Every now and again one of those records comes around that defies being pigeon holed and given a label. Mason burst onto the dance scene with their groundbreaking tune Exceeder back in 2006. The record swiftly went from destroying dance floors to tearing it up the Worlds charts and laying the foundations for more forward thinking music.
This record, along with most of what Mason produced since falls into the same category. Its not about making records for a particular set of Djs or scene but just good honest music! As a result Masons tunes are played by a huge array of decksman from Pete Tong and Zane Lowe (BBC Radio 1) to Fat Boy Slim, Eric Prydz and Carl Cox.
Using Iasons classical violin training coupled with a love of diverse music and a hi-tech apprenticeship in a ring tone sweatshop, together with his studio and live partner Coen, a man fixated with ancient synths, playing in rock bands and a mean vocalist to boot, the Mason boys are now forging their own unique path. The duo have the musical arsenal required to make everything from filthy late night dance club bombs to daytime radio anthems. These Dutchmen are unpredictable in both what is played in the club and what is created in the studio.
The Mason sound takes a great understanding of melody and fuses it with technological know-how sheer musicianship and dance floor savvy. It is dance music for the thinking man, but not so clever to be alienating and dull. A debut artist album is taking shape at the moment and features some interesting styles and flavours as well as guests such as NYC rapping legend Kurtis Blow and Timo Maas collaborator MC Chickaboo.
With a Worldwide hit record under their belt for Data/Ministry Of Sound as well as numerous releases and remixes for labels like Great Stuff, Skint, Pickadoll and Brique Rouge Mason continue to garner respect from above as well as under ground.
Humour is a long forgotten part of music and something Mason is keen to re-introduce as a key ingredient. Anyone listening to his de-mix of Exceeder being replayed by a brass band will know the boys arent taking things too seriously. Forthcoming album track titles such as Who Killed Trance and Bigboy Exercises are also refreshingly tongue-in-cheek.
Behind the decks, or CDJs at least, Iason, the dj-ing face of Mason, has honed his craft for over fourteen years since falling for the grooves of early hip hop and spinning in his local clubs. Things progressed to warming up for Global mega star Tiesto at his gigs around the World where Mason also jammed violin to his own and his compatriots sets. The fiddle has since been rested, but Mason continues to rock crowds wherever he plays. He has headlined at some of the Worlds finest clubs and festivals including headlining the massively opulent Sensation White parties around Europe as well as appearing with top billing at Dance Valley in Holland and at Creamfields in the UK.
Mason is currently resident at trailblazing club night Electronation. The uber cool Dutch based event also had Mason compile and mix their five-year anniversary album this year. Speaking of mixes, there are more to come with The Amsterdam Tapes, Masons very own album series to be released this Spring as well as a BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix shortly after.
2008 is set to be a big one for Mason both as a production team and as a DJ. If sheer talent and karma have anything to do with it then expect to be hearing this name a lot in the future.
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