Vintage & Morelli and Martin Graff Launch ‘Contrasts’: A New Home for Their Refined, Timeless, and Deeply Felt Vision

When it comes to melodic storytelling in electronic music, few names shine as brightly as these two artists.

Marko, better known as Vintage & Morelli, was practically born into music. Raised in a musical family and formally trained at the Faculty of Music Arts in Belgrade, his classical foundation met an insatiable curiosity for electronic soundscapes. Influenced by trance icons like Above & Beyond, Paul van Dyk, and Blank & Jones as well as cinematic storytellers like Enigma and Era, Marko developed a signature sound that’s melodic, layered, and rich with emotion.

That emotional approach has translated into a string of acclaimed releases. His albums “My Rose Enchanted Destiny,” “Hymn To The Night,” and “The Light” topped Beatport and iTunes charts, while racking up millions of streams on Spotify and YouTube. Supported by industry heavyweights like Armin van Buuren, Paul Oakenfold, and Above & Beyond, Marko has brought his uplifting sound to global stages from Luminosity Beach Festival to ADE, delivering live sets that are as moving as his studio work.

On the other side of Europe, hailing from Sokółka, Poland, Martin Graff has spent the last decade crafting tracks that feel as cinematic as they are club ready. With releases on Monstercat Silk, Black Hole Recordings, AVA Deep, and Elliptical Sun, his music blends uplifting trance energy with deep, progressive textures, earning support from Above & Beyond, Armin van Buuren, Cosmic Gate, and BT. Tracks like “The Moment,” “Ghana,” and “Cast Away / Mars” have become favorites for listeners seeking emotional melodies and immersive dancefloor journeys, while “Balance” and “Voice” stand out as key tracks that truly shape his sound.

In 2016, he released his debut album Destiny, marking a major milestone in his career. That same year, something special happened - Marko & Arielle joined him for their first international gig at the album’s release party held in Progresja, Poland’s biggest club. It was a defining moment when their musical paths truly intertwined, setting the stage for everything that would come next.

Now, after years of releasing on the world’s most renowned labels, the two longtime friends and collaborators are launching their very own imprint: Contrasts. The label is designed to showcase the full spectrum of melodic electronic music, from euphoric progressive house to deep, cinematic trance, and to provide a home for music that tells stories and connects on an emotional level.

With Contrasts’ first release, “Broken Mirror,” the duo sets the tone for what’s to come: music that bridges emotion and energy, reflection and release, true to the name, and true to their shared vision.

Marko and Martin, you’ve both been in the music world for quite some time. How did your experience (and maybe a few lessons learned the hard way!) push you to finally start up this label? Was this a long‑time dream or a spontaneous “let’s do it” moment?

Marko: Thanks, Beatportal team. I’ve felt for a long time that most labels - intentionally or not - tend to box artists into current trends, rather than letting the music speak for itself. I’ve always dreamed of having a space where creativity comes first - no limits, no restraints. That vision of starting my own label has been with me for years. When I was about halfway through writing my fourth artist album, it finally felt like the right time. Martin and I have been close friends for over a decade, and there’s honestly no one I’d rather share this wonderful adventure with. Starting Contrasts together just made perfect sense.

Martin: Quite a spontaneous moment, I'd say, but when we decided to make it, a lot of positive and hopeful things started to happen. In my humble opinion, the industry is shifting in a really wrong direction. Music seems to be emotionless, focusing on short-term dopamine shots for social media rather than something that you can truly feel.

How does your shared vision shape what the imprint is going to stand for?

Martin: For many years, we've been outsiders, doing our own thing. We didn't look at the environment's reaction and we didn't follow trends. We had similar ideas and our paths crossed many times I think that the way we are perceiving music has connected us and brought us to the point where we are making something together. We are loyal to our sound, but also we are loyal to ourselves.

Marko: It’s more than just music - it’s about emotion first. We both grew up loving that 2007-era Anjuna sound and the kind of music Silk has put out for over a decade. That emotional, melodic, yet club-ready style feels like a missing piece in today’s scene, and we want to bring it back. Think beautiful chord progressions, housey drums and basslines, meaningful vocals, music that moves you but still works on the dancefloor. That’s the heart of our shared vision - refined, timeless, and deeply felt.

What’s the signature Contrasts sound and vibe? Progressive house, melodic, trance, uplifting? And of course, we’ve got to ask… why the name Contrasts?

