Mathias Modica goes his own way. The man who runs the Munich-based Gomma label eludes any pigeonholing. The latest album from his band Munk – The Bird and the Beat – is the perfect cruising playlist for a balmy summer’s evening, but Modica wants to be more than a successful musician.
He creates sunglasses (for Swedish label Hyde’s), organises shows, publishes the innovative AMORE poster magazine, writes essays for the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and designs clothes for ultra-hip label A Kind of Guise. Perhaps the only thing he has no interest in are outside expectations. This multitasking talent has made Modica an international trendsetter, but, as he tells THE MINI INTERNATIONAL, "We’re not here to jump on bandwagons. Our aim is to dig out new ideas." Together with Gomma collaborator Jonas Imbery, Munich native Modica drives pop culture forward like a herd of sheep. Gomma has joined forces with cult labels like Ed Banger in Paris and DFA Records in New York to create an informal network that takes pop music as a global language and shapes an urban environment of its own. The Gomma gang embraces musicians, DJs, graphic and fashion designers, writers, filmmakers and illustrators. As a collective, they ensure that Gomma never stands still. Mathias Modica is forever trying out new concepts, mixing objects, styles and sounds that nobody would have thought of combining, and in doing so putting clear water between himself and the crowd. Gomma enjoys worldwide acclaim for its individual approach, style and flair, and the Munk album The Bird and the Beat has propelled it to world-class heights and established it as Germany’s "most interesting label", as i-D magazine, Dazed & Confused and NME concur.
Mathias Modica’s current favourites:
1. Chilly Gonzalez, "You Can Dance"
The Canadian is a virtuoso of the electronic music scene. Roof down or dancing shoes at the ready, his new single hits the spot.
2. Fleet Foxes, "He Doesn’t Know Why"
A laidback song to accompany the rising of the sun and its descent into the horizon at the day’s end.
3. Louis Prima, "Buona Sera"
The Italian-American blended soul with Italian pop in the 1960s.
4. Rodion feat. Louie Austen, "Estate"
The 60s beach classic, given a contemporary makeover by the disco maestro.
5. Pollyester, "Round Clocks"
The Russian-German performer has just released her all-smiling solo album.
