WHOMADEWHO SHARE THEIR CREATIVE PROCESS

Name: WhoMadeWho
Members: Jeppe Kjellberg (guitar), Tomas Barfod (drums), Tomas Høffding (vocals, bass)
Occupation: Songwriters, performers, producers Nationality: Danish

Where does the impulse to create something come from for you? What role do often-quoted sources of inspiration like dreams, other forms of art, personal relationships, politics, etc play?

In terms of making a track, we often try to start with an architectural approach. Try to make a specific type of beat, with very concrete references that we listen to. Then we basically try to imitate elements of the reference track and fail. End up making something completely different. But that’s the key! To get the creative process started and to dive into our personal WhoMadeWho area.

Afterward, when composing a vocal, I personally love diving into the subconscious. It’s very interesting to just put on the track while the microphone is turned on and start singing. Singing whatever comes to mind. Fragments of words, and melodies. From 2 or 3 of those openminded sessions, I can normally dig out a nice melody and also some words that sound good have an emotional impact, and connect to the track. Thereafter we have a fundament and start creating the narrative from that. Unless, of course, Tomas Høffding made something even better, or we decide to keep it instrumental. (laughs)

"Oblivion" –  a track that went through a process from me testing new plug-ins on my computer, creating some nice chords and a mumbling melody, then forwarding it to Tomas Barfod, who made it more structured and finished. The lyrics were very unfinished but with the phrase “I can remember” in there as a a key part, it was easy to create the lyrics combining personal memories from love life and childhood, with my own fear of ending up like my grand-dad with dementia, not able to remember anything. Easy. Afterwards, Mano Le Tough managed to lift the production and lyrics to another level.

For you to get started, do there need to be concrete ideas – or what some have called a 'visualization' of the finished work? What does the balance between planning and chance look like for you?

We like to be very focused about being playful and we like taking chances in the creative phase. Over the years, we have learned to be serious about not being too serious. It’s a paradox, but it has helped us a lot during the years.

We started out the first years of the band by being extremely laissez-faire about everything, and we had a lot of fun. Got to travel the world and experienced a lot of success from that, being one of the first “live bands” to start playing in the clubs. We were at that time missing out on a lot of things because we just wanted to travel, play, and party.

Then, at some point, we decided to become more professional and focused. That was an interesting experiment. We focused more on deeper songwriting with more developed lyrics. Making the production cleaner and more tight and thought through. Getting a bigger crew and tour busses, etc, while musically crossing over to the indie scene. Playing more regular pop/rock shows, with a very structured set, etc ... It was fun for a while, but I guess we felt too much responsibility and pressure being in that position somehow. Also, it ended up being too stiff for us in a way, and we got a little stressed about it all. Therefore we decided to change our ways again.

Especially, after playing a specific US tour in 2017, we followed up our live set with some freer and more open-minded DJ sets. The crowd really enjoyed us jamming on the DJ set, and we felt a strong internal excitement about this more fresh and open-minded concept. Playing Burning Man on The Mayan Warrior ArtCar in 2018, was the epiphany. Being more experimental and trippy, while at the same time keeping the dance elements underneath.

That show at Burning Man was not in any way planned, it just happened along the way. Like many good creative things.

Is there a preparation phase for your process? Do you require your tools to be laid out in a particular way, for example, do you need to do 'research' or create 'early versions'?

We try to make as many songs as possible at the beginning of the recording process. No filter, just composing tracks and top lines all the time. Then, after some months we stop and do status. Discussing what to trash and what to keep. Then we open up for the next round of songwriting. We're repeating this process many times during the making of an album. In round two, we might also want to work further on the “keepers”. It’s a Darwinistic race somehow. Survival of the strongest songs.

"Tell Me Are We" – This track was a nice instrumental that we made, but couldn’t find a melody for. Then we sent it to Rampa, along with top lines for a lot of different other songs, and he magically finished the track with a vocal from a different instrumental. Classic WhoMadeWho, random magic.

Do you have certain rituals to get you into the right mindset for creating? What role do certain foods or stimulants like coffee, lighting, scents, exercise, or reading poetry play?

We all like to start early in the studio with a coffee for starting up the energy. We all do 16-hour fasting and work out 4-5 times a week with different intensity. I personally like reading Danish poetry at the moment for my own inspiration. Almost every morning, my father will also send me a quote from either poetry, hymns, or cartoons. I love the words.

What do you start with? How difficult is that first line of text, the first note?

We often start up discussing what we want to do that day. Like, what type of track we want to do. A classic start is us beginning with a beat from Tomas B, then we add the chords, synth basses, and guitars, ending up with an instrumental that we can do vocals for in each of our studios. Tomas H sometimes also brings a composition to the “bunker”, and then TB will deconstruct it.

Once you've started, how does the work gradually emerge?

It’s an ongoing process. Some songs are done in 20 minutes others can take years to finish.

"Closer" – This is a co-op with Artbat. They asked us for an intimate emotional vocal for their instrumental. Once the melody was made, the song was done intuitively without hesitation. I love it when music evolves effortlessly like that.

Many writers have claimed that as soon as they enter into the process, certain aspects of the narrative are out of their hands. Do you like to keep strict control over the process or is there a sense of following things where they lead you?

The songs often have their own life. If you have a present experience in mind or something concrete to write about (without making it too obvious), that vision/thought can somehow also lead you through the songwriting and drive the narrative.

The process is different for every track. Sometimes the narrative takes control randomly, other times it’s the opposite. We push through with a clear vision/idea.

Often, while writing, new ideas and alternative roads will open themselves up, pulling and pushing the creator in a different direction. Does this happen to you, too, and how do you deal with it? What do you do with these ideas?

It happens all the time that alternative roads occur. Since we are a trio with 3 strong personalities, we push each other on a daily basis. It's very normal. Sometimes, for instance, a person can bring a song to the table, feeling really good about it, while the two other bandmates might just accept a small element and turn it into a completely different track. These changes of direction are the beauty and sometimes also the curse of playing in a three-piece band with a flat hierarchy.

There are many descriptions of the creative state. How would you describe it for you personally? Is there an element of spirituality to what you do?

I do have a humble awareness of our connections to the universe. Call it superstition, or what you like. I just really like if the numbers are right … I also want to believe that all the random things we experience have a deeper meaning and that we all need to open ourselves to the gifts we are given.

Especially in the digital age, the writing and production process tends toward the infinite. What marks the end of the process? How do you finish a work?

Deadlines!

"Abu Simbel" – This track we were very happy about but didn’t really feel the vocals on it. One day before the deadline, Rampa kept pushing us to the very last second to make it stronger. Then out of nowhere, Tomas Høffding came up with this amazing melody. If we hadn’t had that deadline, I'm not sure that it would have happened.

I think a deadline is essential. Like that, the music becomes a sign of the moment when it is done. We all change all the time, and so do our ideals, and aesthetics also change with time. So if we didn’t have deadlines, I'm afraid that our songs would just pile up and never be finished properly.

Once a piece is finished, how important is it for you to let it lie and evaluate it later on? What's your take on the role and importance of production, including mixing and mastering for you personally? How involved do you get in this?

It is a very important matter, I know. But I am not really getting into it. I am deeply involved in the construction of the music. The notes, the rhythms, the lyrics, etc. I am so privileged that our drummer Tomas Barfod is an amazing producer/mixer and in conjunction with external Mix/Master colleagues, I feel that I am in the best hands. On this album, we are working closely with Rampa from Germany, and he is also very inspirational to work with in this matter.

After finishing a piece or album and releasing something into the world, there can be a sense of emptiness. Can you relate to this – and how do you return to the state of creativity after experiencing it?

