[ro]
feeder insider w/ The Model [en]
Endless hours spent in Internet cafes mean socializing and establishing relationships. Local means expanding the dimension of that communication phenomenon. A technical universe is one called Elektro.Casnice. Since 2001 Local Records brings together Romanian artists who use their breakthrough thinking to generate undefinable beats, swelling like a force inevitably due to conquer the other one. The Model, Cristi Cons, Cosmin TRG, Alien Pimp, Minus&Ion or Șuie Paparude are just part of them, the artists who chose to believe that 300 CDs a month will not be enough to give their force enough power, so in 2010 they gave birth to Mango Records and the booking option. Today we can hear their beats in Bucharest, at internationally renowned venues such as Guesthouse, Templum or we can catch them while visiting Berlin, mixing inside Panorama Bar or Berghain. Among them, there is one who seriously stuns through his technical accuracy which falls in place with striking cover creations. From wishing to change something and actually getting the recognition for its fulfilment straight from his audience, The Model, by his real name Radu Muntean, owner of the already well known Adult Central label, who launched a video-musical trend entitled Vampireburg, he is the epitome of the fearless individual who enjoys being upfront, leading, pushing out music which seems to inspire the same feelings in those on the dance floor.
The Model stands for showmanship, power and energy. No wonder the name for his style is Power House. He is present on elite labels such as International Deejay Gigolos, Crosstown Rebels, Traum Schallplatten from Germany or Underle_ne pinned to London’s busy streets. Today The Model wins over his audience with hypnotic and extravagant releases, staggering bass lines to which he adds striking on-scene appearances – we’re looking forward to hearing him on September 25th at PLUM Festival, where he’ll be playing alongside DJ Fresh, Digitalism, Phaeleh, Ada Kaleh and many more.
keywords: power, vinyl, vampire, adult, evolution, conquest, adrenaline, oxytocin
Not an easy catch, The Model chose to share a few words with us:
I wake up… when I finish sleeping, most of the times.
If I were a vampire, I would… live in a castle, obviously!
When I think of milk and vinyl… I think of a 6 hour set, from 12 to 6.
During my flight to Barcelona I… read from Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation”, or admired the world from up above thinking how good it is to be able to do what you like.
Movie producer Radu Muntean said “The paper will be blue”, music producer Radu Muntean says techno will be … torn down by Romanian DJs and producers of minimal house and deep house in order to elevate their label. Saying that you’re playing techno sounds better than playing minimal house.
Sensational for Halloween means… no idea.
When I am together with my friends and family I really enjoy… making arguably bad jokes.
An ideal dinner has… gothic or medieval décor and atmosphere.
An inspiring actor… a bit too trendy with House of Cards, but I like Kevin Spacey a lot. Maybe even more so Patrick Stewart.
3 American artists who give me the chills… Jeff Mills, Drexciya, Green Velvet.
Alexandru Bogdan: Hello! In 2008 the World Global Conquering plan was set for 28,96 %, where are you and the team now and how is the plan’s future development shaping up?
The Model: Haha, I believe we are at about 29%, so we are progressing! I feel I’m in a good place, I reached ripeness and security artistically and personally as well, I know what I am doing in the studio and behind the decks, I feel really relaxed. I launched my own label, Adult Central, got good feedback, from big names from abroad, Sven Vaeth, James Zabiela, Sasha, Pete Tong, Ministry of Sound, Serge Clone, Ryan Elliot, Doc Martin, Mosca. People are buying my records, tuning into them, I wrote music for movies, its good!
AB: In ’98 many of us were saving money to go to Internet cafes and get in touch with what we enjoyed the most, now much of that has changed, the world we live in is faster, options have diversified, how did you adapt and how were your choices thought through when new technologies kicked in?
TM: I have a crappy Nokia, the kind with a flashlight, really small, and I bought myself a smartphone, Samsung, just to put up photos from the gigs, let the world know that I don’t play for the walls, but for the people, make them feel secure that their choice was the right one. Obviously, you make a Facebook page, a sound cloud, because it helps promotion.
I’m not that in love with gadgets honestly, I just use them because I need them for promo, but feel no delight for these devices.
AB: On September 22nd 2008, for your birthday, you inaugurated the Italo-Disco scene in Romania alongside Tom Wilson, Alexander Robotnik and Mick Willis, through an event which took place at Bucharest’s Cabaret club, what should we expect to happen this year, on the 22nd ?
TM: Chill, I didn’t inaugurate anything! Italo-Disco was played in Romania in places I did not step foot in. Maybe what made the event special was that for the first time the father of Italo-Disco, Robotnik, and one of the most specialized and music collectors, Mick Willis, played side by side. Personally this year I expect some homemade chocolate from my girlfriend. Perhaps a party!
AB: How about last year for Halloween, how did you party and do you have any plans for this year?
TM: Probably had a gig or something, other than that Halloween means nothing to me. This year I hope to play music!
AB: Elektro.Casnice was a launch pad for you, Mihai Popoviciu or Toygun, is it possible that in the future you guys will join forces and shake the Romanian electronic music scene?
TM: Highly unlikely, our styles are completely different right now.
