"I Will Leave This Chapter Open" K-Mack Interview

K-Mack is back on Unlearn with a slice of raw, sinewy tech house goodness.

K-Mack is a London-based DJ and producer blending groove-heavy tech house with sharp, floor-focused precision. With releases on Repopulate Mars, Material, and Hottrax, his tracks—like the chart-topping “RU” on Lapsus—pair bass-driven energy with a sleek, club-ready aesthetic.

A staple on Data Transmission and Select Radio UK, K-Mack’s weekly Select show has featured guests like Mihalis Safras and David Penn, cementing his role in shaping the sound of modern tech house. From Ibiza’s main rooms to London’s iconic clubs, K-Mack delivers sets that are raw and dynamic.

New cut on Unlearn Records is another flawless release from K-Mack. Raw, sinewy beats and underpinned with a snarling bassline, offset by a squelching, acid-inflected lead synth line and warped snatches of vocal. Unlearn’s Doc Brown himself is on the remix with a tense, techy version that patiently builds to a headspinning breakdown.

With the single out now, we took the opportunity to have a chat with K-Mack about how 2024 was a quiet year for him, and why this might be the last release you'll hear from him for a while.

Thanks for talking to us – how's the year been for you?

I’ve had a quiet year away from gigs, bought my dream house, and focused on music production and content creation with my own football channel, “kmackchannel,” on YouTube. I have also continued to work as A&R for a big UK label called Nastyfunk Records. This has been great, signing new producers and giving them their first music release.

Can you break down the production techniques you used to achieve the textures on your new single Bang? Were there specific pieces of hardware, software, or sound design processes you leaned on for this track?

I’m very simple with music production, using my Mac, headphones, and Ableton Live with plugins. I use a Push 2 and an Akai Professional keyboard. I also use WAVES and LANDR for most of my tracks. If it works and keeps a familiar sound to my music production, then why change it?

The track’s vocal snatches have a warped, almost hypnotic quality. How did you process these vocals to fit them seamlessly into the raw and sinewy aesthetic of the track?

With Ableton, I import vocal samples into a project, selecting "Warp/Complex Pro." It automatically adjusts – it’s a smooth process. That setting always works well for me, and then I just adjust the envelope.

Tech house often thrives on subtle rhythmic shifts. Did you incorporate any unconventional techniques to create its distinctive energy?

I always want to give my music production energy, and the best way to make that happen is with a heavy bassline, sub, and kick that drive the sound and give it heat! Smooth transitions and my familiar use of similar hi-hats, claps, and toms. Crafting driving drums and basslines with hypnotic melodies, and finishing off with some sick catchy vocals.

Your productions consistently balance raw energy with a polished club-ready sound. How do you strike that balance during your mixing and mastering process, especially for low-end elements like the bass and kick?

I have a confession – I use a professional for mastering. I would prefer labels to master, as they have their own style and sound engineers. I pre-master all my tracks for demos, but the final edit is done at a label level. I’ve been doing this for a few years now, so I make sure my sound fits the labels I release on.

The acid-inspired lead synth is a standout in the track. Was this created using classic hardware like the 303, or did you use modern emulations or custom sound design techniques?

Good melodies don’t have to be complex. Creating synths, you have Operator, and I use Waves in it. I work on attack, decay, and so on, add some FabFilter, and add effects. I use my Push 2 and my Akai keyboard. Like I said, a simple setup, but it’s been effective over the years.

Having released music on labels like Repopulate Mars, Material, and Hottrax, how does your creative process adapt when producing for different imprints?

I usually spend time checking the vibe and direction labels are moving with their producers and look at what music I can write to fit a summer or winter seasonal vibe for releases!

As the year wraps up, what are you most looking forward to about 2025?

2025 is really an unknown for me right now! This release is the last on my current release catalog. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and A&R is something I’ve enjoyed. I feel like I’m giving newbies a helping hand in starting their own journey, and I have signed some artists over the years who are now regulars on Hot Creations, Sola, and RPM, to name a few. Maybe this might be the last you hear from me, or maybe not. I will leave this chapter open.

Get "Bang" On Beatport Now