U-Bahn’s most recent offering is a dance remix of the original theme from the popular Manga cartoon Sampei. In between working on new material, U-Bahn took time out for a coffee to chat with music correspondent Michael Bugeja on what makes them tick, what makes them groove and what they have up their sleeves for the future

Seven years ago, a song called Evening Falls emerged on the local airwaves and clubs, taking all by surprise thanks to a pulsating Europhile melody and the barefaced vocal sample off Enya’s Watermark that gave it its alluring timbre. That song was often mistaken as a foreign import, but it was actually the work of a (then) relatively new local duo by the name of U-Bahn.

Matt and Mark first started working together in 2000, producing demos that captured enough attention from local club DJs to garner the Best New Talent award at that year’s Club DJ Awards. That same year they released U-Turn, their official debut release, following it up in 2001 with two new songs, the first of which, Closer, featured Trinity on vocals and gave them their first taste of radio airplay. It was a big step towards bigger things, but it was, in fact, the Enya white label project (Evening Falls) that really boosted their public profile.

A year later, U-Bahn released their debut CD album. Freedom revealed a fresh musical approach and a broader vision; where the early singles reflected elements of Trance, the album offered tracks flourishing with breakbeats, House grooves and even the odd chilled cut. With their popularity on the rise, the duo continued to develop their live PAs and club appearances, performing at various venues all over Malta; their following growing with every performance.

In 2005 U-Bahn resurfaced with a Live Classics one-hour show on New Year’s Eve, following it up with further releases and remixes, most prominently a new song called Prove Yourself, which featured new member Keith on vocals. The song received a lot of airplay and reached the top end of several radio charts. That same year they also remixed Ira Losco’s Accident Prone together with Ruby and produced a track for Ruby’s PureMalta compilation CD.

When you first started, it seemed that you were quite media shy. Is this still the case or has success made you more comfortable in public?

Well, yes in the beginning it took time for us to feel comfortable with the media. Back then however, we were one of the very first ‘dance’-orientated live acts around, so the process of getting ourselves known to the public for the music we did, and how we did it was something totally new for the local dance scene.

In the beginning, having already written original material, what inspired the Evening Falls remix?

We have always loved Enya’s angelic voice and since at the time it was all about Trance music, we thought that Enya’s voice would fit perfectly well with the style, and therefore decided to go ahead and do a remix of Evening Falls. It went down really well with the clubbers and many still request it till this day.

You have collaborated with Ruby and other artists. Which of your collaborative projects are you happiest with?

Mark: Undoubtedly the track that had the biggest impact was our remix of Ira Losco’s Love me or Hate Me, which was done by myself in collaboration with DJ Ruby. It was an interesting experience working on this particular track. We both joined forces and our experience to create a new vibe out of the track. The end result says it all – watching people actually singing the song all out as you play it, is an indescribable feeling.

You have both done some solo work or projects outside of U-Bahn. What do you feel brings out the best in you: working as a solo or as a duo?

Mark: Working solo lets you work on projects and different styles that as a duo, you simply wouldn’t have the time to do. However most of the tracks we have worked on so far were all done as a duo. In practical terms, it’s even easier since the work is split up between the group members. However, having a musical background helps big time in building up ideas and transforming them into music there and then.

Matthew: Studying music for 9 years and being brought up as a performing musician, I have worked with other artists of different styles such as classical, rock, hip-hop and pop as well as musicians who enjoy experimenting with electronic sounds. When it comes to my favourite style, I feel most comfortable with Mark since he is very good in recreating the ideas I would have in mind and we both share the same music aspirations.

As solo artists, what were you pursuing in artistic terms, and will there be other solo stints in the future?

Mark: We have always been open to new ideas. We both started off our musical career by studying the piano. Even though we both like classical music and respect it for what it is, we simply wanted more punch. Matthew continued to develop more complex piano styles and rhythms, while I took up percussion instruments. As a matter of fact, we both used to play in rock bands, with Matthew on the keys and myself on the drums. Through all this time, we gained experience and learned to appreciate all music styles.

You have performed several live PAs over the years. How do they compare to doing DJ sets and which do you prefer?

Matthew: Performing live has been an important formation for us since it is our main showcase. We literally have to move most of our equipment from the studio to the club. Performances take days of preparations since we have to prepare sounds, sequencers, samplers and effects for each song – rehearsals are similar to those made by rock bands. All this makes each performance unique. Occasionally we do give DJ sets since we enjoy it too.

Mark: I cannot really say I prefer one to the other since they both give you a different experience. Obviously playing live is something that cannot be replicated, literally. Each set is unique and different from the others, and that’s why we love it! Also, technology is not an issue for us; we do not believe that more “tech” automatically means better music. Let’s just say we like to keep things simple and in control. We love switches and knobs to computers and “mice”… even though we do use these in the studio. This might be because we are used to touching, playing, breaking and mending instruments just like a rock band does… not controlling virtual synths on virtual laptops (laughs).

The Prove Yourself single revealed a new approach to your previous work. Is it something you will be revisiting or was it just a one-off?

Matthew: Most of our work is a result of the sound we would be enjoying at that time. In fact, if you go through our discography you can see the shift of styles we went through. In 2005 we were listening to Nu-Breaks, a very popular style in the UK underground scene which influenced us. With Prove Yourself we wanted to write a song with a meaningful message as the name states, and with Mark being a drummer and myself keen on melody, we created the track. Thanks are due to Keith (Chasing Pandora) who shared his talents with us: he penned the lyrics and recorded the vocals in no time at all – a nice blend indeed!

The Sampei remix has rocketed U-Bahn’s popularity to new heights. Everyone wants it! What inspired it and are there plans for an official release?

Matthew: Unexpectedly yes! From the first time I heard what Mark had been up to, I felt that radio listeners would like it just as much as I did. I encouraged Mark to finalise the track and we worked on a radio edit too. Our website has been bombarded with hits, comments and requests. We were surprised at the response, as we didn’t expect Sampei to be so popular. The track is up to now just a promo but we are working hard to establish a contact with the writer and composer of the original version.

Mark: Many people have asked us why on earth we decided to remix Sampei in the first place. The answer is – simply for fun, it’s just so cool! Many producers nowadays are taking music too seriously, and if we take music seriously we simply get bored. It’s nice to move away from the trend sometimes and do something new, regardless of what others may think of you.

Aside from cartoon themes and pop excursions, what is the plan for U-Bahn in the immediate future? Any more surprise remixes?

Although most people get to hear about us once a year with some radio release, we are constantly working on new music. Another recent new track, Sway, which appeared on Ruby’s PureMalta compilation, has now been released on the Dutch label Fektive. Sway is very different from our previous tracks, as it shifts more towards a chillout/breaks style. This year, Mark also worked on a new collaboration with DJ Ruby and Ira Losco, remixing her top-selling song, Accident Prone which is about to be internationally released too. As for performances, we are fully booked till the end of the year. We have been performing around Malta and Gozo for the last month and more gigs are on the way – Bay Music Awards, Plush, Gozo and Caraffa NYE. See you there!

For more information about U-Bahn or to order a copy of “Sampei”, visit www.u-bahnmusic.com.