Growing up in Northern Spain, what are some early memories you have of listening to electronic music?

JASSS: Asturias nightlife back then was quite full of parties. Clubs like “La Real” “El Jardin” as well as multiple parties happening in many bars and small venues made the weekends quite eventful. The changes in government and law dramatically affected the scenes, nothing is left from that, really, but back then we had a lot to choose from.

My village was the place to go on Sundays after partying everywhere else, so I grew up surrounded by an unusual amount of jacking bouncy loopy techno coming out of a lot of small bars around the main square. I still remember the feeling of hearing it as something I’ve never heard before but I instantly understood. There, folk music is very rich; bagpipes, snare drums, and panderetas are everywhere. There are a lot of great musicians in that genre and some of them were experimenting with electronic music.

My friend Xel (back then aka Da Robotz) had the first studio I've ever stepped in, he is a fantastic producer and multi-instrumentalist. In his place, I saw the breakdown of a track for the first time, heard the separate parts of a complicated sounding piece of music, and expanded my listening capacity and curiosity. Also there were free raves in the forest, big rural houses and sometimes in Cole, mining facilities. Those were magical actually.

What lessons have you learned from punk and hardcore music?

That intensity, density and intention are very important. Also to disregard authority.

Your new record has a major trip hop sensibility. What is your history, broadly speaking, with that genre?

I grew up listening to it: Sneaker Pimps, Portishead, Lamb, Tricky, Goldfrapp, Massive Attack … and others that technically aren’t trip hop like Hybrid, Amon Tobin, DJ Krush, Bjork … I was obsessed with Boards of Canada. The trip hop sensibility can be found in many genres actually, it’s in the atmosphere and the background storytelling for me.

Can you remember the first track you ever made? What did it sound like? How did you feel after it was finished?

I don’t, but I was writing a lot of sort of primitive IDM, I was in that phase for a long time. I think there is something to the long sequences, plucky sounds, airy pads I was and am very attracted to. So my guess is that it was a mix of fast, rhythmic, heavy on the melody but dark and proggy … and prob a little cringe.

Web of Influences - JASSS

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Web of Influences - JASSS