Influences: Mack Loenz Shares Five Records Behind His Electronic Evolution
- Undrtone Blog
- 53 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Barcelona-based Mack Loenz represents the latest evolution of Larry McCormick, the producer long established within electro as Exzakt. Rather than leaving that history behind, the project opens it up, bringing vocals, melody and pop sensibilities into a sound still grounded in electro, bass and synthesiser-driven electronics.
That progression comes into focus on ‘From The Heart’, his new ten-track album on Maceo Plex’s Lone Romantic. Moving between glistening arpeggios, heavy subs, soaring pads and melodic vocals, the record explores melancholy, romance and futuristic tension while retaining the physicality of McCormick’s club-focused roots.
For this edition of Influences, Mack Loenz traces that evolution through five records with direct connections to different stages of his life. From Kraftwerk’s approach to arrangement and the electro record that started his collection at 15 to the track that made him want to produce and a later influence on the Mack Loenz project itself, each reveals another part of the story behind ‘From The Heart’.
Kraftwerk – Numbers / Computer World 2
“I've always loved the way "Numbers" moves directly into "Computer World 2" and feels like one continuous piece of music. That transition really stuck with me. I loved the idea of combining two different songs into one experience and letting one idea naturally lead into another. Kraftwerk obviously had a huge influence on me and on the Exzakt sound, but this particular record made me think about arrangement and progression in a different way. It showed me that a song can feel like a journey instead of just being one idea repeated from beginning to end.”
Kavinsky – Nightcall
“"Nightcall" had a huge influence on the direction of Mack Loenz. I loved the way it combined electronic production with vocals and a pop feeling while still sounding authentic. I also loved it in the movie Drive, where the song and the atmosphere of the film worked together perfectly. That combination of electronic music, strong vocals, melody and emotion really connected with me. It helped reinforce the idea that I could bring more of those elements into my own music while still keeping the electro foundation I've developed over the years.”
The Egyptian Lover – Egypt, Egypt
“This was the first record I ever bought. I was about 15 when I heard it at the skating rink, and I immediately went up to the DJ to find out what it was. I went to the record store and bought it, which started my own record collection. Before that, I had only been listening to my grandmother's old records. I didn't know it at the time, but the deep electro, melodies and vocals stayed with me and became a foundation for the way I hear music. Looking back, I can hear how much of that first experience eventually found its way into my sound as Exzakt and Mack Loenz.”
Wicked Wipe – 10:59 P.M.
“This was the record that made me want to produce. I heard it years after discovering those early electro records, when I was older and going to clubs. One night, an alternative night turned into a rave, and when this track came on, people started forming a breakdance circle. It immediately brought me back to being a kid. I ran to the DJ booth trying to find out what it was, but I couldn't figure it out until years later. That experience stayed with me because it was the first time I really thought about making electronic music myself.”
The Beat Club – Security
“"Security" connects directly to my Miami roots and is a great example of the personality I love in electronic music. It has vocals, scratching and a very distinct Miami feel, and all of those elements give the record a character that really stayed with me. It's not just about the electronic production. You can feel the personality of the people making it. That connection to the Miami sound is a big reason it has remained important to me and why I hear a direct relationship between this kind of music and my own sound as Exzakt.”
Taken together, Mack Loenz’s selections trace a path through the ideas that have stayed with him across different stages of his career. Kraftwerk’s approach to progression, The Egyptian Lover and The Beat Club’s electro foundations, the formative impact of Wicked Wipe and Kavinsky’s meeting point between electronic music, vocals and emotion each connect with a different element of his work. On ‘From The Heart’, those threads meet within a project that builds on the foundations of Exzakt while giving McCormick room to explore a more melodic and emotionally direct side of his music.
