top of page
    • Dec 21, 2023
    • 4 min read

Interview/Mix: Diving Deep With Moan Recordings Frontmen Artslaves

Artslaves

The twentieth episode of our UNDRCTRL mix series belongs to Moan Recordings frontmen Artslaves.


With over 15 years of experience behind them, Artslaves (Alex & Dom) sit proudly behind one of dance music's most respected underground labels, Moan Recordings, home to releases from some of the industry's best-known talents, including Leon, Darius Syrossian, Georg Smeddles, Dimmish, Dennis Cruz, Cristina Lazic, Rendher and countless others.


There's no denying Artslaves is one of the industry's most influential pairings, both through their releases and the platform they continue to provide for others.


MIX



Tracklist:

1) Artslaves - Never Too Late

2) Late Replies - Tell You Something

3) Joe Venditti - Vision

4) Shoke - Taking Changes

5) BizZa, Toni Varga - HRO Bype

6) Artslaves, Leonardo Gonnelli - 2 Pain (Rendher Remix)

7) Lorenzo De Blanc - My Beat

8) Reme - Run Away

9) Artslaves - Desire

10) Ammo Avenue - The Invite

11) BizZa, Toni Varga - Beybee (Sante Sansone Remix)

12) Hector Couto, Rendher - Ey Key

13) Adne - I'm Different (Ssero Remix)

14) Hector Couto, Rendher - Break Down (Dennis Cruz Remix)

15) Late Replies - Runnin

16) Artslaves, Di Chiara Brothers - Luxury


INTERVIEW


Thanks for joining us today. Where are you writing to us from, and what have you been up to over the last few weeks? 


Thank you for having us today. We are writing to you from Italy, specifically from the south, near Naples. Over the last few weeks, we have been quite busy with label management and touring. In fact, in the past weeks, we have had performances in Paris, Dublin, Basel, Berlin, and Rotterdam. 


Tell us about your journey into music and what led you to this point. 


We started more than 15 years ago, delving into the world of house music and experimenting with our initial productions. About 13 years ago, we crossed paths and shortly after decided to establish Moan, our label, in conjunction with the Artslaves project. Since then, every day and every hour of our lives has been dedicated to music and everything that revolves around it. 


How do you effectively promote yourself as a duo?


Certainly, the promotion landscape has evolved significantly over the years. We initially began by placing our tracks on MySpace and reaching out to various artists to share our music. Today, we utilize social media, PR agencies, newsletters, and any means that allow us to connect with our audience—those who follow us at events and support us in moving forward. 



Tell us about your latest release. 


Our latest release is on TBX and is titled "What People Say." It's a release that holds significant value for us, and it has already received positive feedback, including being played by Jamie Jones on his Robot Radio show. The icing on the cake for this release is the remix by our incredibly talented friend, ANTSS. 


What has the feedback been like from your latest release? 


As mentioned earlier, the feedback has been plentiful, and we are thrilled about it. Our release has already found its way into several charts and playlists curated by prominent artists such as Jamie Jones, Neverdogs, Leon, and many others. 


How do you take care of your mental health? 


Taking care of our mental health is crucial, and for us, it involves spending time with our family and pets. Engaging in activities we love, along with incorporating some sports and yoga into our routine, also contributes significantly to maintaining a healthy mental state. 


Talk us through your creative process. 


We gather in the studio every day, drawing inspiration from what we've seen and heard in the preceding days. We begin producing and selecting new music, incorporating ideas from our various moods and experiences. After 15 years of production, we often have a clear idea of what we want to create, whether it's a track for peak-time moments or something more subdued. 



What advice do you have for other artists? 


Follow your own path without being overly influenced by social media trends. Create music that resonates with you and share it with other artists for feedback and support. Dedicate time to improving your production skills, whether through self-teaching or other methods, and practice DJ sets. Often, producers may focus on their productions but underestimate the importance of being well-prepared for DJ sets. 


What is your biggest goal this year, and how close are you to achieving it?

 

This year, we've set ambitious goals, targeting specific labels and agencies for 2024. We have already achieved some milestones by signing with prominent labels such as Bamboleo, Deeperfect, Roush, Moan, and others in the pipeline. We are actively collaborating with our manager to reach significant milestones this year. We are committed to doing everything within our means to ensure the realization of these goals. 


Lastly, what can we expect from you in the future? 


Certainly, you can expect to see us on the scene for a long time with Moan and Artslaves. We will continue to curate and release what we hope is great music, with the aim of keeping our existing audience engaged and attracting new followers for many more years. Our dream is to continue playing and do it even more, as witnessing people having fun and momentarily leaving their worries behind while we perform is the most beautiful experience an artist can have. 


Artslaves


Moan Recordings


Follow us

bottom of page