Counting with Mathias Modica

Mathias Modica is a Marseille-based DJ, musician and label founder. Together with Jonas Imbery, he runs the much-loved disco imprint Gomma, home to acts of repute like Who Made Who, The Phenomenal Handclap Band, Daniel Aviary and Box Codax, the solo project of Franz Ferdinand’s Nick McCarthy. He also has a live band called Munk which turned out music of note in the first half of the oughts, including a collaboration with James Murphy.

1 memorable line in a film or song…
“Jazz is not dead—it just smells funny…” (Zappa. Bebop Tango)

2 people that should collaborate…
Kruder & Dorfmeister and Nicolas Jaar. Both make music that works well in lounges and doctor’s waiting rooms.

3 things I haven’t done yet…
Lounge music, Deep House, New Disco.

4 decisions I regret…
1. Not having made lounge music (I would be famous now like Nicolas Jaar and K&D)
2. Not having made deep house (I would be rich like Beatport)
3. Not having produced Lykke Li nu disco remixes (I would be in the charts now)
4. I’ve always tried to avoid fashion music and to search for new ways to make people dance…

5 things I used to believe:
Deep house doesn’t have anything in common with lounge music.
Lounge music was a 90s phenomena.
Techno labels don’t like disco samples.
Techno cannot become a cliché for  mainstream tourists as it had indeed happened in Berlin.
The disco revival is over. (But, as we saw at Resident Advisor’s ADE party in October, it seems that just now the big techno world is starting to get into the old school disco funk vibe).

6 hours ago…
I was dancing to Charlie Parker.

7 days I barely remember…
When techno was big in Munich ca. 1994, I was 14 years old and got lost on a DJ Hell super rave.

After 8 p.m…
I start to wake up.

My 9 lives…
..will start after I leave my first one hopefully.

I wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole:
Lounge music.

Published December 03, 2012. Words by moritz.schmall.