Urban Explorers – Meloko

Together with North Sails we listen to the Marseille vibes of this DJ and producer

Marseille is the voice of the Mediterranean. Its waves compose rhymes in many tongues, verses that, for centuries, have shaped the natural cathedrals of the Calanques, like the fluid melting pot of the Vieux Port. Meloko is the sound of this city, its swirling cosmopolitanism, its lights that blend sky and sea, urban chaos and coastal nirvana. DJ and producer, Meloko’s rhythms are the soundtrack of polished Provençal sunsets, the melodic transposition of breezes, diverse cultures, and lapping waves. “I came to Marseille from the French hinterland, from a small town near Avignon, and I was blown away. Marseille is its sea. The Mediterranean its defining feature; what makes it unique. Everything here is so intense and dynamic, but at the same time laid back. It all comes from the sea, and my music reflects that deep connection. Every day I walk along the waterfront to get to my studio. While I’m producing, my windows look over this incredible, bright blue vastness…. That’s why you can hear the Mediterranean inside my music.”

‘Azzur,’ the record label founded by Meloko, is also a clear reference to this Mediterranean synergy. Its airy house vibes, contaminated with African and Arab echoes, flood Marseille’s clubs and beaches, moving the glistening bodies of thousands of young people and, at the same time, educating them about safeguarding the marine environment. “I formed a duo with Konvex Guilhem; we call ourselves ‘Palavas,’ after a traditional fishing village near Montpellier. In the summer, I often play on the beaches, especially in Le Cabane des Amis. The owner of the club have established a zero-tolerance policy towards pollution and I’m happy to support it. Anyone who throws a cigarette, leaves a plastic bottle on the ground, or does anything to disrespect nature is immediately expelled from the event. I’m proud of this decision, because this issue is important to me. I’m also working with the association ‘Clean my Calanques,’ which safeguards the Calanques: they are wonderful places, the spirit of Marseille, but they are also filled with plastic and trash. It’s sad. I think we need to educate people and raise awareness; I try to do that with my music, and the new generations are getting the message. Lots of young people take part in ‘Clean my Calanques,’ but everyone should carve out some time to help the sea.”

A winter dip. A game of pétanque played with red wine and warm smiles. A DJ-set that transposes Marseille’s colors into notes, enveloping listeners in long contemplative trances. Meloko has found his oasis and muse in this coastal metropolis, among the narrow alleys of the old Le Panier district he has transformed from an Economics student to an international musician, forging a bond destined to last. “I will never leave Marseille. I lived in other European cities for short periods, but I missed the Marseille atmosphere. Away from the lights of Provence, the rhythms of Marseille, these beaches, life always seems so different and gray…. I’m going to carry on making my music, inspired by the Mediterranean and this unique city. At the same time, I’ll redouble my commitment to protecting the marine environment and local beaches. I want to be a part of this virtuous process and contribute with my tracks, events and concerts. Finally, I hope that ‘Clean my Calanques’ eventually becomes even more than an association: it should become a call to action, a goal for all of us.”