Celebrating their latest release “The Ritual” on ARENA / Zeitgeist (Universal Music Germany), we had a great chat with Italian duo MARNIK in their studio in Milan after they just reached over 1 billion streams in total as artists and almost 10 years after our January 2016 interview!
Their keywords are RAVE, TECHNO, EPIC, CINEMATIC, TRANCE.
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Welcome guys, ready for a few questions?
Marnik: Hi, of course, absolutely, always ready.
1) So, initially I wanted to ask you: what’s the most important element for you when preparing a live set? Energy, storytelling, connection with the audience what matters the most?
Emanuele: Basically, it’s mostly about you. Anyway, we always try to bring the audience a bit into our world, even during DJ sets, so to create that connection with the audience like it’s a story we’re trying to tell. And obviously, as Alex will confirm, we’re DJs, so our job is to make people dance.
Alessandro: Absolutely yes, probably the connection is the most important thing, because… let’s say in 98% of the cases we manage to get it really quickly, but there are situations where maybe you don’t get it, rare, but it happens, doing so many shows, and it changes a lot, because when you have an instant connection with the audience, you can take them into your world wherever you want, and you become an integral part of that world and they do too.
Emanuele: So, it’s a mix of craft… Because depending on the audience in front of you, there are different situations, so you have to educate the audience a bit, and our job as DJs is to entertain people and make them dance, but also, by putting a bit of ourselves in, we always try to create that personal connection that, in my opinion, defines the artist, unlike a resident DJ.
2) I also know you’ve collaborated with so many artists globally. What do you look for in an artist before accepting a collaboration?
Emanuele: Here too, it’s fundamentally the energy created with the artist. So it’s not important, in my opinion, whether the profile is an already established artist or a newcomer. It’s simply about the music they make. If their vision aligns with ours, we’re always open to collaborate with anyone. We’ve accepted demos from all kinds of artists. We don’t have too many genre barriers, though obviously we stay within a certain range. But even within that range, as you know, there are many subgenres and nuances. Not everyone is open to collaborating if the sound slightly diverges, while we have a vision that goes beyond just the sound.
Matteo: I’ll add something: the craziest collaboration among these, probably a predictable answer, but maybe not, among all you’ve done, and the most… complicated one that then turned out amazing. In terms of organizing, meeting, etc., which was the most memorable for you so far and why?
Alessandro: Definitely the longest was probably Bazaar, one of the first…
Emanuele: Yes exactly, I remember, it was quite long back then because there were 14 versions… It all happened by chance; we contacted Kashmir because he had played one of our tracks when he had just exploded, he did a show in LA and included one of our tracks… so we sent him a message on Twitter to thank him, and that’s how it all started. We spoke on Skype, which was used back then. Then, since Kashmir is very, very precise, a production perfectionist, we started collaborating on Bazaar, but before the final master, we went through 15 different versions. It took a year, exactly a year, I think.
Matteo Villa: I was curious not only, without naming names, because it’s not necessary, but also to understand… how the concept of collaboration evolved, the timing, the methods, even with Covid in the middle that changed a bit…
Emanuele: Yes, there aren’t many rules. Even now we have tracks that stay there and then after a year are finalized, sometimes within a month they’re released. There’s never a rule. A song can be written, produced, and released quickly, or sometimes it takes months or even years before it comes out. So, I’d say there aren’t many rules in that sense. And Covid affected everything: the way people consume music changed in recent years. You can’t plan as much in advance as before. Now there are many artists planning releases 8 months ahead – to me, in 2025, almost 2026, it’s crazy.
Alessandro: How fast music moves now? Eight months and the record is already old, probably.
Emanuele: Exactly, songs generally last very little now, almost all of them. So you have to live more in the moment and use current tools dynamically. You could plan a bit longer-term before.
3) It’s true that your style has evolved a lot in recent years. How would you describe the new phase of Marnik?
Emanuele: We have a career that is now over a decade long. In the last almost 10 years, we’ve changed a lot. We started from point A, now we’re at point B, and we’ll go to point C, D, and so on. We’ve moved a bit, always staying within our market range. We’ll never do house or tech house, because we were born as a project that’s dense, so all the songs are reggaeton-oriented, and we’ll remain faithful to what we do. But as the market changes, our taste changes, the world changes, the audience changes, so experimenting and trying new things over the years is natural.
Alessandro: A natural evolution of the sound.
Emanuele: During Covid, for example, we slowed down BPM like many artists. We produced tracks that performed well on platforms like Spotify but were less club-oriented because we felt like doing that at the time for many reasons. Now we’ve started pushing more. Our sound is somewhere between trends and techno right now, high BPMs, that’s the idea.
MARNIK has been voted #80 in Dj Mag Top 100 Djs 2025
Matteo Villa: Trendsco…
Emanuele: Trendsco… Yes, as I said, we’re working for a broader musical vision that goes beyond subgenres. We like to use the hashtag “epic,” meaning Marnik’s sound should always have an epic, cinematic component. We try to include such elements in all our productions. Being somewhat techno-leaning or trendsco-leaning is relative.
