[Exclusive Interview] John Odin & Razor Cult Release Collaborative EP “Tenth Circle”

When it comes to dance music and techno in the Philippines, you’d be hard-pressed not to have heard of John Odin and Mikhail Arce-Ignacio a.k.a. Razor Cult. For the first time, the two dark forces have amalgamated into a sinister collaboration: Tenth Circle, the EP releasing just in time for some Halloween spooks. Midnight Rebels had the chance to sit down and chat with the wicked duo bringing hellfire to the dancefloor.

You guys go way back as both friends and industry colleagues, but is this the first time you’ve released music together?

J : Yes. We’ve spoken about it from time to time but it never really materialized. Mike and I have done numerous shows together, a mix here and there, but never really a project together – so this one is very special to me. Mike is a dear friend and mentor and I’m a huge fan of his work so this project was not only a joy for me but a learning experience as well.

M : I agree, this is special. I love that we got around to it since it’s one if the best ways we can collaborate given we’re now on opposite ends of the globe. John is one of the few friends who actually understands and shares my aesthetic without me needing to explain much.

How was the creative process developing not just a one-off single but an entire collaborative EP? Having that established chemistry must make things a little easier I presume.

J : Mike and I have shared interest in the macabre and occult aspect of things. We didn’t have to say much, it was a meeting of the minds as expected.

M : Yes we get each other – also I think we’re both passionate about narrative and storytelling. An EP allows us to illustrate our world and ideas further, so we can really immerse listeners into various aspects of it.

Throughout the process, did it occur at any point to try and gear towards something that would be rinse-able by techno DJs across the board, or going more for creating art for the sake of art?

J : I would say both. But I suppose we were more focused on the joy of just making a project as friends with our shared passion for techno and the macabre.

M : I think this is something we balanced really well with both entities present. John is really good at identifying a good arrangement workable for DJs. I tend to be more experimental and art-centric on my own, with some of my solo releases under Razor Cult being almost entirely formless. I think this release showcases each of our strengths pretty well.

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