Hailed by critics as “one of techno’s most sought-after acts of the decade” Space 92’s rise to international superstardom over the past few years has been meteoric to say the least. One of the best selling Techno artists in the world for the third consecutive year in 2022, the prolific, in-demand Frenchman has risen to a level where he is now one of the most sought-after talents in electronic music. Cutting his teeth as a producer first and foremost, Space 92 is now an active globetrotting DJ, wowing huge crowds at festivals and nightclubs all over the world, where he showcases his prolific catalogue of hard-hitting releases on leading labels such as FORM Music, Filth On Acid, 1605 and Kneaded Pains, amongst others. Passionate, industrious, and with an ear for the very freshest four-to-the-floor techno soundscapes, Space 92 is already leaving an indelible mark on the scene and he’s only just getting started.
Hey Mathieu, how are you doing? How has 2022 been for you so far? Looks like you’ve been very busy!
I’m doing great, thank you for having me today. Well, 2022 has indeed been amazing so far for me, I haven’t had a single weekend off! I’ve traveled to several continents and the pace is insane but this is what I’ve always wanted. I’ve been blessed to be able to share all the music I created during the Covid lockdown, which in France lasted for almost two years. Seeing people in the crowd smile or react when they listen to my tracks is the most beautiful reward for me. I still have a lot of ongoing projects this year and I am very excited to reveal them very soon.
Could you talk about yourself, how you started producing techno music and why precisely this kind of electronic music?
I came across electronic music a little bit by chance. I used to ride bikes at that time, I must have been about 14 years old and I’d listen to a lot of diverse music. One day, I stumbled upon Stephan Bodzin’s ‘Liebe ist’ album and it shook me to the core. I had a sort of revelation and I fell madly in love with electronic music – and in particular with melodic techno. I had come up with a tremendous number of melodies in my head that I’d sing, so the next logical step was to make them become real. I started to learn to produce when I was about 15/16 years old and I’ve never stopped since. To answer your question, I honestly do not really know why this kind of electronic music has appealed to me more than another, but what I do know is that it’s this type of music that transports me and carries me to another dimension.
Big ups on the release of your new single ‘Mercury’. Tell us about the release? Is there a particular message / meaning behind this title?
I am very, very excited to see this new collaboration out tomorrow. Concerning the title choice, it’s quite simple: in most cases I’m inspired by names that are related to outer space. It was actually Hi-Lo who suggested it to me!
Has this release with HI-LO been in the works for a long time? Is it your first time working together?
In a way yes. We started this collaboration about a year ago then we got stuck when it came to the melody. This issue was resolved later during the year and we finalzied the track quite quickly and very fluidly.
Was there anything that influenced/inspired its creation?
I’m not sure if anything really influenced or inspired us, but the main structure came to us very quickly because it was already present in HI-LO’s mind. As for me I dealt with the rhythmic part and the bass line and added my special touch.
Festival season is in full bloom right now. Can we expect you behind the decks somewhere and what do we have to expect from one of your DJ sets?
At the moment I’m playing in a lot of festivals in Germany and France and will also perform this month in Turkey and Hungary… Most of my sets mainly include my own music – that has already been released – in addition to some new material I’ve just produced or that I’m in the process of finishing which I want to test live with the crowd.
Where did you grow up and what was the music scene like there? How has it evolved over the past years?
I grew up in Carcassonne, a small French town not far from Toulouse. I built-up my musical culture by going out a lot, heading out to Toulouse with my friends and attending electro or techno parties. This allowed me to discover many artists and consolidate my musical knowledge. The scene in Toulouse has known difficult moments with the closing of many underground clubs. It has however risen from the ashes and is witnessing today an outstanding revival, with many festivals taking place this summer and new venues opening and hosting underground Techno nights. I am delighted to see things going in this direction.
Are there any local artists that we should be keeping our eyes on?
To be honest I don’t know many people in Toulouse because I don’t get out much and I’m always traveling. However, I am sure that there are many local talents emerging. In any case I had the opportunity to perform with a few artists from the Plein Phare collective in Toulouse and they emanate such an incredible energy during their sets.
Lastly, what does the rest of 2022 look like for you? Do you have any exciting projects in the pipeline that you can share?
I have an EP coming out September 30th on Factory 93 which I am super excited about, and I also have other ongoing projects that cannot really talk about at the moment but that will be revealed before the end of the year.
HI-LO and Space 92 – Mercury is out now via Filth on Acid, grab it here.
