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The world of dance music is moving faster than it ever has done before, constantly evolving, shifting and creating new sounds and strains of machine-produced funk. In an ever evolving landscape of digital production, fast release schedules and accelerated, demanding culture, Rob Mello is making music and quietly analysing the scene as it strides on. Mello by name - and certainly Mellow by nature - the London based producer has been a key force in the development of UK house culture since the early nineties alongside other figures such as Ashley Beedle and Matt Herbert. Based in his studio - situated on the top floor of his family home – Rob devises and creates his special blends of nu-disco, house and more in a personal sanctuary. Encased in rows of vinyl and surrounded by an array of analogue equipment, it’s the nucleus of Rob’s many projects, from his material as Heaven & Earth, his No ears dubs project and more monikers than you can count on one hand. There's been so many releases, across many different labels and for many years - but still, Rob is changing and adapting to the times accordingly. Including a focus on some brand new material of his own, the first in some years.
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“Basically, I get asked to do a lot of remixes and I’ve sort of been doing remix after remix for a quite a while, in between I’ve been making original stuff but you know,,, with release schedules and stuff these days, they want it a lot faster” he ponders. “So I’ve said from this point on, no more remixes; I really want to get my head down and get some original stuff done” he declares heartily. In this age of quick consumption and fast turnover of music, it seems Rob has adapted to the times - and isn’t short of work for it either. “It amazes me sometimes, as some labels have their release schedule done a month in advance” he tells. ”There’s been a few when there’s been no rush, but generally people want things, like, yesterday” he comments.
The turnover is such these days that both consumers and even DJs agree that music can seem to be coming in at avalanche speed. Surrounded by a generation of young, digitally equipped producers that can create great quality on minimal budget, the genre has opened up those who have the skills to succeed, thanks to the removal of the obstacles holding producers of yore back such as budget, space and a lack of focus on the scene. But in a career that’s seen Rob moves through the likes of Crosstown Rebels, a ten year affiliation with Classic Music Company and Quintessentials, the London producer’s had more releases out - mostly on vinyl – than you’ve had hot dinners. Literally. Shape-shifting and producing in a scene that has mutated dramatically in the space of a decade, it’s surprising – and also refreshing – to hear the relaxed friendly producer attributes his milestone successes to a well-trodden process of pot luck. “It’s funny – things I’ve worked on less have been more well received, some things I spend months on can get missed if you like” he says honestly, “so in terms of what’s been received well by the public or in terms I’ve felt proud of, it’s a really tough one to answer actually” he replies when asked about his particular personal milestones.
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“I’ve done a series called ‘ No Ears Dubs’ that I’ve released over the years” he confirms. “The thing is I don’t use computers for that, it’s me using my analogue gear and using a big studio for mastering on to tape and then on to vinyl” he explains. That’s how I’ve always liked to do those releases. When I as having people asking me to do remixes for them in that way, they had the budgets to do that. Of course, that’s been squeezed massively now... but I’m doing one more for one artist and then that’ll probably be the last remix I do this year actually. I’m going to do that process for him”.
Judging from Rob's softly spoken demeanor, he's certainly no snob when it comes to digital production and the usage of computers. Far from it in fact, as the well-versed producer explains the virtues of having both a digital machine and a collection of analogue equipment at his disposal.
“You can achieve good results on both; it’s a different sound on computers. I work on my computer a lot for productions and they both have great advantages” he confirms. “I'm not one of these snobs who thinks “oh it’s got to be like this” because they bring different results, that can be just as good in their own way. I feel comfortable at the moment because it’s come full circle; people are listening to house records that were made like 20 years ago. Thing is, people are no making that music in a different way, so it doesn’t really sound like the music that came out 20 years ago” he muses again. “If you want to make something sound like a Larry heard record then you get a Juno and a 808 and you make it sound like him. If it’s Master at work, you use an SP-1200. Technology is being designed to mimic those sounds – but it always comes out a little different” he states.
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So going back to Rob’s statement of winding down his remix output to concentrate on his own material, the personable producer explains his plans for the forthcoming months. “I won’t be making an album no,” he answers in short, “I’m actually going to be working on a new pseudonym. I’ve been thinking about the concept for a bit and it’s worked out in my head” he explains. “But I haven’t told anyone about the name of the project or hat it is” he says. “I'm really kind of interested to see how this would be released on a very level playing field. Putting music out and seeing how it’s received on face value. They’ll be vinyl only. I'm looking forward to seeing how that works out and really excited about the future for it.”
And when it comes to the idea of multiple monikers, Rob’s been devising musical guises for years, from Black Science Orchestra to Heaven & Earth and Disco Elements/ Sensory Production, long before the likes of Mickey Pearce and Ramadanman started experimenting with multiple monikers for different mutations of sound. For this integral, hard-working musician and DJ, it’s business as usual as he continues to explore the different shades of electronic music in the 21st century.
“For my stuff under Rob Mello, I’ll be putting out a record soon actually on Noears Records – in fact, everything I'm doing is vinyl only, even in today's digital world. I'm looking forward to stepping back from the digital side of things - it’s not because I hate digital though” he points out, “when someone releases a record, it’s there and you buy it as it comes out; if you don’t, you miss it and you go looking for it. In the digital age, it’s easy to find things again” he muses. “Music can kind of be devalued because there’s no rush to get it” he continues. “And Bloggers are also posting stuff up, and it’s usually very bad quality in comparison to the original release”.
Since back in the day, DJ's such as Rob and other classic names such as Ashley Beedle have had their introduction to house through a rooted seed in sound system culture and a fondness for bass-infused music, as Rob explains about his musical journey and his seemingly never ending discography. “House music is such a great medium for adding bits and pieces into it, and that’s why I think e all latched on to it back then; obviously there are different reasons that we shouldn’t go into” he laughs. “House records have a reggae influence and a disco influence – it’s all there. We’ve all come from being record collectors and music lovers and then it fell into what we do now. If I told my parents back then that I was going to be a DJ they’d probably kick me out” he jokes. “It’s something I did as a hobby in the background. I ended up working in a record shop – Zoom records In Camden – for five years and then I moved on to Black Market Records after that. You meet lots of people and you’re surrounded by records and that. It all just happened – it was never a thought out process. “
To conclude our meeting in Rob's cozy, lofty studio, attention turns to his excluisve podcast mix for Pulse. And much like the trajectory of his output and career, it's a natural selection, deftly demonstrating his keen ear and on-point selection, rooted down of course by his unmatchable knowledge and an eclectic, spanning taste. “When I make a podcast I like a little nod to the past but obviously it has to be relevant to now, and contain a lot of recent stuff - essentially that’s what I play now. Dance music is supposed to be cutting edge – underground dance music is something that, in five years’ time down the road, becomes pop music” he ponders. “If I play one style the whole way through I get really bored, so personally I like to change it up a bit. That’s what I‘ve done in this podcast for you guys."
Original photography by Jamie Parkin.
Download Pulse.111- Rob Mello here.
Listen to Rob Mello on Pulse Radio.
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