After the deadline, there are definitely mixed feelings. A sense of relief on the one hand, and on the other hand, that deep sense of emptiness. I think it's very normal for songwriters to feel that post-deadline blues, still it gets me down every time …

I guess we need to do something else after such a deadline. Normally this will be touring the world and meeting new people. That helps a lot and sparks the creativity back in the body. Time off is definitely needed after such a musical marathon.

Creativity can reach many different corners of our lives. Do you personally feel as though writing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't do in more “mundane” tasks?

I don't think writing music is different from any other job. I deeply respect people who put effort and focus into their job. Any job. Being a barista takes super skills. Awesome. Someone taking out all of our garbage with a smile on their face. Super awesome. Teachers taking care of all the misbehaving children for a lousy paycheck. And so on.

I think we are all obligated to put ourselves to optimum use. We need to feel a fundamental sense of happiness and purpose in life. And like that, we are all connected. Unfortunately, I don't have so many skills in life apart from music, which is my element. I like to express emotions through the music. Big beautiful emotions. In my daily life at home or in the studio, I am more in contact with the raw versions.

It's way easier in poetry than in real life.

CREDITS: Original Interview courtesy of 15 Questions

IN CONVERSATION: MONIKA KRUSE

Revered techno figurehead Monika Kruse's talent and dedication made her one of the world's most highly-respected DJs and producers, who has inspired many in her 25-year-long career. She started the Terminal M label in 2000, and it remains one of the most consistently outstanding techno labels. Monika Kruse joined us for Familia's 5th Birthday celebrations with her label showcase. We briefly chatted with Techno's First Lady… 

You've played the piano since an early age, subsequently training your ear and leading to where you are now in your career. Is current or previous experience with a musical instrument essential learning for a budding producer? 

It's not essential, but it definitely helps. I was learning classical piano when I first started my training and later Jazz; my knowledge of harmonizing and how it affects the way music sticks in your head has given me more space to improvise on my productions and also how I put my feelings into a track. Many artists fall into the trap of perfectionism in their work, from the tracks they produce to the selection and mixing techniques throughout their DJ sets. 

Do you ever fall into this 'perfectionist' category with music production and DJing? How do you overcome something that's arguably a slightly negative way of working? 

Oh, ha, that's an excellent question! I am 100% a perfectionist; I'm rarely satisfied with my sets, and sometimes, I go home and think, "Ah, I could have done this better". This way of thinking is helpful to me; if every time I played, I was satisfied, it would mean I hadn't given myself room for improvement. The pressure now is higher these days than ever due to social media. Everyone is recording you with their phones, or you're being live-streamed, and once it's out there, it's out there. Producing it is hard, as I always feel the track needs to be finished. Still, it is essential to let go of the feeling of perfectionism and, at one point, to release the track.

With news of political upheaval in the daily headlines, tell us about your charity 'No Historical Backspin', and how this combats racism and violence.

I founded this organization in the year 2000 when there was lots of violence against refugees, but also against gay people. Some of my gay friends were getting attacked on the streets after parties, and when DJ Rush was assaulted because he was black, I strongly felt I had to speak out and do something about this. If I went to the club with a message or threw a party with this in mind, people might start to think and dance. I remember a few occasions where we met some really right-wing people at the party (which was good) because we were able to have a discussion and say, "Hey if we can all show love on the dancefloor, why can't we show love off it?" and that's really what the mission is. At a Backspin party, all the DJs play for free, and all the money raised goes to victims of these attacks, usually paying for lawyers or medical bills. We've now raised over € 100,000, so I'm thrilled.

Tell us about living in Berlin, the best place for crate digging, the most outrageous club space, your favorite bar, and the best place for a meal after a night DJing or just enjoying the city's nightlife. 

Hard Wax is definitely top for records; they have a lot of Detroit stuff you can't get in many other shops; it's extraordinary. Unfortunately, many good stores have closed because of the record crisis, which is a real pity. The best place to get a late dinner or an early breakfast is at home. I like to cook; I can make some noodles and then get straight into bed! 

You're no stranger to playing at Familia parties here in Egg; this is your third booking with the Familia clan. What's so special about this party makes you want to return each time?

The thing about Familia and Egg is that we are good friends. I've known Gabby since I DJed at Trade, and now I'm here for Familia. This party, this club, is really about family. If I play abroad, you guys will always come along to my show; you stay in contact even if I'm not playing here; that means a lot to me. This industry is now just about business, but you guys make it more than that. I'm grateful you allowed me to showcase my label here and invite artists who have never played in London, like tonight with Skober. You trust and support me, my artists, and my belief in them.

Credit:

Orginal Intwerview by Egg London:

https://www.egglondon.co.uk/news/interview-monika-kruse

BUTCH: THE MAN AMONG STUDIOS, FESTIVALS, GIGS AND CARRIER PIGEONS

Bülent Gürler has been living and breathing music for a few decades now and through the years, his impeccable and sophisticated production style, world-class and highly potent DJ skills, and a striking signature charm have not lost their luster. Though it took him some time to come into his Butch moniker, the Mainz-based DJ/producer has owned his name, its meaning, and the versatile, ever-relevant, genre-bending music attached to it.

Well-loved by house and techno music lovers alike, for his music, charming aura, and convincing sense of humor, not everyone, or anyone for that matter, has what it takes to be the Butch of today’s music scene. Constantly in between studios, festivals, gigs, and carrier pigeons, it’s hard to pin Butch down, but luckily, shortly after the release of his and C.Vogt’s heavy-hitting tune “Desire” on Gerd Janson’s Running Back, Torture the Artist was able to get a few words, a little secret, and surely a bunch of jokes, from a man 1.240 kilometers away from his home.

Hello Bülent. What is sitting (or standing) in front of you right now? How far away are you from home?

Butch: In front of me is the wall of a hotel room. In front of that is my laptop on which I am typing right now. I’m in Barcelona tonight, roughly 257 hours by walk- simply 1.240 kilometers – away from my home.

Thanks for that utmost precision! Which track of yours best describes your mood now? We can’t ask most artists this question but as you have been a track-spewing machine over the years, you can’t skip it.

Butch: “Amnesia Haze”, because I have just woken up from a lovely nap and am super relaxed, looking forward to my gig later!

The summer just wrapped up, how did the season go for you? What did you spend the most time doing? Any special trips or experiences that stand out?

Butch: I was on tour most of the time. What stood out were my own parties, ‘OTHERSIDE’, at the underground club Grießmühle in Berlin and my gigs at CircoLoco Ibiza in DC10.

Before we dig into the music, we’re curious about the story behind Butch. First of all, why the Butch moniker?

Butch: For nearly 10 years I had been making music and slowly, finally, things were starting to click. I had a release coming up, signed by Riley for Trapez and I was excited! But I had a problem. I wasn’t using my old DJ name anymore and I needed a new name fast. Riley kept on getting on my nerves and I kept avoiding his calls. One evening he said: You have until tomorrow, otherwise we can’t put the record out anymore! That evening I watched Pulp Fiction and Bruce Willis’ character is asked what his name – Butch – means. He answers: “I’m American honey, our names don’t mean shit!” I loved that. A name that doesn’t mean anything, I just wanted my music to speak. So I called Riley and told him: “I have a name!”

Where did you grow up and how did you get into music? Did a musical career court you for a while or did you fall in love at first sight? When did this love affair all begin?

Butch: I grew up watching HipHop movies, fell in love with the DJ culture and graffiti and all that. My brother listened to Techno, so I got into that as well. And in the ‘90s, I got started, first DJing and then making beats on the computer. And by then I was obsessed, I just did what I did because I loved it.

It seems like parties come naturally to you. Do you go out often? Can you name some of your favorite venues?

