DJ, producer, label boss, dubplate don and family man are just a few of the titles you can associate with Four Corners Music head honcho, Melinki.
Hailing from Hastings, Melinki has had drum & bass oozing from his soul from his early teens. Inspired by the likes of Bryan Gee, Goldie and DJ Marky among others, Melinki has dedicated himself to the scene with his label showcasing the full spectrum of D&B.
The last time we spoke to him over a year ago, Melinki dished out 3 hours worth of Four Corners dubs in this epic journey of a mix. Some of those dubs are still yet to see the light of day, which magnifies just how much lush music Four Corners is pushing.
The pushing of all this music has turned out to be a double hit for Melinki as Four Corners is approaching its 100th release, and Melinki’s dedication to his craft as an artist sees his first EP dropping on the aforementioned Bryan Gee’s V Recordings this week.
The first single, Go Back, from The Radical Sounds EP blessed us last week as Melinki teamed up with pyxis, T.R.A.C. and Collette Warren to deliver a track filled with soulful vibes.
In the interview below, Melinki lays down Four Corners facts, he beams over his forthcoming EP, where he mentions how much effort and time the project took. We hear his thoughts on the current drum & bass scene, he teases his first release on his own label in the shape of an album and much more.
So buckle up and read on below, as we delve into the journey of Melinki and Four Corners Music, who are most definitely here to stay and continue to provide full spectrum gifts to drum & bass connoisseurs worldwide…
Thanks for taking the time to talk to us! How are things going at Four Corners Music?
Busier and more exciting than ever! We are approaching our 100th release at the end of the year, and I’ve been working on special releases to celebrate the milestone for the best part of 18 months. It will be a two-part album consisting of: Part 1 – Inspirations. Very well-established names who have helped the label on it’s way up, treated me and the label as an equal, just general legends and good people. Part 2 – Four Corners Allstars. An LP showing off the best our key artists have to offer and it’s all brand-new music. I’m really proud of this LP and to represent all these artists who have helped me shape the sound of the label. Then stepping into the next century of releases, I’ll be doing the first full Melinki LP on the label. Despite doing 100 releases on Four Corners, I’ve never actually done a Melinki release, I’ve done remixes and collabs but never a full project so thought it was about time.
Amazing! Last time you spoke to us, you provided us with a 100% Four Corners Dub Mix. How have some of those been received?
Funnily enough I’m just about to do a podcast of 100% Four Corners dubs again. I’ve been planning these projects and thought it would be a great way to give people a taste of what’s to come. There’s also a few WIPs from new artists that need feedback and giving them a good pump in the studio is a great way to do that. I try not to pay a huge amount of attention to how things are received, If I’m honest. The general consensus from people is always positive and that feels amazing. I really do massively appreciate it when people take time out to tell me they enjoyed something, but once a project is out I’m always focused on the next thing. I’m usually working on multiple projects at once and about 12 months in advance, so there’s always something to be working on. I also only release music I like, stuff that I’d play myself as a DJ. That’s always been the ethos and it always will be, so the fact other people enjoy it is a huge bonus, but it doesn’t affect how I operate. I always ask myself, will I still be proud of this in years to come when I look back? The answer is always yes. I’m incredibly proud of our back catalogue, our artists and what we’ve built, at the end of it all that’s what really matters. That said, I always feel quite a heavy burden once artists have trusted me with their music, I feel I owe them my best, so I guess I care a lot more about how they feel it was perceived rather than the general public. I’m always looking to improve and give them the best experience possible when releasing with us.
Love this! Am I correct in saying there’ll still be some tracks from your last 1 More Mix that are still due to be released?
Yeah that mix was recorded just over 18 months ago and there’s still a couple of tunes which are yet to be released on my album in November this year. Other than that, I think we just released the last of all the other tracks. I come from an era where you’d hear Bryan Gee or Grooverider play dubplates at a rave which didn’t come out for another 2-3 years! As much as you wanted those tracks to be released, there was something magical about only getting to hear them when you’re in that atmosphere. You had to work to get an ID then! The tracks had a bit of mystery around them and had time to really build traction. This does mean a bit of a wait time for artists wanting to release on the label, but I always tell them it comes around quickly, and it gives us more time to plan artwork, get the masters perfect, and present the whole project in a way we think is best. It also means I can be very picky with what I release, I’ve always felt very lucky with the artists I have involved in the label. I haven’t ever wanted to release music for the sake of it, and don’t really ever have to go searching for it. I feel very humble to get sent a lot of sick music which kind of feeds back to your earlier question about how things are received, it’s not like I’m arrogant with it and don’t care, but I think if artists keep coming back for more and sending me such sick music, I must be doing something right. So I try to look forward, tunnel vision to the top and take the whole team with me.
Forward facing Four Corners! Speaking of which, Four Corners Music is exactly what it says on the tin right?
Yep. Exploring all Four Corners. From liquid to jump up, jungle to tech and everything else in between. Going back to when I first started raving again, you wouldn’t have label nights, or specific sub-genre nights. You might hear Ed Rush & Optical, then Fabio in the same night and I always enjoyed all of it. All the DJs would play a bit broader back then anyway. For me it’s all about different music for different moods and settings. It’s always just been about releasing music I enjoy, sometimes some aggressive jump up, sometimes some jazz liquid. As long as it’s passed the quality control then it’s in.
Who are some of your inspirations as an artist?