Matteo: Epic, cinematic, brave. Very cool. You can really feel it. And as we mentioned before, the speed with which releases come out, keeping up even with the super big artists… Unfortunately, they release every two weeks. But what youBEAT notices about you is that you always keep a common element of energy. Even shifting directions, it’s consistent. You don’t just follow trends like Afro house to chase something new? That’s very impressive and difficult to maintain credibility as an artist, because many super big global artists experiment with everything. And that consistency… it’s great.
Emanuele: It’s probably a combination of vibe, energy, melodic style, progression, harmony various elements that make up our sound. A common issue with ghost producers is that if you rely on others, the sound will change and never be personal. So doing it ourselves in the first person is fundamental.
Alessandro: Even playing our tracks for eleven years, whether big room or the very first ones from 2014 or the latest, which sound years ahead, I always feel a Marnik imprint. Exactly that.
Emanuele: It’s hard to maintain, because over ten years we change, tastes change, everything changes. But you still have to stay within limits. I like all music, so maybe one day I wake up and want to do Afro house, but then I say no because Marnik isn’t that. But within our world, we can experiment while staying in that range.
4) Sara: In your opinion, how has the dance music industry changed in recent years? How do you adapt to remain relevant internationally?
Matteo: At an entrepreneurial and strategic level, obviously the Marnik project, and also the label, isn’t just artistic. We’re talking about strategy, marketing, right?
Alessandro: We always talk about this era. Ten years ago, music alone was enough. You could release a strong track and maybe have hardwaresupport or support from TS, releasing on labels like Spinning Revealed, which was sacred back then. Today, no. Music is still fundamental, but there’s also a whole background of branding, social communication, and identity. Music alone probably doesn’t reach platforms anymore because the speed and the way people consume music has changed. When we started, Beatport was the reference. Then came Spotify. Now, tracks probably start on TikTok or Instagram.
Emanuele: Yes, and there’s much more music released weekly than before, easily 100 times more. As a result, audiences get bored much faster. Everyone is used to scrolling, watching a three-second video, skipping a ten-second song, because there’s so much content. This isn’t great for music or art. Consequently, we all have to deal with a world where marketing and branding are very present. As Alex said, music is still central, but it’s also about creating your world to communicate with people.
Alessandro: Within that world, there are tracks; it’s a combination of things you transmit. You do it through platforms, following their rules.
Matteo: Yes, and because of the huge amount of low-quality artists coming out, it’s important to have a solid core fanbase. That’s your Marnik audience, the loyal community. This lets you develop content strategy and communication. Labels you collaborate with also increasingly expect this. Your approach to social media and audience loyalty is part of this strategy.
Emanuele: It’s like playing with fire. We want to do things the right way. Having a strong community is key, but it’s very hard to maintain. People grow, tastes change, we evolve. What worked in 2014 might not work in 2025. Reinvention and audience loyalty are continuous challenges. Platforms push you to favor content for the general public, sometimes at the cost of quality.
Alessandro: But still within our tone of voice. We never compromise our style…
Emanuele: Exactly. Balance is key: staying coherent. The challenge is finding equilibrium between artistic personality, dignity, and the pressure from modern platforms.
Sara: So it negatively affects music, as you said. Quantity is rewarded more than quality.
Emanuele: Yes, not only music. Everything. Interactive content is minimized because the brain receives constant input all day from every device. Concentration and content quality drop. Maintaining hits constantly is impossible; it’s normal. This makes it very hard to keep up with everything while maintaining quality. It applies to music, film, and many other things.
Alessandro: It’s a general problem.
Matteo Villa: Now, I’m curious: how has managing your Arena label influenced your creative process as Marnik?
Emanuele: Having a label is a new adventure. Creatively, it gives a different perspective than writing a song with total freedom. The label is like a small world with artists inside. It helps define boundaries while planning and creating.
Alessandro: An ecosystem.
Emanuele: Exactly. It helps organize, plan, and manage creativity. It’s stimulating, but also challenging because of the massive amount of music released daily. It pushes us to be organised but gives artistic satisfaction: we can release what we want and discover new artists, develop our roster, and circulate these artists in this world.
5) Sara: How has managing your own label influenced your creative process as Marnik?
Matteo: Regarding ARENA, connecting to your latest single released in collaboration with Zeitgeist (Universal Germany) “The Ritual”, what setup do you have now? So far we’ve seen a strong visual identity, really connected to your energies, also visually. What direction are you giving and planning to continue with the label? And, considering your latest single, what ritual do you always have in the studio? And live, what ritual? Two rituals you can identify: one for studio and one for live performances.
