Exported from Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Marius HFS premieres the electronic biosphere of his new track, “Covella”. Following up his recent single “Rounds” from Non Records, the Dutch artist keeps on making electro-centered sounds that breathe with their own life, think with their own mind, feel, and sense through a manufactured consciousness that is exclusive to every one of his recordings. With news of an upcoming EP and LP for the Non imprint, “Covella” beckons with curiosities of carved out new digital frontiers and new applied biological sciences of the beat.
Building from the minimalist base of a Roland Juno 106 synthesizer, Marius brings out keyboard washes of digitized natural states. The beat kicks out elements of Euro house, as the keys are left to enrich the ear with atmospheres and an interactive dialogue between the sliding sequence of notes. With an array of muffled and muted tones, “Covella” is created like a greenhouse-warehouse to host a rich menagerie of evocative textures and emulated flute-like woodwinds. Marius keeps the dance appeal factors intact while managing to conjure up a therapeutic air and haze that emanates from the preset channel arrangements of the 106.
Marius was generous enough to take us behind the keyboard in creating “Covella”, giving us a taste of the Amsterdam electronic scenes, news of an upcoming LP, and more.
What is the latest from the Amsterdam EDM and various other electronic scenes?
The electronic scene in Amsterdam has kinda exploded over the past couple of years, just like in the rest of the Netherlands. Acts like Hardwell, Afrojack, Martin Garrix & Avicci have seen a lot of success in the USA, but this isn’t really indicative of the electronic dance music scene as a whole. I’m not really interested in being part of that particular scene.
In Amsterdam, we have a solid foundation for electronic music with independent radio, record stores, records labels and we have an amazing club density, with Trouw Amsterdam as a internationally acclaimed highlight. It’s constantly moving but the core will always stay here. The underground has become mainstream. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, since there are enough people and promoters who try to innovate and keep it interesting.
Tell us about your affinity for the Roland Juno 106, in using that as the track's foundation.
At the beginning, I would either borrow the synth from friends or use them when visiting their studios. The 106 was initially borrowed. The synth is a workhorse and is nice to play around with, without getting bored or feeling limited. It’s my first choice of instrument at the moment. The synth is now a permanent fixture in my studio. I think it’s nice to explore all of its options.
What was the recording process of “Covella” like?
The recording of the single was quite natural. I was working on another track and while playing my synth, I created a nice sound. This sound would become the basis for Covella. After playing around with the sound for a while, I liked it so much that I stopped working on the first track and started working on completing Covella. After a few beers on a Sunday afternoon during a cold winter, I added the finished touches to the track. So here it is.
What can you tell us about the other EP for NON Records coming later this year?
Yeah, it’s going to be an LP actually. I’m in the middle of the process of finishing and dropping tracks. I'm collecting feedback on my demo's from my friends at the moment. I’m also looking at collaborating with some of them on the record. It is going to be quite diverse, an album is a nice way to explore a broader musical spectrum. The LP is scheduled to be released this fall, but there is still a lot of work to be done. I’m really excited about finishing it and showing it to the world.
Favorite like minded artists of late?
Young Marco and James Holden.
Marius' new single, “Covella” is available now from the Amsterdam imprint, Non Records.
