“I get so nervous about working with people that I like.”
– Mark Ronson
Producer, DJ, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mark Ronson has been responsible for some of the freshest sounds of the last few years. Despite his impressive résumé, which includes Amy Winehouse’s seminal album Back to Black, and tracks for Lily Allen (“Littlest Things”) and Adele (“Cold Shoulder”), he’s also a rather humble and an eminently likeable chap, which, along with the aforementioned, explains why so many marquee artists are keen to work with him today.
Ronson came to prominence with work that showcased his own highly stylized aesthetic, which combines a ’60s Motown sound with cool danceable grooves and hipster chic, as evidenced on Back To Black, which was released in 2006, and his second solo full length, Version, which came out the following year. However, he’s not a man to be pigeonholed.
Though his own recent full-length, Record Collection (released under the Mark Ronson & The Business Intl. moniker), without doubt mines the rich vein of his signature sound, his productions for others are becoming increasingly diverse. Ronson’s work with Duran Duran on their thirteenth studio album, All You Need Is Now (which came out digitally in December 2010 and physically in March 2011), received virtually universal critical acclaim, and has brought the band back to the kind of form even the most devout of fans could only have dreamed of previously.
The next major Ronson-produced work to hit the market is Black Lips latest, Arabia Mountain. Though it’s their sixth studio album, it’s their first to make use of the services of a hands-on producer, and it’s a testament to Ronson’s prowess that he was their first choice for the project. Though the official release is set for June 7, the full album is streaming online now. As with Duran’s AYNIS, the consensus of opinion on Arabia Mountain sees reviewers and faithful followers alike appreciating Ronson’s ability to subtly, yet progressively, sonically sculpt, while retaining all the key elements that make the band a classic.
We caught up with Ronson by phone to find out how he strikes this delicate balance.
Read our exclusive interview with Mark Ronson on SuicideGirls.com.
