>> Octogen
bio: A charismatic figure for whom music runs in the family and has always been in the blood, Marco Bernardi began his musical odyssey aged 15 when he toured the Glasgow pub and club circuit playing keyboards in cover bands. However, when a classmate introduced him to the futuristic funk of techno and electro, Marco realised that he had found the sound he had been searching for. Around the same time, he began work in the Hi-Tech department of a local music store and began building an awesome collection of studio gear whilst gaining the engineering know-how to bring the sounds in his head to life.
Marcos first release was 2002s The Chicago Bearsden under the pseudonym Mhelt Project (with Martyn Henderson aka Mash) was a track which featured guest vocals from Detroit-born Techno hero Claude Young. Following this, a newly-formed friendship with internationally renowned DJs and producers Funk DVoid and Percy X of Soma Recordings (home to Slam, Ewan Pearson, Silicone Soul and Alex Smoke) saw Marco lending his engineering and production talents to the well-received Voyager e.p. Subsequently, he has co-written and -produced a string of 12s plus two albums with Percy X for Soma and a single for Andrew Weatheralls respected Firewire label.
Marcos first production under his own name came with the release of 2004s Trane/Memory on the respected Emoticon label; - two slices of sweet downtempo electronics which drew comparisons from the music press to no less than Carl Craig and B12, and prompted techno ambassador Laurent Garnier to send a personal fax enthusing about the music. At this point he was really starting to make his mark a track entitled Commuters Computers (Iridite Recordings) was licensed for inclusion on DJ 3000s mix album True Colors, released on legendary Detroit imprint Submerge, putting Marco shoulder-to-shoulder with the most talented and innovative artists on the scene.
On hearing Commuters Computers,Klen from internationally respected label Clone was so impressed that he asked Marco to provide a release for his newly-formed sub-label Frustrated Funk. The resulting record was Morpheusis, a universally acclaimed electro-funk assault which was described as Serious hydraulic electro-techno for the frustrated mind. Following this, Marco displayed another side of his character with the seductive Octogen released on Clone sister-label ,Frantic Flowers a record which also featured current favourites Duplex and Arne Weinberg. He then followed up his first Frustrated Funk outing with the equally unhinged Sigmunds Day Out
Live Performances
Marco has been honing his live set over a number of years at venues around Europe. A typical performance incorporates analogue hardware with cutting-edge software in a heady mix which builds from melodic, downtempo electronics to a floor-filling sonic assault. In short, they never fail to rock the spot. Having always appreciated a good show, Marcos recent British gigs have also included guest vocalists, adding yet another dimension to his sound.
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