Butch: I don’t really go out anymore, because I have such a full tour schedule. I love going to the location before my gig if I get the chance and checking out my colleagues, though.

Techno heads love your music, house lovers and most others do too, being able to create such versatile and relevant music must start from your foundations. Who were your musical inspirations growing up? Whether or not you agree with genres, what influences would you say, most drive your direction and style?

Butch: The only reason I am so versatile in my productions is because I am even more versatile as a music fan and listener. I genuinely listen to many, many different types of music and don’t really know what influences me consciously.

Rumor has it you are a visual artist type as well, Grafitti ring a bell? What are some of your hidden talents?

Butch: Rumors have it that I am an excellent DJ.

The rumors have it all, supposedly. Can you imagine yourself doing anything else besides music? What was your fallback career?

Butch: I’d write children’s books.

Well, certainly you don’t need that, or any, fallback now! Besides having hundreds (how many exactly?) of productions, whether edits, originals, or collaborations, you’re a well traveled and highly requested DJ as well. How do you find enough time in the studio to keep your productivity rate incredibly high?

Butch: I treat it like a job, even though I love it like a hobby. The job part means: I am in my studio every day that I am not on tour. I stay in the studio for at least 8 hours on a normal day. That’s also my tip to aspiring producers: Inspiration comes through putting in a lot of work and time. Don’t just do it when you feel inspired. Do it to become inspired! You can quote me on your Instagram if you want to sound #deep.

Does this mean you never sleep? At some point in your long and eventful career, did you find the need to take a longer break than you had planned? Tell us the secret behind your extraordinary focus, drive, and creativity!

Butch: I’m going on my first vacation in 15 years, taking off January and February. I’m f*cking exhausted!

Speaking of DJing, you’ve played in some of the biggest festivals and venues in the world, with some of the biggest names in electronic music. How do you maintain that signature Butch charisma? Do you ever feel stage fright?

Bucth: I only started experiencing stage fright when I became more well-known. I think the rising expectations do that to me. But I guess I just need to remind myself that I’ve been DJing for more than 20 years now and that I’m as ready as I’ll ever be and then simply go out and have a fun time!

Throughout your long career as a DJ, can you think of your favorite moment/s at the DJ booth? Which cities did you enjoy playing in most?

Butch: Man, there are too many moments. I loved those milestones: Playing in the Cocoon Club for the first time back in the day or the first time I had a gig overseas. It was an amazing experience flying somewhere and getting to play in a foreign country. Those memories will last me a lifetime.

You’ve collaborated, including remixing or being remixed, with some of the biggest names in both techno, house, and even tech house – Kölsch, Waff, Booka Shade, and even Ricardo Villalobos. How do those projects come about Do you find that working with other artists change you as well?

Butch: Basically those are all personal friendships, which made those collaborations come about naturally.

A few years ago, you formed ButRic with Ricardo Villalobos and released some tracks, will we see more projects in the future? Any interest in playing DJ sets with Ricardo on this moniker?

Butch: There are more ButRic tunes. We’ll see when we plan on releasing them. Everything has its time. We haven’t played a set together yet, but who knows what the future holds?

You and C. Vogt seem to have great chemistry, having worked on many tracks through the years. This year, you are releasing your EP, Desire on Gerd Janson’s Running Back records, which is already gaining a lot of traction within the dance music community. Desire seems to be made from the dance floor, by the dance floor, for the dance floor. Can you share how the idea for the project came about and how it materialized?

Butch: I came across the sample while I was going through Chris’ music collection. We were really lucky no one else had used that sample. The track basically made itself once we had the sample. The only thing that took ages was clearing the sample, I think all in all it took more than a year.

How did the track find its way onto Gerd Janson’s Running Back label?

Butch: Gerd has been a friend of mine for years now and lives roughly 30 kilometers away from me, so it was easy to send him the track, I burnt a CD and sent him my carrier pigeon. He has been playing this tune for ages now and it’s a hit at Panorama Bar.

Now that the project is over, are you giving yourself a little break or do you already have others in the pipeline? What else do you have in store for the rest of the year?

Butch: I have new EPs coming up on Running Back, Freerange, and my own label OTHERSIDE, as well as some more remixes.

The teaser video for “Desire” is quite something, will there ever be a full video for the track?

Butch: Aw, man, I was only bullsh*tting with this. There is no video coming, I was just playing with you.

FEELING GOOD WITH ANDHIM

FEELING GOOD? WANNA FEEL EVEN BETTER? THEN YOU’RE IN LUCK AS GERMANY’S ANSWER TO AUDIO RED BULL IS COMING TO AUSTRALIA. ANDHIM HAS BEEN SETTING THE HOUSE SCENE ALIGHT WITH MULTIPLE DANCEFLOOR BOMBS WHICH HAVE BECOME BONA FIDE CLUB ANTHEMS. IT’S NOT ONLY IN THE STUDIO THOUGH WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS AS THEIR DJ SETS HAVE SEEN THEM BECOME HEADLINERS WHEREVER THEY PLAY.

Cologne has birthed a number of great electronic music acts in history such as Michael Mayer, and Wolfgang and Reinhard Voigt, but is generally known for its techno and minimal techno offerings rather than house; when did you discover house music and who were some of your influencers?

Kompakt was actually a big inspiration for us because their definition of electronic music had no borders. Their records of the early 2000s could go in so many musical directions. Techno with German folk music samples, trance-y hymns, collaborations with German Indie bands, and even ambient songs. That was exciting and fun. Each record was a new experience, a new approach to music. They also did their famous “Total Confusion” parties in a very small club in Cologne where Koze started his career as a techno DJ. It was massive to see him playing when we were 17/18. It could happen that he played a hip-hop song after a very hard techno track. And the people loved it. And we loved it.

As a duo, you have been able to travel the world and play in front of thousands of fans. What have been some of your favorite countries to play in and why?

Oh wow. This is so hard to answer. But let us tell you this, Australia is definitely one of our top 3 countries. We have played such amazing parties that we, even after two years away from Australia, still talk about them. In Melbourne, there were people hanging from the ceiling like little rave monkeys. Others were stage-diving during our set. Stage diving! I mean we play house music not Heavy Metal. We had insanely good times here and it’s always exciting to come back.

“Super House” is a term you’ve coined to describe your music. What three elements do you think makes “super house” better than OG house music?

We would never say it’s any better than other styles of electronic music. It’s just the way we interpret and feel the music. It’s not even that we plan to do something different. It’s just what comes out of us when we are in the studio. But let’s try to pick out three elements.

1. It’s organic, crispy, and not taken from any sample kit library at all

2. It allows us to go in every direction

3. It’s original. Even if it’s a drum loop you can hear the Andhim fingerprint.

Your events, Superfriends, have had a number of massive acts like Kölsch, H.O.S.H., Roman Flügel, Henry Saiz, Guy Gerber, and perform alongside yourselves. Is Superfriends really just about getting all the massive acts in the club (who just happen to be your friends) to play together?! What’s the drive behind these events?

Superfriends is mainly about having a good time. We want to create an intimate atmosphere and share the friendship and love with the people. We love to bring together our DJ friends, idols, and people we respect in the industry. It’s not really about big names although we are very lucky to name some of the top DJs as our friends. We always try to add befriended local DJs to each lineup – from club residents we met during our career to friends from home. We are trying to break down the barrier between the artist and the audience like we always do. There’s no such thing as inequality. We are all the same so let’s be friends 🙂

Andhim has really embraced social media and created a fun and lively image for yourselves. How important do you think social media is today for an artist’s success?

