Phil Moffa

From Machine Love: Phil Moffa, an interview in Resident Advisor:

“Max Pearl talks shop with the highly respected New York engineer and producer.

Producers love Phil Moffa’s studio. That’s partly because it’s a treasure trove of killer gear—not just top-shelf pro audio equipment, but also shelves of vintage rarities and weirdo toys that are a delight to explore. It’s also because of his immaculate organization, which means producers can immediately make music without worrying about which instruments are plugged in or why they aren’t getting any signal. Moffa opened Butcha Sound Studios six years ago in the control room of what was once Daily Planet, a famous recording and rehearsal complex only a few blocks from Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan. Sitting down at a console like this is a luxury in New York City, where producers are used to working in cramped spaces, with thrown-together studios assembled on a shoestring budget. Here at Butcha Sound they get to stretch out in a room where all of the instruments, compressors and effects modules are interconnected and singing together in serene harmony.

Moffa is now one of the most sought-after mixing and mastering engineers in house and techno. Seth Troxler, Anthony Parasole and The Martinez Brothers are all repeat visitors, and Moffa has collaborated with each of them, for labels like Hypercolour and The Corner. DJ Spider, one of New York techno’s elder statesmen, is a good friend and frequent collaborator, and together they explore the space between nosebleed techno and freewheeling textural experiments. Moffa’s solo hardware sets, meanwhile, walk the line between profoundly adventurous sound design and remarkable restraint. He’s both one of the top engineers in his field and an artist who’s been involved in the New York club scene for nearly two decades. Max Pearl caught the subway to Midtown late last year to chat studio philosophy with Moffa, from his guiding principles to the nitty-gritty of his methods and techniques.”