Madeaux's dark and brazen bass-house is making an Impact

Did moving to LA affect the way you create music?

So much so. I was brought in at first by commercial EDM, you know, I was listening to Afrojack's ‘Take Over Control’ or whatever was on the radio in Miami all the time. But, as I said, that genre became obsessed with going harder and harder.

Here in LA, I got to experience different listening environments. There’s a different energy here, it’s inspiring and interesting. There’s a more rootsy approach to music. It became a challenge use restraint and build an energy and a vibe, to create a soundtrack for people rather than use pyrotechnics.

You came up in an interesting time for electronic music in the US, during the post-EDM boom where, as a producer, you could really take it any direction you wanted to. How do you see your sound fitting into the wider dance music landscape?

It’s kind of a blessing and a cruse, but I’m always changing, trying to find more interesting things. I love tech-house for the conga loops, or Atlanta trap for the two beat bass. Little things scattered around. It’s cool to bring everything together, like a Katamari (a Japanese video game centered around a ball called a "katamari" which was used to roll up objects). It's the perfect creative analogy.

It’s easier for me to describe a project, like an EP or an album. Sometimes with producers there’s an urge to pigeonhole yourself, which makes sense in the short term; you can pick up a lot of fans versus jumping around and not spending a lot of time in a particular place. But I’d rather be on the lookout for new things and not feel limited to a certain sound or area. Look at Diplo, who can do a huge pop record like 'Cold Water' with Bieber then turn around and do some weird avant garde shit with Sophie. That’s how I want to be. I want to be able to work and flow in multiple currents and not just have to say, “I make future house”. It just seems boring.