M-22 consists of two of Europe’s most coveted hitmakers, Matt James and Frank Sanders, who’ve collectively written and produced hits for everyone from Jason Derulo and Omi to Pitbull and Flo Rida. Together, the duo have surfaced from behind the scenes masters of pop and production to become a household name in house music. The duo’s inaugural project, “Good To Be Loved,” went on to be named an Essential New Tune by Pete Tong, and has collected upwards of 4 million plays on Spotify. Signing to Sebastian Ingrosso’s Refune Music in 2015, they released “Inspiration,” their follow-up original production which quickly became the duo’s second track selected by Danny Howard as a BBC Radio 1 Dance Anthem. On the fast track to international acclaim, M-22 is poised to take the world by storm in 2016.
Starting off the new year right, M-22 is treating their fans to a fresh remix of their critically acclaimed record ‘Good To Be Loved’, courtesy Scottish DJ/Producer, Chris Lake. The massive remix is out on January 29th via Refune Music but is available to stream now. Holding true to his signature style, Chris Lake transforms M-22’s deep house blend into a bass and beat-fueled groove that is guaranteed to ignite dance-floors all over the World. It kicks off with sampled snippets of the original vocals over a minimalistic mix of kicks, claps, and synth melodies. He subtly introduces aspects of the original while still giving the track a new direction and vibe. Give the track a listen below. I had the opportunity to ask the duo some questions about ‘Good To Be Loved', who inspires them, goals for 2016 and many more. Check it out!
Talk a little bit about your chemistry together and background of producing music.
“We are as they say in England ‘two peas in a pod'. One of us can leave the room and when we come back in the other person has done exactly what the other would of done. Its not often you find that it makes working together so efficient, and fun as we are always bouncing ideas off each other. We have both had extensive producing backgrounds, working with/for names such as Jason Derulo, Pitbull and Flo Rida, all of which have helped us become who and what we are today. “
How would you describe your sound and style?
“Creating and maintaining a signature sound for M-22 was and still is so important for us. We want our fans and new listeners to turn on the radio or hear us in a club and to instantly recognize who we are. So an infectious hook, or catchy drop is definitely part of M-22's sound. We also love creating warm and deep piano riffs.”
Tell us a little bit about “Good to be loved” and what the process was like on the track.
“Good To Be Loved was drafted on the night we met one another. Which is why it was such a special song for us, because not only did we have the start of something great but because M-22 was born. We organized a writing camp between ourselves and mutual friends Demetri James & Jaicko Lawrence (Formula 51) we then finished the song together. There was a great vibe between us all and the actual writing of the song came together so fast. The studio got a lot of attention the following few months. We are perfectionists in the studio and we did a lot of different edits and mixes until we got our final version of the song.”
You guys are getting ready to impact North America, What can we expect from you guys?
“Yes, we are ready to get M-22 over to North America. Its been non stop writing and producing in the studio so, as well as brand new music, we are also excited for our current singles to reach their ears too.”
What are you currently working on as far as new material? Originals? Remixes?
“New material has been our priority over the last 6 months and in-between all that we were working around the clock so that we didn't have to miss out on those big remix opportunities. The same will go for this year. The next couple of months we will finish our new single and see it hit the market. As well as tying up all the other tracks for our album we have tons of material the hardest part is choosing what makes the cut. “
Who are some of your influences?
“We have both listened to all sorts of music over the years and living in different countries means we both have had different likes and influences. The French House scene, Daft Punk, Ax & Seb , Calvin Harris , Chris Lake all are sounds we love now. The production mixing and the writing of all their songs are all to the highest level. “
What are your goals for 2016?
“The goals for 2016… To have global success, to work with more big names and to gain more dedicated fans. We have such great support already not only from fans but from industry professionals too. Its so important to maintain all that in 2016. Most importantly we will remember to enjoy the journey and keep putting out BANGERS!”
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