It’s definitely an important tool but it has to be authentic. If it’s not or moves away too much from what you actually do, then you’ll fail. I mean there are some artists posting meme after meme after meme. At one point you start asking yourself if they are still doing music. It also really depends on your personality. You can’t force it. As long as it represents you and your work in an authentic way social media can help your career wether you are posting studio tutorials or funny images.

Do you follow any other artists on social media? Who do you think does a great job on social media?

Of course, we do. Our friend Butch does a great job too for instance. And he does so because he is obviously copying us 😉

So, you’re about to make the next video for your latest release – you have full creative control – describe what the video would look like?

We’re constantly thinking about video ideas. It’s so much fun. And btw, we are in full creative control of our videos at any time. Every video idea was written and directed by us. But we need someone paying for the videos; this would be more helpful, haha.

But here’s our next video idea for a track we’ve been working on recently. Exclusively for BBM, we’ll let you know the story (I didn’t even tell Tobias but he has no choice anyway):

Tobias and I work very boring 9-5 office jobs. Grey, monotonously, and depressing. After work, we pull on our bad-ass customized skating dress and our old-school roller skates and cruise through the city. Weird skating skills, cheap tricks but always with style. We are wannabe bullies. We steal the kid’s ice cream; we go through a red traffic light; we ride the one-way street in the other direction. We are the kings of the streets. After this day full of dopeness we pull back on our suits and go home to prepare for another lame day at the office.

How pumped are you to return to Australia?

We’re beyond excited to be back. During these two years, we always wanted to come back but due to our busy tour schedule and the crazy travel it takes to come to your beautiful country, we couldn’t make it earlier. We wanted to come so bad that we said we’re gonna do it even for only one weekend. This means we’re now traveling around 50 hours to spend 72 hours in Australia. This is true love!

How has your set changed since your last visit?

Oh wow…it changes so often. A set is always influenced by your mood, your surroundings, the sound, the people, the vibe and so many other factors. But it’ll definitely be energetic. We really can’t wait to play for you guys!

Credits: Original Interview by Work & Tavel Magazine Australia

INSIDE THE SECRET WORLD OF LUCA BACCHETTI

Luca Bacchetti has soaked up a wild aural palette as a globe-trotting DJ. Still, returning to a bungalow in rural Tuscany allowed him to shape his debut album, Secret World.

"Even when I'm producing in the studio, I feel like a DJ. I love to arrange and mix my musicians and their performances like tracks," says Luca Bacchetti, enthusiastic about his conductor-like approach to making his debut album, Secret World.

"For me, the biggest buzz comes from the encounters between musical worlds that initially seem far apart."

Sonic disparities seem central to Luca's approach, gently ebbing and flowing at the heart of his new record. After over a decade of DJ'ing worldwide, from DC10 to Tokyo's Womb, the infamous Burning Man festival, and beyond, his name is associated with killer club cuts for labels including Crosstown Rebels and Defected. Yet, the Italian opted to take creative refuge in the tranquil beauty of his Tuscan homeland to create the 13 tracks on Secret World, his boldest artistic statement.

Originally conceived as an ambient piece, the scale of Secret World became broader as it was pulled together over several weeks in a bungalow at the Il Ciocco resort. Luca gathered friends, musicians, and fellow travelers to record using a mobile studio in the heart of this rural idyll.

One of the most exciting aspects of the project was placing the musicians in an unusual recording environment, disconnected from the frenzy of everyday life," he explains.

"I felt very strongly that the recordings should occur in a bungalow in a forest. I was convinced it would condition the mood for everyone working on the record."

Luca stitched together recordings of the performances after dark, overdubbing during solitary sessions, using recordings from the woods and snippets of sounds he'd captured while traveling as a DJ. Secret World may have seen him physically return to his roots to work. Still, with the help of live musicians, it also led his music into bold new pastures, some way beyond the global dancefloors where he's made his name.

“Even though you'll find club references across the album, the musical language used differs. I wanted to try and reconnect with our natural surroundings, and the most challenging objective was translating this into music."

Luca began his musical journey as a young DJ and beat-lover in the early nineties. Tuscany is an area of jaw-dropping natural beauty. Still, no record shops or clubs were to satisfy his musical obsessions in Pieve Fosciana, the tiny village he called home. So instead, Luca turned to the radio to get his fix, setting his love for hip hop alight, then embracing the alien house and techno pulses emanating from the cities of Detroit and Chicago.

"Radio saved my life. There was no internet. But radio helped me learn about hip-hop. Then I landed a job at a radio station, started working on shows, and found my way to drum 'n' bass, electronica, and techno," he reveals.

"I grew up listening to everything: electronica, blues, jazz, soul, funk. I am a huge music lover," he says.

Secret World demonstrates the depth and complexity of his taste. While the track ”Black Swan” swirls in a riot of psychedelic guitars, other album tracks dispense different moods, from the reflective state of “After the Silence” to “Fervor De Buenos Aires”, a rhythmically complex moment capturing South America's distinctive musical flavors. Luca is excited by the new sonic territories he's entered.

"I knew I wanted to go in different directions to what I'm known for and say something more than I've ever done before," he states.

"Because of my job as a DJ, I'm very much a traveler. So I wanted to squeeze all the emotion of the places I've seen and visited into the tracks of this album."

BACK TO HIS ROOTS

At the start of 2018, Luca decamped to the Tuscan bungalow to start work on Secret World. Joined by a collection of Italian accomplices, including Stefano Onorati (keyboards), Andrea Guzzoletti (trumpet), and Leo Di Angilla (percussion), he aimed to reconnect with the natural environment around them, then let this influence and inspire the recordings.

"I have lived all around the world, from Barcelona to the US, but Tuscany is where I first started dreaming of music," he explains his decision to return to make the record.

Growing up in a musically remote region made the younger Luca want to leave his hometown. Still, now, in his forties, perspectives have changed.

"When you return to your roots, a place you didn't like when you were younger, you might realize that it's full of treasures, which happened to me. This record was an opportunity to rediscover them, then show them off," Luca explains.

Luca initially started recording over two three-day sessions in the bungalow to capture the various components that made up the sounds of a 'Secret World'. Then, he left for an Asian tour before returning to record once again in the wilderness after his galavanting was completed. Other musical strands and aural knick-knacks complemented the performances captured in the woods he collected on his travels.

"It was a straightforward setup in the studio, and thankfully, the natural acoustics of the bungalow studio at II Ciocco helped us enormously and didn't require too much adjustment," he reveals.

"We recorded everything through a UAD Apollo Twin audio interface with a pair of Adam A5X monitors. The DAW was Ableton Live 9, and we hooked up some additional gear, including a Moog Sub 37, Arturia Minibrute, and a modular system. This comprised Intellijel, Make Noise, Mutable Instruments, Expert Sleepers and Doepfer modules. It was the most essential part of the setup we used during the recordings.”

Luca lists many musical gear that helped him construct the album. During the sessions, he was open to experimenting to let the songs, like the landscape around them, flow as naturally as possible. How did he make the creative process work with his collaborators while making the record?

"I always started songs with my foundations, the groove, and the bass, then I moved onto the recording of several overdubs. When working with musicians, I bring them ideas, often singing them to help them understand the melodies and where I want to go with the music. I use this process until I have all the elements to build a song. Then the arrangement comes later when I work alone at night."

The record's range of styles sprang from a series of recording sessions with the percussive talents of Leo Di Angilla, who helped place the sonics outside the club. His playing reverberates through Secret World, helping create many of the album's best musical scenes. "We recorded his percussion playing in the nearby Ciocco Studios, assisted by producer Gianni Nuzzi. I wanted to do something that would work in different environments. You can play certain tracks in a DJ set, but I needed the music to act as a soundtrack for a greater range of moments, too."

