Hey,
Hey guys!
Who are you? (Tell us more about what you do in life, where you live, your age, your real name, what elements could define you, …)
My name is Cristian Shearer, I’m 28 years old. I’m originally from the Republic of Moldova but have also lived in Syria, England, The Netherlands and currently reside in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Having worked mainly within the security and banking industries as well as studying for the past few years, I decided to take a step back for a bit and take on a more flexible role within the delivery industry. This has allowed me ample time to reflect, work on my music and decide what I would like to do with my life.
What’s the meaning behind your artistic name?
The name ‘M.O.B’ stands for Master of Bassline, originally it was to do with Bassline House which is a genre of music that the likes of Chris Lorenzo, AC Slater, and Taiki Nulight pioneered. This included deep whomping synths over fast-rolling house beats, something which really had never been done before at the time.
When did you start producing music?
I started dabbling in music production when I was around 16/17 after learning about FL studio one day coming home from school with two of my friends in Holland. My friend Chuckwudi was making hip-hop beats at the time and when he showed us them I couldn’t believe what I was hearing/seeing, so I immediately went home and downloaded FL. He is now making amazing hip-hop beats under the alias Manny Manhattan and doing big things so go check him out!
How did it all start for you?
I always worked on beats but never really took it seriously as it was more of a hobby. However, my passion for music has always been huge. Flying back and forth to Moldova and experiencing the local disco’s throughout my life really shaped who I am. Hearing house bangers in the clubs and on the radio sometimes years before appearing in other countries was a blessing. As well as this, the Dirty Dutch scene in The Netherlands was just starting with the likes of Afrojack, Hardwell, DJ Alvaro and many more Dutch DJs making a name for themselves at the time. Dirty Dutch is house but with a kind of bouncy moombahton beat and crazy synths on top which I really loved. I would find tracks in these countries and show them to my friends wherever I was staying or play them in the clubs.
I started taking producing and DJing more seriously at around the age of 22 when I heard the likes of Chris Lorenzo’s remix of Disclosure’s ‘Confess to me’ or Zinc’s VIP of 23 by Shadow Child in clubs and parties here in Scotland as it was something I had never heard before. From then on I never looked back.
Why are you producing music? And more globally, what does “music” mean to you?
I produce music because it lets me pour my energy into it. I was a hyper kid always involved in physical activities and sports and found it very hard to sit down and concentrate on anything for long. Music production was the first thing that I could just sit and do for hours on end and actually made me happy in dark times. Music means the world to me.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I like to listen to a plethora of genres in order to keep myself interested and inspired. Hearing how synths or other elements get used in certain genres makes me want to try and apply these techniques to what I’m working on. I also like to keep my life interesting by doing various activities and trying to do as many nonmusical things as possible such as going for walks, sports, seeing friends or family, etc, this I feel keeps me inspired.
What is one track that never gets old for you no matter how many times you hear it?
For me personally, I would have to say Mobb Deep – Shook ones Part. II, probably one of my favorite songs ever as well as Survival of the fittest by them too. However, I would have to say anything produced by Dr. Dre still sounds as fresh as when it first came out.
According to you, what is the best way to develop a business in the music industry?
I am a firm believer of letting the music do the talking. However, I believe that a combination of networking, promoting, and constant learning is the best way forward in this industry. Most importantly just have fun!
What has been your favorite gig (show) so far?
I would have to say the gig I played for Electrikal Soundsystem at Woodland Dance Festival is one of my favorites because it was my first proper festival gig and it was on the main stage playing before Chase & Status. It was also the first time I had been given such a big opportunity and I loved the energy of the crowd.
Do you live from your musical activities? If not, do you plan to make a living from music in the future?
Pre Covid I was getting gigs relatively regularly, not enough to make a living off but it was a positive start. During the lockdown, I have had to rethink and rebrand due to the ever-changing shape of the music scene. Hopefully, I can get back on it after things start opening up a bit as there is nothing more I would love to do than make a living off music. It is the dream.
Do you have stuff in preparation, future collaborations, or personal projects?
Yes, I have various releases coming up, I’ve got something coming on an LA-based label which I’m quite excited about as well as some local UK-based ones. There could be some potential collabs coming up in the future with various UK Bass producers too but mainly I’m focusing on just making music I enjoy myself.
And for the producers out there:
In what Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) are you currently working? And why that one?
I’m currently on FL 20 and have been using it since my friend first showed it to me. I just love how it looks aesthetically pleasing when you have completed a track, it’s also quite easy to use in my opinion as you can make a beat pretty quickly.
On average, how much time do you spend in the studio on a typical day or week?
Honestly, I’m working on music almost every day, even if it’s just dabbling with noises or playing around with new ideas, there hardly comes a day when I’m not working on something.
Do you have any technical tips to share with us (composition, sound design, mixing, mastering, or anything else…)?
Listen to your gut, I can’t stress how important this is! I’ve been battling with mixdowns and mastering for years and I’ve come to realize that the tracks I actually enjoy the sound of and not worry too much about do the best. So if it sounds good to you then generally it sounds good, however, some basic knowledge about compression and gluing the drums and bass together as well as using professional sounding samples will take you a long way.
Let’s talk about “Deep Rolling Vibes”
What was your inspiration for this mix?
I love drum & bass and have been DJing it a lot more than 4×4 stuff pre-lockdown, especially at local nights such as Midnight Bass who need a shout-out for giving me my first D&B gigs and supporting local artists by giving them opportunities. I feel like the D&B scene has also exploded in the past few years with some amazing productions, so I thought it would be nice to mix some of the best and most vibey tracks that I’ve found.
How fast did the mix come together?
In terms of finding the tracks, it was a long process as I was not originally intending them for a mix and was just finding them as I went along. Usually, I can put a mix together pretty quickly but I wanted this one to be special as I wanted it to be a nostalgic mix to hear back on in the future.
What is the story behind this mix?
I’ve been going through a lot during lockdown and been on a lot of journeys. The mix comprises a lot of the drum & bass tunes that I listened to along these journeys so it feels amazing to have them in a mix to be listened to by others.
Finally:
Any important people in your life you wanna mention, thank, or talk about?
Yes, Fabby, Jack, Jake, Jacob, Elliot, Tom, and all my other friends that I keep annoying by sending my tracks to check out and give me feedback on, haha. I would also like to thank Chuck (Manny Manhattan) and Ollie (Refracta) for giving me advice and tips on production.
Of course, I couldn’t do any of this without the support of my mum, dad, brother, sister, cousins, aunts, uncles, grannies, grandpa, and the rest of my family, I love them all and without them, I would not be half the man I am today, the fact they support my endeavors means the world to me.
And finally, I would also like to thank all my supporters, anyone that has ever played, commented on, liked, or reposted my tracks or mixes. I notice everything and I truly appreciate it!
Anything you wanna add to end up this interview?
I just want to say thank you to Lucky for believing in me and my music as well as the whole Eonity crew for doing such a great and professional job. It’s amazing to have people like you guys in the industry who are open and welcoming to new artists.
I also forgot to mention that I would like to thank anyone that has ever given me a gig, it means the world to me!
Thank you very much for your time!
No worries, I truly appreciate this opportunity, and keep up the good work!
Thanks, guys!
Check out M.O.B.’s socials:
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