For guest mix 150 I invited Martin Noise, a Buenos Aires-born DJ and producer based between Barcelona and Berlin.

Martin’s sound moves through house, electro, techno, and psychedelic club music. Always with an ear for experimentation and the dancefloor. After years playing in rock, punk, and post-punk bands, Martin shifted into DJing and later moved to Barcelona, where he became one of the founders and current director of Playground Records. One of my favorite labels currently, mind you.

Alongside a long list of international club appearances, he has released music on labels such as DURO, Hard Fist, Ombra International, Calypso, Trampoliner, Night Noise, Nein, and many others. The next Echocentric release will be by Martin and Javier Ferreira so keep your eye peeled!

For this mix, Martin brings together the same restless, wide-angle approach that runs through his productions and DJ sets.

Find them on Instagram, SoundCloud and Bandcamp.

Great to have you. Give our listeners the quick rundown: who are you and where are you based?

I’m Martin Noise, Dj/producer from Buenos Aires (Argentina), I was living in Barcelona for the last 10 years and now I just moved to Berlin to spend some time here. I’m one of the founders of Playground Records and its current director.

What are some of your earliest musical memories?

I remember that my grandfather worked at the RCA vinyl pressing plant and always brought tango records home; as a little boy, I fell in love with Astor Piazzolla right away. To me, he is without a doubt one of the greatest musicians my beloved Argentina has ever produced.

What was the first track or moment that flipped the switch and pulled you into electronic music?

I’m not sure if that’s what really got me into electronic music; I think that happened later, during my teenage years, with raves and ecstasy.

But I do think a real game-changer in my life was when my uncle gave me the album After Chabon by the Argentine band SUMO. Listening to it was a real game changing for me; it’s a very powerful album that blends lots of styles. For me, it had it all, at that moment, I really wanted to devote myself to music 100%.

Name a few records or tracks that were the most influential listening when you were coming up?

My influences have always been very varied and, generally speaking, quite outside the typical world of electronic music; I think that in Argentina, without a doubt, SUMO, Astor Piazzolla, Charly García, Gustavo Cerati and Virus left a lasting mark on me; internationally, I’d say The Jesus and Mary Chain, Morphine, The Grateful Dead, Syd Barrett, The Doors, Radiohead, Gorillaz… I don’t know, there are so many, I reckon; I could spend years listing international influences.

Within electronic music, I think Aphex Twin, Roman Flügel, Laurent Garnier, Jeff Mills, Drexciya, Underground Resistance, the early years of Richie Hawtin/Plastikman, Ricardo Villalobos and Tiga have also had a significant impact on me.

How did you get into DJing?

As my influences suggest, I’ve always loved music that experiments with electronic synthesis, so when I first really came across the world of raves and 100% electronic dance music, I was instantly drawn to it. I think that was around 2007, when I was studying music at the EMBA (Buenos Aires School of Music), where I made lots of new friends and we started going out together quite often

Any wild or classic stories from those early DJ gigs you can share?

To be honest, I’ve got loads, but I think the most fun ones were back in Playground’s early days when we used to throw parties in squats and free parties in public squares for 400 people – completely illegally.

Once, whilst throwing a party in one of these squats, the rain was so heavy that it started pouring onto the dance floor, and instead of leaving, people took off their shoes and carried on dancing in the water for hours. We were young back then and found it hard to go to bed, haha.

Tell us about the state of your collection. Where are you finding the music right now?

I have a collection of 2,000 vinyl records; I love collecting them. Bandcamp and Discogs are my go-to sites for finding music, but what I’m most passionate about is visiting record shops in the different cities I travel to

What’s your digging approach like, are you systematic or do you just follow the feeling?

Definitely I just follow the feeling and the mood I’m in that day

How do you prep for a set? Do you plan a lot or is it 100% on-the-fly?

Most of the time I just let myself go because my music is really well organised – I’m a bit of a nerd, actually – I spend loads of time organising my music to perfection, so when I play, I just go with the flow and everything turns out amazing, since I put in so much work during the week, hehe

Name 3 to 5 secret weapons, tracks that rarely leave your bag.

Reflex Blue – Invalid Code
Louie Fresco – Housebreakin
Peverelist – Pulse VI
Abdul Raeva – Laser Beam Funk
b0n – Bass Flexx

What’s your ultimate comfort record?

Lately I’ve been listening to Syd Barrett’s The Madcap Laughs a lot to relax, but I go through phases – I couldn’t name a single album

How organized is your vinyl record collection really?

By musical genre and in alphabetical order, mega nerd

Any good stories to share from over the years?

It’s not a story, but it’s a glimpse into what I usually look for… whenever I visit a new record shop in a new city, I ask to hear some good local bands, and I usually find something I love

Who are some artists and DJs you think are criminally underrated right now? (Links please!)

I’m not sure if ‘underrated’ is quite the right word, but I can certainly say that they undoubtedly deserve more recognition for their incredible talent: Iñigo Vontier, Reflex Blue, Peverelist, b0n and Thomass Jackson

Did DJing turn you into a producer or were you always messing with sounds right from the start?

