Kashian [Interview]

Ibiza's own Kashian and Parisian maestro JP Lantieri combine their talents to present "Replicant", an old school progressive house cut with warn grooves and summery melodies.

This track is lauded for its impeccable production quality, seamless arrangement, and rich tapestry of captivating sounds that promise to enthrall listeners from start to finish. It is accompanied by a remix from Phalguna Somraj and being released on Zephyr Music.

Progressive Astronaut caught up with Kashian to learn more about the release of 'Replicant', his background, electronic music in the Spain, DJing, and much more. Enjoy.

Hi Kashian, thanks for talking to us today. How has the first half of the year been for you?

Hi, thank you for this interview! It has been a good first semester, in which I have started to establish contact with other producers and for the first time I have produced in collaboration with some of them. Something very rewarding and complementary.

What’s a piece of music (not your own) from 2023 that had the biggest impact on you, and what makes it outstanding for you?

Wow! It´s a bit tricky just to say one, as I´m discovering new impactful music all the time but if I have to take one I would say it´s “Strange World” from Grigoré. It was the song with which I discovered this artist and I loved his music. Undoubtedly one of my references, among many others.

What was the music genre you discovered first before you turned to electronic music, and what made you continue with the latter?

I have been able to listen to many genres since I was a child at home. My father is a music lover, he comes from the rock school of the 60s and 70s. From rock and metal tunes to endless works of jazz, blues or bossa nova rhythms. But electronic music was a love at first sight, I am a son of the 80s and I started to be influenced by the new sounds with synthesisers of genres like electro pop. This together with the discovery of great figures of electronic music in my teen years made for me an irresistible attraction for this genre with infinite creative possibilities and energy enough to move a crowd like it was one single dancer.

Take us through a typical day, what does a day in your life look like?

With a lot of activity! I get up very early, I love the silence of the early morning and with the batteries charged I do some meditation and a study session of about 90 minutes. In the mornings I'm quite busy managing my own property maintenance and landscaping business in Ibiza. I have some time in the evenings for looking for new music or continue working in the studio.

I am also the father of an incredible 2 year old boy, Kenzo. And we are expecting a baby girl to be born. So you see, I'm not bored haha.

Talk to us about where you are from and how growing up there influenced your journey into electronic music.

I'm from Alicante, in the southeast of Spain. Honestly, growing up there hasn't had much of an influence on electronic music. More than the place, it's the people I've met. A big influence were my friends from university with whom I started to discover festivals and where my passion for electronic music really began. In my area, people listened to Bacalao or Hard techno when I was a teenager, but I didn't identify with this scene back then. It was a few years later when I started to discover Orbital, Laurent Garnier, The Chemical Brothers, Detroit techno, The Hacker or Miss Kittin's electro, etc....and there was no turning back.

Who else from your home country inspired you when you first discovered electronic music? And what was it about their DJing or production which led you to pursue it yourself?

Angel Molina, one of the big names in Techno in my country. I had the opportunity to met him and chat sometimes with him when we went to see him playing. I was like 19 or 20 years old. I remember he told me: It´s all about music, if you like this do it for your love to the music. Great artist

With just three releases out, you are a relatively new artist, what challenges have you faced so far?

As I mentioned before, I have other responsibilities and finding time to produce is already a challenge. I am also a very perfectionist person and this has prevented me from developing an optimal workflow at the beginning. Producing music is a multitasking activity that requires a lot of practice. There have been moments of blocking and frustration, but it is that love for music that has been pushing me to keep going every day trying to create more and improve the processes to get to the point I want to get to with my music.

You have a new single ‘Replicant’ produced alongside JP Lantieri out now via Zephyr Music, tell us about the release and how the track showcases your current sound.

It is a very special release. I am very grateful to have worked with JP Lantieri, he has more experience than me and a lot of knowledge of the industry. About the track, I remember I had one of my demos that I sent to JP and he liked it. I really like the melodic parts of the track. And that's where I want to continue to develop my sound. Emotional electronica.

Let our readers inside your studio for a moment, what is your current setup and what studio tools are featured heavily in writing ‘Replicant’. 

Its a digital studio so far. The main tools used where Diva and Serum.  I also used some synths from Arturia package which are really great, like SEM, really good for progressive or melodic techno.

