Ifyou’re already an obsessive music-seeker then why not share your findings with an audience? Well, that’s essentially what Melbourne DJ Myles Mac has been doing for the best part of the last decade. Like many DJs, Mac’s a longstanding music freak who’s found a way to put his record-collecting fetish to good use.
“Besides the actual DJing part, I guess that is one of the only jobs of being a DJ,” he says. “I spend more money than I should on records. A lot of them I never even get a chance to play. Once you have the bug it’s pretty hard to shake it, I think.”
Mac’s distribution of unheralded music to the masses isn’t limited to his regular club DJ spots. In 2009 he and fellow music nut/electronic producer Andy Hart kickstarted the Melbourne Deepcast website. Initially hoping to present obscure electronic music to a broader Australian listenership, the site quickly became an internationally revered resource. Melbourne Deepcast functions as an online zine, comprising feature articles and a guest-programmed podcast series, which has seen episodes presented by the likes of Groove Armada, San Soda and Eric ‘Dr. Dunks’ Duncan. Now that Mac’s record collecting has a vindicated utilitarian purpose, can he still do it simply for pleasure?
“Personal enjoyment is always the first consideration,” he assures, “but I’m usually listening to records to try to imagine what vibe they would create.”
In addition to Melbourne Deepcast gaining international esteem, Mac ventured over to Europe in 2012, DJing in some of Germany’s most iconic venues. Europe is generally considered the globe’s electronic music mecca, but Mac insists Australia’s underground scene holds its own.
“Although the scales of our scenes are so disproportionate, the community aspect of our scene here in Melbourne is as strong as it is anywhere I’ve been to. Good music attracts good people wherever you are in the world, though, from my experience.”
In fact, Mac believes the electronic resurgence seen in the last few years has now reached a point where audiences are beginning to out-geek him.
“I was recently at my local record store and the store owner told me that there had been a bunch of young kids coming in lately asking for the latest Theo Parrish records and the like. It’s great to see young DJs and punters who have obscure taste and know even more about records than you do.”
It’s fair to say Mac’s club shows and Melbourne Deepcast both played a part in revamping the local electronic underground. Mac’s story might read like that of a studious investigator and conscientious presenter of good tunes, but his DJ gigs are still basically an opportunity to practically implement his ravenous habits.
“I’ve never really been into planning sets too strictly,” he says. “I like to just have enough options for whatever the mood is of the night, but usually it’s just the new records I got that week and whichever semi-random selection of old records I can squeeze into my bag.”
Regardless of this casual approach, Mac has proved himself capable of upholding momentum in a club while also introducing the revellers to new sounds. He brings this loaded bag of records to The Spice Cellar this long weekend and there’ll no doubt be some fresh purchases to air.
“I really like some of the ‘new’ Afrobeat records floating around at the moment. They might not seem too club-friendly to some but the music is just so happy that people generally can’t help but to move around to it.”
Catch Myles Mac at The Spice Cellar on Thursday April 17, guest list vis their Facebook page.
