Setoac Mass talks to us about his new EP, life in Berlin, and his favourite artists.
Manchester native Sam Coates, AKA Setaoc Mass, has been one of the hottest techno tickets for a while now. Currently based in Berlin, his hard-hitting, cavernous techno sound, has seen him release on labels such as Soma Records, and Berlin’s Figure, as well as his own imprint SK_Eleven.
His label has become a popular destination for some of technos up and coming talents such as Holden Fredrico, BLANKA, and Manchester’s Yant. As a DJ, Setaoc Mass has had an output higher than most. With over 50 sets played last year alone, it seems he is planning to continue his run into 2023, having already played Radion, RSO.Berlin, and E1 to name a few.
Despite his love for techno and the thrills that come with it, Sam is constantly looking towards change as his creative instincts and change of lifestyle tug his curiosity into different avenues.
You have been running SK eleven for a few years now. Including your own productions, have had releases from some great artists. What is your process when deciding which artists to pick for the label?
Hey, thanks for having me. Yes, so SK has been running since 2016. Originally it was a platform for my own productions. Having full ownership is something that I am very much in to. During early 2020 the label expanded its roster of artists with the launch of the sub label SK X. Most of all, I have a connection with all the artists who have signed to the label. They are all good people with what I see as a bright future. I want people to stay true to the sound of techno and push this sound forward for many years to come. There’s a lot of artists out there who decided to jump ship and change their sound for popularity reasons, so I like to pay close attention to see whether or not the artists share the same vision as me for the music.
Are there any artists that you would like to shout about?
I prefer to choose names which need recognition rather than household names. Someone who has been blowing me away increasingly over the years is Border One. He is an unsung hero who has been pushing the boundaries of techno since day one, his latest productions on his own imprint and VOLTAGE are amazing. Another name is Altinbas, also a Belgium boy, who’s dedication to quality is admirable. Then we have BLANKA, she is really growing as an artist, and I cannot wait to see what she does next.
Let’s talk about your EP – Satellite. What was the motivation behind this one?
The EP was all built around “Ducati Pole”. I was sat on this track for around a year with some DJ’s playing it as an “unreleased”. I really wanted to put it out there. Most of the tracks are a little bit older, and I dug them out and gave them some new mixdowns and attention to bring them back to life.
You made your debut album – Horror Vacui last year. What was the inspiration behind the project, and how do you feel you have grown as an artist after working on it?
The album was something for myself, first of all, it wasn’t meant to be a hit. In 20 years’ time when someone finds my discography, I want people to see that I am a true artist and not just a techno factory. I experimented a lot with the album, and sometimes for me, I prefer to make IDM and electronica, but techno pays the bills, so I must be careful how far I go in this direction. I’m addicted to making IDM in the studio, so I’m often sat on more of these tracks than I am techno. The album was kind of a selection of these these tracks on my hard drive put into a long player. I’m very proud of my work on the album, its not for everyone, but for me I love how it sounds as I was the one who created it with this raw aesthetic.
You have been based in Berlin for some time now. How is life there for you? What makes you stay there?
I’ve been here for almost 9 years now. It’s a love hate relationship. But what I love the most is the like-minded people. I also feel connected to a scene. Things have definitely changed over the years, and I have gotten older too, which means I’m not in clubs every weekend. Maybe in the future I’ll change my home to a place that can offer more outside of music such as arts and finally some good restaurants.
Are there any places of interest outside of Berlin that you recommend music people check out?
I would have said Kyiv as my first choice. Unfortunately, we all know of the horrific ongoings happening in Ukraine, so my heart is with them and pushing for this to end in a victorious way. Again, we go east, and I would say Tblisi. Outside of the 2 major clubs, Bassiani and Khidi, there is also many smaller thriving clubs. Generally, I feel in the eastern parts of Europe, there’s a scene which is so strong and unique. I love to visit as well as play.
What’s the plan for the rest of 2023? Do you have anything exciting coming up that you would like to share?
The label is running strong, and there is a lot of focus on that right now. I want to put a small distance between myself and the label as I don’t want to be known as a label owner but myself as a DJ and Producer. I built the label to help the scene with necessary music, not put myself into a bracket. So I will focus hard in the studio and hope to put out a string of new releases this year.
Purchase Setaoc Mass – Satellite here.