Monstercat Instinct has delivered a stunning melodic collaboration between two talented musicians, pixel art specialist No Mana and the widely-talented Voicians, the latter of whom lent both vocals and production to “Justify.” The production of this track is top-tier, with tons of subtle synth tricks and sound effects that really help hook the listener into the world of the track.
With three headline tours and multiple festival appearances under his belt, No Mana has found fans in dance heavyweights including Deadmau5 and Rezz. Drawing inspiration from nostalgic elements of Calvin Harris and incorporating a Prydzcore vibe, No Mana honed in on his signature 8-bit, flashy sounds while seamlessly adding a melodic punch to the new record.
In the mesmerizing cover art for “Justify,” No Mana expands on his limitless artistic creativity. Using Aseprite, he masterfully refined the essence of the track into a pixelated gem. In this dreamlike atmosphere, he envisions two objects floating in his usual starry landscape, immersed in a sparkling colour palette that offers a celestial quality.
We had the chance to talk to No Mana about “Justify.” Keep reading for the full interview!
Thanks for your time! First off, how did you meet Voicians and how did you end up collaborating with him on “Justify”?
Of course! I met Voicians back in 2019 when I was putting together my debut album, Secret Level. He was on the track “Only Noise”. I couldn’t remember if I found him, he hit me up, or someone gave him a big vouch in a tweet or Instagram comment somewhere. The safe answer is I met him on the internet as with the rest of my friends lol. I just remember first listening to his stuff and being amazed at how strong he can carry his voice.
“Justify” came together first as a bootleg that was done between EDDIE and I, before we decided to turn it into an original vocal track which is when we turned to Voicians. Long story short, the wheel was handed to me, I ruined the song, then somehow released it.
What’s your go-to production process when you start a new track, whether it be a collaboration or a solo project? Or is it different every time?
Oftentimes I write over pre-existing music, or vocals which is most of the time. That’s what gives me inspiration while trying to come up with something new. If I’m starting from thin air, that’s when I start just experimenting with synthesizers and drums and twisting random knobs until something cool happens, record it, make a beat out of it, ????, then go to the Grammy’s.
What drew you to incorporating the Prydzcore vibe that you did?
I find it comical that the first version of the demo was titled “11 – prydz slap prog af vocal is out of key a bit 1.wav”. I think from a production standpoint there was a lot of appreciation for melodic elements and drums that have a high dynamic quality to them (hence slap prog).
What got you into pixel art?
My parents have a video somewhere of me drawing ovals on MS Paint when I was like 3. I can’t say I have the most amazing memory to remember how that happened almost 3 decades ago, perhaps maybe being on a Windows ’95 computer was their version of iPads for kids that will be distracted enough with it to not disturb society. I also got into it again when I was a teenager with a deviantArt making emoticons and full-resolution pieces.
Aside from aesthetics, the appeal was partly that I got to make art on a computer and I didn’t have to use paper. Fast forward to tying this to No Mana, I tried getting into 3D modeling because that’s what all the DJs do for their visuals, but it was just a rabbit hole I wasn’t willing to go down. I never considered pixel art being an integral part of the brand (also because I held a grudge against MS Paint for introducing anti-aliasing in their newer versions), until my now wife introduced me to Aseprite. The rest is history.
What’s been your favorite live performance? Was it a festival, a club…?
I bounce between saying Allentown with deadmau5 (my first show) and any show in Hawaii because 1: the crowd is always super lit and 2: it’s also a vacation. Also I have to mention the release party at Avalon for Secret Level on Valentines Day – just a massive excretion of dopamine for a sold out show.
