Marcus Schossow at Club Paris in Chicago, IL
Photo Credit: Cam Bohorquez
You might know the talented Swede, Marcus Schossow, from the time he spent killing it as a part of the ASOT tour. His 2012 Ultra Miami set, was one for the ages. He’s followed up on that success by doing the unthinkable. Schossow is the definition of a true talent and incredible producer. He’s put away every single one of his tracks that are over 8 months old (really they’re not even in his library) and disassociated himself with the genre of trance due to his dislike of the direction it has been heading. So you’d expect quite some time before he mastered a new style and released impressive new tracks, but he’s already on it. Eight months of readjusting, and he’s made himself into one of the best house DJs in the world. Recent releases such as “Reverie,” “Kemi,” and his remix of Adrian Lux’s “Damaged,” have already become big room anthems. I had the pleasure of sitting down with the truly talented and intelligent Swede recently in Chicago. Here’s our interview…
You play a lot in Nordic countries and Eastern Europe. How do you think the dance music culture there compares to here in the US?
I don’t think there’s too big of a difference actually. All the blogs and all the labels around the world work closely now. There are some countries that are big on techno, like Germany and Sweden for example. They will always have their background, but general club music is the same worldwide.
How do you feel about the DJ Mag Top 100 which has recently started voting?
It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just lists. I mean DJ Mag has some great material with their interviews and stuff. I give them respect for for their real press work. It’s just a list that I don’t care for. If someone wants to book you, they will still book you.
You’ve been a well known name across the world for quite some time, but you’re Ultra 2012 set was one that really helped launch you into the public eye in the US. Describe your experience that day.
We arrived there, and I was so hot. I was really trying to present my style with tracks no one else way playing. I think I succeeded in finding some top notch tunes. The experience in Miami is always chaotic. There’s always a great mixture of chaos and organization. You can go outside the artist trailer and there’s drunk people and sober people, there’s big time managers and small managers, and there’s record label guys and interviewers. It’s just a great mixture. You can go in the greenroom and it’s quiet. A festival is about 12 hours, so you need to have a break.
Sweden is a breeding ground for EDM talent. So many great artists have come out of that country. Are there any up and coming talented artists there that we may not know a lot about yet in the US?
I think there’s a couple guys. Tim Norell and Sebjak are two of the main guys. I think there’s a lot of guys with talent. The key is having patience and a fan base. People need to realize the difference between a fake fan base and a real fan base. It’s not about likes on social media. It’s about people buying real tickets. Also, they need to realize that it doesn’t matter. Social media is always changing. It’s not about the numbers.
Who has influenced you most as an artist?
Two of my influences are Axwell and Ingrosso. Everyone else is producing these big ass so called drops with hardcore kicks and whatever. Those guys just do their own thing.
Now that you’ve transitioned to a new style, are you working on an album?
Not yet. I think it’s too early. I just switched to house. I want to do it properly. If I want to change to a new style, I want to do it the right way. It took like 9 months, but it works out.
What was the thought process behind your transition from trance to house?
I couldn’t really connect to trance anymore. I still liked the people but not the music. That’s why I said I’m gonna do exactly the way I think it should be done.
