Alexander Seaver, also known by his stage name Mako, is an American music producer, singer, songwriter, composer, and DJ from Los Angeles.[1][2][3][4][5] The project Mako originally started as a duo with producer Logan Light, who left the group in 2017. Mako rose to prominence in the electronic dance music scene from their single "Beam", which was remixed by Dannic on Revealed Recordings and played at festivals worldwide.[6]
Career
2011: Formation of Mako
Before an introduction was made, the two artists spent their early life progressing musically in different worlds. Both members' fathers were paired as roommates at Syracuse University and they are good friends.[6]
Logan Light, who was part of Mako, went to Columbia University in New York City before heading for the University of Michigan. He attended the university, majored in communications and graduated in 2011.[7] While his parents were reluctant to accept his career choice (of DJing), they eventually lent Light some money so that he could buy DJ equipment such as turntables to play at parties. His career blew up when he started to book gigs and associate with world-known DJs like Above & Beyond and Zedd. Within only several years, Light had opened for some of dance music's biggest international acts, including Tiesto and Avicii.[6][7]
Seaver attended The Juilliard School on full scholarship as musician.[6][8] Having played with some of the world's elite classical artists in the most storied of venues, he knew he was destined for an unusual path.[8] Upon graduating school in New York City, Seaver moved to Los Angeles after being selected for the ASCAP scholarship workshop for scoring music to film and television. He is also a singer-songwriter and regularly contributes vocals to Mako's songs.[9]
Light spoke of Seaver in an interview, saying "Thankfully, Alex has the brain of a musical genius. He hates when I say this, but he probably is the most talented musical person I've ever met. And none of what we do would be possible without him. I mean he's the brain of it all, and I'm lucky to be along for the ride. Musical composition is his world, and every once in a while I add my two cents and he says, 'Oh that's smart,' but that's his cup of tea, not mine."[7]
Since their start, Mako has built a working relationship with Interscope Records, quickly finding themselves in studio with some of EDM's top artists such as Avicii, Sander van Doorn, R3hab, DubVision and many others.[6] Mako's first label release, "Into the Light" featuring Sander van Doorn was released on Dutch label Spinnin' Records.[6] It reached number 3 on the Beatport Top 100 chart in one week and remained in the top 5 for over two weeks.[6][8]
2013–2015: Debut single with Sander van Doorn
On May 13, 2013, Mako released their debut single with Sander van Doorn and DubVision titled "Into the Light" featuring Mariana Bell. An official music video was uploaded on Spinnin' Records' YouTube channel nine days later.[10]
On December 16, 2013, they released "Beam" as a single which was mixed by Dannic. An official music video for the song was uploaded by Revealed Recordings' YouTube channel three days later.[11]
On August 12, 2014, they released a single titled "Our Story" along with an official music video on YouTube uploaded by Ultra Records.[12] A remixes EP of the song was also released.
On August 14, 2015, they released "Smoke Filled Room" as a single via Ultra Records. Later, they released a remixes' single of the song along with an acoustic version and two more remixes. An official music video of the song was uploaded by Ultra Records' YouTube channel five months later. An official music video for the acoustic version was also released by Ultra Records.[14]
On April 21, 2016, "Into The Sunset" was released as a single on YouTube. On October 25, 2016, Mako announced that their debut upcoming album, "Hourglass". On November 19, 2016, they released the single "Let Go Of The Wheel".[16]
On December 9, 2016, they released their debut studio album, "Hourglass" via Ultra Records.[9][17]
On March 6, 2017, Light shared a handwritten note that stated he would be taking a break from touring with Mako during 2017, leaving Seaver as a solo act (with a backing back) on their tour that year.[2][9] Light began business school at The University of Chicago in the fall of 2018.[18] At some point during the year after the announcement, Mako officially became a solo act, with Seaver releasing "Breathe" in December as a solo artist.[19]
In an interview on January 26, 2018, Alex Seaver discussed the details of Logan Light leaving the group. "What actually happened was he was in law school for the last couple years, killed it, passed the bar, and then got a huge offer at an amazing firm. The dynamic between us was so different than most people. I actually made all the music, all the way back from 'Beam' until now, and then he would meet me on weekends and be kind of the leader of the DJ set. So he would prepare the set, I would write all the music, and then at almost the right moment, his life took off in a different direction while I started making other stuff other than dance music."[20]
On February 13, 2018, a collaboration between Kill the Noise, Illenium and Mako, titled "Don't Give Up on Me", was released as single via Proximity. The song was initially leaked in the Reddit community by fans who revealed the link to the then-unreleased version of the song that was published on Mako's YouTube channel.[21]
2020: Release of Fable and Musical Evolution
In December 2020, Seaver released his sophomore album, Fable. This 11-track album marked a significant evolution in his musical style, blending elements of indie, pop, and electronic music to create a distinctive sound.
Fable features a mix of previously released singles and new compositions, including tracks like “Parable,” “Coyote,” “Peregrine,” and “Murder”.
Critics praised Fable for its emotive depth and innovative fusion of musical genres. The album was described as a “pivotal moment in Mako’s career,” reflecting his creative exploration and personal growth as an artist. [22]
2021-Present: Arcane and Debut as Composer
In 2021, Seaver made his debut as a composer and music producer for Arcane, Netflix's critically acclaimed animated series based on the video game League of Legends. Seaver played a pivotal role as co-composer and songwriter for the series' first season, blending orchestral elements with electronic and alternative music to create a soundtrack praised for its depth and alignment with the show's emotional tone.[23]
In 2024, Seaver stepped into the role of Executive Music Producer for the second season of the series, overseeing the creative integration of custom compositions into the series' narrative. His work involved collaborating with Riot Games and a range of iconic artists to ensure that the music complemented the visual storytelling, solidifying Arcane's reputation for its immersive soundscape.[24]
Seaver's contributions have been described as groundbreaking, with Arcane's soundtrack receiving widespread acclaim for its ability to bridge the gap between animation and cinematic scoring. [25]
