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Interview: Leo Perez & Andre Moret

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Hailing from Panama and Brazil respectively, both Leo Perez and Andre Moret have enjoyed success in their solo careers. A combined discography is highlighted by releases on Balkan Connection, Clubsonica Records, Droid9, Mango Alley and Stripped Recordings, while progressive music tastemakers Hernan Cattaneo and Nick Warren have been regular supporters of the duo’s groovy sounds. Now pairing up for the first time, Leo and Andre present their ‘Ocaso’ EP via Leo's fast rising Nature Rec. imprint. We had a chance to catch up with Leo and Andre just prior to the release for an exclusive interview. Enjoy!

Hi Guys, thank you for chatting with us today. How’s your day going so far?

Leo Perez: Hi Mitch, thanks for the interview! It is a pleasure.

André Moret: Hello Mitch and everyone! Hope you are well and thank you very much for the interview. I'm fine and great and having a lively week.

Let’s jump right in and talk about new music. You guys have a new EP which is out now on Nature Rec, tell us a bit about the tracks and how the collaboration came to be.

Leo Perez: A while ago I have been in contact with André because he called me a lot about his production and his songs and by chance André had also listened to my songs and we started working on Remix for my tracks and one day he did the invitation to participate in a collaboration and obviously accept the chemistry that we have when working and the friendship that was built, and he is also the sound engineer of my record label, we have a good friendship.

André Moret: Yes! We have this story together and also. I had the opportunity to meet more about Leo’s production when I did a remix of his song 'Citrino' that came out on Balkan Connection last year. Since then, we got closer and had the idea of working together on an EP.

Where does your inspiration come from and was there anything that inspired these two tracks in particular?

André Moret: About the inspiration, I tried put in line the proposal of Label and some images of nature that I have around my house.

Leo Perez: For me what inspired me was the beautiful sunsets that we can see in Playa Venao Pedasi (Panama), beautiful!

It's always an interesting process when you collaborate with another artist, walk us through the production process on one of the tracks, whichever you find more interesting.

André Moret: There are certainly several ways to work in collaboration. Leo and I opted for each one to start doing a loop and then we exchange projects so that each one finishes the music the other started. And during this process, we are talking so that everything runs smoothly. This is a good way to produce over long distances, Brazil and Panama are on the same continent but not so close.

Leo Perez: When we reached an agreement to do the collaboration, I started working on the track ‘Ocaso’ and sent the project to André to finish it and he sent me the project called ‘Sol da Meia Noite’ so that I could finish it, a process simple without complications.

What studio tools featured heavily in the writing of the EP?

André Moret: For ‘Ocaso’ we use a lot of Omnisphere and percussion recorded in an organic way. For ‘Sol da Meia Noite’, the most used VSTs were Diva and Repro from U-He. For both songs we tried to create the same ambience and texture in the mixing process, with plugins from Lexicon, Waves and FabFilter.

Leo is of course one of the owners of Nature Rec but was there ever a consideration to shop the EP to other labels first?

Leo Perez: This project was thought exclusively for Nature Rec. because it is part of the sound that identifies us

Collaborating with other artists always help you learn new things, what have you learned from working on these tracks together?

André Moret: Absolutely! I always had, still have, a very technical production and with Leo, who has more experience with music, I had the opportunity to learn a more artistic and light production rhythm. Which we can make the music more fluid and natural.

Leo Perez: With this collaboration I learned a lot of knowledge from André that I did not know to develop my project.

What would be a musical extravagance for your studio you would pay for, if you were very wealthy?

Leo Perez: I would like to change from using digital to analog.

André Moret: For me, it would definitely be a complete Manley Laboratories setup with compressors and equalizers, a PuigTec and some analog synths like Sequential Prophet 6 and Novation Peak.

Where do you find yourself most motivated to produce music: alone or with others, at home or on the move? If you feel equally inclined in both scenarios, what different results arise from each?

Leo Perez: To make music I love working at home, I have a small studio where I can be connected with myself and develop my ideas.

