Aug 29, 2022
Mau P's 'Drugs From Amsterdam' Exclusive Mix & Interview
Today we’re celebrating the hottest record in dance music, Mau P’s “Drugs From Amsterdam”! The debut single from Mau P under his new alias, “Drugs From Amsterdam,” has already claimed the #1 overall spot on Beatport and pre-release went viral on social media with live play videos from the likes of ACRAZE, John Summit, Lee Foss, Tchami, Tiësto, and Walker & Royce. Our feature dives deep into Maurice’s inspiration for his new project, exploring his commitment to stepping outside his comfort zone, signing with Repopulate Mars, and the rollercoaster ride since the track has taken off. Turn it up for 90 minutes of underground grooves and techy rollers, and let the excitement for the future of Mau P grow!
Maurice, what a treat to be here celebrating your massive hit “Drugs From Amsterdam” and the launch of your Mau P project! The hype for this track has been growing for quite some time, and for a while no one knew who was behind the track! How’s the build up to the release been through your eyes?
First and foremost I’m so happy and so grateful for everything that’s happening right now. I never expected this track to get picked up like this. It’s funny because I actually sent out a folder of multiple tracks to DJs and somehow “Drugs From Amsterdam” just got the most attention. I kept seeing more and more insanely cool names play it out on Instagram videos and then the DMs started to come. One day I woke up to a DM from Lee Foss asking for “that Amsterdam track.” He started playing it and very soon he decided he wanted it on his label. When Repopulate Mars sent out the track to their promo pool it got even bigger. This one video of Walker & Royce playing it at The Mirage went viral (almost 5 million views I believe) and from that point there was no stopping the rollercoaster that I’m still on right now.
Let’s rewind a bit more, what was life like for you during the pandemic and when did you get the idea to start working on the Mau P alias? With such an established and growing career already as Maurice West, can you tell us some more about sticking with your intuition and gut to go with something new?
Covid was very weird for me as I was literally the first DJ that was affected by it. I was supposed to do a show in Wuhan as part of a China tour and got told there was a virus and we had to cancel. Then of course later the whole tour got canceled. The pandemic had me sitting in Amsterdam for two years straight but that brought me to some interesting new insights. I finally got a closer look into music culture in Amsterdam (and Holland). I’ve always been going to techno and house parties myself while producing and playing big room, and now spending a lot of time in my hometown has made my love for underground music even stronger. I always like to do whatever makes me the happiest and that really turned out to be producing and playing a deeper sound. After multiple talks with my booking agents we came to the conclusion that the only way to reach the goals that I had was to change my name. Now don’t get me wrong, this was a hard pill to swallow for me and a very big risk. At the same time it also felt really really exciting. I love the adrenaline rush you get when you’re scared of something. I still have that feeling now, but it’s turned around in the most positive way ever.
Who are some key influences and references for the Mau P project? How would you describe your sound not only as a producer, but also now as a DJ?
I have checked out a lot of Solardo, Eli Brown, Nic Fanciulli, Wade, Rebūke, Dom Dolla, Boys Noize, Chris Lake and John Summit to name a few. What really impacted me in my sets was seeing Solomun play in Amsterdam this summer. I’ve visited A LOT of festivals and clubs here in The Netherlands during the summer to study how everyone DJs, but Solomun’s set got me the most inspired for sure. Under Maurice West I always used to prepare my sets from front to back, but now I’ve found a love for improvising and telling a story. Also if we’re doing shout outs I really have to give it to GORDO (previously Carnage) for being so ruthless and doing the name change as well. Him being so open about it online really got me confident enough to choose my own path.
“Drugs From Amsterdam” has quite the story in terms of the production coming together. Can you tell us some more about the initial inspiration and voice note you recorded, as well as how you built the track from there?
To be honest there’s no real explanation for it. This was one of those ideas that my brain presented to itself as a finished product almost. I knew it was cool the way I heard it and envisioned it in my head, so that’s why I made about 10 voice notes of it just to be sure. I started working on it the same day and everything just went so fast. I found the perfect sounds for everything and then all that was left was to nail the arrangement, and I love how it turned out.
The record has already gone number 1 on Beatport! A major milestone, but even more impressive as the first release under your new alias. Where does the accomplishment rank for you compared to all you’ve accomplished in dance music already?
Thank you! I’ve never had a Beatport number 1 across all genres. It feels so surreal. My goal has always been to push dance music culture forward and create pieces of music that will stand the test of time. I didn’t realize the impact this track would have when I finished it, but now when I listen to it I can understand how people feel about it. This track is definitely my biggest accomplishment to date because it stands for something that is so much bigger than just me.
For the release you’re on Repopulate Mars. What does it mean to you to have the support of Lee and such an iconic tech house label?
I’m so happy to work with Lee and I’m so thankful that he believed in the record. Also, he took me in with 0 Spotify listeners, no shows, no social media (at that time it was still Maurice West) so that really means a lot to me. The label is amazing and I love how they’re working the track. It’s such a good starting point for me doing this new name.
Let’s head inside your Exclusive Mix – can you highlight three tracks included and why they stand out to you?
Level Groove - “Low Gain”: I started off with this one cause it just sets the tone. It’s everything I want from a record. It’s groovy, sexy, but at the same time mysterious and dirty.
Smooth Touch - “House Of Love” (Roog & Dennis Quin 2k17 Tribute To The Master Extended Mix): I love the rave vibes in this one. It feels dark but still has a great pocket to it. For me this track comes from the same universe as “Drugs From Amsterdam.”
Egbert - “Straktrekken”: This is a big nod to 18 year old Mau going to his first Awakenings. Never thought I would play stuff like this at actual shows, but now that we’re here I might as well.
Looking ahead, what’s on the immediate horizon for Mau P? If we were to fast forward a few years from now, do you have any particular goals for the project that you would like to have accomplished by then?
After “Drugs From Amsterdam” started taking off we also started to get a lot of booking requests. My goal with Mau P always was to be able to do shows in new territories and it’s looking like that will be happening. If we’re talking long-term goals, I’d love to be able to do my own shows one day in Amsterdam. That would just be amazing.
In the short term, what’s keeping you excited, creative, and motivated on a daily basis?
Honestly the success of “Drugs From Amsterdam” and all the people that are reaching out to me about it is a HUGE motivation for me. I’ve been grinding out for years and years and to finally see every piece of the puzzle come together is just a high you can’t get from anything else.
Do you have any advice for other producers who are looking to rediscover their passion for music and their projects?
My advice to other producers would be to always do you, always keep educating yourself, try new stuff, experiment, do things that are scary and enjoy the ride.
Anything else that you’d like to share?
I’d just like to thank each and everyone that has been supporting, playing, sharing, and hyping “Drugs From Amsterdam.” I feel like we’re all collectively pushing this record. I feel like we’re moving culture. I’m so grateful for this.
Mau P - "Drugs From Amsterdam" is available to download/stream on your platform of choice today! https://lnk.to/RPM142
short link 1001.tl/47z88u
