Maurizio Schmitz on his new label mauromusica - Three Decades in the Making

Mauromusica isn't just the beginning of a new chapter for Maurizio Schmitz, it's the manifestation of a vision he had more than three decades ago.

The name itself has existed since the early 2000s as a party series that quietly built a loyal following through intimate dancefloors and carefully curated nights. But the idea behind it stretches back even further. Long before mauromusica became known for its parties, Maurizio had envisioned it as a record label. Only now, after years spent immersed in every corner of electronic music, has that vision finally become reality.

"Absolutely," he says when asked whether waiting made the label stronger. "Back then I was young, full of passion and energy, but I simply didn't have the experience and the network and the confidence I have today. Over the years I've worked as a DJ, promoter, music manager, agent. I’ve met incredible artists and built relationships all over the world."

That experience now finds its expression in mauromusica's debut releases: the limited edition Raxon's Based in Space and the label's inaugural compilation, EINER REIN. EINER RAUS. 

Rather than introducing the label with a single artist, Maurizio chose a curated collection that reflects his musical philosophy, a carefully assembled journey through artists whose work shares a common emotional language.

The label isn't about establishing another imprint in an already crowded marketplace. It's about bringing together everything that has shaped him personally throughout his life in music. "It's actually been more than thirty years now and somehow I still feel like the curious kid who bought his first records. That excitement has never disappeared."

"With mauromusica I can finally bring together everything I love: music, vinyl, design, art and creating experiences that connect people. It's not an ego project. It's much more like hosting a great party, you bring together people who share the same passion and together you create something bigger than yourself."

That sense of authenticity runs through every aspect of the project. At a time when labels often chase streaming numbers and social media visibility, mauromusica deliberately prioritises instinct over algorithms. "To be honest, I don't spend much time looking at what everybody else is doing or what the latest trend is. I trust my intuition. Everything released under my name has to feel right first. It's not a reaction against streaming or algorithms, it's simply the way I approach music. If you feel it's an old-school approach, then I'm totally fine with it."

His philosophy is remarkably simple. "The world doesn't need another copy of what's already successful. It needs people with their own perspective, their own taste and the courage to stand behind it."

That philosophy is perfectly encapsulated in the title of the first compilation. The phrase EINER REIN. EINER RAUS means literally "One In. One Out." It wasn't the result of weeks of brainstorming. It emerged spontaneously during a conversation with renowned artist Tobias Rehberger, whose artwork now graces the release. "We had been drinking, I was enthusiastically explaining the concept behind the label, and after listening to me for a while he simply said: 'Einer rein. Einer raus. That was it."

As Maurizio reflected on the phrase, it grew beyond a clever title. "As a DJ you're constantly replacing one record with another, one in, one out. But it's also a philosophy for life. New people arrive, others leave. New ideas replace old ones. Everything keeps moving and that's exactly what electronic music has always been about."

It's an idea that mirrors his own career.

Over the years Maurizio has worked across virtually every facet of the electronic music industry, as a DJ, promoter, artist manager and event organiser. His long association with Sven Väth and the Cocoon family naturally is an important part of that journey, but he is careful not to define mauromusica through those experiences. "I've learned an incredible amount during my years at Cocoon and I'll always be grateful for that," he says. "But I actually don't like comparing the two."

"What Sven and the whole Cocoon team have built over several decades is unique. Mauromusica is much more personal. It's simply my own interpretation of electronic music. I have no interest in recreating something that already exists. Every meaningful project deserves its own identity."

That independence of thought also explains how the label's first release came together. Maurizio had spent years listening to unreleased music from around the world. One track in particular refused to leave him. "Over the years I've listened to thousands of unreleased tracks, many of them submitted to Cocoon. Some were excellent but, for one reason or another, never found a home. 'Based In Space' was one of those tracks. The moment I heard it, I knew it deserved to be released."

That discovery sparked something much larger. "At the same time, I realised I had been sitting on many other incredible unreleased tracks for years. Suddenly everything came together. What started with one track quickly became the foundation for the first mauromusica compilation."

The fact that Sven Väth championed Raxon's track in his sets only reinforced his belief in the record. "Sven chose that one from all the tracks I gave him on a dubplate, that helped so much."

Just as carefully considered as the music itself is the presentation. While today's digital landscape often reduces music to thumbnails and playlists, Maurizio remains deeply committed to the physical experience of owning a record. Every detail of the release, from Tobias Rehberger's artwork to premium packaging and handmade vinyl editions, reflects that belief. "Because I think the music deserves it." He affirms.

"Producers invest an enormous amount of time, creativity and emotion into their work, yet today it's often reduced to a thumbnail and a stream worth fractions of a cent. I wanted to give the music the presentation it deserves."

He is quick to point out that beautiful packaging alone never made a great record. "Some of my favourite records are old white labels with handwritten titles or just stamps on them. But since I have complete creative freedom with my own label, I want every release to feel like a carefully crafted art object."

His admiration for labels such as Warp Records, where music and visual identity became inseparable, has clearly informed that approach. "It always started with the music. If I don't love the track, I won't buy the record, no matter how beautiful the sleeve is."

Ultimately, though, mauromusica is less about vinyl, branding or nostalgia than it is about musical instinct. When new demos arrive, he knows almost immediately whether something deserves further attention. "Usually, I know within the first ten seconds if it's fitting my sound spectrum. Sometimes it's the kick drum, sometimes it's the groove and sometimes it's just one tiny detail that catches my attention."

The artist's reputation means very little. "For me it's never about the name. It's about the music. I honestly don't care whether a track comes from an internationally respected artist or from someone releasing their very first record. If it fits the spirit of mauromusica, it deserves the same chance."

Looking back, he admits there are things he would tell the younger version of himself, the one organising early mauriomusica parties while losing money in pursuit of an idea. "I'd tell him to make sure he has a solid financial foundation before organising his first parties. It was an expensive education, but I never lost faith in my own vision."

That unwavering belief has carried him through more than thirty years in electronic music and into the realisation of a dream first imagined decades ago. Despite everything he's experienced, the feeling that first drew him to club culture remains unchanged. "A record that truly moves me," he says, when asked what still gives him goosebumps. "It doesn't matter whether I've known it for twenty years or I'm hearing it for the very first time. If the right track is played at exactly the right moment, on a great sound system, in a club full of people completely lost in the music, that feeling is impossible to describe."

“That's why I fell in love with electronic music in the first place.”

“That feeling has never left me."

Raxon – Based in Space and EINER REIN. EINER RAUS featuring  RE-ST, JA:CK, Fedele, Radu Dracul, Sublee are out now on mauromusica. Grab them on Beatport HERE. 

Read the full interview with Maurizio Schmitz on The Night Bazaar HERE.