Percussionist Leo is mainly present in choice moments such as “La Ruta Del Sur”, “After The Silence” and “The Bridge”. Other innovative textures included the string sections created by Omisphere 2 on the title track. Weaving these various aspects together helped Luca develop many song structures and arrangements.

"I finished Secret World working in the studio in the box," he says. "This time with Ableton 10 and mainly using Waves and UAD plugins. My faithful Genelec 8030A were the monitors during this phase. Rather than be led by my technology, I aimed to serve the songs as best as possible."

Although Luca has used the more recent 8050s, he's a massive fan of the older studio monitor model.

"I've used the 8050s, but there's always a risk of increasingly turning the volume up, louder and louder. It's a vice of mine, whereas the 8030A is perfect in my studio setting. They have great definition in the low frequencies and always manage to tell me the truth when I'm in the mixing phase."

MUSICAL AMBITIONS FROM A SECRET WORLD

Although many creative ideas for the songs on Secret World had been orbiting Luca for some years, it took his approach as a DJ. Then, it transposed them onto the studio, where they sparked into life. Luca believes this allowed him to break with musical conventions and gave him freedoms never enjoyed by traditionally trained players.

"DJs are allowed to break the rules in the studio and go against the grain. For musicians, playing music or releasing songs that they see as full of mistakes or errors is blasphemy. But as long as the grooves and melodies work, I like the imperfections to be there."

So, how does he communicate his ideas to professional players as a confessed non-musician? Luca uses visual images to show off the directions of his musical thoughts and dreams.

"Images are so important to me. My track “Black Swan” was born at the Burning Man Festival in the US. It's a special, unique festival where I absorbed so much music. So, in the studio, I wanted to create a song to capture this mood and feel the desert's humidity and dust. Music should express this sense of danger and tension. And I tried to get my performers involved in thinking about their music like this."

Essential production advice

Luca's exciting move from behind the decks and into the studio. It should help paint a bigger picture of him, not only as an artist but also as a character. Secret World is a profoundly personal album, demonstrating a more excellent, more sophisticated musicality only hinted at before. Luca believes any other DJs looking to take the plunge and start crafting their beats and grooves must wrestle with their aims to realize their ambitions.

"You need to understand the motivation, why you want to be a producer. If you want to be an artist, this is more than just performing at festivals or making money," he states.

But with technology now being so agile and more readily accessible than ever, Luca states it is easier for DJs to make this transition.

"It's important to try and surround yourself with only what you need for a project: the real studio is inside your head."

"With a laptop, you have a musical bomb in your hands. Thanks to powerful computers, plugins, and drum machines, it's so easy to access amazing sounds now. And there are plenty of great producers to look to. Someone like Four Tet is making incredible music but with a super easy, simple setup. It's inspiring."

However, the Italian is concerned that having a world of sonic tools at your fingertips has drawbacks. "It's amazing what you can access," he says, "but you must impose limitations to get the best out of your music. You're all set if you have a drum machine and something to create beats."

Has he any advice for DJs looking to make a similar creative leap and express themselves as artists outside the club?

We used many machines with this project and spent some time mic-ing up our live instrumentation. You need to think carefully about marrying the two when working on this kind of music where these two separate sounds come together. At the same time, it's essential to try and surround yourself with only what you need for a project: the actual studio is inside your head.

So, with the album now out on the broader World and picking up critical praise, Luca is keeping himself busy working on promotion for the record and daring to dream about a potential live show, something he wants to be more of an event than a traditional gig.

"I want to explore the options of a live show involving different installations and visual artists. With this kind of album, it makes sense to go further with the experience and root it in the environment where it was created. I want to do it so people are bowled over, sit up, and take notice."

Luca also reveals that he was advised not to make the record, to instead concentrate on DJ'ing, but the album was something he needed to let out. It's partly what makes the record so honest, personal, and born out of the landscape that shaped him.

"You have to take a risk – which I did with this album – but the setting was crucial.

This is why I prefer intimate and isolated places; everything becomes clear… even when there are voices around you, nature communicates; that's why I love my homeland and live in Tuscany. But although I'm proud of the results, I'm now thinking about the next steps. I want to do more, learn more, and say even more."

Original interview Credit: https://musictech.com/features/luca-bacchetti-secret-world/

Visit lucabacchetti.com to find out more.

MORE INSPIRED THAN EVER BEFORE: HOW BOOKA SHADE REMAIN AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME

After 35+ years of writing music and heavy touring together under various guises, aliases, and genres, no one would have blamed Arno Kammermeier and Walter Merziger for taking a break from their Booka Shade project during the last two years of lockdowns and allowing themselves a breather from the relentless on-road grind. But no. Quite the contrary…

2020/2021 were arguably two of the German duo’s most prolific and creative years to date as they wrote their 10th album (‘Both’), a compilation of vocal collaborations (‘Voices Of Hope’) and remastered their iconic ‘Movements’ album into a Dolby Atmos vinyl release. They also sprang into action and toured the moment things opened up again in the middle of 2021. Oh, and they were nominated for a Grammy Award for their previous album ‘Dear Future Self’ which dropped just weeks ahead of the pandemic.

It's an impressive list of achievements, none of which they expected to achieve before things went a little off-track for us all, but most importantly during this time, they feel they’ve truly re-engaged with what Booka Shade means, what Booka Shade sounds like and what it’s capable of in the future. Fully refreshed and vision sharpened, even after all these years of writing and working together, the two friends – who began as electronic pop due Planet Claire back in the late 80s and had a whole illustrious career as popmakers during the 90s – are more inspired and in-tune than they have been in many years. The Standard caught up with them to find out more…

Considering the world is only just getting back to live music in the last half a year, you guys have been so busy. I think perhaps last year was one of your most prolific ever release-wise…

Walter: It’s interesting how much energy you have when you’re not touring! It was a lot of fun listening to things differently because we weren’t in that weekend/touring cycle. So the last few years were us going back to our roots as studio guys. This was like it was in the 90s when we were in the studio and didn’t travel much at all.

I sense a different relationship with the music. Between the two big release last year you have two very different perspectives on the Book Shade sound. Voices Of Hope was far away from the dancefloor while Both highlighted the fresh energy we all had coming out of lockdown. They were written in very different contexts, weren’t they?

Walter: They were. Plus, Voices Of Hope was all collaborations with singers. It’s very vocal-driven while Both is typical Booka Shade. Instrumental and a very pure club sound.

Arno: With Voices Of Hope we realized we could do what we’d wanted to do for some time. We were always going from weekend to weekend and writing music for our sets but with that, we had the time again. And so did everyone we collaborated with. Everyone was interested in collaborating. It was perfect. We had an album finished when the pandemic started too – Dear Future Self.

We had a full tour planned for that, so to cancel that was a bit of a shock. But then we realized it was a bit of a blessing. We could stop and think about everything we’ve done, reflect, and ask ourselves what we would like to do in the future. That’s why we went for things we really liked. We’ve always had our feet in songwriting and music with vocals. We don’t always make it, but we love it when we do.

Plus there was a Grammy nomination in the mix of all of that!

Arno: Yes, it was an exciting surprise. You work all this time and you think you’ve done most things, then all of a sudden something like that happens. You cannot plan for it.

Walter: I thought it was a joke from someone. It came from our German distributors and it felt unreal. I read it and thought, “Ah, that’s a mistake. That’s not meant for us!”

Arno: Just when you think you’ve tried out everything, this comes along.

Deep, deep, deep into a long and illustrious career!

Arno: It shows there’s still a lot to come. And, touching back on Voices Of Hope, what was interesting about it was that we could reach out to people, young talents we’ve been excited by, and see if they’re up for work, and now we’re meeting them in real life. SOHMI, for example, is from the States, and we got to meet him on our last tour. It was very nice to connect in real life.

