Name: Captain Mustache
Nationality: French
Occupation: Producer, DJ
Current release: Captain Mustache's “The Pathetic” is out on Mobilee. Grab it here.
Hometown Recommendations: I’ve always lived in a beautiful town near Paris called Rueil-Malmaison. If you enjoy history, you can visit Joséphine de Beauharnais and Napoleon’s castle. And take a walk on the charming terraces of the town center.
Things I am passionate about but rarely get to talk about: No hidden passions, just music. I can’t stay still, so I consume a lot of information, music (from bossa nova to psychedelic rock), movies, daily news ... Like many people, I guess. Music also gives me the chance to travel, and meeting people around the world is truly one of my greatest pleasures.

If you enjoyed this Captain Mustache interview and would like to stay up to date with his music, visit him on Instagram, Soundcloud, and Facebook.



The path to becoming a producer is a process - but from many interviews, I am under the impression that there are nonetheless one or a few defining moments. If this was the case for you – what were they and why were they so incisive?

Definitely when I received positive responses for signing on labels I had admired for so long, like Kompakt, Bedrock, and now Mobilee.

It's the highest form of recognition for an artist like me to be part of the same labels as some of my role models.

Tell me about one or two of your early pieces that you're still proud of (or satisfied with) in terms of production – and why you're content with them.

Among my early tracks as Captain Mustache, I have to mention "Everything" with Play Paul, released on Kompakt Records in 2021.



It’s my biggest success to date (that's why it's so exciting to release a new song together on the album, called "The Pathetic").

I'm also very proud of collabs with long-time idols like "The Mirror" featuring Dave Clarke.



It's a true sign of recognition to work with artists I admire so much like him, Keith Tucker from AUX88, The Advent, Arnaud Rebotini …

[Read our Keith Tucker interview]

In how far, would you say, was your evolution as an artist connected to the tools you use?

There was a notable shift when I sold or put away my hardware and went fully digital.

I wanted to bring my ideas to life as quickly and intuitively as possible.

There are artists who can realise their ideas best with a traditional – or modified – piano interface, others with a keyboard and a mouse, yet others by turning knobs or touching screens. What's your preferred and most intuitive/natural way of making music and why?

I’ve had the same setup for a long time (an old version of FL Studio with some VSTs) which allows me to feel totally comfortable and easily produce the sounds I have in mind.

Tell me about the space of your current studio/workplace and how you've set it up to optimise creativity.

My studio is literally in the middle of my living room. I know it’s unusual, but I enjoy working in the family space, with the kids watching TV nearby or chatting with Madame Mustache :)

That said, my main creative time is at night, when everyone’s gone to bed.

From the earliest sketches to the finished piece, tell me about the production process for your current release, please.

After releasing two singles on Mobilee, I proposed doing a full album with some new material. I had 12 songs; the label picked 7 and suggested including a 2020 track, "Black Light", which they felt deserved a new life.

It was really a collaborative process with the label, which helped shape a coherent final result.

Late producer SOPHIE said: “You have the possibility with electronic music to generate any texture, and any sound. So why would any musician want to limit themselves?” What's your take on that?

I totally agree. I don’t have any academic training and I don’t play any instrument, apart from keyboard by ear.

For me, being an electronic music producer is a blend of technical skill and boundless creativity. As Albert Einstein said: "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

Tell me about your aesthetic preferences for picking effects like reverb, delay, compression, chorus etc – what was the role of these effects in the production of your current release?

Over time, I’ve learned that music is also about restraint.

In the past, I always wanted more. More bass, more effects, more everything ... Now, I try to limit superfluous elements and focus on the essentials.

Dopplereffekt's album Gesamtkunstwerk is a perfect example of that minimalist yet powerful aesthetic.



Producers work with sound in a very direct way for very long stretches of time. What are some of its qualities that you appreciate now more than before, and how do you try to bring these to the fore in your work?

I don’t control it much. I go through very prolific periods, followed by long breaks.

Unfortunately, you can't force creativity. When it strikes, it happens quickly, except for mixing, which is a long and sometimes tedious process.

The current production process allows for fast and infinite variations. Can you tell me about how you deal with this potential for the infinite and what ultimately decides on how many iterations to create and which version to release?

It’s all about intuition. I work by channelling the ideas that come to me.

Sometimes unexpected accidents or sounds become part of the track, but the overall shape comes from the mind and the soul.

Tell me about the role collaboration played in your recent productions – and how you see the potential for machines as collaborators compared to humans.

As a solo artist, I really enjoy collaborations, especially with artists who’ve made me dream. I’m like a fanboy trying to make his own path in the vast world of electronic music.

I particularly appreciate vocals. They add another dimension to my music and a special richness through the merging of our universes. Machines are just tools.

Production, as opposed to live performance, can be a lonely process and feedback from listeners isn't always tangible. What is it about it that gives you satisfaction?

I always ask friends to listen to my tracks before deciding what to do with them. I need that reassurance. Music is, above all, about sharing.

If I love a production but no one else does, then what’s the point?

We can watch videos on production, take producer courses, and exchange deep insights on gear forums. Amidst these options to improve one's chops/skills, how do you keep things playful?

I don’t really watch that kind of content. I’m definitely an old-school producer. As long as I can create what I want, that’s enough.

That said, I’ve made a few “making-of” videos. It’s important to have content to share on social medias.

AI is already capable of making something most people would recognise as music. I am curious, though, and will keep this question somewhat broad on purpose: What do you think that means?

I don’t think too much about it. I just feel a mix of fear and inevitability.

We’re on the train of evolution, and it won’t stop.

Creativity can reach many different corners of our lives. Do you personally feel as though producing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?

Honestly? No :)

I’m an optimist by nature. I aspire to a gentle life, and I try to find beauty and joy in everyday moments, in the most mundane way. Music is just a more introspective (and naturally more festive) medium of expression for me.