Spinner RPM: Metro Area

Posted on Mar 7th 2008 4:00PM by Mike Spinella
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In 1999, Morgan Geist and Darshan Jesrani formed Metro Area, an outfit whose retro Italo-disco meshed with a techno flair was a fresh sound for New York. After a series of club-buzzin' 12"s and a well known residency at NYC's APT Club, which hosted their 'Out of Bounds' parties, the duo have made a name for themselves churning out club tracks on their boutique Environ label for those in the know. "I need to be impressed in some way, either by the production or the songwriting, but preferably both," Geist tells Spinner. "This almost never happens anymore."

In an environment where Paul van Dyk and Tiesto top the commercial club scene, Metro Area calls their own shots, putting ethics and style before numbing repetition or shameful remix work to cash in. "We're both music lovers first," Jesrani tells Spinner. "But since what we do has a lot to do with electronics and the techniques of producers who use electronics as a basis for their music, we'll always have one foot in it. But I would stop short of saying that we are 'of" it."

In an ever-changing environment where many times originality is sacrificed in the digital landscape, the absence of record stores have taken its toll. "I feel like it's really easy to just absorb someone else's style -- or exact playlists -- from the Internet," Geist says. "It's like the difference between instant soup and a long-cooked stew -- there is far more dimension in the latter. Record stores were the best thing is the world for me, growing up. They were so inspirational. I can't imagine missing out on that growing up like kids are today."

The pair stay loyal to vinyl and put out most of their Environ releases exclusively that way. "We play actual vinyl and I press our records on vinyl," Geist says. "On my last gig at Fabric UK, the club and my agent asked why I needed two bags of records for a 2-hour set. Gee, sorry." You can catch Metro Area in action, including a stop at the Winter Music Conference in Miami.

Metro Area, 'Spinner RPM Dizco Mix'

Dan Hartman, 'Vertigo'
Neon, 'Skydiver'
El Coco, 'Afrodesia'
202 Machine, ''Rock Your Body'
Azoto, 'Any Time or Place'
Pierre Perpall, 'Them Changes'
Rainbow Brown, 'I'm the One'
Parris, 'Never Take Your Love'
Five Special, 'Why Leave us Alone'

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