So much of our life happened online and we all made new internet friends. As frustrating as a lot of it was, technology definitely enabled many things…

Walter: Yes and it wasn’t so much of a problem for sending tracks back and forth. It was the right time to do this collection of songs. That’s what we view that project as. Both, however, was a proper Booka Shade album.

What was it like getting back in the studio for that? I imagine you rolling your sleeves up like, “Right! Let’s get to work!”

Arno: We’ve worked in our own studios for many years. Working together for such a long time, it’s great to be together and the energy is different. But even if we’re not in the same place, we’re sending tunes back and forth and discussing everything on the phone. It’s a very efficient process which we’re very used to.

Walter: We don’t overthink things. In the past, we’ve spent three years on an album, just the two of us talking and talking. Now we see it more as a journey. Not every song has to be this brilliant moment of genius. For us, it’s important that we constantly work and stretch our style and not get stuck in one particular style.

That’s why we’ve explored so many different ideas. But it’s important for us to work constantly as writers and producers to get the shit out of your body. You might write 10 good songs to get one great one. It’s like if you’re a runner, you have to run every day to be trained. It’s the same with music – you work every day every day and sometimes something flies out of the universe and hits you. You have to work for that though. If you miss the moment, it’s gone.

Arno: The longer the time in between releases, the more unsure you become. You worry about expectations and all these things. It’s better for us to have this constant output or otherwise, it gets rusty.

I’ve spoken to some people who have written albums that have taken so long that they’ve dated by the time they’ve come out. Although I guess when you have your own sound you don’t have to worry about it dating so much…

Arno: You’re right. But, in our experience, there was a time when the whole EDM thing blew up and it took a lot of the big riff elements we’d brought into our songs. We suddenly felt like, “Oh this is a sound we can’t do anymore, we don’t want to sound like that.” It was a difficult time.

But after a while, we thought, “No this is our sound, we do it our way”. So not as big or mainstream as the big EDM sound, but rather in our own style. We did what we’ve always done and showed different sides of our sound. And in recent years we’ve come to really understand what Booka Shade is all about. We go on different excursions, but the solid basis of what Booka Shade is has become very apparent and solid to us.

Wow after 35+ years you’re still discovering your sound. That’s amazing. It’s really interesting regarding your take on EDM. That must have been around the time of the Eve album maybe? Or Galvany Street? Or between those two albums? They’re two very different poles of what Booka Shade can be and the years between those were released were very much peak EDM.

Arno: Absolutely correct. So we escaped and wrote something very different. Most artists will have at least one album like that to their name. Where they’ve completely refreshed things. And it was a fulfilling feeling. Like, “Okay that’s out of the system.” And by then EDM had calmed down a bit and we made our peace with everything.

Walter: We couldn’t compete with all the big fireworks and big mainstream sound so we went on tour with a singer and did something very different. It was more like a band and was very different. It was a shock for some fans and critics, but on the other hand, new people discovered us through the album. It was more alternative; it wasn’t club-style music but a lot of electronic fans saw something in it and liked it. In retrospect, it was a good thing but at the time we wondered if it was too much for our fans. Galvany Street was our first Dolby Atmos album and we sold 6000 Blu-Ray copies, which is a lot for a niche medium.

And this is still a niche music in the wider scheme of things. Niche overload!

Arno: We are the masters of niche!

Love that. That’s a testament to the loyalty of your fans, too…

Arno: Yes. And at the end of the day, we’re speaking about art. We started doing this because we love it and we wanted to create art. You have to follow your feelings. I’ve seen this fantastic documentary about the band Sparks. They are so inspiring and every album they do is different. They do what they love and it’s difficult for fans to follow them because they’re a couple of steps ahead, but that’s very inspiring from an artistic perspective and gives me confidence. They’re in their 70s and they’re still creating and releasing incredible, inspiring art. They are always reinventing. You’ll lose fans along the way, but gain new ones too, and you need to be at peace with that.

I think shows faith in fans and not spoon-feeding the machine or resorting to formula…

Walter: After a long career it’s always nice to see when you’ve been influential. We don’t want to bash EDM and some of the biggest guys in that particular world have told us they are fans of our music and how we inspired them with our music. That was nice to hear. They blow it up and make it a lot bigger, but the emotion is the same. It’s nice to hear when people say something is important.

I guess you don’t realize what influence you’re having when you’re putting things out into the universe…

Walter: Totally. And there’s so much out in the universe now. In fact, we realized that there had never been a vinyl edition of our Movements album. So another thing that we did during the time away from the road was to go back over the original tracks remaster it and create a Dolby Atmos mix. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it and the reaction to that was also huge. It sold out in a day!

Vinyl is having such a great resurgence…

Walter: Yes, it’s great to see! It’s great to have a range of outlets full stop. Blu-Ray, vinyl, Dolby Atmos, and of course streaming. I know people have different opinions about that. You can always say people aren’t paid enough, but I believe it saved the music industry. For us, it was an important factor to survive these times. It gave us a form of income when we couldn’t tour. We focused on streaming from 2017, we were creative with playlists and things like that and this all paid off for us during the pandemic as people listened to a lot more music. It pays and that’s very important – there were times when we didn’t get paid, like the times of Napster and torrenting platforms. So the fact we get paid is very important. We set a goal to reach a million monthly listeners. Once we hit that we make new goals.

You hit that recently, what’s the next goal?

Arno: One particular goal is to find new collaborations and singers and artists we want to with so we can keep this balance between the typical Booka Shade club sound, and the sound we have with singers and vocals. We want to do as much as possible before the live playing starts again, but we’ve also become a lot pickier about the selection of gigs. It’s a bit of a turning point. We’ve said, “Do we want to go every weekend? Or do we select where we know it’s going to be fun and the people are nice?”

Walter: The goal is not to do the same thing every day. It’s always important to have new challenges and play places you’ve never played before, or explored a concept you’ve not explored before. That’s always been interesting to us. That’s why we’ve always said we won’t do a new Movements album. The future is important – not the past. We want to write new things and work with people who aren’t from our world. Things that make us go, “Oh, wow! I’ve never thought about that in that way.” We’ve learned a lot from them, and they’ve learned a lot from us. You always learn a lot from collaborations – it’s important to learn and push the boundaries.

Yeah definitely! You guys seem very inspired and engaged right now…

Walter: We feel that too and we’re very proud of what we’ve achieved over the years. And the best thing is, Booka Shade was never created to be huge in any way. Not like when we did our pop productions in the 90s, where everything had to be big or a hit or a number one and things like that. Booka Shade has always been an outlet to create our own little universe. The fun part is to always let it grow, do different things with it, and keep it on a smaller scale. When you want too much, and you push things too much, it destroys things more than helps you. It has to come naturally and when it does it just flows. You don’t overthink, it just happens. This is the best feeling. We love that.

Arno: The small long steps always work best for us. Step by step.

THE TRANSFORMATION OF HITO

We are always learning; about the world, about people, about our interests, and things that inspire us. But most of all, we’re always learning about ourselves. Take Hito, for instance. An established international DJ for 10 years, and a Berlin-based DJ for many years prior to that, the Japanese headliner has come out of the lockdowns enriched with a fresh perspective on many aspects of her life.

From her creative approach to DJ formats to her own relationship with her Japanese roots, Hito describes the effect of the last two years as a profound transformation. It’s one that’s still ongoing and, most importantly, involves her listening to herself and her own wishes much more than before.

Fresh from an extensive world tour and starting to lay the foundations for an exciting new chapter as a producer, we catch up with Hito to discuss this moment in her life and find out what comes next…

Travel has always been such an important part of your lifestyle. So how was that during the lockdowns? Was it challenging?