I started out playing in rock and post-punk bands, then I became a band producer, then I got into DJing, and from there I started producing electronic music

How has your sound and process changed since you first started?

There’s no doubt that at first I saw it all as a band; my sound was heavily influenced by post-punk.

Over time, I began to connect more and more with the dance floor and developed a taste for thick, punchy basslines, and these days I find myself in a much more electronic and acid phase of my life

Name a recent track, artist or tool that’s had you running straight to the studio?

I could name thousands, but I think what’s inspiring me most right now is my recent move to Berlin and its incredible clubbing scene. I’ve always loved this city and was really looking forward to living here, and now that I’m doing just that, I couldn’t be more inspired

Which of your own tracks or releases holds the most weight for you personally and why?

I think my track ‘Mucho Manglar’ on the Mexican label DURO and my latest remix for Diaz Tech in the Spanish label Melomana have got a lot of me in them

Any releases, collaborations or projects we should be looking out for in the next 12 months?

As I mentioned in a previous question, I’ve been producing a lot of music with my good friend Javier Ferreira. We’re about to release two EPs: one through Elfenberg’s Trampoliner label and another on vinyl with the super-cool Helsinki-based label Echocentric (Timo’s note: “heyyy, that’s my label!”).

What’s the current studio setup looking like?

My studio consists mainly of analogue synths, as well as a few modular ones – I love the hardware!

What’s your current favorite piece of kit?

It’s hard to pick just one, but I’m a bit of a traditionalist and I love my MS-20, my TR-909 and my TB-303

What’s your process for building a track (themes, details)?

I always start off with just the machines and the computer switched off until I have a rough idea of what I want to record; once the idea is more or less there, I record it in Ableton Live, edit it, process it and give the track its basic structure; then, if necessary, I go back to the machines to record a few more arrangements

You play live: how has your liveset evolved over the years and how much of that is planned versus improvised? Please go into detail.

It’s been a long time since I’ve played live because, generally speaking, I prefer playing live with others or as part of a band; I think something magical happens when you connect with people on stage.

I really enjoy playing solo too – I love getting lost in the machines – but I need to find occasions and venues that are truly special for doing so, and lately I’ve been a bit lazy about it.

What makes playing live so rewarding for you?

The experience of creating music in the moment is unique

Let’s talk about Playground Records. What’s the founding vision for the label and what is lined up in the pipeline?

The cornerstone of Playground has been having our own space for free expression and being able to channel our love of music into an eclectic and fun platform. Next up on the label are Balam, Simple Symmetry, Javier Ferreira, Intruso and Tecwaa.

Pick a key release from the catalogue and tell us a story behind it.

There is no doubt that our 9th and 10th-anniversary compilations have left an indelible mark on the label’s history, as they have allowed us to bring together a wealth of artists—and, above all, artists of the highest calibre—who fully embody the label’s sound across its entire spectrum.

We put a great deal of effort into them, contacting each artist individually and working closely with them to create unique tracks.

The idea was to present the label’s complete history across two compilations, and I think we’ve managed it

Where are you finding artists and sounds for the label?

There are actually lots of ways, but in our case it involves digging for tracks for our DJ sets, listening to music on Bandcamp, Discogs and SoundCloud, visiting record shops, checking out music in clubs and, of course, receiving demos – all of that combined means we’re constantly discovering new artists for the label

What’s the best part about running a label?

All in all, I love having a record label. Perhaps the best part is the chance to interact with artists you love and immerse yourself in the process of making their music

What’s your honest take on the current state of electronic music?

My current view is actually a bit of a boomer one, because I see that electronic music has become hugely popular and nowadays almost everyone listens to it to go out partying; that’s why I think people have lost touch with actually listening to what the DJ is playing. I think social media has done a lot of damage in this regard, and these days people are far more interested in looking cool than in the music itself.

Anyway, I want to end on a hopeful note and say that the underground always endures, and if you know where to look, you’ll always find a niche of true music lovers who genuinely appreciate good music.

What experiences are you currently seeking more of?

At the moment, I’m spending time in my studio with my equipment and heading out to small, dark, sweaty clubs where you can still feel that underground vibe I love so much

Who are the local acts, crews, or spots people should be checking for right now? (Links appreciated!)

In this question, I’ll talk about Barcelona, as I know its scene much better.

As for clubs, I can mention Les Enfants; both its line-up and atmosphere are unbeatable in the city. LAUT is another great club too, and of course my beloved Freedonia, where the city’s wildest nights take place.

As for collectives/parties, I could mention Pegatina and Cymatix; both are excellent parties with very good line-ups.

And as for artists, I think Javier Carballo, Lumiere, Oma Totem, Javier Ferreira and Ildec take the prize for the coolest artists in the city right now.

So the mix, can you tell us a little something about that? What kind of set are we in for?

A set of danceable house music brimming with psychedelia – just the way I like it