André Moret: I always feel more inspired at home, because I live in a very privileged place, with a lot of nature and tranquility. That way things flow better for me. But it's always nice when I get the opportunity to produce with friends, so my songs end up getting livelier.

Do you prefer DJing over producing or the other way around? And why?

Leo Perez: I like 2 because for me it is very satisfying to see the reaction of people when I play my productions.

André Moret: I've always had a hard time making this comparison, the energies that I have access to when producing have always been very different from the energies that I have when playing. They are always complementary.

Generally speaking, do you find it more difficult to come up with original tracks than remixing a track from another artist?

Leo Perez: For me none of the 2 are easy because you have to leave your brand and style reflected either original or remix, but I enjoy 100% in the elaboration.

André Moret: It depends a lot on my creative intuition, at times I feel more introspective and with internal ideas, so I can produce good originals. But most of the time I'm more interactive and I like to try new things, which is very conducive to making good remixes. But in both productions, I see certain challenges.

If you could set up an event with a line-up of five artists of your choice, who would you book and what set times would you ascribe to the artists?

Leo Perez: Yes, of course, I would do a Nature Rec Showcase, in the mountains or on the beach.

I would choose:

  • Max M 6:00 pm
  • Dhany G 8:00 pm
  • Leo Pérez 10:00 pm
  • André Moret 12:00
  • GYOKA (Giovany Aparicio and Kamilo Sanclemente) 2:00 am -7: 00 am

André Moret: Woow! I completely agree with this show case! When are we going to do it?

Would you prefer to travel on a long trip (several weeks) or a weekend getaway and why?

Leo Perez: I prefer a week because of the commitments that I have at home with my Family (Wife, 2 children)

André Moret: Professionally speaking, I prefer short trips! But I don't have many commitments at home that prevent me from spending more time traveling. So, I'm very open to conquering and enjoying other regions that I still don't know.

In your opinion, what’s the biggest risk you’ve taken and what made you do it?

Leo Perez: Yes! I have had high risks but thank God I have been able to get ahead glorious

André Moret: The biggest risk I've ever taken was choosing not to pursue traditional careers and giving myself 100% to music. Obviously, because of the love that everyone crazy about music has. But it was the best decision I ever made.

Who from earth would you like to be abducted by aliens?

Leo Perez: “Kakakaka”. I don't have anyone in mind.

André Moret: All those who already understand the survival of the earth and can now go to higher planes, with less dualities and more empathy and love.

Current five favourite tracks?

Leo Perez:

  • Sebastian Busto, Bodai- Music ( Oliver & Tom Remix)
  • Mario Bianco Lollo (Do not sit on the Furniture)
  • Fresen - Alone (Niceshot )
  • Weird Sounding Dude- Summer Dive.
  • Alex Seda, Fadi (Bali)- Eclipse (Original Mix)

André Moret:

  • Marsh - Healer (Guy J Remix)
  • Analog Jungs - Namaste (Original Mix)
  • GMJ, Zankee Gulati - Eraya (Original Mix)
  • Sahar Z - Deep Beneath (Interaxxis Remix)
  • Anton MAKe - Arepo (Original Mix)

 

How do you see yourself continuing to evolve as an artist in the coming years?

Leo Perez: At this point in my career, I feel stronger than ever, totally focused on my projects, plans and goals to be able to grow internationally, there is Leo Perez for many more years.

André Moret: I know that the more time passes, the more I feel fulfilled and firm in my purposes. But it's been a while since I stopped seeing myself in the future. But I feel good things are coming!

Do you guys have plans for future collaborations? And what can we expect from you for the rest of the year in terms of your solo productions?

Leo Perez: At the moment I do not have plans for another collaboration with André but later of course I will barely advance with some projects of my record label and other collaborations with my partner and friend Dhany G.

André Moret: For now I'm also focusing on some originals. But we will definitely have new collaborations in the future! It was a pleasure to produce this EP with Leo and I was able to discover good things.

'Ocaso' is available now via Nature Rec: https://bit.ly/3BvAbhY

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