We recently spoke to French artist Captain Mustasche on his early beginnings, favourite records, and his latest release on John Digweed’s Bedrock Records.
With over 5 releases and a whole host podcast mixes it’s safe to say that Parisian artist Captain Mustache had a busy year in 2021. Heavily captivated by Detroit techno and 80’s pioneers, his infectious, classic electro inspired style has seen him feature on labels such as Correspondant, Bordello A Parigi, Kompakt and more.
In our latest feature interview we had a chat with Captain Mustache about what he has been up to so far…
Interview: Callum Martinez
When did you realise that you were interested in music and who were some of your earliest influences?
From an early age, I was fascinated by the synthesizers of Jean-Michel Jarre, and already dreaming of becoming a DJ. My parents bought me a Bontempi keyboard, then a Yamaha QS300 synth. I started music this way. I fell in love with techno music in the mid-90s and collected CD-mixes from Laurent Garnier, Carl Cox, Jeff Mills… Then I decided to get three decks & a mixer and spent all my money on vinyl.
When did you decide to pursue music as career? How did you get your first break?
I always wanted to run my life with music, and I never stopped. Even if I had to work alongside it, I never gave up. In 2018, I gave up my regular job to start my Captain Mustache project. I focused on producing tracks full time. Two years later, I had enough material to sign on Bedrock, Kompakt, Helena Hauff’s Return To Disorder, Bordello A Parigi, My Favorite Robot Records, and more.
What was the inspiration behind “Indigo Memories”, and what was the biggest challenge you faced while producing the album?
During the pandemic, I produced many of the album songs, and I felt melancholic with the party black-out. The world was stuck at home, and I wanted to pay tribute to the nightlife scene. We can say that is a love statement to dance music. The biggest challenge was to seduce and get the attention of John Digweed, haha 🙂
What are your all-time top 3 favourite records?
There are so many… I would say Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’, Aphex Twin ‘Richard D. James Album’ and Dopplereffekt ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’, but also Daft Punk ‘Homework’, Vitalic ‘OK Cowboy’ and Serge Gainsbourg ‘Histoire de Melody Nelson’.
What’s your favourite party memory?
My first gig ever was in 2004 at Rex Club, the temple of techno in Paris. It’s a big location and venue for a first public set. I played there just before Dave Clarke, the same year, doing the warm-up. Now I’ve made a record with him, that’s unreal!
If you could work with any artist, past or present, who would it be?
I’ve made songs with some of my idols, Dave Clarke, The Advent, Keith Tucker… But I hope to do a song one day with Laurent Garnier. And maybe John Digweed if he reads this 🙂
What advice can you give up and coming artists?
Work and never give up. You have to be honest with yourself and create with your heart.
What’s next for Captain Mustache?
A lot of things… First of all, this LP ‘Indigo Memories’ on Bedrock is the most important release of my career. A ten-track album on such a massive label is a great achievement for me.
For 2022, there are several releases already planned on French label Les Yeux Orange (a collaboration with techno pioneer The Advent, with remixes from legends DMX Krew and Legowelt), on Permanent Vacation (with Chicks on Speed, including remixes from Lauer, Zombies In Miami, Joyce Muniz, and Maelstrom), on Exploited Records, and Acid Avengers… Plus, a collaboration with French techno star Popof.
You can purchase the latest music by Capitan Mustache here.