Emanuele: Yes. Well, the last label singles, which are just the beginning of this adventure, already reflect the general concept of epic music. It’s important to also give a visual key to the music, and we’re working on that: creating a full visual show for our DJ sets, which will also take shape on social media, and on platforms in the form of artwork, videos, teasers, Spotify Canvas, etc. This epic-cinematic universe is a key part of Arena, and even the name itself evokes ancient worlds.
Matteo: That’s beautiful because it also evokes the Roman Empire, right? The Arena, the Colosseum.
Emanuele Longo: Yes. The Arena is a container of music and heroes: the artists, but also the audience having fun. It reflects our personality, our music, and the visual universe revolves around these ancient worlds, starting with the Roman Empire but not only.
Matteo : Beautiful. And regarding the audience at Arena… the listeners, the community you’re developing, who’s there? Is it you versus them?
Emanuele: It’s not really a confrontation, but it’s nice to imagine… like a gladiator. These are DJ set battles, back-to-back performances.
Matteo: A face-to-face. A great concept: the battle is figurative, a kind of competition for the audience. In the Arena, all eyes are on you; you have to give 100%. This is very interesting and important to highlight.
Alessandro: As for my ritual, I always do a kind of meditation five minutes before the show. I disconnect, prepare mentally. I isolate myself because I’m already in DJ mode. I visualize the next hour and a half. That’s my pre-show ritual.
Matteo: I heard that Sinner’s ritual before matches is like forty minutes before, half an hour before, he sleeps. Others train, he rests ten minutes before.
Alessandro: I noticed something using my iWatch. Before going on stage, my resting heart rate is already 120-130 bpm. That’s all stage adrenaline building up. Eleven years of performing, and it never goes away.
Matteo: Yes, you’re already on stage before stepping on it.
Alessandro Martello: Mentally, yes, completely.
Matteo: Cool. And your studio rituals?
Emanuele: Studio rituals are not fixed, but I try not to listen to music before arriving. I want fresh ears. Another thing I do is organize project windows on my computer. We’re messy, but it helps manage all the creative work.
Matteo: A positive habit, methodical. It shows in the final product.
Emanuele: Yes, but chaos still happens. The ritual is just preparing the space, then creativity flows, and you restore order afterwards.
6) Sara: as final question: can you give us a sneak peek of your upcoming projects? Will there be any collaborations or new musical directions?
Emanuele: Actually, we will double down on the concept of epic techno, as we call it, releasing many tracks in this style… very vertically. Another thing we’ll definitely do is increase the volume of releases on the label, not just Marnik but the label itself, with other artists we’re bringing onboard, gradually increasing brand and circuit awareness.
It’s essential to circulate our music in that key and reach as many people as possible in this first phase. Collaborations in particular? We’re talking to many artists and planning things, but we can’t reveal specifics. For now, the focus is very much on our sound.
Matteo: And in terms of project planning, can you name some talents you want to bring to the label? It was born around your releases and sound, but there’s also direction regarding the talents you want to develop?
Emanuele: Yes, we don’t name names because there are many, but the beauty of having a label with an already clear imprint is that we already receive demos from artists who understand the vibe.
Alessandro: They send you melodic tracks, to be clear.
Emanuele: Yes, and beyond the genre, they understand the key of Arena Music and the overall vision.
Matteo: Cool. So there will be an opening toward a roster, I imagine.
Emanuele Longo: Yes, that’s the goal. Platforms often push you toward artists who already perform well, but surprises always come when you least expect them. We also want to develop new artists, which is more creative than relying on someone else’s fanbase.
Matteo: It’s positive when there’s external awareness of your sound. That way, you can build a team to carry a direction forward.
Emanuele: Yes, and in the projects, there’s also the idea of creating events, parties, and letting label artists perform, creating a real Arena.
Matteo: We’d love to see that, considering all your visual work.
Emanuele: Sure. The Arena concept is figurative; it could even be a Boiler Room. It’s about the energy created inside. That’s the fundamental concept.
Matteo: Bonus topic: artificial intelligence. Are you open to experimenting while respecting your sound?
Emanuele: I think it’s a tool. Used creatively, why not?
Alessandro: It’s called intelligence, but in the end, you guide it.
Emanuele: It’s a tool. Like saying the car was already AI.
Matteo: There are professional figures specializing in AI. Even in music, with copyright issues, it’s useful if managed well.
Emanuele: Depends how you use it. It’s like using Splice loops: taking a loop and making a hit… for me, that’s tacky. Using elements creatively is fine; just dumping a package isn’t.
Matteo: Updating, not adapting. It’s not the future, it’s the present.
Emanuele: Like loops: creative use is fine, but making a track out of a full loop package is lazy.
Matteo: Very last point: the new studio. Any preview? Will it be part of Arena? Sessions, camps…?
Emanuele: I could answer everything, but without turning it into a presentation.
Matteo: That concludes the six questions, thank you!
Sara: Many interesting things came out. Thank you for joining us!
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