Felipe Valenzuela // Interview // Tzinah Podcast // October 2016 //

felipe_valenzuela
Felipe Valenzuela is an eclectic pioneer who has exported his unique brand of melodious and elegant house and techno from his motherland Chile to Europe and beyond. His distinctive style has brought him global acclaim, his music has been featured on esteemed imprints like Cadenza, Drumma, Raum…Musik. Felipe Valenzuela reached a great scope on the international scene with several notorious gigs around the globe, with tremendous positive feedback playing at remarkable events and venues. 2016 brings several new releases, remixes and collaborations, to be released on his labels. Felipe runs the label Melisma Records with his friend and collaborator Dani Casarano (the pair have collaborated a number of times for Cadenza). Melisma explores the finest points in house, deep house and techno, and has a clear and strong aesthetic that leads the imprint in its evolution – release after release. They both also started Melisma Series events all around Europe, a conceptual musical experience that already has featured at prestigious European venues with top guests like Thomas Melchior, Nicolas Lutz, Sit, Jan Krueger, Ricardo Villalobos.
Berlin based, Felipe Valenzuela and Argentinian Momo Trosman, launched their new side project, Cure Music. An exclusive platform looking for the most concrete and avant-garde sound on electronic dance music, dedicated to those superfine hearing, who are constantly opting for a sophisticated music experience.
Even if his days are mostly dedicated to prepare dope new tracks, catalogue his infinite vinyl collection or recruiting fresh talents, his commitment remains the same: deliver quality timeless music that not only fills the dancefloors but also audience’s mind and soul. Nowadays, he is accustomed to performing in some of the world’s hottest clubs and electronic music festivals alongside renowned international talent.

Felipe Valenzuela on Facebook

Tzinah Records: So how did all begin for you? Tell us a little about how you started Djing/producing.
Felipe Valenzuela: I’m involved in music since I was a kid. I study classic piano for 12 years. After that, I had rock bands and much later electronic music was developed by chance. The story is quite long and complex, but let’s say that suddenly I had access to a lot of information. I g0t involved immediately into this minimalistic organic music development of late 90s , beginning of 2000. Ricardo, Lucien, Dandy Jack, Tobias Freund, Hombre Ojo and many others where visiting Chile regularly so my music perspective was morphing from rock to intellectual electronic music very deeply and fast.

Tzinah Records: What role does the artist have in society in your opinion? Why do you do what you do?
Felipe Valenzuela: What we give is a reflection of our sensibility. Making people connected with that is magical. The feeling we provide to people with our concept is invaluable. It’s not about fashion, music should not have any barrier more than personal taste and from there it gets connected.

Tzinah Records: Describe a real-life situation that inspired you.
Felipe Valenzuela: Inspiration can comes from any feeling. What matters at the end is not to think so much about what to do. Theres no need to spect so much. Then real honest music appears spontaneously.

Tzinah Records: If you could pick one place you would like to play where would it be and why?
Felipe Valenzuela: For me is all about being comfortable and being able express yourself in the best way you can naturally. For sure this will happen more where you fit somewhere. There’s different types of clubs for different kind of artists and crowd. If I have to choose, I feel Sunwaves festival in Romania and Robert Johnson in Offenbach are still main spots. Of course theres plenty more. I enjoy pretty much my residencies at Hoppetosse and CDV for example.

Tzinah Records: If you had the opportunity to change something about the music industry what would it be?
Felipe Valenzuela: Im not a big fan of social media and how this can push an artist more than proper reallity. I’m more into skills and music than pictures and fashion.

Tzinah Records: How do you see yourself changed over the years, both personal and music-wise and what did you learn?
Felipe Valenzuela: You commit more at different levels as years pass. In my case I felt the need to give opportunities to new artists with talent. When things come from a real connection, everything is generated thru a nice flow of love and care. I beleive in generating family wherever I go. It makes me feel comfortable and at ease. Real links.

Tzinah Records: What computer/gear do you use?
Felipe Valenzuela: Since I move to Berlin I’m still receiving gear from my old country and buying new equipment. Theres still a lot to do to finish this transition since I move from Chile. Thats why I’m not releasing so much at the moment, even if I’m recording constantly. At the studio we use mostly hardware. I know theres a lot of digital development nowadays. This is something I will keep in mind for future. I’m still not so involved into modular systems, but I use lots of old and new synths, rhythm machines and analog effects. I’m a fan of midi resources and concatenate equipment to see where this can take me. Final recordings in a computer sequencer through my mixers.

Tzinah Records: It sounds quite easy to make music today, with the amount of software programs/synths being readily available for everyone. What do you think about this evolution?
Felipe Valenzuela: Im pretty sure theres a lot of incredible digital software for sound design. I feel that music can be done in a flawless way from any plattform. Theres no limits for creativity. Is just a matter of taste, resources and imagination.

Tzinah Records: Dark electronic music has been never as “popular” throughout the scene as it has been in the past few years. Why do you think there is this new found fascination for darker music?
Felipe Valenzuela: For me tonal scales, in all its forms and possibilities, are what gives character to the music in general. Electronic music is not out of this rule. from this constraint music can transport you anywhere. Past, present or future…In the other hand I also feel that tracks are far from being songs sometimes. Theres more abstraction in the main interest of newcomers and the way they want to sound. Big referenced artists present their music vision to full movements worldwide, that for me even if its underground takes the concept into a kind of trendy situation. I don’t have any problems with that, only disturbs me a bit that this could close the doors of creativity. Anyway I feel theres a lot of incredible music or tracks around nowadays. Is just about digging into tons of boring stuff.

Tzinah Records: What are you working on at the moment? Any present and future projects that you want to share with us?
Felipe Valenzuela: I’m happy to take this time to develop myself again. In the meantime full attention into my labels Cure Music and Melisma.

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