AB: It’s Monday and you are in the office, the studio, what do you do, go straight into making music, mixing or do you engage in any preliminary rituals?
TM: First thing, I check nba.com to see where we’re standing! How many points, who takes down who, etc… Then I check the mail and the “book of faces”, slowly getting in the groove afterwards with Ableton.
AB: About 9 or 10 years ago you trashed us with some Acid Electro in the darkness of a venue from Brasov, today people stand up and dance for you at Loft in Barcelona, what’s next? Are you planning to further explore the scene from abroad or rather going deeper into the depths of Vampireburg? Oh and by the way maybe you remember the name of that club in Brasov?
TM: I honestly don’t remember that club haha. What’s next? All I know for sure is what the next releases coming out on my Adult Central label are. The rest, we will see, it’s good that as every year goes by I keep growing bit by bit.
Romania is rather numb, aside from minimal and commercial music there isn’t much real attention for something else.
But we go on with the mission and yes in a way I am focusing on the music scene beyond Romania’s borders, not really because I want to, but because of the good feedback coming from there. In this last year my music was played or supported by Sven Vaeth, James Zabiela, Sasha, Pete Tong, Ministry of Sound, and a ton of other artists not that rock star-like. This brings me great joy.
AB: For the highly anticipated 8th of March celebration, DJ Wanda crafted her own dress, which she probably wore too… You are bringing us covers which explode through sexuality and colour, vibrations hiding irresistibility, you got this affinity for mint appearances, wild photo shoots and your cooperation with photograph Camil Dumitrescu or female model Ana Maria Anghelescu only enhance all of this, hence the question: Are you getting closer to the fashion world? What part will Vampireburg play in your evolution?
TM: For me the fashion world is like an ex you had a beautiful long lasting relationship and managed to stay friends. Camil Dumitrescu is an exceptional photograph and I am both happy and lucky to be working with him. I always enjoyed fashion and even if I was not active in this department, it’s part of my life and will always be.
AB: You kicked off the summer with Electric Castle, headlining alongside Maya Jane Coles, Cassy, Mihigh, Barac or James Zabiela. How do you feel about this and how do you view your sharing the spotlight with Siriusmodeselektor, Cosmin trg and Horace Dan D?
TM: First of all it’s a pleasure and an honour to be invited to the Electric Castle festival for the third time in a row. There are tons of really good artists over there and to be part of that is really exciting.
AB: You are an independent person, always promoting yourself. Today the Romanian electronic music scene is expanding together with the temptation to become a producer or a DJ. It’s hard to figure out what kind or where your influences come from, maybe you could tell us a bit about the ways how you’ve managed to preserve this artistic independence and who are those who supported you? If you could share an idea about how someone could keep originality in this vast ocean of diversity, what would that be?
TM: I think the independence ingredient in any domain is first of all thinking for yourself. I listen and collect music since 1998. For years I’ve been feeding on hip-hop, Doom, Black Metal, Death Metal, classical music, Pop, any kind of electronic including goa and drum’n’bass, David Bowie, Queen. I know a lot of stuff about music and I keep on learning. Therefore, I know how things go and how to think for myself. I don’t really give a damn about DJ tops or DJ charts, no need for those music-loving journalists to tell me what’s good.
Kevin Durant, MVP in the last NBA’s season said he doesn’t chew on what journalists say, because he is a professional basketball player while they are professional writers – meaning they write well about a subject they have no idea about, compared to Kevin Durant. They know how to write, but they write without knowing. Anybody gifted with the talent for writing can do a nice review of a vinyl – maybe a common and unimpressive vinyl, but that intensely written review adds fake value, one it actually does not possess.
During all these years I’ve received help from many people, Mihai Dobre from Suie Paparude, Marika, Raresh, Vania, Ada Kaleh, Ioana Moldoveana and Dana Anghel when they were part of Clubbing Mag, Camil Dumitrescu, close friends and many others.
So, I believe you earn and preserve originality by exposing yourself to many things, different styles of music, art, ways of thinking, mentalities and always thinking for yourself, what fits you, what’s right.
Feeder Insider explores the universe surrounding music and visual arts through open conversations with local and international artists. Join us here on our weekly crossing of the border between human and technological. An editorial project co-financed by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN).
I wake up… when I finish sleeping, most of the times.
If I were a vampire, I would… live in a castle, obviously!
When I think of milk and vinyl… I think of a 6 hour set, from 12 to 6.
During my flight to Barcelona I… read from Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation”, or admired the world from up above thinking how good it is to be able to do what you like
Movie producer Radu Muntean said “The paper will be blue”, music producer Radu Muntean says techno will be … torn down by Romanian DJs and producers of minimal house and deep house in order to elevate their label. Saying that you’re playing techno sounds better than playing minimal house.
Sensational for Halloween means… no idea.
When I am together with my friends and family I really enjoy… making arguably bad jokes.
An ideal dinner has… gothic or medieval décor and atmosphere.
An inspiring actor… a bit too trendy with House of Cards, but I like Kevin Spacey a lot. Maybe even more so Patrick Stewart.
3 American artists who give me the chills…Jeff Mills, Drexciya, Green Velvet.
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