The sound is within.
Having always had a passion for music, finding the perfect instrument was becoming hard until he discovered his talent for DJing, right at the perfect time. We sat down with Mylen to learn about his journey and how he got to where he is today. Check it out.
How did this all start? Did you grow up loving music and singing? Was this always a dream for you?
I’ve always been into music, having played guitar and bass from a pretty young age, but to be honest, I was never very good at it. I started DJ’ing and mucking around with production at Uni but didn’t have a ‘sound’ at that point. I always loved electronic music, but Drum & Bass was still a bit foreign to me. I remember seeing Wilkinson perform at Rhythm & Alps in 2019, and the set resonated so much with me that something just clicked, and from there, I was hooked.
Who are your music inspirations/ people you look up to?
I’m lucky enough to have now met and be friends with a few of my biggest musical inspirations, a couple of whom actually helped with this record. Andromedik, Muzz, Culture Shock, and Kanine are just a few of them.
What keeps you motivated?
Motivation has always been something that comes and goes in huge waves for me, and I personally think that being consistent is much more important than being motivated. Showing up and chipping away at something even on the days when you’re not inspired is such an important part of the process, along with not putting any pressure on a particular idea.
How do you think your upbringing has influenced your writing/ the song making process?
I grew up in an era many would consider the golden age of electronic music, particularly in the dubstep and drum & bass scene. I think artists like NERO, Pendulum, and Netsky are brilliant songwriters, and I constantly aspire to find that balance between energy and euphoria that they have accomplished time and time again.
What’s your favourite part of the song making process, writing, mixing, recording, releasing?
Release day is always such a buzz, but I would have to say my favourite part is definitely the moment in the studio where the song starts to click. It might be nailing the melody, or finding the perfect vocal sample, or even just swapping out a drum sample, that brings the track together. Those moments are always such a motivator to keep going.
Let’s talk about your newest single, Walls. Can you tell us some of the inspirations behind this?
Walls is the culmination of a few years of work at this point. I wrote a record called ‘Who You Are’ with Houndeye back in 2022, and at the time, he had sent me the top line for Walls as an additional vocal demo. I loved the hook but could never really figure out how to compliment it musically. I tried a few things but never really got to a version I liked and had parked the tune indefinitely.
I then started chatting with C:rcle after hearing her record Love Survives. I thought her production sounded super sharp, and we shared a similar style in our tracks, so I sent her the Walls project to have a look at. At the time I didn’t really think too much of it, but when she fired it back, it was one of those moments where everything just clicked into place. She really brought the tune together.
How does it feel to be releasing music under such a prestigious name like Liquicity for the first time?
This is so surreal for me. I’ve been listening to the Liquicity Yearmixes for over 10 years now, and releasing on the label has been a dream since I started making Drum & Bass. I can’t thank them enough for their guidance on finishing the record and their support in signing the tune!
What was the collaboration process like? Do you collaborate a lot with artists/Do you feel it’s an important part of the Drum and Bass community?
Collaborating can be tricky, but it is so rewarding 99% of the time. There’s always many tedious things like file management, syncing software versions and collaborating between DAW’s, but the benefit is that you get a whole other perspective on your ideas, and fresh ideas when you may be hitting a wall. It’s also been a great way over the years to further progress my skills as a producer, so many more collaborations to come!
Last year saw you dabbling in mentorship through Big Fan’s Ignite programme, played a bunch of gigs, but we haven’t seen an official release since 2023. Does this new single mark a new era of Mylen?
It certainly has been quiet on the release front! I would like to say this marks a new era, but what that is, is still to be seen. What I can say is I have a bunch of tracks in the pipeline now that are quite different to what I’ve released in the past. 2025 is the year I experiment a bit, and I think is the year where the focus is much more on music for the club.
What else do you have coming up that you can share with us?
Another collaboration is right around the corner! That’s all I will say for now…
What burger do you think your upcoming EP would be if it were on the BF menu?
Double American Muscle
What would your ideal BF burger contain?
Bit niche, but shoestring fries in a burger is a delight.
To round out an epic interview, we had to put Mylen through our quick-fire round.
What is your go-to song for Jam Out in the Car? The Caracal Project - Journée De Merde.
Who is your favourite artist at the moment? May be a bit of a surprise, but Bring Me The Horizon has been my top artist for as long as I can remember.
One thing you can’t perform without? Water. I get ACTIVE on stage.
One artist or band you would love to co-lab with? Lexurus
Go to BurgerFuel order. Bacon BBQ Roadster + Smash Browns
Fire or Backfire
Pickles in burgers - Fire
Crocs - Fire
Karaoke - Fire
BurgerFuel Aioli - Fire
Acoustic performances – Fire
NZ Music Month - Fire
Festivals - Fire
Singing in the shower - Fire
Pineapple on pizza - Fire (although not my first choice)
Supermarket in bare feet in NZ - Backfire
Check out Mylen's newest single, Walls ,Out now!
