Marcelo Demarco: I have to thank music for helping me stay sane in such a horrible time

Today we are meeting a South American artist and SURO Records label boss - Marcelo Demarco! His impact on the electronic music world over the last three decades has been nothing short of commendable. Born and raised in Uruguay, Marcelo's passion for culturally inspired dance records have seen him masterfully crafting unparalleled House and Techno cuts since the mid-'90s - earning him an undisputed reputation that continues to grow globally.

Radio Intense had a pleasure to talk to the Uruguayan talent about his path in the music industry, his label, new releases and other things. Enjoy!
— Hi Marcelo, How are you? Could you present yourself for those who don't know you yet?
— Hey! Thanks for the interview request, it's great to have an opportunity to share my work with you. I'm a DJ and producer based in Ibiza currently specialized in Techno Music.
— How and when did you start your artistic career?
— I was born in Montevideo and there was my start first as a promoter and soon after that as a DJ at my own events. In the late 90's I moved to Ibiza and since then I have been spending the summer seasons in Spain and moving to Punta del Este for the southern heat. Chasing the sun.
— When did you realize you wanted to make your own tracks? and how did your style evolve?
— I think the step from a DJ to a music producer is the natural way to evolve in this industry, after you have played so many tracks then it's almost inevitable that you will try to do your own music. And about my style it has passed through many stages and I don't think will ever stop developing like everything else in life the only thing permanent is change.
— How is living for two different countries?
— Let's start with the obvious advantage of living in a very long summer and being a short walk to the beach but not everything is easy, there is an endless journey, long flights, lots of airports and the need to have two houses with two different studios to be able to work all year round.
— Are you still promoting your own events?
— Indeed that is something I have never stop doing I'm the manager of The Circle and we have done events in London, Ibiza, Miami and Punta del Este, we had plans to start in Berlin and Amsterdam last year but we had to cancel due to Covid. We are ready to resume once this thing is over and only when is safe to do it.
— How has Coronavirus affected your life?
— This pandemic has disrupted everybody's life in some way but on top of that us who work on music industry had to endure the lost of our main income without almost any help from the governments around the world and I am not talking only of artists. Nightlife include a wide variety of jobs that were banned during this period. I consider my self very lucky and I see this time like a big opportunity and I'm looking forward to the moment we can all dance together again. On a personal level I had suffered all the borders closures several times and even got infected on my attempt to return home and had to spent five weeks in Barcelona on my own and in isolation. But I'm very happy that I manage to get home safe and sound and I'm back to work and I'm feeling better than ever.
— We know that you own a Record Label "SURO Records". What do you expect from the label?
— Yes, Suro Records is like my child, a nine years old baby that has taught me a lot. At the beginning was an outlet that allowed me to publish my work independently and gave me the freedom to produce what I liked. It is hard work though and not something I would recommend to everybody.
At the moment I want to let it grow by inviting other artists to become a solid source of good quality Techno. I expect to see more producer that I am fan of releasing on Suro.
— How do you see the Techno scene in Ibiza?
— Ibiza has a wide variety of music and Techno has been part of the scene for a long time, Carl Cox, Richie Hawtin, Sven Vath, Marco Carola have been in the line ups of most clubs for over a decade but I think the Island needs to find an underground Techno alternative to keep it fresh.
— Your last release "Dark Matter" on IAMT reached the top 100, please tell us more about the production process.
— This is an EP that was completely conceived on the go. I worked on it during my last stayed in Barcelona and while I was recovering from Covid. It was a tremendous help to have something to focus on while I was locked in the house. One more thing I have to thank music for helping me stay sane in such a horrible time.
— You have a release "Checkmate" coming soon on IAMT Red, what should we expect?
— Yes I have a single release scheduled for the end of May with a more melodic approach, to suit Red I have shifted from my typical acid sound to a more hypnotic vibe. It was all done in my studio in Punta del Este and I really enjoyed producing it.
— We cannot not to mention your recent video for us. Can you tell the audience more about the recording?
— The video was recorded on an abandoned chapel in a small village in the middle of Uruguay, it wasn't easy to find the spot, I was looking for something unique but was more orientated towards an old factory or warehouse until I came across this beautiful place. I believe it suits perfectly with my sound.
— What are your plans for the future?
— I am really hoping we can go back to a more normal stage soon so I can see a crowded dance floor going crazy with my music, in the meantime I will keep on producing and getting ready for the moment we can all dance together again. .