Lots of people and things but my early years into this music were very formative. Bryan Gee, DJ Marky, Marcus Intalex (RIP), Goldie, there’s loads more but these come to mind straight away. They are all very talented, but most importantly they all clearly just love the music and the culture. The fact they’ve been around for a long time, are still at the top of the game and have not changed is massively inspiring to me.
Something inspiring is in process for yourself right now. You’ve got something pretty special coming out soon on V Recordings. Can you tell us about it?
Yeah, I’ve got a new 4 track EP coming on V this week, the Radical Sounds EP. Featuring collabs with pyxis, Motiv, Collette Warren and T.R.A.C, and two solo tracks. I’m very proud of this music, and more so the fact it’s being released on one of my favourite labels of all time, it’s been quite a journey! I first released on V at the end of 2022 on a joint EP with Macca & Alibi, it did really well and I thought that’s it, I’m in with V now. I spoke to Bryan and he told me “nah it don’t work like that, you’ve got to earn your place on V, the work starts now.” So over the last 18 months that’s what I’ve been trying to do. Slowly grinding away on tunes until something grabbed Bryan’s attention, then grinding further on the mixdowns to get them sounding big enough to pass the V vibe check. Think i got there in the end (special mention to Alibi who has given me advice on mixdowns and done all the mastering, he’s a wizard and a good guy). I’m really happy with the final result. It’s a good representation of where I’m at as a producer and my taste as a DJ. It’s got a bit of everything I love, and it’s definitely a nod to the classic V sound that inspired me growing up.
Full circle moment for you, wicked! What was your first introduction to V Recordings?
I still remember the day I got Warhead by DJ Krust on vinyl. I was 13, it was 1999 and I was visiting my dad in Munich, Germany. I’d not long got my first set of turntables for Christmas, big up mum and dad. I had heard the tune before on my older brother’s tape packs and loved it but didn’t know what it was called. I picked the record up by chance because I liked the look of the logo, I was absolutely buzzing to find it was that tune and I’ve been obsessed with that logo ever since, so it is quite literally a dream come true for me to have my own ep on V recordings. It only took me 24 years!
What’s your summer looking like this year?
I’d love to say its full of bookings, playing at festivals etc, but truth be told, my bookings are quieter than ever which is strange because my production and the label feels like it’s gaining a lot of traction at the moment. I’m more confident with DJing than production, so hopefully if I keep coming with the goods for V, I’ll get the opportunity to play on some V lineups and show people what I can do. Other than that, I work full time outside of music and have a wife and 3 young children, so I’m never short of plans. Hopefully some sunshine and lots of time outside making memories. I still make time to go raving as well, it keeps me inspired. I’m going to the liquid V boat party, 1985 summer day party, and even a couple of days in Ibiza with my wife for my brothers 40th. It’s important to me to get out and enjoy the music whether I’m playing or not and me and my wife have a good balance. We both make time for each other to do things we enjoy outside of our family life, I think it keeps the whole family healthier and happier, mentally and physically. I’ve got a few bookings coming up though, Jungle Cakes in Hastings, a liquid night at The Volks in Brighton, and have plans to do some more Four Corners parties surrounding our 100th release. So keep an eye out and any promoters out there want some Four Corners flavours then get in touch!
Are you a club season or festival season kind of guy?
Kind of like my taste in music, different things for different moods. I like both, I must say though I’m definitely more of an abroad festival kind of person. I love the sun and beaches, I’m not really one for the mud so either a sunny beach or a dark club. Can’t beat the intimate ones in a dark club with a big system, I do love that vibe!
What are your thoughts on drum & bass in general at the moment?
It’s pretty obvious to any longtime fans it’s in a bit of a weird place at the moment. On a bigger scale, it’s more popular than ever, but it doesn’t really translate very well to someone like me. People keep saying to me “you must be loving it everyone’s into drum & bass at the moment?” It doesn’t really seem to work like that unfortunately though. I guess there’s more competition than ever and things are moving faster. Back in the day if you managed to release on a label like V you’d be set, and rightly so because those guys were making all time classics But it’s not like that now, you have to be firing on all fronts 24/7. The thing is, there’s loads of people even more established than me that still struggle. I’m lucky because I have a full time job, an amazing wife and kids, and a nice house. I mean this in the most humble way possible, but I feel I’ve already made it in life, so anything that happens with music is a bonus. It’s my outlet and enjoyment, so I try to focus on all the positive things, enjoy all it gives me and ignore the rest. These things move in cycles and when all the people that are giving it a go at the moment because its popular move onto the next big thing, I’ll still be here doing what I’ve been doing the whole time, doing it because I love it, and that will shine through hopefully. I can’t stop, hence the name of my next album.
It’s been really cool catching up with you! What’s coming up for Melinki and Four Corners Music that you can tell us about?
For Melinki, there’s my V EP this week, my 2nd album, A Lifetime Obsession, later in the year around November time, and a few singles on some different cool labels before that. I’ve got tons of music finished at the moment and working on more as we speak. For Four Corners we have our 100th celebration LPs dropping in October, along with some parties that are currently being planned. Not to mention some sick releases leading up to the 100. These albums are undoubtedly the best releases we will have done to date, I’ve been stacking special tunes for these for ages and really pushing our artists for their best. I can’t wait for people to hear these, it’s a statement piece, we are here and here to stay!
