Mak & Pasteman on shared history, UK bass culture & finding their way back to the studio | Faux Poly Interviews

Mak & Pasteman’s journey is rooted in the fertile club culture of late-2000s Leeds, where their paths first crossed amid a surge of bass-driven experimentation. Surrounded by formative institutions like Subdub and Valve, and inspired by the forward-thinking sounds of Hessle Audio, dubstep, techno and breakbeats, the duo began shaping a sound that has evolved steadily over the past 15 years. Drawing from shared history, deep musical alignment, and a lifelong connection to UK underground culture, their work reflects both experience and instinct.

In this interview, Mak & Pasteman discuss the motivations behind returning with Listen on Faux Poly, unpacking their remote, sketch-led workflow and how they balance hardware, software, and sample-based production.

Q: Hey Mak & Pasteman, can you give us a little insight into where you’re from, your musical journeys, and your local scenes?

A: Mak is from Huddersfield and Pasteman is from Peterborough. Our musical journeys overlapped in Leeds while we were at Uni studying music. Leeds in the late 2000s was an incredibly exciting and fertile place for music. Dubstep had reached the North from London, Hessle Audio was releasing incredibly exciting music, and artists like Pearson Sound, Midland, Pangaea and Ben UFO were all regulars on the local scene.

With events like Subdub, Metropolis, Valve and Bigger Than Barry, we were spoilt with incredible artists and DJs playing most nights of the week. This inspired us to start writing music together around 2010, and it’s mad to think we’ve now been on this journey for 15 years, making bass music that draws from all of those influences.

Q: Listen EP feels like a confident return after some time away, what pulled you back into release mode at this point?

A: We’d both become fathers after deciding to call it a day in 2019. We had jobs, responsibilities and mortgages, but something about our connection and the music was missing from our lives. We’d always kept our fingers on the pulse of what was happening in UK underground music and started to see a resurgence of the sound we’d been part of throughout the 2010s.

As a bit of fun, we sent a few sketches back and forth and it just caught momentum, because it was coming from a place of expression and fun rather than career pressure. James from DEXT was really encouraging, and as we started to re-open our socials and reconnect with people, new and old friends - we found that people were genuinely excited about our return, and particularly the music we were writing.

Our connection to Warren (½ Kassian) goes back years, and we were incredibly excited about the music they were making. We’d both said that if we were going to do this again, we wanted to work with like-minded people we had history with, who were releasing forward-thinking music. It all came together really organically, as everything has since we’ve returned, and I think there’s a lesson in that about intention. We have no expectations. The creation is where the satisfaction is. Everything that comes after is a blessing, and that mindset has really underpinned our journey this year.

Q: Are there specific eras, clubs, or records that were in your heads while writing this EP?

A: For sure. Mak’s history with breakbeats from hardcore to jungle has run through most of our discography, and we both love the fusion of other sounds: bass, techno, dubstep, etc. This EP really brings all of those influences together intentionally, to create a sonic palette that feels unique and distinctly us.

It goes without saying that the track Plastic People is a tribute to the venue and to FWD, a night that gave us huge inspiration, where anything went as long as it was exciting and forward-thinking, with loads of bass, space and groove. We’ve tried to carry that ethos through the EP to create something that’s both relatable and fresh. Hopefully we’ve done it justice.

Q: You mentioned sending tracks back and forth over several months. How did working remotely shape the final results?

A: It’s actually been incredible for us. We used to have a studio in London where most of the time we’d drink brews, eat biscuits and noodle around on synths, or spend countless hours digging for samples.

Now our setup is split between York and London, and the workflow is very sketch-based. We create heaps of ideas and send clips via WhatsApp. If something connects or inspires, we send the projects over and it’s almost like being handed the elements for a remix. What’s been most exciting is receiving the developed tracks back in both directions. It’s a really energising way to work.
It’s also quick. We’ve been doing this together for so long and we’re so aligned sonically and aesthetically that ideas just flow naturally.

Q: What role did hardware play on this EP compared to digital tools?

A: Our setups are dramatically different. I’ve got a laptop and some speakers at home, while Mak has heaps of hardware synths, outboard gear and modular. Some software synths get replaced toward the end of production with hardware or modular, and a lot of the drums are run through outboard compression, limiters and EQ.

That said, when we decided to start writing again, we thought back to the best music we’d made, tracks like Dither and Oh Baby. These were largely sample-based tunes with lots of processing, some via UAD and some via outboard. We realised we’d probably got a bit hung up on hardware at times, and that it was slowing us down.

Now we use hardware sparingly, when it’s really going to add something or genuinely inspire a creative decision. It’s been good to see that fetishisation fade a bit in recent years. Software is incredible. Ultimately it’s the samples you choose, the grooves you create and the musicality that matter. It doesn’t really matter if it’s digital or analogue, as long as the music is well put together, has dynamics, has vibes, and slaps on a soundsystem.

Q: Do you find inspiration from outside of music; film, art, or everyday experiences?

A: Of course. Like most people who grew up on jungle, drum & bass, garage and dubstep, films and TV are a rich source of inspiration and samples. There’s also a lot to be said for expression and the way music can help you channel emotion. Sometimes it’s deep, sometimes it really isn’t.

We both draw inspiration from all sorts; reading, art, spirituality, family. It’s just something inherent in us as creatives.

Q: What’s exciting you both most in club music right now?

A: Smaller-capacity venues, no phones, young talent, tempos around 140 and 170, and variety in sets fusing bass, dubstep, breakbeat and techno. There’s something in the air at the moment that really reminds us of the 2010s.

Seeing artists like Paleman writing again and hearing sounds from that era coming back around is a real vibe. We’re also loving collaborating with other artists, like our recent EP with Denham Audio and Odd Occasion. We’ve got more in the pipeline for 2026 and are excited to share those sonic excursions with the world.

Q: What’s next for Mak & Pasteman? Any projects in the pipeline you can tell us about?

A: There’s lots of exciting stuff coming up in 2026 for Mak & Pasteman, and also for our other alias Echosystem, which we run with our good friend Arkive. Our Midas label will continue to be the hub for our productions, and we’re also working with some fresh artists to build it into more of a creative stable.

We’ve got a series of EPs coming on Terrorhythm called Pressure Points, which feels like another full-circle moment after being friends with Plastician for many years. There are also some remixes coming on Hotflush and Club Glow, plus a few other bits we can’t announce just yet, but we’re hyped to get out there. It’s going to be a fun year, and the music will keep flowing.

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