It was a challenge, but also I was lucky to travel and be able to play a few times. I could enter Japan and do some shows and projects and see my family. During the lockdown time, I actually spent five months in Japan.

Japan had very different lockdown rules, didn’t it?

It was very different. It wasn’t 100% stay-at-home. There were different rules – like you can buy alcohol but only until 8 pm. Or a venue could be open until midnight but not sell alcohol, or clubs could open but with masks and hygiene. We’ve been wearing masks for a long time, so it’s not new for us and we take care of the next person. This has been taught to us for a long, long time. It was a very different situation over there.

It sounds like you made the best of your time and embraced the change that the global situation imposed on us all…

It led to a big change for me.

How so?

Let’s go back; I started Enter Sake with Richie in 2012. We did four seasons, up to 2015. Then I toured with Richie as an Enter Sake pop-up project. We went to so many different places in the world for three years. So I was with Richie for a total of seven years.

Then, after that, I became more independent and could do my own projects, like Hito Presents Oto. It started in Watergate Berlin and the concept is that I invite older professional DJs and younger up-and-coming ones. I am in the middle, like a bridge.

Oto means sound, doesn’t it?

Yes. We present the sound. For me, that is my life. I have come to understand this; that my personal purpose or mission with my work is my life itself. My lifestyle is music. Everything. Staying here in Naples; it is music. I see beautiful scenes, old buildings and architecture, and the people and the history. It’s all sounds to me. All these beautiful things I see. They transform through me, through my music and my perception. This is how I am. So I translate this concept into Hito Present Oto. So, the first seven years. Then three years. That’s nearly 10 years of working internationally.

You go back further than that though, right? You were DJing in Berlin for a long time before. I think DJing was a happy accident for you, wasn’t it?

Yes, that’s true. I never set out to be a DJ for my career. And I also met Richie through a happy accident. We met through sake culture. I was playing more locally then. Correct. I didn’t care where I was or what plans I had for the future. I don’t really make some goals in that way, but I used to study languages. That’s my curiosity – to get to know different cultures, different languages, different ways of doing things. That was my only goal; I always wanted to work globally. But now, after these two years of changes, these last few months I’m completely transforming.

How many languages can you speak?

I can speak four languages.

Five including music…

Haha! That’s very true. I listen. Everything is like sound to me. I hear many things all the time. I don’t concentrate on what’s being said, so I don’t follow up the conversation. But I hear a lot of sounds from morning to bedtime. Some sounds are annoying, or I have to be patient, but every situation is sound. It’s like a smell or a taste. A stimulant. But now I am listening to myself a lot more.

What are you hearing?

Finally, little by little, it comes to me… I ask myself, “What do you want to do now, Hito?” Before, I was paying attention and taking care of other people. It was normal for me to do this. In Japanese culture, we pay attention to others and, through that, we forget ourselves sometimes. So I needed to pay attention to myself and my own expressions. My pure feelings. It’s hard to keep them wrapped up like they do in Japan. That’s why sometimes in Japan you might find interactions artificial.

So it’s taken you all this time to listen to yourself?

Finally! This is the result of the pandemic. As a beautiful consequence, I am surviving. I realized I still have new feelings in me. Feelings I have not thought about. For example, if you focus on my kind of life, for the last 10 years, it has been this… “When is my set time? Where do I have to be, and when do I have to be there?”

Point to point. That was me going through life. Between those two points, it was always a different bed, different temperature, different place. That was my routine, I couldn’t have a pet because I could not take care of one because I was moving around so much. If I stay somewhere as long as a week then I’ll buy a flower – to add a bit of life to my room and give it a bit of my own personality.

I do these things continually and it became my discipline. My Samurai way, if you like. But those two years have given me time with my family and time with friends who I’ve known for 30 years. I explored my roots and reconnected with them. Home! I would meet my parents, which was strange for them. I was seeing them every day for five months. They had to get used to this because I had been away for 20 years! It was all very new and a different way to see where I come from, you know?

Seeing your roots for the first time, as an adult…

Yes. Since 15 I have traveled. A summer in the USA, come back. A season in the UK and come back. My parents are professors in physical education, so they also traveled.

Are your parents proud?

When I left, no. My father, he loves me, but he was disappointed. We didn’t talk for two years. But they realized I was okay when they came to visit me in Ibiza. Space. They came to my console. Then came again to Paris, Barcelona, and the Mexico BPM Festival. Also sometimes while touring in Japan, with Richie, and they’ve met friends like Joseph Capriati and everyone.

What do they make of it? Did they dance?

Oh yes! I have the videos!

Beautiful. Let’s chat about your tunes… Producing is a very recent piece in the Hito puzzle. You started with that collaboration with Background, I think?

To be honest I am more of a DJ than a producer. I remember I asked Richie… I said, “I don’t know how to produce, but do I need it now to represent myself?” He said, “Don’t worry, it will come automatically.” One day I will have the realization, “Okay, now I have to do it.”

He said, “Just go with the flow. Don’t pressure yourself – observe and try and start when you feel the call to.” I started in 2019, just before the covid. I got Ableton lessons with a professional trainer. That was on the internet, but I also wanted to have more real experience, so when I like a producer’s sound, I ask them if I can visit them. I don’t like talking online so much. I want to share the same experience with them. Eat the same food, take walks, discuss things, and share thoughts. So I visited Background. It’s not far from here, he’s in a suburb of Naples.

Excellent. Shared experiences!

I also want to share my culture and elements of my life that they might participate in, so we both learn from each other. For example, I went to Thessaloniki, where George Adi lives. We make tracks… One track is “White Tower”, which is a symbol of Thessaloniki. And the other is “Sonic”, because of the waves of the sea and the music. Through our experiences, we made that release.

And now in Naples, I have a friend who is living in London, but he’s from Ischia Island, which is just near Naples. His name is Blackchild, maybe you know him. We spoke on social media little by little, and he’s sending me his tracks, and he was asking for feedback. I sincerely listened and wrote back to him. I thought he was very mainstream and I didn’t have much of a connection with mainstream. In the underground everything is your creation, your invention and you just experiment. I didn’t know why he sent it to me, but we got to know each other and we realized – “Okay, I have an opportunity to visit you. Why don’t we have a session?”

So before Christmas, I visited Ischia Island. We had a little boot camp, we listened a lot, we shared ideas and we tried to make a track. We had a very nice experience. I met his family and even his grandmother. I like that. I do the same – I’ll introduce my family to friends touring in Japan. Like the music we create, it has to be authentic. We eat the food where the locals eat. I transform something of my culture, and we see the differences and things we have in common. It is something that transcends genres and generations – to make that connection. He said he hadn’t collaborated much before, but it worked with me.

Did you end up making a mainstream record?

Well, it is a little in the middle. I asked him, “Why me? It’s not like I am a big producer.” He said, “That is why.” He told me I represented underground culture and that he wanted to know what underground was. He explained how he wanted to learn about vinyl and how it was new to him. He’s very brave. I call that courage. For me, the same. I started to go to school to study how to use the Rekordbox properly.

Oh, wow! I thought you were vinyl forever!

This is transformation time for me. Why don’t I open up to challenges? No judgment. I don’t need to judge. Everything has good points and bad points. Why limit myself to just vinyl? “So Hito, let’s do it,” I said to myself.

Totally! How do you find Rekordbox?

I prefer vinyl because I have full control over it. I’ve grown up with it and I like how it’s by hand. But I enjoy the loops, the EQ, and FX, I love that. But I realized I play different styles with different technology. I play melodic techno on vinyl and I play more tech house and deep tech on Rekordbox, which is more groovy. I get used to FX the techno way with looping and filters, so whatever genre I play, it sounds like techno. But this is life. I try new things. If I enjoy it, I take it, if I don’t, then it’s not for me.

