STATUS ZERO X CANADIANRAVERS INTERVIEW [ SOTRY BEHIND THE STAGE NAME, RECENT ALBUM,

Status Zero has been on a roll with his recent releases, teasing his album release with single drops leading up to his recently released ‘if it was us?’ EP. Now fans have the chance to see the full evolution of the Isreali-born, Berlin resident with the release of his full album, ‘aliens & flowers.’ With the release of ‘alien 303’, ‘if it was us?’ and ‘bad memory’, Status Zero gave a glimpse into his change of direction, choosing to work on instinct and live in the moment, rather than be bound by genres. With the full album release, that theme is explored in more depth, with tracks spanning inspiration from a wide array of sources, including techno, house, trance, minimal and psytrance. 

While he may prefer to avoid pigeonholing his music, Status Zero displays a knack for bringing together different sounds into a cohesive body of music that takes listeners on a journey of discovery, utilizing key elements and production skills at just the right time to ensure the album flows smoothly from one track to the next. On finally revealing the full album in all its glory, Status Zero said: "This album was a journey, I learned a lot about what it is to distill an idea without saying too much, about how to listen more to gut feeling and less to what is around, and most importantly, how to be me."

THE INTERVIEW

CR: Hello Status Zero, Glad to have you on Canadianravers how are you doing and where are you writing us from?

SZ: Just got out of the cold shower so feeling great. I am very excited about my new album launching this week. I am writing to you right now from my home studio in Berlin.

CR: Tell us a little bit about yourself, what is the story behind the name ‘Status Zero’?

SZ: I am a synthesizer freak & I love to cook food, back in 2015 when I thought about the name, it just sounded cool… But after 3 years I discovered there is a deep meaning for the name “Status Zero” and it’s a specific type of social status.

CR: What attracted you to producing/DJing?

SZ: What attracts me the most is the challenge to become better every day.

CR: Your recent EP ‘if it was us?’ has a different style in each track, which track attracted more than the other and why?

SZ: I made this album “Aliens & Flowers” so that each track will have a different approach, I feel like there isn’t any track that is “more” than the other, they are completing each other and making the full story

CR: You’re also just about to drop your new album, can you tell us a little bit about it? What was the inspiration behind it and was there any particular theme that you wanted to explore?

SZ: This album is a by-product of many hours of listening to the music I love from House to Techno & Psy Trance and Ambient. I can say that definitely Mr. Fingers and Aphex Twin gave me the inspiration to appreciate a full album listening experience and to create one myself. One particular theme will be the Tb 303 that I bought while working on the album, something about the resonance all the way up puts a smile on my face (:

 CR: If you had the chance to play an opening set for any artist around the world, who would it be and where would it be?

SZ: Definitely Gerald Donald in Detroit

CR: In your opinion, what is one mistake most aspiring DJs make? How would you advise aspiring DJs?

SZ: LISTEN TO YOUR INNER VOICE

CR: Aside from DJing and Producing music, what makes you happy?

SZ: My friends, My family, and Sushi

CR: DJs/ Producers travel with multiples of that one item, what is that item for you?

SZ: Hats

CR: Anything our followers should know about regarding the rest of 2022?

 SZ: I am working on a Hybrid Dj show with synthesizers that will be performed this summer in clubs and festivals.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Texting or talking? Talking

Coffee or tea? Coffee

Hard liquor or Wine? White Wine

Cake or pie? Pie

Hot dogs or hamburgers? Masala Dosa

Xbox or PlayStation? Xbox

Movie theatre or arcade? Arcade

Guitar or piano? Guitar

Marvel or DC Comics? Marvel

Dog or cat? Catttssss

Hot weather or cold weather? Cold weather & Cold Showers

MAZARE X CANADIANRAVERS INTERVIEW [RECENT EP RELEASE, OPHELIA RECORDS, MEMORABLE NIGHT]

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:

GETTOBABYJESUS X CANADIANRAVERS INTERVIEW [METHOD FOR CREATING TRACKS, MUSICAL TASTE, A NORMAL DAY FOR MARCO]

Hailing from Valparaiso (Chile), Marco Villarroel moved to Borlänge (Sweden), and ontoCopenhagen (Denmark). Moving from place to place, he enriched his musical and culturalknowledge, infusing different elements into his musical productions. As a former tour DJ for SeanKingston, and a Swedish Battle DJ champ, his high energy mixing, sampling and scratching withfour CDJs is as thrilling to see as it is to hear. The prolific producer has spent the last few yearsfocusing on taking his sound to the next level, and with this latest release he showcases his abilityto craft larger-than-life creations that are destined to be played from the biggest dancefloors around the globe.

