LA-based artist Masha Mar returns to SOS Music with her new EP, Cherry Cherry. Italo disco-leaning house goodness. SOS Music is a label that champions female and gender minority producers worldwide. Masha debuted on the label in 2020 on their first V/A (also feat Nene H, Umfang, rRoxymore, LCY).
Beyond being a producer, she’s launched two parties in LA. Dig Deeper LA in 2014 with guests DJ Sprinkles, K-Hand, Axel Boman, Bradley Zero, Shanti Celeste. More recently she started open-air series Take It Outside – DJ Harvey, Honey Dijon, DJ Minx, Gerd Janson, Anz and Massimiliano Pagliara are some of the guests.
And as if that wasn’t enough, she’s also an NTS resident and dublab resident with shows Beyond The Clouds and Analogue Players Club.
On the EP she said: “Cherry Cherry is a celebration of femme power in all its diverse and vibrant nuances. The female voice comes through in every track. I’m proud to release this collection of tracks on SOS Music. It’s such an inspiring label that encourages and supports total freedom of expression.”
Words and photos by Masha Mar
ROLAND TR-808
The legendary 808 is my most prized possession and the focal piece of this EP as cheekily illustrated in the EP cover art. It’s very user-friendly and a great starting point for making a groove. I use it on every track I make – even if it’s just the snare or claps. The 808 Congas have become somewhat of a signature sound in my productions. You can distinctly hear the congas in ‘U Can Do It’ – the entire intro is an 808 jam with a few synth effects over it. The extended intro in the dub version of ‘Cherry Cherry’ is also a full-on 808 groove until the bass comes in followed by the rest of the elements. Fun fact: ‘Cherry Cherry’ is the first time I use the 808 cowbell in a production – it comes in during the breakdown along with the cymbals for a funky ‘80s vibe.
JUNO 60
I love this synth. It looks and feels like a toy, I’ve gotten super comfortable sculpting sounds through it. The arpeggiator is fun to play with and trigger through the 808 for some real ‘80s action. I also got a box installed in the back so I can send midi through. I used it throughout the EP but most prominently in ‘Cherry Cherry’ for the bassline, chord slabs, and tons of synth layers. It’s also audible in the chord slabs in ‘U Can Do It’ and the new synth that comes in during the breakdown of ‘Pain Relief’. The Juno 60 was used on tons of my favorite synth-pop music…I borrowed one from a friend while they were on tour and then my studio mates ended up getting one for our shared space because we all loved it so much.
PROPHET 5
The Prophet 5 is super versatile and also used throughout this EP. It’s the dominant sound in ‘Respira Profundo’ via the bassline, atmospheric FX, and moody layers. I made the lead melody in ‘Cherry Cherry’ with it, as shown in this studio jam session video. I wrote the melody in MIDI and then sent it to the synth and sculpted the sound. It’s also the source of the classic deep house chords in ‘Pain Relief’. Sadly it is no longer in the shared studio space and I miss it!
MOOG VOYAGER
This is the best synth for FAT reverberating basslines. Surprisingly, I only used it for the ‘U Can Do It’ bassline, you can hear it packs a punch. I play with the cut-off filter so the bass changes throughout each 8-bar loop of it. I’ve used this synth on many releases outside of this EP – it’s my go-to for bass.
NORD STAGE 2
Tons of great piano/synth/organ/voices in here. It’s where the upbeat lead chords in ‘U Can Do It’ came from. The Balearic piano and dubbed-out choir voices in ‘Respira Profundo’ originated from this, and also the source of the choir/voices in ‘Pain Relief’. I see this modern synth on stages for live bands all the time. It’s a great investment.
ROLAND TR-8S
This is an excellent, approachable and modern digital drum machine with tons of great samples from the TR machines (606,707,727,808,909) and beyond. I like using it for 909-style kicks and hats. You can add reverb, delay, and sculpt sounds easily. I find it handy to start with a groove and then move on to the rest of the elements so I recommend this to anyone who wants to program drums out of the box. On this EP I used it on ‘Respira Profundo’ (all 909 drums), ‘Cherry Cherry’ (lead kick) and ‘Pain Relief’ (kick and percussion).
CASIO
This cheap old synth is amazing for strings. It has great violin sounds, and when shaped with echo and delay FX sounds full and reminiscent of classic disco or ‘90s house strings. I used these in ‘U Can Do It’.
Grab your copy here.
