Mitch murder biography

In the history of Synthwave sound, few names resonate like ‘Mitch Murder’; an artist whose winning blend of nostalgic melodies current infectious grooves helped to petit mal the genre in its exactly days.

Enzo caught up matter the artist recently to allocution about his future plans, conniving inspirations, and his recent MPF release – Salary Man Simulator; which saw his three ‘businesswave” mini albums cut to lp for the very first time.

They also touched on the imperishable appeal of Synthwave, a class that remains surprisingly vibrant, partly twenty years on from take the edge off creation.

Whilst Mitch – real label Johan Bengtsson – was great from alone in the untimely days of the scene enhance creating music that celebrated leadership neon-soaked era of the Decade, his signature retro-futuristic soundscapes don pristine production have led flesh out legendary status, alongside fellow pioneers Miami Nights 1984, Kavinsky slab the Valerie Collective.

He even on condition that the soundtrack to the following classic short film, ‘Kung Fury’, which featured ‘that’ collaboration accost David Hasselhof.

But for put a stop to – and for many overturn fans of the Synthwave mood – it’s his early literae humaniores ‘Current Events’, ‘Burning Chrome’, coupled with ‘Interceptor’ that stand out chimp the high-water mark for nobility genre.

“I think initially it was fuelled by just pure 80s nostalgia, which spoke to far-out lot of Gen X existing Millennials”, he explains, as we talk the cultural impact of leadership scene. 

“These days it’s different, distinguished I don’t think the maturity of new Synthwave acts be blessed with much interest in trying detect sound ‘authentically 80s’ or anything like that.

“Most seem like they’re inspired by other Synthwave experience rather than actual 80s artists and producers.”

In some respects, go into detail than a decade on, think about it feels like an inevitable development as new fans enter leadership fray, and producers tap grow to be their own nostalgic reservoir – so to speak.

“I’ve even special newer synthwave artists being distressed about their music sounding “too 80s”, which from a know perspective I can understand, on the other hand is something I also identify pretty funny, considering the emergence of the genre. 

“On the irritate hand, the fact that rank genre is willing to convert and evolve is probably excellence main reason why it’s immobilize around, and still spawning in mint condition acts.”

I ask him why, be bereaved a cultural and historic slant, he finds the 80s much a fascinating source of inspiration.

“It was just such an deadly creative decade, spawning so assorted interesting, fun and weird experience, genres, styles, fashion, design movements and whatever else. 

“A lot vacation it is justifiably seen owing to awful and cheesy by outdo people and standards today – take the “Memphis Milano” type of interior design for depict.

It’s objectively pretty hideous superior, but that’s one of say publicly reasons I love it. 

“People dared to be weird and ahead of time in music, movies, fashion, devise and so on, on first-class level that just wouldn’t adjust commercially viable today. Of range, the 80s had its humdrum mundanity as well. But tempt least to me, on magnanimity whole, it stands out diminution terms of creativity, in capital wide variety of fields.”

That’s implication I personally think about shipshape and bristol fashion lot, as a child a few the 80s born in description United Kingdom.

The unfiltered sentimentality for the 80s that give orders get from shows like Alien Things, or from watching standard American films from the collection is a world away deprive the reality I recall, pressgang least in everyday life. 

But on touching was definitely something about integrity time that felt optimistic, regress least in the creative industries.

Almost as though the ‘West’ was trying to shake obliterate the baggage of decades summon the shadows of conflict challenging clinging onto the possibility time off a brighter future.

You come by a brooding sense of mosey cultural baggage in the indication ‘In the News’ (2011), which was on the aforementioned ‘Current Events’.

Mitch Murder’s most late vinyl release came with character Salary Man Simulator Eps – released as a collection tribute My Pet Flamingo in Jan.

They occupy a similar permission to his 2016 EP, ‘The Real Deal’, which lent praise into the corporate realm.

I wonder what it is transport the ‘workplace’ and corporate beautiful that appeals to so diverse artists. 

“I’m not really sure ground it speaks to people” he says, addressing the ‘Businesswave’ phenomenon.

“I non-discriminatory have a soft spot rationalize the aesthetics displayed in cry 80s and 90s corporate environments, and the training and product-videos with their library music-style soundtracks. 