Martin: For us, music is something more than just a bassline & kick. We are always going after emotions first place, so melodies, lyrics and vocals are the core, yet we are gonna release some club-oriented tracks too, but in quite a different form. The main theme will be progressive house, the one we love, yet we will have some progressive trance (the one that is dearly missed by everyone!). You can expect some old ISOS sounds in a new form too ;)! About the name of the label, I think Marko will have much more to tell!

Marko: Contrasts is actually the name of one of my most well-known records, and definitely the breakthrough track of my career. I’ve always loved both house and trance, and I naturally blend those genres into my own productions. So the name Contrasts felt like the perfect fit. It represents the balance between styles and emotions - melodic and emotional, but also dark and techy.

No, we're not boxing ourselves into one specific genre, but if we had to define it, it’s club-ready music that leans on progressive house and melodic sounds, with touches of trance. At the end of the day, it’s all about freedom, the kind that comes with telling a real story through music.

For any future artists hoping to join the Contrasts family, what qualities are you really looking for? Is it all about sound, story, or a bit of magic in between?

Martin: Sound, story, magic, but mostly talent & personality. We are quite tired of repetitive projects that sound the same (because they are coming from the same producer). We are aiming for the original sound and it can be found only in real producers & artists who are truly passionate about music.

Marko: We’re looking for raw talent, passion, personality, and originality. Sound design and production quality matter, of course, but even more important is that emotional spark. We want to hear you in the music. If you're creating something honest, something that tells a story or carries a feeling, and it fits somewhere in that melodic, progressive space, we’d love to hear from you. That little bit of magic in between? That’s what we live for.

How hands-on will you be with your artists? Will it be full-on A&R - helping shape their sound and visuals, or more of a “here’s your space, go shine” kind of approach?

Martin: Like every recording label, we will aim for some type of sound, yet we won't push artists to make it in that specific way. We are seeking something real and our contributions and help will be more based on technical aspects rather than musical direction. We will use our experience to help artists reach their potential rather than shaping them. This is what Contrasts is about. We want to have that touch of variety. We don't want everyone to sound the same.

Marko: We plan to be as hands-on and supportive as each artist needs. If a track resonates with us and we believe in its direction, we’ll absolutely invest our time and energy to help it evolve into the best version of itself. I handle all things creative at Contrasts, so visuals, branding, and storytelling are a big part of how we present each release. We're here to collaborate, guide, and give artists the tools and space they need to truly shine.

Now, let’s talk about your first single on Contrasts. Why did you choose “Broken Mirror” to launch the label?

Marko: We went through a lot of incredible music, but Broken Mirror just felt like the perfect fit to launch the label. It has everything we stand for: emotion, chords, solid drums, rich synthwork, and a powerful vocal performance from Shayan of Phonic Youth. The track balances that melodic depth with strong club energy, and it instantly captures the essence of what Contrasts is all about. We knew this had to be the first one.

Martin: We had a lot of tracks to get through and a lot of ideas in our minds, yet we thought that bringing friends together, who have the same vision of the future of music, was the best choice.

Can you walk us through the making of “Broken Mirror” and how Phonic Youth got involved?

Martin: It was an idea created by Marko. He sent me the project to look into. It was quite different from what we hear now. I've been working on a mixdown and re-created the whole breakdown section and expanded the drum section.

Marko: Broken Mirror actually started as an old project I had sitting in my archive, one of hundreds, to be honest. I sent it over to Martin as a possible collab idea, and he immediately connected with it. From there, we started shaping it together - tweaking the drums, reworking the chords, refining the breakdown.

At the same time, I had been working on a few records with Phonic Youth, and this particular vocal from Shayan stood out. I dropped it into the project, and it just clicked, like it was meant to be there all along. A few more tweaks and bounces later, we had Broken Mirror. I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

Any message for your fans? What can we all expect from you and Contrasts in the months ahead?

Martin: For sure, you'll see us pushing our Contrasts brand, so it means you'll see us live more often. I'm really grateful for all of you who have joined our adventure and who are yet to join. We will do our best to bring the music essence back.

Marko: Thank you so much for all your incredible support. We truly appreciate each and every one of you. We wouldn’t be here without you. Right now, we’re working on a lot of exciting things: live events, new signings, and of course, my fourth artist album, which I’ll be sharing more about next month. To all our long-time supporters and to those just discovering Contrasts: thank you for being part of this adventure. We can’t wait to show you what’s next.