Maur, a dynamic DJ and producer duo based in London, has been making waves in the electronic music scene since their formation in 2015. Consisting of Dan Clare and Dylan May, both established DJs in their own right, they joined forces to bring their distinct melodic house grooves to the forefront.
Recognized as Tomorrowland’s artists to watch in 2021, their music blends high-energy, melodic hits with captivating vocals, creating tracks that resonate on dance floors worldwide. Their breakthrough track ‘Set You Free’ achieved the number one spot on Beatport for four weeks and has amassed over one million Spotify streams, supported by industry heavyweights like Pete Tong, Annie Mac, and Danny Howard. With a portfolio of releases on labels such as ViVA, W&O Street Tracks, and CR2, Maur continues to captivate audiences with their innovative sound and energetic performances.
With their new single Disco Tool out now on Toolroom, we thought it was about time we caught up with this dynamic duo.
Thanks for talking to us—where do we find you today?
We are both at home today, in Peterborough & Derby, about to join a session and record a podcast.
What was the inspiration behind your latest single ‘Disco Tool’ on Toolroom, and how does it reflect your current musical direction?
‘Disco Tool’ draws inspiration from some of the big indie dance tracks we used to play from 2014-2016. We wanted to create a dancefloor weapon that you could reach for on your USB at any point in a set. It’s our first time making a track with significant disco elements too!
Can you walk us through the production process? Any particular challenges or highlights?
We had a track called ‘Back In The 90s’ that came out in April 2020, just as clubs around the world closed. We thought it was never really given a moment, so we wanted to make something similar to that! It came together quite quickly, and Toolroom was really on board with the record from the day we sent it over.
Could you share insights into your collaborative process in the studio? How do you split production duties?
Dylan works mainly on the start of the track and sound design. We then come together to work on structure and finish the track. Dan primarily works with the vocalists on the writing side when we work with singers and make our fuller vocal records.
In terms of DJing, how do you prepare your sets as a duo, and how do you decide on the flow and energy of your performances?
We have both been DJing for a long time. It has come quite naturally playing as a duo, but we will always go into a set with a plan. We take into consideration the event, the location, and other DJs on the lineup. We get put on a real varied selection of lineups, so it’s good to have lots of music in the locker. We always play to the crowd!
In the context of your releases with labels like Toolroom, how do you view the role and importance of record labels for artists in 2024?
In all industries and workplaces, experience is so valuable. The experience that Toolroom and these bigger labels can draw upon is so important to a record’s success.
With the music industry’s continuous evolution, what strategies do you think are essential for record labels to remain relevant and supportive of artists?
I think the labels need to understand this evolving market. You see a lot of labels who were big 2-3 years ago now fading away, simply because they aren’t operating on TikTok, using engaging content, or even using ads. It’s very important to stay relevant on the marketing side of things as well as with the music.
Given the significance of digital platforms and streaming services, what’s your take on the balance between independent releases and label-backed projects?
Unless you are a genius marketer, you still need that support from labels in the industry. Independent releases are great in that you can put out the exact version of your music that you like and don’t need to adhere to schedules. It’s something we are looking at this year.
Finally, what future collaborations or projects can we look forward to this year?
We usually put out 2-3 records a year. We have 5 releases this year before June. Our next release is on Good Company at the end of March. It’s a track that we have sat on for over a year, just because we wanted to release it at the start of summer! We also have a very different garage/deep track coming out on Realm in May. Super excited to get all this music out!
Maur ‘Disco Tool’ is out now on Toolroom
