Local legend

He’s one of the local greats — in fact, one of the greatest musicaI exports Australia has delivered to the world.

“I started off being a DJ when I left school around 1993,” Mark begins. “I actually wanted to work in radio, because it was big in the ‘90s; there was a lot of community radio stations and then the emphasis went off that and I started getting involved in raves and record companies and it was more about 'let's see how it rolls' than anything else.”

Around the turn of the millennium the talent scouts at Ministry of Sound offered Mark a role, and after doing a number of successful compilations, moved to Europe for a while, only to return to Australia when the timing was right. “I ended up starting my own label which gave me an outlet to be creative and to help guys who couldn't get a break. That's where I'm focusing at the moment and it really has been fun to get that perspective I think.

“I started the label around 2003 after living in Germany for a while; it was basically me wanting to emulate some of the sounds and styles that I'd heard, and give them a bit of an Australian flavour. “To date, we've signed a few Australian artists who lean into that tech-house sound - but it is still totally accessible. It's something that everyone can enjoy and listen to. You might hear it in the club or listen to it in the car, that sort of thing.”

And despite his extensive discography, he’s still plugging away in the studio, having just released an 18-track compilation — ‘The Best Of Long Distance Recordings’. Somewhat of a departure from what he’s most associated with, Mark accepts DJs these days can no longer be bound by a niche sound. “I think DJs are forced to do it this way,” he says. “The club scene has probably shrunk a bit because of the festivals, so there is less space for niche sounds; you can't just say I'm only going to play techno or minimal — you have to play a bit of a mix and it's great that people are open-minded to it.”

Mark Dynamix headlines Hellements at Barsoma October 29.