Mazare talks 'Paracosm', upcoming bootleg series, what the future holds and more [Interview]

An artist that is on the rise lately, Monstercat label mainstay Mazare is quickly on his way to becoming a household name within the industry. After releasing a stream of singles for years now, he took the next biggest step in releasing his first EP ‘Paracosm.’ Not letting the pandemic stop his journey or slow him down in his tracks, Mazare used to time off from touring as a way to get back into the studio, and get his head down to work on exciting projects for both him and his fans. With much to talk about, We Rave You sat down with Mazare to talk about all this and more, also getting a glimpse into what the future looks like for this unique artist.

Thanks for joining us! 2021 has certainly been busy for you in terms of releases. What do you think of all the support you have gotten?

And thanks for having me! Yes, 2021 has been one of the busiest years so far, despite the pandemic situation: me a and the team got the chance to record a couple of livestreams in incredible settings here in Italy for Monstercat; then we had the release of my first EP and a couple of other singles, collabs and big remixes, and we’re not even done yet! Seeing people from all over the world, from different countries and cultures, connect with my music and sometimes even overcome hardships and tough times through the stuff I write here in this small town will always leave me speechless. Seriously, it’s the best feeling ever, and that’s what keeps us artists going. So thank you to everyone who spent a couple of minutes with me and my music, it means everything! 

Aside from a string of singles, you’ve also released the EP ‘Paracosm’ which happens to be your first EP. How did it feel to create an EP after all these years of producing?

Yeah, that’s correct! It felt great! I feel like working on a big project like an EP  or an album is like telling a story, it needs to have a ‘leitmotif’ that ties all the songs together like the chapters in a book, and that takes a lot of time and attention to details. 

Did you find the creation process for the EP different to anything you’ve done before? 

Absolutely! As I mentioned before, bigger projects require much more care and work to make them look and feel cohesive. From the sounds and instruments, to the artists you choose to work with, to the artworks and animations, all needs to head in the same direction. And when it’s time to pull all these strings and you see everything coming together, that’s when the real fun begins! 

Image credit: Mazara (via Facebook) 

Why did you decide that now was the right time to get an EP out into the world?

So at the end of 2019 things were starting to pick up. I played my first shows in Europe, but suddenly the pandemic hit and everything stopped. I felt lost and discouraged for a while, but then I realized I could use that time and take advantage of the world stopping for a minute. So I locked myself in the studio and started writing almost everyday, and that’s how the EP (and a lot of what will come next) came to life. 

Is there a story or message behind ‘Paracosm’?

Indeed! There’s a story I have always had in my mind and I started telling it through the covers of all my songs, some of which I’ve drawn myself. In the near future, we will start expanding to other media like animation, comics and NFTs and that story will come to life, piece after piece, and everyone will get to explore this whole new world! 

Moving onto your other projects, you’re also working on an upcoming bootleg series. Why did you decide to start this? How did you decide on the tracks you wanted to create bootlegs of? 

This was actually an idea I had when I started playing shows; there are a lot of songs that I really like but wouldn’t fit in a drum and bass DJ set because of different speed, mood or tonal elements, so I thought it could have been a good idea to create ‘playable’ versions of those tracks. Then I realized that maybe some other DJs might be happy to get them as well, so I decided to start releasing them!

Do you approach creating bootlegs differently than creating official remixes?

Yeah, absolutely. Most of the times when you work on bootlegs you don’t have access to the original stems, instruments and acapellas so you are forced to work with the original master, which isn’t always that simple. I personally really enjoy working on unofficial remixes though, because this process pushes you to find creative ideas and solutions to separate the elements you want to keep from the ones you don’t need. It’s great training!

It came to our attention that you also draw some of the artwork for your songs. How did that come about?

True! I’ve made all the art for my ‘Paracosm’ EP, the cover of my monthly Spotify Playlist and I’m working on some secret stuff which we will reveal in the near future. Since I was a kid I’ve always loved drawing but then I grew up and focused on other stuff. Last Christmas my family surprised me with a graphic tablet, so I started messing around with it and I discovered I still like it a lot. I still have a ton to learn about drawing and coloring, but it’s still great fun! 

Are you also active in the NFT space like so many other artists at the moment?

We are working on our first NFT drop at the moment, I strongly believe that it’s a great opportunity for smaller artists to make some money to sustain themselves and also a great chance to show their art to the world and make it truly unique! Everyone involved in any form of artistry should at least consider learning about how NFTs work and how to create and sell them, it’s such a great opportunity! 

What else can we expect from you during the final months of 2021? Can you give us any hints? 

I cannot say much, but I have a couple of more releases before the end of the year; one in particular is definitely one of my favorite songs I’ve ever worked on. And me and the team are working hard on a special merch drop that should be launching before the end of the year. Super excited for what’s to come!

You can listen to ‘Paracosm’ by Mazare below, and be sure to keep an eye out for his upcoming bootleg series.