Spanish DJ and producer Oscar Mulero is on his way to Australia this month for the first time this year. He was born in Madrid and started DJing all the way back in 1988. After establishing The Omen Club in Madrid in the early ‘90s – which went on to achieve legendary status – he has had appearances all over the world.
Mulero came to producing fairly late and released his debut album, Grey Fades To Green, last year. His follow up album, Black Propaganda, is coming out on his label Warm Up in July. 100% spoke to him last week about his new album and his career in techno.
We’re very excited to finally have you touring Australia. It seems like you are visiting more countries over the last few years. Has that been something that you have consciously tried to do or is the word travelling about you perhaps?
I have played many countries already but it’s also something that I consciously try. Releasing my last album Grey Fades To Green, readapting my sound and DJ set a bit are factors that probably help to play more often abroad, I’d say.
Are you bringing your AV set to Australia with you?
No, unfortunately I’m not. It would have been great! The ‘Dark and Light’ AV set is designed for big festivals with big stages and apart from me there are two [people] who make part of the show. Also there is [a lot of] extra equipment and this makes the long travels too expensive.
Touring countries like Australia for the first time is very different than playing in Europe where you are well known. Is it nice to return to a smaller crowd and club setting again whilst touring?
Yes it nice of course, being honest playing clubs is something that I love and [it is] good fun. The club is from where I come from and where I grew up as a DJ. Apart from that, [it is] somehow where I feel more free to experiment with my set.
You have been DJing since the late ‘80s so you have a unique perspective on things. I think that there is a real cyclical rotation in music where styles come and go from fashion. How do you cope with that as an artist and DJ?
Being updated in terms of new producers and labels is something that is part of the job, to investigate and search for the latest news, in my case techno music.
You said recently that you feel techno is making a come back. Tell us about a high point and a low point for you in your career.
Probably now I’m in the highest point of my career and feel like more better things [are] to come in [the] near future, as techno seems to be rising up again. And the lowest one, maybe three-four years ago when techno wasn’t so popular and it was all that minimal boom.
Your latest album, Grey Fades To Green, is a combination of techno and IDM. What did the album format offer you versus doing singles and remixes over the years?
Well releasing that album it was the right chance to put out more styles apart from the techno I released before, more melodic tracks not only oriented to the dance floor. I’ve been very influenced by ‘90s electronic music…for example records like Selected Ambient Works from Aphex or Amber from Autechre mean a lot to me and are a part of my influences, so [for] the album it was the right opportunity to let those influences flow. In [a] few words [it] offered me to feel more free in a creative way.
What do you feel when you’re behind the decks? Tell us about some of the best party experiences you have had.
I feel like communicating myself with the crowd through the music I play. Few weekends ago had one of the best nights I had so far at Doornroosje club in Holland, such a great crowd and great feedback. I had good memories of my set in Sandinista club in Yamagata (Japan). It was absolutely great – I could play more advanced beats than I used to do as they were really into it.
Obviously variety is a big part of your personality with your other production/DJ names. How do you balance out what you want to play?
Well it really depends of some factors – in which club I’m going to play, the crowd I’m gonna have, if I’ve play there before and of course the type of set I’ve been requested for.
Oscar Mulero [ESP] plays The Mercat on Friday March 30.