John Pirito & Alex Szabo make up producer/songwriter duo Mount Pleasant. Both born and raised in Vancouver, the Pacific Northwest city’s influence can be heard reflected in their music’s mellow dance vibes. We got the opportunity to ask the duo about their latest musical endeavors.
What do you love about working in the music world professionally?
Music connects — it truly is a universal language. We feel fortunate to have been able to connect with people from all over the world, sharing a love for music, creativity, self-expression and art. Through music, we’ve been able to share our journey with amazing people we might’ve never met otherwise.
Can you tell us a little more about how you started working together?
If you rewind to 2004 and head to the underground rave scene, that’s where it all started. Back then, John was promoting parties and booking talent for events. He was told of a “promising young buck” that was making waves DJing underground parties — Alex.
John ended up booking Alex as an opening act for one of his events, and Alex absolutely rocked the house. It was really the beginning of our music collaboration relationship. From there on out, we journeyed on our music paths mostly together (sometimes apart), progressively graduating from DJing to writing and producing. And only time will tell where the music will lead us next.
What is one of your most recent releases?
Earlier this year, we had a single released through Sony BMG — it was a remix of the song ‘Long Shot’ by Transviolet, a band from Southern California. They were so gracious and supportive of our work. And fun fact: it all started with an old-fashioned cold call. We listened to their song, just like anyone else, and it inspired us. So we reached out and asked if we could put our spin on it. We’re so grateful they liked what we were able to contribute to their song, and thankfully the record label liked it, too.
Is there a significance behind your name?
For almost twenty years, we created music and toured parts of Asia and Europe under a different stage name: Alkatraz. We changed our name to reflect our evolution and sound development, and because Mount Pleasant is the name of the Vancouver neighborhood which holds a special place in our music history.
Both of us attended music production school located in Mount Pleasant. Back in 2001, John completed a sound engineering program at the now-defunct Trebas Institute, while Alex circled back there more recently in 2019 to attend Nimbus to brush up on the technical elements of his craft. And though we attended music school almost 2 decades apart, we shared a lot of the same instructors. It’s a testament to Vancouver’s music scene and all the dedicated and passionate music professionals out there. The neighborhood itself is also a hotbed for creativity, full of art, culture, and diversity — something we strive to reflect in our music.
What should we stay tuned for?
We are putting the final touches on an upcoming EP album. We’re excited about the release because it really speaks to who we are as artists today while paying homage to our musical evolution and where we started fifteen years ago. The EP will be released by the end of 2020, pending no major catastrophes. But until then, you can listen to our latest single ‘Soundwave’ on all major platforms — we’re really proud of that song, and musically, it gives you a taste of what’s to come.
During these interesting times, what keeps you inspired?
We’re music fans to the core. So a lot of our inspiration comes from the wider music community — we’re fans of everything from dance to jazz; hip-hop to house; rock and pop. When we watch what our favourite artists are doing to navigate during these times, we’re reminded of all the ways we can create art and showcase talent and connect with others. Creativity is everywhere, there are so many ways to express yourself and reach out to others. We’re grateful to the music community for sharing their talents and always being a source of inspiration.
Tell us one random fact about you.
John: I collect wine and make home-made charcuterie.
Alex: I speak French fluently, and can make a mean quadruple layered martini.
For more info:
Website: https://mountpleasantofficial.com/
Instagram: @mountpleasantmusic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountpleasantmusicofficial/