Do you consider Weed420 to be an experimental music crew?

Juan: Somewhat, yeah. Not as experimental as some of the projects we've been taking inspiration from but enough to not have exposure in Venezuela, which to be fair isn't a lot, media outlets here don't care about leftfield projects nowadays, probably never have.

Sami: I don't think we're that boundary-pushing compared to some of the great exponents and expert-favorites, but at the end, the word "experiment" is about trying to demonstrate something: I think we do. There's been talk about "transethnic" music in Western terms since the 20th century, but I feel this type of music, it's about taking everything into account. It's about roots that we come from, but also where the world is heading, even if we don't know where that is. So we're trying to demonstrate there's such a place.

How does a “typical” Weed420 track come together?

Alvaro: We usually just come up with a general idea for a track and then each one of us searches for samples, then we just compose the track on my PC, then I do the post-production part.

Juan: He (Alvaro) masters our projects in a single file, like he throws the audios for each track in the playlist and he does a lot of stuff in the project file, like adding effects—that's an insane way of putting things together but it's worked for us and the way our songs transition into each other.

Gato: Yeah, lately we've been doing things together at my place; we stay doing shit until really late and it's been refreshing for the way we organize our ideas.

You seemingly are very popular on the website Rate Your Music. What is your relationship with that platform?

Juan: Alvaro showed me the page in, like, 2022? It's been an amazing way of discovering music and taking influence for our songs; I’ve used it a lot since then, seeing our stuff being rated so well in there is still kind of insane for us; we've used it to promote our music since there isn't a lot of promotion in Venezuela for this kind of project.

Alvaro: Yeah, I've been using it since quarantine and I've discovered a lot of my favorite stuff there, like The Sawtooth Grin or even Jane Remover when she just dropped Teen Week. When I want to listen to something really specific I just go there and discover some insane stuff. I found the Yva Las Vegass album there and even though she's a Venezuelan artist, I don't think I would've found that any other way, and that's one of the craziest projects I've ever heard.

Sami: I got my voting privileges revoked for a year after I voted the "suicide" descriptor on Pet Sounds, thinking Brian was singing "I wanna die" on “You Still Believe In Me.” Good website, never use it half-asleep at 3:00 a.m.

What Weed420 release should a new listener start with, and why?

Sami: I always say "release order" while talking about listening to new artists. This is not the case. Amor de encava has everything we want to say, for now.

Swan: Yeah, and I feel the projects we have for now are really different from each other; I wouldn't care if they listen to any other project rather than the album.

What’s the underground music scene in Venezuela like right now?

Juan: Other than some trap artists and the same old guys, it's kinda desertic alvaro: there are some really good projects, tho; I really like Brigitte Olivares stuff and last year I saw somewhat better exposure for, specifically, underground rock bands in some events; but other than that there isn't a lot of talk about music here, sadly.

Glitch: I'm happy we're receiving some attention now, especially because here you need to have some type of connection to receive some reception, so the fact that everything's happened this organic just took us off guard—it feels like an anomaly of sorts.

Any new music that has been inspiring you lately?

Alvaro: I've been hearing a lot of uk hip hop lately: london actress and fakemink's music is something I just love a lot; stuff that's really inspired in early 2010's aesthetic. Also Peaches debut and Turboviolencia by VVV.

Sami: I've been listening to a lot of singer-songwriter stuff, not just folk. I've been writing since 12 and searching for the form these ideas translate accurately. I don't feel sure now, but when I do, I'll share them.

Juan: Same with the UK hip hop stuff but with jim legxacy, I discovered his music like two years ago and this year i'm really into what he's been dropping; I've listened to Ismael Rivera's Esto Fue Lo Que Trajo El Barco as well.

glitch: A lot of Surf Gang lately, the new Harto Falion album is just incredible; a little bit of Glassjaw too.

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