“Before I even play music, I see it,” says Emanuele Longo of Italian dance duo MARNIK, the group consisting of himself and Alessandro Martello. “It’s a matter of images, visualization,” Longo adds. “When you write melodies, you’re writing stories.” MARNIK’s tale involves a speedy climb to the top of the EDM scene. In addition to 300 million streams, festival slots, and Platinum records, they’ve collaborated with Steve Aoki, KSHMR, and Don Diablo.
A Form of Connection
“Music is the fundamental way we connect with people,” Martello explains. “We try to establish a relationship with the public, which is the most important thing for us DJs.”
Of the duo’s origins, Longo shares, “Alessandro and I met in 2013, right here in this studio, and it’s here that we made our first track as MARNIK.”
From the start, specific sounds from their youth forged a strong bond. “Both Emanuele and I grew up with dance and Italo-dance music from the late ’90s and early ’00s,” Martello says.
"You need to create a dialogue, you need to tell a story during your performance, and create that alchemy with the audience.”
Steady Climb
The ascent happened steadily for the pair, Longo reveals. “We began to receive booking requests to play in clubs, first in our region, then in our country, then outside Italy.”
Soon, things began to heat up on the professional level. Martello charts the way the MARNIK name grew around the globe. “It was in 2015 when we started to have our first international collaborations.” Success is not something the members take for granted. “We’ve been fortunate to turn a passion into a job,” Martello affirms.
Dancefloor Fundamentals
Despite the carefree image of DJing, MARNIK believes music is more than simply a good time. “Dance music can be something deeper in my opinion,” Longo says.
His partner takes it one step further, highlighting a basic tenet of the genre. “The quintessential DJ is a disc jockey, so the dancefloor is fundamental,” Martello says. “The public decides if a song is a success or a failure.”
Indeed, the give and take between listener and audience are what makes this art form so unique. “The difference between the DJ at the local club and an artist is the ability to educate the dancefloor and understand what it’s telling you,” he says.
"We’re literally bombarded by sound. Having headphones that isolate you from all this outside noise is very important.”
An Ongoing Conversation
Martello likens the relationship between a DJ and an audience to a conversation. “You need to create a dialogue, you need to tell a story during your performance, and create that alchemy with the audience.”
He also stresses how crucial headphones are to maintaining that sonic chemistry for MARNIK. “During a festival, the most important element for us DJs are headphones. They give us the ability to pre-listen so that we can prepare the next disc while the crowd enjoys what’s playing.”
The audio immersion of festival environments only exacerbates this need. “Remember, we play on stages where we have millions of decibels from all angles,” Martello states frankly. “We’re literally bombarded by sound. Having headphones that isolate you from all that outside noise is very important.”
Captivating Audio
To achieve that goal with MARNIK, Martello relies on his V-MODAs. “The first time I wore these headphones, I put them on and just said, ‘Wow.’ The degree of isolation was incredible.”
Longo agrees with his partner and describes how he decided on the brand. “I chose V-MODA because I’ve always found the product very captivating from every point of view.”
International DJ life means Martello brings his Crossfade M-100 Master headphones with him to countless locations. “I’ve taken them everywhere—airports, gyms, hotels. I’ve even slept in them on a plane for 13 hours,” he laughs. “It’s safe to say we’ve used them in every situation and every way possible.”
A Natural Pairing
On occasion, nature even intervenes. “Two years ago, we played a festival in Myanmar and it started raining at torrential levels,” Martello recalls. “At one point, the console turned itself off. The headphones did not. They can withstand any meteorological event.”
Longo gives an example of how different gear works in different environments. “In the studio, I use the M-200 for production, especially in the recording phase. When we have to track vocals rather than guitars, for example, you have to wear headphones.”
“At one point, the console turned itself off. The headphones did not. They can withstand any meteorological event.”
Longo praises how quiet his V-MODAs are. “There is no noise cancellation. Still, the cup fits so well to the ear, to the head, that you hear no background noise.”
While Longo and Martello both relish the time they spend in the studio, the energy of a MARNIK live set remains unbeatable. Martello sums it up: “When we play our records and see the people below us singing along, there is nothing more beautiful than that.”
About V-MODA
Designed in Milan, engineered in Japan, and made to create, V-MODA is where state-of-the-art tech meets stylish design. Founded in 2004, V-MODA won accolades for products that became fan favorites and essential gear for top artists. On August 8th, 2016 (#808Day), V-MODA joined forces with Roland. The partnership progressed, and in 2019, V-MODA became incorporated into the Roland family.
