Mike Rogers Talk Background, New EP ‘Loose Ideas’ & More [Exclusive Interview]

You know them as Mike Mago and Rogerseventytwo, but lately they’ve been known as Mike Rogers, a new duo who just gave the world their first EP. Loose Ideas is the name of their newest project, out now via BMKLTSCH RCRDS. Their creative efforts are combined in a four-track EP ,which we loved. So, in order to share the news, we asked the guys to let us in on their backgrounds, the choice of vocalists, their views of the EDM scene and their future plans. Read everything in the full interview below.

RaverRafting: Hey, guys! It’s great to have you! Your debut EP Loose Ideas is out now and we’re loving it. But before we get into that, tell us how you met and how you began producing together.
Mike Rogers: Well, thanks for having us! It actually all started when we were in the studio experimenting with different genres than we’re used to. It seems we both had the urge to create music that felt close to us at that moment. After a couple of demos, it all took shape so we thought: why not start a new duo?

RR: Certainly working as a duo is a lot different than producing solo. What do you feel are the biggest challenges you face as a group? How do you manage to combine each of your personal sounds into one track?
Mike Rogers: We found a great way to produce our music. We do work in separate studios but we can shift very fast. We really compliment each other and, most importantly, we are really honest with each other and open to each others opinion. Of course, we can be stubborn sometimes, but it only lasts for a minute. It’s all about trusting each others expertise.

RR: Now let’s get to the EP. Is the end result as you imagined it to be, or did it evolve into something else?
Mike Rogers: With every release, it is natural to feel that there is room for improvement, yet we are proud of what we’ve done so far and we can say the end result is how we imagined it.

RR: Did you aim for a particular sound or genre or where you open to experimenting during production?
Mike Rogers: The first EP was a process of experimenting and creating the best workflow for ourselves.
One of our goals is to shape our signature sound a bit more, but that is something you’ll definitely notice on our next singles.

RR: The last track of the EP, “Get To Me” is the only one who doesn’t feature vocals. Is there a special story behind this one?
Mike Rogers: We’re going to create more instrumentals like “Get to Me,” as instrumentals give you more freedom and time to experiment with your sound. Plus they work well for our live show. On tracks with vocal, you’re very dependent on the written sessions which take a lot of time. That’s not the case with instrumentals.

RR: And speaking of vocals, how did you find the vocalists for the tracks and who are they?
Mike Rogers: We basically listen to a lot of music on Spotify and if we hear something we like we approach them for a feature. A lot of requests are rejected, but if one is accepted you can imagine how that feels.

RR: Now that the debut it out, what’s next in the journey of Mike Rogers?
Mike Rogers: We are finalizing our next single “Over Love” feat. Carmen Rose which we are very happy with. It has a slightly darker vibe than our previous material, but it definitely fits the progression of our project. Following ‘Over Love’ we have more singles on the shelf that will be released very soon. And we’re working hard on our live show at the moment. It’s really exciting for us as our background is mostly DJ based. But it really feels a relief to challenge ourselves with actually playing live drums and keys. Our first performance will be on the 19th of October during the BMKLTSCH BASH in Amsterdam.

RR: From a producer/DJ point of view, where is the EDM scene going in the next years? Do you think there are any genres who will rise above expectations or rather die unexpectedly?
Mike Rogers: We don’t consider ourselves a part of the EDM. But if we talk mainstream music you have seen the shift from EDM to more Urban. But also a mix of those genres. We think mainstream music is going to be more poppy, but with influences from Urban and still some EDM leftovers. Dua Lipa is the best example of what Mainstream is nowadays. And she does a great job!

RR: And to end on a bright note, what was the best show you’ve been at this year?
Mike Rogers: The best show I (Roger) have been in the last 2 years was NAO in Paradiso, Amsterdam. I haven’t come across better shows this year actually. NAO blew me away. Her band was so on point and her tracks sounded incredible live.

Connect with Mike Rogers:
https://www.facebook.com/wearemikerogers
https://www.instagram.com/wearemikerogers

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