Where are you currently based?
Hi Partae! I live in Seattle.
How have you been navigating the current situation around Covid?
Having to stay at home has forced me to spend more time in the studio & be more creative. I have a day job which keeps me pretty busy as well, I work in the aviation industry.
When did you first start getting interested in music and making music?
Well I got into music in my early teens. I was a total metalhead. Listened to lots of thrasher & death metal, things like Sepultura, Slayer, Megadeth, etc. Once I got a little older in my teen years, I started to listen to lots of other stuff. I think it was around 15 when I discovered electronic music. I listened to things like Hardfloor, Front 242, Orbital, Juno Reactor, Kraftwerk, The Orb, etc.
I started learning to DJ when I was around 20 or 21. I was really into psytrance at the time, but I also liked tech house, techno, progressive, etc. So I was back & forth with my djing styles. I think it was probably in my late 20’s/early 30’s that I got interested in making my own music and I’d mess about with Logic & Ableton. I would kind of do it on and off as I was focused on my career mainly. When I moved to San Francisco and started clubbing again, I think it helped rekindle my interest in making music again and started getting a bit more serious about it and started buying some gear to make music with. I just started actually getting serious in the past year and finishing up productions.
Your first EP on Superfreq will arrive on Friday, talk us through the ‘Alebrijes’ ep.
Yeah! I’m pretty excited to have my very first ep out. So the first track I did for that was ‘Purrr’. I had a cool sample of a lion roar and a fat sub I had done. I had a pretty cool loop going with some tribal drums and those other elements in it & I finished the track up. Next I had a loop I liked for ‘Tomorrow’ which I had actually done on a modular system. I was going for something a little darker, edgier and more aggressive with that one. I had a cool vocal sample which I had been wanting to use for quite some time which I used in that track. Next I did ‘Spirit Animal’. With that one, I was going for something with a more organic feel & an acid bassline in it. It is something that I would play earlier on in a set with a more minimal style to it. I like trying to keep things sounding different and I prefer not to be associated with any particular one style, so I try to use different elements and styles in every production.
Where did you record the EP and what programs and gear did you use for it?
I recorded the EP in my home studio with Logic Pro. I used a variety of gear on all of the tracks. I tend to use a mixture of both analog & digital. For ‘Purrr’, I used a Prophet 6, some drum loops/samples I tweaked and a kick & sub I made. With ‘Tomorrow’, I made it almost entirely on a modular system with one of my favorite vocal samples. With ‘Spirit Animal’, I used an MFB Tanzbar 2 drum machine, some VSTs and an Avalon Instruments Bassline (a 303 clone) for the acid bassline in it.
Who are the most inspirational peers and figures in the industry right now?
That’s a tough one. I’ve drawn inspiration from countless artists and influences over the years across my musical journey. I can’t name any single one that just stands out for me at the moment. I’ve been inspired by so many artists over the years. A couple of big influences for me were always Depeche Mode & The Cure for instance. And as for electronic artists in the dance scene, well, that list would be endless!
What are you listening to at the moment?
Well, I’ve been listening to a lot of older stuff lately from my younger years. Artists like Megadeth, Pink Floyd, Smashing Pumpkins, Depeche, Trentemoller, Shpongle, etc. I’ve also been listening to a lot of more indie electronic stuff lately. And I’m always listening to some new tech house & minimal grooves.
What do you like to do away from the DJ booth & studio?
I enjoy creating art and traveling quite a bit. I like to illustrate & sculpt although I haven’t created a sculpture since forever. I’m also a big movie buff. And of course the typical stuff, I enjoy hanging out with my family & friends which is always a treat.
Favourite food & places to hang out.
I love spicy food. I love Mexican, Indian & Japanese food. I don’t think you can beat an amazing taco!
As for places to hang out, I travel a lot to Guadalajara, Mexico. It’s home for me, so I have family and all my old friends there. From there you can drive to a lake, go to the mountains and a drive to the beach which is only a couple of hours away as well. I tend to do quite a bit of traveling, but when I’m at home, I like to spend time with friends, go to the record shop, go clubbing or to a cool bar, go for a good cup of coffee, go out and try new restaurants, etc.
Thanks for the interview and for your time, Partae! Stay cool & stay safe!
https://www.beatport.com/release/alebrijes/3129827
http://www.instagram.com/brad_jehr
https://www.facebook.com/superfreqrecordlabel/
