Liverpool’s MXGN belongs to a new generation who has come up through the internet age but doesn't live online. Instead, he's locked into the studio since his mid-teens and refining a sound that hits with brutal peak-time force but still carries musicality beneath the beats. Raised on Tomorrowland videos before buying his first decks aged nine, he has now racked up millions of streams, released on labels like Teletech, Filth On Acid and NineTimesNine and is one of the UK’s fastest-rising hard techno stars.
Increasingly drawn toward live performance and hands-on hardware experimentation, MXGN has been rebuilding his music in real time using Roland drum machines, synthesisers and Ableton-based live setups. We speak to him about all that, his route into the scene, and find out about the exclusive mix he has served up for us. It was recorded fully live on hardware and is an assault on all the senses.
There is very little info about you online. Why choose to operate that way?
Since starting the MXGN project, the music was always my priority. I would prefer to grind in the studio and focus on creating new music than build my online platforms. Having said that, I have recently come across some new ways of visualising my music online. For example, recording live footage of me working on tracks with multiple camera angles, bringing what I do in the studio to life. I will be continuing to push out a lot more of this content this year.
What have been some of the most influential and defining moments so far for you as an artist?
I recently started to use a series of Roland hardware, such as drum machines and 303 synthesisers, that have allowed me to have full control over the track I am making. The feeling of performing with live hardware is so exciting compared to a DJ set and has been a huge influence on my style.
A huge defining moment for me was playing to a sold-out Teletech Factory Project in Manchester. Because I was on first, it gave me a great opportunity to play tracks that I have wanted to play for a while - slower, groovier, old-school tracks that warmed the room up perfectly. These kinds of sets can be the most satisfying and give you a lot of control.
A big influential moment for me was watching Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike’s Tomorrowland set on YouTube back in 2012. I was around eight or nine years old and it hooked me on dance music instantly. I bought my first pair of decks that year.
Where does inspiration come from for your productions?
When creating music, I prefer to sync everything over to my hardware and jam on a 16-bar loop. Sometimes I will jam for hours, bringing in and out new sounds and creating the builds and drops in real time. I prefer this method to sitting on the project moving blocks around - it allows you to get a feel for what comes naturally.
What was the aim with your new EP out in May?
In May, I have two releases. The first one was a collab with my good friend Alex Farell called ‘Comfort In Chaos’, released on Hekate. We wrote this one in his studio. We wanted to explore raw analogue sounds, which worked really well for the first drop. For the second drop, we used a 303 acid line, very similar to what we use in our other collabs, alongside an energetic saw synth.
My second release in May is a collab with another good friend, Deevey, which we made in my studio over a year ago. For this track, we decided to remix an old Joyhauser track that we both first heard played in Manchester four years prior. We wanted to give the track an acid rework and a modern-day punch. Over a year later, we were approached to have it officially released under Filth On Acid.
Tell us about your mix, the aim you had with it, and what you wanted it to say.
For this mix, I wanted to try something different. Rather than a DJ set, I recorded the mix live using Ableton and various Roland hardware. Throughout the mix, I play fully live with my own sounds, creating tracks that do not even exist yet. I wanted to challenge myself as I have multiple live sets planned for the year.
What gear did you use?
For this mix, I used Ableton Live, Roland TR-8S, Roland TB-03, XONE:96, Boss Reverb Pedal, Alesis keyboard and Akai APC Mini. I love using this setup as it gives me full control over what I want to play and the sounds I want to add.
What are you working on for the rest of the year?
Music-wise, I am working on lots more releases, including an official release on Armada, an EP on Teletech, a third return to Filth On Acid and some self-releases.
