If you’re a fan of dubstep, it’s safe to assume Buygore Records has a special place in your heart. With the legendary Israeli DJ and producer Borgore heading the label, Buygore has been putting out some of the most unique and filthiest tracks to date. We’ve more recently been able to connect with the talented multimedia designer and one of the few artists and repertoire (A&R) of the label, Marc.
How did you get your start in music business?
Well it really depends what you would consider the start. It all started in a small college bar in Gainesville, Florida slinging drinks below a DJ booth made out of the front end of a 57′ Chevy. I was a Video Game Designer and Production Manager for about 5 years and during some of that time I would bartend on the weekends at this weekly party called Neon Liger. It was an amazing release from the real world and even though I was working, it was always an amazing time and it really sucked me into the electronic music scene. Through the bar I was able to meet a bunch of artists, their managers, and so many great people that I knew I had to stay connected to music in some way.
My buddies who threw the party taught me how to DJ and I took every opportunity I could to play out and learn more and more about the industry. I got to see so many aspects of the booking end of things and I really liked it.
Fast forward to leaving the college town, I spent some time moving around doing different Video Game jobs before I had to make a decision, move to San Francisco and take some mobile game development job, or move to Los Angeles and try something maybe getting into the Film or VFX industry. But after I started to experience the nightlife and meet more and more people in the music industry, I knew I had to dive in even though I had no idea where I would fit in yet.
How did you end up at Buygore?
Let me start by saying that I never thought in a million years I would be working at Buygore, and I have to say it’s probably one of the best things that’s happened to be since moving to Los Angeles, if not the best thing that has ever happened to me, period.
When I first moved here, I was still working remotely in the Video Game industry, but because of the time difference with Florida my work days always ended early. Luckily this actually gave me more time for naps. Because of this I was able to go out all the time and still wake up early for work. I spent my entire first year in Los Angeles networking my ass off. I was at every possible event I could find an RSVP to, talked to anyone who would make eye contact, and exchanged business cards with everyone. I became known simply for always being around, always supporting the parties, and being genuinely interested in how everyone else’s work and lives were.
One of those people that I would see often was Christina Boemio.
We instantly became good friends. Constantly partying, bonding over our love for Dubstep, and overall just being bros for lack of a better word. One day Buygore was looking for a Graphic Design intern so I applied directly to her. Because of her good word, and our friendship, I was hit up instantly to come by the office. I was struggling to make ends meet having recently left the Video Game industry and spending a couple days a week unpaid in an office was probably not the smartest thing I could have done with my time. The reality is that I knew you only get so many opportunities to make an impression and finally get a foot in the door, even if it was just as a graphic artist. Over the course of my internship I made a lot of album covers and digital media for tons of Buygore artists including Borgore himself, and always made an effort to contribute anything I could to the team, especially if it was not making graphics.
Because I was associated with Buygore, even as an intern, I was able to break the ice and meet a lot of artists, their managers, agents, and suddenly I had people sending me tons of music just to get my opinion on it, not even to submit it to Buygore. After sometime I went to Steven Pahel and asked if it was cool if I could submit some things to be considered for release, thankfully he was down to give me a shot. Fast forward a couple of month and I am now officially apart of the A&R team, constantly looking out for the next big track, artist, or vibe to add to the Buygore family catalog.
Do you find the task of sifting through demos daunting? Why or why not?
Daunting wouldn’t be the word I would use. Listening to demos is easy. I try and dedicate each morning to it but often listen to things the moment I can get to some good speakers.
When people send things to me, I always listen, regardless of who it comes from. The hard part is letting people down when they just don’t make the cut. How many ways can you say “sorry” without making someone feel like they were not good enough. I’ll probably get past this eventually, but having release my own music, I understand the feeling of submitting things to labels only to hear nothing back. I feel like people appreciate getting an email back in an hour saying “Thanks for your submission but…” as opposed to hearing nothing at all.
What do you personally look for when screening through submissions?