There is also an excellent remix from Phalguna Somra. How much were you involved in the remixer selection and why do you think he was a good fit to re-interpret the track (aside from being the label owner)?

Our idea was to release it as a single but Phalguna proposed us to release an EP with a remix of it. There really wasn't any candidate from my side and it was later Phalguna's decision to do his own reinterpretation of the track, which made us happy. He showed interest in the track and for me that's the important thing. I think the essential thing for someone to do a remix of a track, is to find enough inspiration to create their own version, and that's how it happened.

As mentioned previously, this is one of your first ever releases, why was Zephyr Music a good home for this early project and helping you get introduced to the industry?

I think Zephyr Music is a very good label and very focused on Progressive House.  JP knew the label and some of the artists on it. We also knew that they bet on new projects and in my case I was very happy to have my first work on a label open to listen to new musical proposals within the genre.

Please tell us your approach to DJing, and how your podcast sets might differ from playing in a club.

I love discovering new music and I dedicate a lot of time to it. Many friends tell me that I have a sixth sense to collect great music, in its different genres. Although it's true that lately I really like Melodic Techno or Progressive House. I like to make podcast sets with a theme of their own, in the sense of creating one or another atmosphere, some are more relaxed or experimental, others are more varied in terms of genres. For a club I like to think more in energy flow, depending on the place obviously changes your tools to control that energy. But in the club, you always have to maintain a minimum rhythm with ups and downs, something that in my podcast sets can be approached in a different way.

Where do you source the majority of music for your sets?

Is it primarily from producer friends or promo mailouts at this point? I´m not working with promo mails so far.I honestly love to dive into the depths of Spotify or Beatport and start discovering new music. It's great the tools we have today to be able to create your own digital library.

How much prep do you put into the sets you play, or are they spontaneous for the most part?

I prepare my sets with playlists that I know will fit well depending on the audience. Maybe for a podcast set it's more prepared than for the club, where obviously there is a previous selection of many tracks that I know will fit. Many are played and some are not, and there is more room for spontaneity, but always keeping that level of energy under control.

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?

9-11pm: Rodriguez Jr.

11pm-1am:Colyn

1-4am: Rafael Cerato

4-7am: Einmusik B2B Grigoré

If you are not DJing, producing or socializing at clubs, where do we find you? And doing what?

It´s funny because you will find me where everybody goes for that. I live in Ibiza so there I am with my family and friends. I love the island, specially during off-season. Never tired of its magical environment, the sea, the gastronomy, everything. I´m originally from the mainland, but now some years living here and it´s fantastic to have it as home. I´m very very proud and happy to be able to raise my children here.

If you were not a DJ/Producer what do you think you’d be doing with your life? (Something not music related.)

Well I´m also a business man with my own family business as I said before. I like a lot landscaping and thanks to my business here I have the chance to work with beautiful gardens, which gives me a very good energy and well-being as well. If music was not in my life, I think also I would love to be professional photographer. Always something creative. Everyone has something creative inside.

What’s something we do not know about you?

I have also worked as a sound technician and technical producer of audiovisual events in Barcelona. Where I studied sound. I spent 10 great years there before deciding that my place is in this small but great island in the Mediterranean.

What are some of your favourite TV series? Both all time and recently, what have you been enjoying lately?

Although I don't spend much time watching TV, I really like science fiction and history. I love Vikings and Game of Thrones. I have always had a predilection for dragons haha.

Apart from music, what makes you happiest?

Family and friends. I love traveling around the world and discover new cultures, but also discover my own country. I always have had a good relationship with technology but also I´m very focus with meditation, self-knowledge, contact with nature and look at the stars (its so powerful for me in different aspects)

What does the remainder of 2024 hold for you? Do you have a new release coming out anytime soon?

Keep learning and managing the different challenges that arise ahead. A new baby is on the way and that is always a great adventure. At the same time I am convinced that I have a lot to contribute musically speaking and I want to go further and further with my music. There are new releases for 2024, yes, some solo and others in collaboration with other artists, all of them for the second quarter of the year.

Thanks again for having me in your great magazine.

'Replicant' is available now via Zephyr Music: https://tinyurl.com/mr232d58