MANIK finding a new home on the West Coast

Manic. That’s one word you might use to describe the thumping, groovy, throbbing electro-house genre. It’s full of crazed energy and sounds that cause pulsations throughout the body. With a ‘k’ and letters stylized in all caps, MANIK becomes the stage name of Brooklyn-based producer and D.J. Chris Manik.

Manik grew up in Brooklyn, immersed in a variety of different music cultures, from East Coast hip hop to electronic house. In junior high school, he made significant strides into his own musical exploration, delving into two opposing styles: trumpet on one hand and electronic samples, bootlegs and software programs on the other. The former gave him a basic understanding of musical theory; the latter would encourage a high school hobby, then something to pursue in college and, eventually, his career.

“I decided I would take a chance and give myself a little bit of time to struggle but I told myself I was going to do this for a year or two and live real humble and see what happens,” Manik said. “I thought, ‘If it works, it works.’”

And so it did. Within two years, Manik had produced a couple of EPs. Once labels started picking up his work, others expressed interest, and he found himself churning out seven additional EPs in a year.

After spending his life in Brooklyn and moving to upstate New York for college afterward, Manik has packed his equipment (most of it, at least) and made the transition to Los Angeles. The cities don’t differ too drastically — Manik said he’s swapped the delis and pizza of the Big Apple for tacos and Asian cuisine since arriving -— but he’s still working to make Silver Lake home.

“When I had a studio in New York, I had a bunch of cool lights in my studio that would help me in the creative process,” Manik said. “I don’t mean dirty strobe, in-your-face so you have a heart attack. Just cool, vibey Christmas lights and try to seduce myself — not really — but turn my brain on and start thinking about music.”

Manik has certainly been thinking about music. He drops an EP on Dec. 15 and two more in January and February in addition to stoking the fires of his side project Shadow Lanes, but there’s not too much he can do with a lot of his gear still in transit.

Manik said one of the most noticeable changes between the East and West Coasts can be found in club culture. On the East Coast, bars are open and serve alcohol much later, sometimes until 5 a.m. (“and nobody bothers you”), which differs vastly from the strict 2 a.m. closing time out West. Since coming to Southern California, Manik said he noticed that this enabled a more vibrant after-party scene than he normally would experience on the East.

“As far as music is concerned, for the most part New York is in a really good place right now. It’s deep house, techno and a lot of that music in general,” Manik said. “Out here [in Los Angeles], there’s that emphasis but I think it’s a little more big room-oriented still.”

Big room alludes to a kind of style of house music that is upbeat with an emphasis on a bass that leads to what is often called “the drop.” It’s a style that likely permeates the L.A. house electronic scene because of the city’s proximity to festivals and carnivals, Manik said. In the world of electro house music, it can be considered pretty taboo, rudimentary, stale and lacking originality.

But Manik isn’t the kind of artist to adhere to a specific genre. He lets his musical influences guide him and won’t hesitate to incorporate bits of hip-hop and indie rock into his music.

“People sometimes think that I just make too many different styles, or maybe I’m a little bit all over the place,” he said. “I just have so many interests in different kinds of music. It’s not just me trying to be a smartass or be different. It’s just me. That’s just naturally who I am.”

Manik is aware that people outside the genre of electronic music, those who confuse D.J.s and producers, will cling to the stereotype that his music is for gigantic raves and not much more.

“At the end of the day, music is pretty f–king cool. It’s meant to be a reflection of yourself and to be shared and enjoyed with people,” he said. “It’s more than just rave and big-room. There’s so much cool, low-key, vibey stuff that’s out there that I think is pretty important for people to listen to as well. A little bit of both.”

MANIK plays Friday, Nov. 14, alongside other multiple artists as part of the A Club Called Rhonda series at Club Los Globos in Silver Lake.