I look for originality. I know right? So original myself, but it’s true. Good sound design and not using all the same Serum/Massive patches and samples packs goes a long way. We’re not super humans, we don’t know what every sample pack sounds like and there is nothing wrong with samples, but sometimes people keep using the equivalent of the Pryda Snare for whatever genre they’re making, and we hear it. I dissect music on a technical level, imagining how sounds were made in the DAW and what things they used to get there, and its easy to tell who puts in effort and who doesn’t. At the end of the day, I’m looking for high quality production, good sound design, and original arrangements.
Lastly, nothing will make me decline a demo faster than someone not sending me their best work. I want the best for Buygore, and Buygore expects the best from me, and in turn I only submit the best tracks that comes my way. I scan through your previous releases and check their quality, I check out your social media, and even if I like the song, you as an artist may not be the best fit for the label.
What genre trends excite you the most in 2016? What sounds do you see evolving this year?
Dubstep is back, and better than ever, and i’m not just saying this because of Buygore. Expect some really amazing unique stuff soon from many of the older heavy hitters as well as a ton of the new comers. Some of these bedroom producers have had the opportunity to live through and learn from all the mid-late 2000’s dubstep and really take things to the next level. Future Bass has been on a steady incline to the mainstage, especially stuff with more 4×4 elements. More and more people are starting to appreciate the complex arrangements and sound design and it’s exciting to see the crowds some of these younger artists are pulling. There are countless producers that have been killing the underground and Soundcloud scene for a while that are finally getting the spotlight they deserve in the mainstream, mostly in part to the ever increasing availability of their music on platforms outside of Soundcloud, like Spotify.
I was so excited when Disclosure and Gorgon City broke the ice for Garage in the US, but so many people adopted the syncopation elements of the percussion but neglected to keep the heart and soul of it all. Techno is finally moving more into the mainstream, and across many genres the general appreciation for more minimalistic sounds and arrangements is starting to show.
How many hours a week do you believe you listen to new music?
It’s hard to really put a figure on something that is constant. Living in LA you are always hearing new, unreleased music, checking out someone’s “fire mixtape fam”, or having it constantly being pushed through your Facebook feed. When it comes to really digging, it kind of comes in bursts for me. I prefer to spend many hours at once instead of it being spread throughout the week digging through Soundcloud, Twitter, checking out suggested artists from friends, and downloading everything I can. Most of the time i’ll skip through music quickly to get an idea, download or bookmark it throughout the week and finally sit down and sort it all when I can allot some real focus time to it.
There is a lot of great new music in so called “dead genres” that don’t get any play, but that’s ok, I still appreciate it.
Do you have any advice for aspiring producers?
I can’t give advice on making music, that’s not for me to do, and when people ask for technical feedback on their stuff I always tell them that it’s their music, not mine, and i’m not some production expert so take what I say with a grain of salt. However; I have watched many of my friends become successful DJ, producers, managers, etc so there are somethings to take away from it all. Here are some things that I think are really important for aspiring producers:
- Do not send people links to your music without asking first. Do not comment on their soundcloud tracks, do not post on their facebook pages, and absolutely do not DM them. Anyone who is willing to listen will provide some kind of instruction for reaching them, follow those instructions and you will have your music heard.
- Move to or at least spend some time in a major music city. Going to one event and shaking one hand could mean landing a new manager, releasing on a big label, or simply putting your name and face in front of the people who have the power to make you successful. There are thousands of new producers trying to have their music heard and signed, but the people who often get there have gone beyond the internet to get it.
- Don’t be a dick. First impressions matter and last. I had the opportunity to play with one of my favorite producers who turned out to be a complete asshole in person. Because of that, I simply can’t support them or their music anymore, and more often than not, when people ask me about them, I will tell the truth. Word spreads fast in electronic music, and reputations mean a whole lot.
- Seek inspiration, don’t wait for. Watch tutorials, check out new VSTs, learn a new technique, listen to music beyond your Soundcloud feed, be the engine that drives your own inspiration. Go for a walk, listen to nature, throw rocks at a wall, tap garbage cans as you pass them on the sidewalk. Always be listening. A friend of mine used to carry around a drumstick and record unique hits on his phone everywhere he went.
- Surround yourself with good people, not “yes” people. People who tell you that you had a good dj set even though you know you trainwrecked half your mixes are not good people. Once you start to surround yourself with positive, forward thinking individuals, good things will come.
- Never forget about the people who helped you get where you are. Never.
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