Electro-house producer No Mana started producing around 2012 with a friend, with the intention of forming a duo.
"We went our separate ways with our different interests after a few months and started other aliases over time," he says. "I was in college studying computer science at the time, then once I got a manager and started seeing fruit from producing and releasing music, I dropped both college and my only job to pursue music full time. I’d say it got serious once I started playing shows a year after that, then everything happened pretty quick."
Describing his sound today, No Mana says: "I have a huge soft spot for anything dance between 2000-2010, so most of what I make was influenced by old trance and electro house. I’d say my sound is pretty much that."
His new album, I Contain Flashing Images, was released on May 30.
"Aside from making music that I think simply sounds cool, I Contain Flashing Images was meant to theme around the visuals I’ve been making," he says. "Putting this together wasn’t supposed to mean anything specific but was just to represent my interests and essentially who I am as a person in a totally abstract way--especially when it comes to uncomfortable graphics, dark humor, stars and weird night outings. The name actually came from a warning frame that I 'had' to use in my older videos, which went something like 'WARNING: The following video contains flashing images.' I couldn’t explain to you how this strikes a chord with me enough to make this the theme of the campaign."
As for gear: "I’m primarily an in-the-box guy with some eurorack gear that I use once in a blue moon, focusing primarily on my listening environment (i.e. studio monitors and acoustics)," he says. "I got new monitors specifically to use for this album, which are ATC SCM25A’s. Other than that I have LCD-X’s which are now 10 years old and the glue for the padding are all worn out, but still are my best option for headphone sound."
Looking ahead, No Mana has plenty planned for the second half of 2024.
"I have a whole tour to showcase the album and visuals for the rest of the year," he said. "Other than that just working on music left and right. Also not music but is still a hell of a release date but I’m gonna be a dad in late October-ish!"
No Mana's I Contain Flashing Images is out now.
Photo by Blake Young
