As announced some time ago, here is the interview of Munatix.
Although defined as a SynthPop style, their musical originality is much more eclectic than that, and plunges us into the Disco of the 70's, as you will be able to discover through these two friends and passionates!
So it is with great pleasure that I welcome today the members of Munatix, Josh and Ricky!
Hello Josh, hello Ricky!
Who exactly is Munatix? Tell us a little about yourself!
Josh : Munatix is a musical duo. Ricky and I met in 2010. We played together in another band, called ‘Super Shake’ for about 10 years. We both live in the city of Genk, in the East of Belgium.
Ricky : It was in 2016, Josh asked me if I was interested in joining him in a Synthpop project. Josh had been working with another singer during a year and wrote and recorded some songs in his home studio. The other singer called it quits, so Josh was out for a new singer.
Josh : I knew Ricky had a great voice. In the other band we played in, Ricky played the guitar and filled in with backing vocals. We had become good friends. So, it was only obvious to ask Ricky. At that time, we didn’t have a name yet for our duo. That came only in 2019, when we released our first single. Then of course we needed a name. So we came up with ‘Munatix’. Munatix is a new word that did not yet exist. We wanted it to be unique.
What is your main musical activity?
Josh : Myself, I focus on song writing and producing. Ricky : I focus on singing and occasionally guitar playing.
What are your musical influences? How would you define them?
Ricky : I grew up listening to my father’s LP records. His library consisted out of all kinds of different music styles from lots of different artists. From Abba to Zappa and anything in between. Music that could make my body move, from jazzy hard rock to funky groove.
Josh : Inevitably, all the music you hear, listen and like, influences you. It shapes your musical taste. Giorgio Moroder is a big inspiration. He has a large discography of hits with lots of artists. Moroder helped shape Eurodisco music. Everything he touched in the second half of the seventies and the 80’s turned into gold. Also important to me is Vince Clarke, for his work with Depeche Mode, Yazoo and Erasure.
Can you describe how your creative flow develops?
Josh : There are different ways to start to write a song. It can be a groove, chord progressions, a melody… I gather ideas from fooling around on the synths. Playing a vintage synth that breathes music history with awesome warm analogue sounds are a great way to bring inspiration and come up with ideas.
Ricky : When I go over to Josh’, he shows me what he has come up with, invites me to sing some vocals over it and see how it works out. If we like this first result, we know we can continue to work on it. If we don’t like it, we just start something else.
What are the things that motivate you in what you do?
Ricky: The joyful vibes you feel, having fun with fellow musicians. Also, the driving energy you get in return from an audience when performing live.
Josh : We are passionate about music. Music is very powerful, it can change your mood, divert the mind. It can even act as a medicine. Sometimes, when I am listening music, it can feel like an out of this world experience, making the brain travel into different realms. It is just wonderful to be able to practice it.
Is there a piece or pieces that you are proud of?
Josh : Our song writing process can take up to 4 months for a song. We have to do it besides our daytime jobs, that is of course a limiting factor. The longer a song seasons, the better it gets. It can take weeks to perfect a mix. The best thing is, when we think a song is ready, to leave it alone for a while. When we listen then again with fresh ears, we are more critical. The songs I am most proud of are the ones that echo the best with our audience. Then you know you have created something that you not only like yourself, but is also appreciated by other people.
Ricky : I am fond of ‘You Are Out of My League’. I love the groove and funkiness, the song has bite to it. It was our second single. To accentuate the power of the synth riff we minimised use of effects. The mix has a dryness to it, what makes it cool. Also, I really like ‘You Just Keep Hanging On’, especially for the melody.
What materials do you use and why?
Josh : It was never my intention to grow a vintage synthesizer collection, but it has turned out that way. In 2004 I got my first vintage analogue synth, it was a Sequential Circuits Prophet 5. I loved the sound so much that I wanted another synth and another and another. I wanted to discover them all. A 40 year old vintage synth just tells a story when you play it, feel it under your fingers and see the aesthetics with your eyes that invoke nostalgia. Even smelling the solder heating up inside of it adds to the experience.
But we do not only use hardware synths. Hardware is great for inspiration, software synths are great for automation. We use software synths and effects too. As DAW we use Cubase. I use Cubase since I was 13. I had an Atari computer at the time. I never had a reason to try something else.
How do you see yourself evolving and what are your plans for the future?
Ricky : We take it step by step. We want to make 12 songs in order to fill an album. We take our time. We only want to release songs that we are satisfied with 100%. Once we have an hour of music, we plan to start gigging. Josh and I shared the stage for almost 10 years in another band, so we are accustomed to each other. It will be exciting to share the stage again after all these COVID-lockdowns. We are really looking forward to that moment. I love the joy of performing. I live to see the response of an audience, feeling the vibes. It’s awesome to have the adrenaline pumping and be able to let go of the energy.
What advice or recommendations would you give to those who would like to start in music like you?
Josh : Try to do what you love, so you can put yourself 100% behind it. Make the music you are passionate about. That will radiate towards the people that listen to it.
Ricky : Dare to experiment, don’t be afraid to define your own sound, shape your own style, even not knowing which musical direction you want to go. Just go with your flow. Practical advice when on stage; always be nice and friendly to the mixer or anybody you musically depend on. It’s better to act with humour, rather than showing frustrations.
Would you like to say a word or two at the end?
Ricky: To anybody that wants to do anything they are passionate about; Keep chasing your dreams! Enjoy the journey as much as possible while you are on that chase!
I thank you both very much for accepting my invitation to this interview on Wave Sensation. I wish you all the best for the future!
Discography
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