Italian DJ, producer and record label owner, Karmine Conte has stood at the forefront of the Melodic Techno movement. As one half of Tale Of Us, he was one of the lead protagonists instrumental in its rise to prominence.
The hybrid came to typify dance music's direction of travel in the mid-2010s, at a time when bpms were slowing in retaliation to the EDM boom. Now, as the genre looks set to mutate once again, Karmine is well-positioned to steer its future course.
Not one to dwell on past successes, Karm is currently throwing all his creative energy behind his latest endeavour - his solo project, under the stage name MRAK.
Next week, he begins his own mini-residency, looking after Fridays at Amnesia. We caught up with Karm at his villa to talk about what fans can expect on 5, 12 and 19 September.
When Lissy Lü met MRAK at his Ibiza villa
You've been at the forefront of the Melodic Techno movement for years with Tale Of Us. What inspired you to step into your own solo identity?
"What inspired me? Honestly, it always comes back to the drive to create something new, something that challenges me and keeps me engaged on different levels.
This job allows me to explore creativity through performance, installation art and the act of building something that carries both meaning and legacy. Looking back, I realise music has always been at the core of that inspiration.
It represented change, growth, and the possibility of taking things in a new direction. That’s why I decided to create something more personal, a foundation for the future, something I can continue to build upon when the time comes. That was one of my main motivations.
The second reason is simple: I love this job and the journey is just beginning!"
How would you describe the creative process in comparison to your previous work as a duo?
"Everything is built on trust, as a duo.
Both artists have to bring their full capabilities to the table, because honestly, I wouldn’t give one hundred per cent if the other person wasn't doing the same. It’s about sharing opinions, ideas and musical direction with someone who’s open to discussion, even to the distortion of ideas, in order to create something better.
That exchange is always a privilege and it’s something beautiful.
You need to recognise the right moments, when to bring up certain aspects of the sound and when to hold back. That balance is essential to the creative process."
How personal is the music you're making as MRAK? Are there themes or emotions that you find yourself returning to when making music?
"I feel privileged to be able to channel my emotions into what I write and compose.
Creating music from nothing, from silence, requires going deep into your feelings and shaping them into sound. In a way, it's not only a way to share and explain those emotions to others, but also a way to understand them yourself, even in the future."
Do you finding yourself writing music here? Is your studio on Ibiza?
"Yes, I actually have three studios. I like to learn the sound of each room. Once I get to know and control that sound, it gives me a new perspective on producing music, how it feels in different environments.
Working between my own studios and external ones also helps me hear my music in different ways. It shows me the strengths and the mistakes from new angles, which I find really valuable.
At the end of the day, there's no single 'right' way to make music; it's ultimately the listener's ear that decides what feels right."
Do you ever make music on the road when you're travelling?
"Yes, I do. I also make music through my headphones sometimes, on my iPhone too. Even when I’m playing video games, I find inspiration.
Right now, I'm playing Stalker 2. In the game, when you’re at the camp, you can pull out a guitar and play it. You have access to all the chords, major, minor, everything, so you can actually compose music. And really, guitar and voice together are the first steps of songwriting.
Music is everywhere around us."
Your new EP, Smoke, is out now on Afterlife. What can you tell us about the tracks on this EP?
"When it comes to releasing music, I pick the ones that feel like a good balance between what I'm doing now, what I’ve already done and what I can't share yet, because it's still too raw. One of the tracks is a collaboration with braev, an incredible singer and composer.
Together, we've created at least fifty pieces of beautiful music, including a remix that started from an idea we had some time ago."
"To celebrate all of that, I decided to include two tracks on the new EP, along with a smaller track that I felt really captured the summer vibe."
Afterlife has evolved into a global force known for its immersive audio-visual experiences. What's been your vision for the label from the beginning and how has that evolved?
"I think it has evolved really well!
Afterlife remains of the most relevant labels out there. While my personal vision isn't necessarily the same as the label’s, since I’m not the manager, I’ve always seen it as being about the artists and the music itself."
"For me, it's not about labelling something as 'Melodic Techno' or any genre; it's simply about whether the music gives you goosebumps or not.
And if I ever miss an opportunity, there's always the next one.
What matters is that the music always meets a high standard of technique and production, which Afterlife has maintained from the very beginning. The first release, from Recondite and Monoloc, both Berghain artists from Berlin, set the tone.
From the start, the label's approach has been about celebrating electronic music in all its directions."
With your forthcoming residency at Amnesia, are you planning on there be any visual elements or will it take a more stripped-back approach?
"It's going to be a mix of old school vibes, almost like Victorian juke joints, with certain elements of furniture or design that will always be present, similar to the diving Afterlife man. That will serve as an imaginative, intuitive pillar.
On the other side, there will be digital creativity, analog elements and even cinematic interaction.
But of course, the music will always remain the true protagonist of everything."
You occasionally perform on stage with live musicians. Is that something we might see at Amnesia as well?
"I don't think so, but it depends. Honestly, the fact that I live half a kilometre (from Amnesia) makes my life much easier. If I decide that I want to put my set up there just because, you know, it depends on how I feel. But I would love to…"
MRAK starts on Friday 5 September, running until 19 September.
You can find tickets to all three parties at the bottom of this page. Full line-ups to be confirmed soon.
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