Taste Test: Bloody Mary

Taste Test: Bloody Mary

26 November, 2010 | 6.56AM

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Music News: bloody mary, dame music

Bloody Mary is honing in on the beating heart.

In the four years since she began releasing records, Bloody Mary—aka the French born, Berlin-based Marjorie Migliaccio—has gradually evolved her sound from a bare-bones breed of dirt-crusted minimal into a lush, expressive, and full-blooded sound. You could hear her working out the balance on last year’s Black Pearl, her debut album, and this year’s Decadence, the mix album she released on her new Dame-Music label. Now, with her Arabesque EP, the label’s fourth release, she delves even deeper into a sound marked by dusky melodies and graceful restraint—"an emotional, low-slung and dignified piece of house music,” in Resident Advisor’s words.

We spoke to Mary about her melancholic tendencies, her plans for Dame-Music, and her musical upbringing. Read on for the complete interview.

ArabesqueEP_DameMusic_teaser from FernandaMattos&FedericaMarchese on Vimeo.

First, a few questions about your new label, Dame-Music. What’s your philosophy for the label—what kind of music do you want to release, how do you foresee it developing?

I started Dame-Music this year because I’m more confident with my own music, as well as my sense of the global scene, and it was important for me to have authority on how my music gets released. For my roster, I decided to work with my closest friends because it is important for me to be a real family and have true camaraderie when we do label nights together. Dame-Music has no musical politics, but what is important is that my artists need to have a real musical identity. Distinctions like techno versus house versus electro don’t matter. When I decide to sign an artist, I’m not thinking strictly about the dancefloor but about emotion. So while I have set things in motion, I foresee the label developing a life of its own based on this freedom.

What’s next from the label? Will you be introducing any more new (or new-ish) names to us?

Yes, I will—but patience, please, as I can’t announce just yet. You’ll know soon. Just one new name for now: Eyke, whose vocal and lyrics are featured on my new EP, Arabesque, out late November.

What are you working on in your own productions? Are you still collaborating with Sierra Sam? What’s the dynamic like when the two of you are in the studio?

After my first album, Black Pearl, I decided to make the music I want and I love to listen into my real life, not only in the clubs. Since that album, I’ve only done one grooving dancefloor track ("Dandie," on my mixed compilation Decadence from this summer). After that, I started to go back in studio with Sammy (Sierra Sam), and he has helped me to put all my concepts and emotions into music. We produced the new EP together and at the moment we are working on my new album. I love to work with him because he knows me so well. When I lay down the foundation and explain my ideas, he follows me intuitively, using all his musical experience, and the results have year after year become more beautiful. Around when I started the label, I began taking classical piano lessons, because I prefer to start the melody at home and later go to the studio and finish the work with him. The new album will not be techno-oriented, and Eyke will return to sing on many tracks. After the album’s release, I will play live for the first time, with the intent of him joining me on stage. I really want to do it because it’s a new challenge for me, much different than DJing.

You’ve said before that you like to have a certain melancholic vibe in your own music. Why is that—and how does that work on the dancefloor (which is generally quite a celebratory place). Do you like the feeling of tension that arises by putting moody vibes into uptempo music?

Well, to produce and to play are really two different worlds for me. When I’m in the studio, because of my life influence, my music is more deep and melancholic. But when im DJing, I’m playing only groovy music, because the people who are coming into a club are there for partying and having fun. So while I might mix a few of my own tracks, for the most part my sets have a more uplifting vibe. And I need to have fun too! When I’m playing it’s a real exchange between the people and me.

But after my new album, which will be out next year, I want bring the new live set to different places like festivals and performance venues, because audiences will be more prepared to listen this more moody, downtempo music, rather than in a dance club.

Now on to the “Taste Test”: we’d like to get to know a little bit about your musical history (and more). What was the first record you remember having as a child?

As a child, I was living at my grandparents’ place. So the only music there was the music they listened to, and it was mostly French music like Serge Gainsbourg.

What was the first record you bought with your own money?

Eric Serra’s The Big Blue, because I was a real fan of the movie.

Which style or genre of music was your first great love?

New wave.

How have your musical tastes changed since you were a teenager?

My musical tastes haven’t change so much since then. I’ve always loved rock and dubstep. I started to listen to electronic music when I was 17 years old. In the last two years, though, I’ve been listening to a lot more classical music.

What was the last record (or MP3) you bought?

John Tejada, “Sweat (On the Walls) (Martin Landsky Remix” [Poker Flat].

How many tracks/records do you typically acquire every week—both promos & purchases?

I can’t count the total tracks that come my way each week, but the maximum that really make it into my Traktor setup is maybe 15 or 20 per week.

What format do you DJ with – vinyl, CD, Traktor/Serato, Ableton, etc…?

I’ve been with Traktor vinyl for the last three years, because it is easier for traveling every weekend. Before that I used only vinyl.

Name your three favorite tracks at the moment:

Russ Yallop, “Rock Me” [Crosstown Rebels]

Jay Haze, “I Wait for You” [Contexterrior]

Bloody Mary, “Arabesque (Jin Choi Remix) [Dame-Music]

Three favorite classic tracks:

Carl Craig, “Throw” [Planet E]

Laurent Garnier, “Crispy Bacon” [F Communications]

Metro Area, “Miura” [Environ]

Which track (by another musician) do you wish that you had made?

Sebastien Tellier, “La Ritournelle” [Record Makers]

I just love it, and I can listen “La Ritournelle” every day!!!

What’s your favorite record from this year that isn’t electronic dance music?

It’s from 2009, but still alive this year, so I choose The XX, XX.

Current reading or last good book read?

Charlaine Harris, Club Dead, which I bought in September when I was on tour in the USA. It was funny to read it when I felt “dead” getting onto the plane!

Favorite piece of gear:

Rimowa suitcase. It’s the only thing I use for traveling since the last few years.

Preferred headphones:

Sennheiser HD25.

Favorite clothing designer:

Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.

Favorite city/country/club to perform in?

My favorite city is Berlin, favorite country is Mexico and favorite club is Fabric London.

What country would you be thrilled to play in, just for the food?

Italy, of course!

Strangest thing you’ve ever eaten while on tour:

It was in China, some kind of meat, but don’t ask me what it was!

Strangest thing a fan has ever given you:

A ring!

Frequent flyer survival tip:

To kill your jetlag you should sleep a lot, wherever, in the plane or the hotel. To listen to your body is important. And I never travel without my earplugs! Another piece of advice is to avoid airport bars/restaurants. With jetlag, your body needs energy. You won’t get it by purchasing junk food or alcohol… I mean, not too much alcohol!

Bloody Mary November Top 10

Dame-Music

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