This is the transformation of Hito!

Yes. Now, after the covid, I feel like my transformation is now. I feel like I’m growing up in a way. I am super happy to be at this stage in life. I know myself more.

EXPLORING THE VAST MUSICAL COSMOS OF BLACK SPACE

Any artist’s creativity journey is an exciting adventure, full of myriad twists and turns. Take the musical mission of Swiss producer Alvin Juvet AKA Black Space. Over the last few years, he’s developed an exciting reputation for himself on the deeper, emotional side of melodic techno on labels such as ICONYC and Hive Audio. Yet, eight years ago, his earliest endeavors were more of a tropical house and dubstep nature.

These twists and turns continue on a more nuanced level as he develops his collection of hardware synths and digs deeper and deeper into his sound and creative process. All the while juggling an intense day job in finance.

Fresh off the back of a series of releases on ICONYC – the single “Dark Har” and both “System Passant” and “Limbo” on the ICONYC 5 album – we called him up to find out more about his ongoing creative journey, his love of space and what twists and turns we can expect to enjoy next.

Ready for take-off?

Black Space: It’s definitely two different worlds. My current job is an internship as I’ve just finished my studies.

Are you on the problem-solving / analytical side of banking?

Black Space: Yes. If I have to describe in a nutshell the role I’m in, then when you see in the news that the central bank has been pumping money into the system, well, I work in the department that makes that happen or not happen.

Then making music in the evenings and DJing on the weekends. A perfect balance…

Black Space: Exactly that. But it requires a lot of organization and compromise. I say no to a lot of after-work events and even to a lot of social invitations from friends because I just want to make music. And if I don’t make music during the week, then during the weekend it’s even more complicated because I’m DJing.

The compromises one has to make to pursue a life as an artist. I was thinking that a lot of production and studio creativity is problem-solving. So, I was wondering, if you applied similar logic or solutions in the studio that you do in your day job?

Black Space: There is a lot of problem-solving, but essentially they are very different processes and ways of using your brain. During the day, being logical and having to use numbers, then coming home and making music. At points, I was finding it very difficult, but then I realized I was using the same processes and solutions, and that wasn’t the best way to do things. I have to be in a very different mindset. So now, I don’t get the bus or tram home, which gives me more time to make my mind clear from the logical reasoning and I can listen to music in the meantime and get into the right frame of mind.

Ah, good idea. What’s the scene like in Geneva?

Black Space: I’m in Zurich now, but only recently. I’d say in Zurich there are more opportunities and the city pushes you more creatively than in Geneva. But Geneva is my home town, so I have a different influence from there.

Tell us about ‘Dark Har’. Yan Menge, the singer, is an old friend of yours isn’t he?

Black Space: Yes, he’s a friend from high school. We’ve been doing music for eight years. It started with tropical house – Kygo style – and before that, it was melodic dubstep, which was quite funny. Both Yann and I have similar minds, so we both enjoy making music together.

Then I took a break for two years doing music on my own. Then I made the track “Vinsobre” on Einmusika with him, which was really nice, so we started making music again. I think “Dark Har” is a very different track for us. It's a lot darker and it was nice to record with him. It’s funny because we heavily processed his voice with lots of FX, which was a lot of fun.

Brilliant. It’s interesting how some of your earliest influences and productions were dubstep. I think it’s cool how Skrillex was a gatekeeper for a lot of artists and how people always find their own sound. You’ve gone from a very extreme sound to something a lot more subtle and emotional.

Black Space: It’s true, but when you look over everything I’ve done over the years, there’s one consistency which is the melodic aspect of each track. For example, Seven Lions was a big influence on me. He makes heavy music but still very melodic, and that was a very big inspiration for me. Also, acts like Camo & Krooked, I’m still a big fan of them now. I don’t produce it anymore, but I still listen and I am always working on my melodies.

Melodies convey emotions!

Black Space: Yes, exactly. It’s the point I try and do with my tracks – convey emotion. Sometimes melancholic, sometimes happy, it depends on the track and context.

It sounds like you’re finding your sound and groove and ability to convey emotions even more so than ever before.

Black Space: It’s funny because all the new tracks I’ve made are done with new synths I’ve just bought recently. They have character and help you create the sound you want.

Has it always been an ambition to develop a hardware collection?

Black Space: I’ve always been a geek and fascinated by technology, so I guess it was only a matter of time. I originally got a Moog Sub 37, but I realized I didn’t have the knowledge of how to use it. It’s much easier to use VSTs, but I really wanted a polyphonic. Not just as a tool for my tracks, but as an instrument to enjoy playing in my home. Then I found the brand Udo, which is based in Bristol. The point was just to have an instrument I could play without any production. Something that’s expressive.

I read in an old interview with you that you wanted to learn piano. Did you do that over lockdown?

Black Space: I play every day on this instrument, and I’m getting better, but still learning. When I was using VSTs, I was drawing notes on the computer. I knew the basic rules, but when you play with your hands, it’s very different. It’s real life. It’s faster to find the melody now. When you physically play, you can feel it and you can also feel when it’s wrong.

Yeah, that’s totally true. Are you finding a lot more happy accidents when you’re improvising?

Black Space: Yes and now I understand the pros when they say a physical instrument is different to a VST when it comes to happy little accidents because you cannot control everything. When it happens, you have to record it – that’s the magic of it.

Do you record a session and make your own samples?

Black Space: It depends. In the beginning, I was using the instrument to receive MIDI from the computer and use the sound from it. But now I record everything I do, improvising and cutting bits of the recording I like for my track. It’s more complicated to use a real instrument in a workflow because you control less, so in a five-minute take, around 90% is trash, 10% is okay, and then around 1% of that is worth using. So it’s a lot of work. But when you use VSTs, you can go, “This isn’t good,” and you can modify the parameters. You can be a lot more precise. You can hear the difference in “Dark Har”. The bass has been recorded live, so it’s a little rougher than the releases I’ve done recently on Einmusika, where the bass is more controlled and very sharp in terms of sound.

As humans we’re not all sharp though, are we? Imperfections are the soul! You’ve got a natural groove…

Black Space: Yeah, sure. I think it’s a natural balance between control and flow, because if you don’t control anything, then it’s chaos. But if you don’t flow enough, then the track hasn’t got a life of its own.

Amen! So tell us about your love for space…

Black Space: I really enjoy creating ambiance in my tracks and having sounds that really make the background of the track. That’s the space I really want to create in my production. It creates the atmosphere, sense of space, and mood in my music. I’m also obsessed with music from sci-fi films – the techniques they use are a lot like ambient music and for me, that’s also essential.

Eliciting an emotion… Like a film without a score wouldn’t have impact.

Black Space: Yes, definitely. It’s as important as the characters.

Finally, if you went to space and could only take three albums to listen to, what would they be?

Kiasmos – Kiasmos. These guys are a duo from Iceland who have had such a strong influence on me. I just love the music they made together and listen to it so much. It’s a big influence on me.

M83 – Hurry Up, We Are Dreaming. This guy makes movie soundtracks, so he understands the importance of ambiance. It’s really melancholic and emotional. This album is perfect for me. Everything I have in my tracks is inspired by this album.

Stephan Bodzin – Powers of 10. Stephan is a master of the ambiance, and I love how he mixes weird sounds with powerful basses. For me, he is the Skrillex of melodic techno. He introduced a new style in the melodic techno scene and around 2017 every tutorial was how to do the Stephan Bodzin bass. He made it famous!!

These albums are based on the experience I’ve had seeing the artists live. I’ve not seen M83, but Kiasmos and Stephan’s live shows are amazing.