THE INTERVIEW

CR: Hello Marco, glad to have you on Canadianravers, how are you doing?

GBJ: Hey guys! Thank you for having me! I’m good! I feel that lately I’ve been in a great creative space and been very productive.

CR: Tell us a little bit about yourself and a little backstory about your stage name ‘Gettobabyjesus’?

GBJ: I’ll do my best do give a short version! I’m born and raised in Chile, moved to Sweden when I was 13 years old and got into a fast lane to become a professional football player. I played professionally for 8-10 years and decided to hang up my boots as I felt lost and forgot why I even played football to begin with.

Music has always been a part of my life, but I didn’t really know how much passion I had for it until I stopped playing football. I started as a Bedroom DJ / Producer that elevated into becoming a national battle DJ champ and touring around with Sean Kingston.

Today I’m touring with my solo project Gettobabyjesus.

CR: Your recent track 'Save Me' is a great, how was the creative process for this track? Who were some of the supporters of this track?

GBJ: Thank you! I appreciate that a lot! Save Me was made at the early stage of lockdown here in Copenhagen. So it showcases emotions that I was feeling in that period with a dark heavy feeling that progresses into a light progressive touch that represents hope.

I’m going to be honest and I’m bad at checking on who is supporting the track but I know that a good friend of mine Martin Jensen played it as a Radio Take over on Smash The House label. This obviously means the world to me to get supported by a respected artist like him.

CR: For your tracks, is there a method you follow or just create based on playing around with the instruments or picking up samples and loops?

GBJ: I always start the chorus / drop and build the track afterward. Usually, I record myself singing or humming melodies as voice notes on my phone so that I can refresh myself with the idea I initially had.

CR: If you had the chance to play an opening set for any artist worldwide, who would it be, and where would it be?

GBJ: Diplo at the venue Théâtre Antique d'Orange in France.

CR: Tell us a little bit more about your music taste; what are you listening to these days for your future tracks?

GBJ: So, the Chilean side of me is into riddims and grooves. The Swedish side of me is into melodies and storytelling.
Lately, I’ve been listening a lot to Mumford and Sons and Jose Gonzales to find inspiration for future tracks.

CR: What was the single event that changed you and how you view life?

GBJ: After I stopped playing football professionally, I started working as a caretaker for a handicapped young man. I learned so much about myself and how much we take things for granted, so I decided then, at 24 years old, that I’m never going to let money be the #1 source of motivation in anything I do. Money is great, but it’s not everything. Passion and having fun with whatever you have in front of you weigh so much more than making money in my book.

CR: When you are not performing or producing music, what does an average day look like for Gettobabyjesus?

GBJ: Together with my business partner, we own an e-sports management company called Forevr, so my free time is non-existent as I always have something on my plate whether it’s Forevr related or my personal project. But that’s the life I want to live, and I’m privileged to “work” with things that I absolutely love.

CR: What has been your biggest accomplishment of 2021, personally and professionally?

GBJ: I decided to be as proactive as possible during the lockdown / covid period. Both on my personal project, I produced music like never before, and Forevr became one of Europe’s leading e-sports management companies.

CR: Since summer is around the corner, what are your plans for summer this year? Are any performances and music coming out this year?

GBJ: Save Me is the first song out of 4 coming out of an EP titled Lost & Found that I have planned to release on Breeze Records.

The next release is scheduled for the 28th of May, which I hope dearly that you guys will like!

This summer will be a lot of touring Scandinavia with some festival shows in Sweden and

Norway is planned right now, and hopefully, some shows outside of Scandinavia this year!

LIGHTNING ROUND FOR GETTOBABYJESUS

• Coffee or tea? Coffee!

• Hard liquor or Wine? Wine for dinner, hard liquor at the club

• Cake or pie? Pie

• Hot dogs or hamburgers? Hamburgers

• Xbox or PlayStation? PC all day, every day.

• Movie theatre or arcade? Arcade

• Guitar or piano? Guitar but wish to learn to play piano

• Music or Podcasts? Music

• Marvel or DC Comics? Marvel, but The Dark Knight Trilogy is hands down the best superhero movie of all time.

• Dog or cat? Dog but cats have grown on me.

• Hot weather or cold weather? Hot weather!

GETTOBABYJESUS SOCIALS: