Hard liquor or Wine? Wine!
Cake or pie? Why not both? :D
Hot dogs or hamburgers? Definitely hamburgers!
Xbox or PlayStation? PlayStation!
Movie theatre or arcade? Movie theatre any day!
Guitar or piano? Guitar!
Music or Podcasts? Podcasts while I cook, Music all the rest of the day ;)
Marvel or DC Comics? Again, why not both? :)
Dog or cat? Dog!
Hot weather or cold weather? Summertime all year!
MAZARE SOCIALS: