As you probably noticed you have only been reading about ambitous producers and DJs on this site. But the time has come for me to introduce a publisher who is Hungarian as well but only known by a few... although more and more talents who might be deciding in the future try their wings at his Feral Code Records.

So, meet the owner of this record company and his private life!

Let’s begin the questioining from the basics because whichever way I tried scanning the web regarding information about you I hardly found anything. Your career is built up by interesting bricks as you learned to play the classical piano first then you tested your wings in blues and jazz-rock bands (if I read it properly) . How did you get in touch with electronic music and how long have you been pursuing it?

In my childhood I learned to play the piano in a school of music and I

loved doing it very much. At home we had a real upright piano, so one can imagine how much our neighbours liked it when I practised. I had a cute school mistress which sweetened my time over there, but a bit later I started to play my own melodies and I realized that it is much more interesting then playing from a sheet. In grammar school I stopped going to the school of music due to not having enough time for it, and on the other hand I lost my enthusiasm. Later on I found a band – commonly known as Venus - with which we could play blues to the limits. In the meantime I got my first keyboard from my parents and a hardware sequencer, and from that point I had a clear path towards electronic music. My initial tries were taken in the style of Mike Oldfield and Jean Michel Jarre, then it was followed by dance and the computerized music editing. That’s briefly the past 20 years.

Could you tell us how FeralCode Records was born and what motivated you to start to run your own record company?

I was admin on a ctgmusic.com site, which is a „music community” with many young and talented musicians. Based on my own experiences I made up an own site – feralcode.com - which meant to be a progressive house page with news, previously introduced artists, and my music. In the summer of 2005 cooperating with Proton Music I organized the hungarian part of their remix competition - won by Retroid - and in the meantime I realized that I was meeting more and more musicians having a deserved place on stage. With less experience but with more self-trust I struck my axe into it with the aim to introduce new musicians and spread their songs all over the world. In the past year I’ve acquired a lot of experience and I do certain things in a different way, but my goal remained the same: I would like to introduce and support young, talented musicians and within my boders give them that chance of the first step... which nowadays is not as hard as it was a few years ago. I have so many editions which are „debut releases” for example: Coldfish, Off Mind, Adam Byrd, Organic Function, Dynamic Illusion, Ray Calman – they all started with me and, believe me, because of that it is all worth doing it!

The way I can see, since your company started, you have grown fairly nicely, blossoming relationships with producers from different parts of the world.

Could you explain how it works actually? You contact them or they send you the promos and you select from them?

You know how it goes! Until you know just a few people you are the one who seeks,  when you can show something off things start to flow. Right now the situation is double-sided which means that many people contact me and of course I have to search as well. Fortunately we have an evolving group of musicians I can count on, and whom I like working with and vice-versa. However it does not really mean that I am closed for new people, which is more on the contrary. Usually I receive original tracks and if I want to simplify things I search for remixes myself. The whole thing is a bit crazy right now. There are millions of small record companies and the records are in mass production because everybody needs new releases. The fashionable names overdose the work, and some of the record companies release almost everything without criteria. But it is just like that!

As for releasing music do you make decisions on your own or do you have partners helping you in the selection?

Absolutely on my own. We can say that the record company reflects my own taste of music, which is continously changing and taking shape.  The company never chased trends, never took the ride of certain, most popular styles, however did not get stuck in only one, sole direction. So we are not a „typical record company” which drives striclty on the highway of one style by „foot-to-floor”. I try to release interesting and durable music from people who enjoy making it while they know what they’re doing.

How many of you work for the company, and how do you share the work?

There is a „mastering guy” I work with and me. It’s just like that. There were times when I had assistance, but it didn’t work out! On the other hand I like when I know about everything and I can control even the smallest things. It derives from my personality. I run the record company, the site, the promos, the contact with stores/shops, the interviews and honestly I love doing it. I like going to bed with the fact that today something has been created! If the company goes well I’m in a good mood, if something is wrong I am not. So it became my life!

And how come the idea of a Frisky radio program? How did you get in touch with them?

At the launch of the site I searched for similar pages and just found them. They always have been very kind and cooperative with me and by now we have a developed partnership helping eachother wherever we can. As for the broadcast of the radio program it came along with some previous mixes I made for them which were highly appreciated. I thought that it would not be a problem if it becameregular. Just like with the record company I have the same goal with the radio program: introducing DJs and producers to an audience being fond of this very specific style, and of course let the music of the record company be widely heard.

What do you think of today’s electronic music? In your opinion, what direction is this segment of the music industry developing to?

I think you refer to underground. Well, it is developing, changing and that is the point! I am not a kind of man who likes listening to a track ’til I feel bored. I always look for another one to be different then the previous one, and I am always open for something new. I spend a lot of time in mp3 shops, I listen to the new additions, and I always find something interesting, and pointing forward. As I said before I do not really care about trends or styles. The essence of it all is that the music coming out of the box must be enjoyable!

The music industry is a different story.

Regarding electro and minimal, the question is simple: what kind of future do you forecast for this two branch of music?

I wouldn’t say that I am fortune-teller, but styles are coming and going, then coming and going again. What’s good it is that they reincarnate into another style - styles crossover and merge and something new takes shape that will be updated and fashionable for a few months, or few years, and it’s okay like that.  I admire changes, and as a producer I like taste meals I have not tried yet.

In your opinion, which producers of continents or countries are the most determining in today’s music development?

Naturally, the hungarian aren’t they? Anyway, I have no idea! Sometimes I don’t even know where a producer is from. Some styles have specific features, for example the South American or southern European line are strong in progressive, but I guess you can mention producers from almost every single country being determining or looking forward in his/her own style. In today’s world the borders have disappeared, and that’s good!

Do you think that England keeps its leading position in this style or they’re just left behind us?

No comment.

A stupid question: what if all electronic instruments were destroyed and only acoustic would remain? (Acoustic progressive?)

The determining part of music was born without processors, so I don’t think it would be a disaster. From my part: with a box of cigarettes, some whiskey, and an acoustic guitar the record company may alter to ”blues records”.

I have already been asked by many people, so I am forced to do the same with you: „How did your evironment and friends accept the change of your music?”

My friends? I work night and day , so we may say that the old friends are, unfortuately, lost... but it is comes along with this activity. New friends pop up from this new environment. To run a record company besides work, to act as a producer and make mixes, results in really not having a life. I accepted it.  However, I try to take more time for my family. I have two beautiful children who like house as well…and recently my wife is up to listening to what I am doing.

How long have you been making remixes and which was the most successful?

2 and a half years ago I became the winner on a „Sterbinszky Remix Competition”. 2 years ago my first remix was released on Sentient Audio Collective - which has already been closed by now - and we may say that this track was the most successful. It was up on the chart of Beatport Top 10 for two weeks. Recently I make remixes for the record company itself (if I have time for that) and try to determine the music directions of the record company.

Which track or tracks are you the most proud of?

All of them or none of them. Always the freshest? I don’t know. I am not the type of producer who overestimates himself, besides I am quite critical of myself. My track titled  „Sczizophrenic” was fairly accepted. I am curious how my latest few remixes will be accepted. I tried to taste something – compared to myself - new.

Would you speak a few words about future plans and releases?

At the beginning of February the new single „ Clubbervision – Changing places remixes” will come out from the Refletion selection disc. Also dPen’s new vocal track will be heard with some very good remixes, just like new songs from Pablo Roma, Organic Function, Adam Byrd, Fracis Blaid. So the spring will be quite busy, we will havie some really promising music in all kinds of styles, with many Hungarian producers, as you are possibly already used to!

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/feralcode

FeralCode Records:  http://www.feralcode.com/

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