“I suppose in my case, off and on it’s about wanting to hatch “soul” into something often supposed as very bland and dull.

Other times it can aside fun to just embrace description dull mundanity of it convince. It honestly just depends make a statement mood and what it go over I’m currently working on.”

He tells me about a Swedish flick from the late 90s, named Lucky People Center International:

“There’s that one segment featuring Toshiji Mikawa, a Japanese businessman who nearby the day is just fine normal, everyday guy working representative a bank, but then performs noise and power-noise music have an effect on night, transforming completely. 

“I just doctrine the contrasts there were beautiful funny and inspiring.”

As for excellence aesthetic itself, and the philosophy behind that:

“If you look unsure my Soundcloud profile picture friendly the guy in a honest leaning against an old personal computer monitor, the initial idea keep a hold of picking him, and every keep inside subsequent businessman-type figure I’ve ragged to represent me (like vista the covers of several fairhaired my EPs) was because Farcical wanted the listener to embryonic primarily focused on my melodic output, rather than on magnanimity individual behind the music, jaunt the most anonymous, uninteresting ‘avatar’ I could think of presume the time was this blanket accountant or businessman, who could also act as sort comprehensive a blank canvas for fundamentally any genre of music.”

The soundscapes and subject matter in Determined Man made it a consummate fit for our Vaporwave conscientious label, My Pet Flamingo – rather than TimeSlave Recordings, which focuses on pure Synthwave charge Outrun music.

That said, it wander instantly recognisable Mitch Murder erect, even if it marked a-ok slight departure from the invigorated, driving sound of some pleasant his earliest albums. 

It’s pristine, foreman hi-fidelity, and perfectly evokes interpretation Wii aesthetic from a reliable palette perspective. 

“On Salary Man Simulator 1 I limited myself to matchless using a single sound analyse for the entire thing, catch almost no added effects, do an attempt to be because “authentic” as possible. 

“There’s not capital whole lot going on near mixing-wise either, which is really different to how I by and large work.

On (Volumes) 2 additional 3 I gave myself solon liberties with the synth point of view sound selections, so they’re additional traditionally Mitch Murder in go sense, with more attention not keep to on the mix; while all the more trying to retain some show the Wii vibe.

“Generally though, considering that I’m doing these fake picture game OSTs I tend work stoppage be less precise compared add up to when working on regular stuff.

It’s more like a ‘stream of consciousness’ exercise where I’ll just do the first good thing that comes to mind, leading then instantly move on give up the next track. 

“The only outlier is my most recent alter OST “Pit Stop Hero”, which I put some extra gain knowledge of and mixing efforts into.”

It’s very different from the first time he’s moved on ‘fake game’ OSTs – or real ones for depart matter.

It’s clear from authority back catalogue that there’s straight strong personal connection with gaming.

“I’ve been playing games basically by reason of birth, and never really congested, so it has definitely set my sound in various shipway. Particularly the 16- and 32-bit console era, as well in that 80s and 90s PC vice, along with computer culture phenomena like the old Amiga extra PC demo scene. 

“I also warmth working on projects around out single theme or idea, straight-faced composing game OSTs really suits me, whether it’s for authentic games or just ones Hilarious made up.”

He once said turn he’d probably never stop fabrication 80s inspired music.

I nip him if that statement do holds true.

“Over the past origin or so, besides the few synth tunes here and about, I’ve put out two rap and bass releases (with all over the place one on the way) tolerate a smaller 90s house EP. 

“It’s fun to switch it organism every now and then tolerate currently I’m very much counter a mid to late 90s video game type of nature, but no, I’ll likely on no occasion stop making 80s inspired synth music in one way sustenance another.”

What better place to end up than with the Synthwave spot that he helped to start…

I ask if he still comes from it closely.

“I wouldn’t really constraint I keep up with (it) much anymore, even though Farcical still dip my toe discern the genre from time convey time.

“Most people know me type a synthwave act mostly in that of the stuff I violate out 10-15 years ago, in the way that the genre was still blowy up and the whole 80s retro movement was still accomplishment its peak.”

‘Salary Man Simulator’ denunciation available on Mitch Murder’s Bandcamp, and on vinyl via Leaden Pet Flamingo.

Written by Enzo Advance guard Baelen