DJ Eco Interviu, 05 Mai 2010

Written by iza Wednesday, 05 May 2010 00:00

Arhitect in timpul zilei, student la colegiu si dj noaptea, nu este niciodata un moment de plictiseala pentru Marcello Pacheco (alias DJ Eco), nascut in New Jersey; el este unul dintre cei mai straluciti producatori tineri, ce pare sa nu-i stea nimic in cale. Numit de Martin Roth ca fiind un ''diamant neslefuit'' si care aduce ceva in plus la ''elita tinerelor talente'', tanarul american DJ Eco nu este strain de scena muzicii dance, ba chiar mai mult de-atat, se pare ca artistul are multe de oferit si de spus, asa cum veti afla si din interviul acordat site-ului nostru. In 2010, cariera sa a trecut la noi niveluri cu recentele sale hit-uri 'And We Flew Away' si 'Staring At The Sea', sustinute de foarte multi dj in toate colturile lumii.
Am reusit sa-l ''aducem'' pe DJ Eco tocmai din indepartatul New York pentru a ne spune care este povestea sa... Iata ce a avut de spus...

1. Hello! Work, at school, with friends, a new track or a remix? Very busy as usual? How are you doing?

I am just fine! Finally finding some time to do this interview with you. I'm in between loads of work, both music, school, and my job haha...

2. From what age you start plaing or writing music? Why did you choose electronic music and how did you get into it? What is your story about the beginnings?

I've been playing piano since I was about 4 years old, taking lessons. Fast forward almost ten years later and I started listening to trance and other electronic music: early Tiesto stuff, Trance Allstars, Warp Brothers, and a lot of the German stuff. I decided when I was about 15 or 16 to start making my own tracks on Fruity Loops/FL Studio. At the time, I think the younger trance kids were starting to get their start. A year or two later, stuff by guys like Mat Zo, Breakfast, Menno De Jong, and some other young guys started to come out, all artists whose music I love to this day.

3. From starting out then, you are now part of some of the most famous compilations in trance! How do you feel being featured on such big compilations as Once Upon A Night or ASOT 2010, amongst many others?

It's obviously very exciting. I remember hearing the first time Armin played my song on his radio show. I was extremely excited, as were all my friends. It's all been even more support since then. As for the compilations, I'm very happy that these big DJs are supporting my music, mostly because I think my music is a bit different and weird sometimes, so it's great that they're open-minded to support it so much. There's many progressive and experimental producing out there who aren't seeing the same amount of support that I'm seeing, so I'm honored that DJs like Ferry, Armin, and Tiesto enjoy my music.

4. You recently released music under your name 'Pacheco'. It is another sound with a different name, or just your productions released under the label Flashover Recordings?

It's a bit of both. I've always loved the Flashover label. When I started to work with them, I decided that the trance I release with them would be a tad bit different than my usual stuff. Flashover music is always really exciting, and many times very different from the normal trance most of the other labels put out. That's why I decided to use a different name, and I feel I can experiment more under my Pacheco name with some very progressive, emotional, and try some different sounds out!

5. How do you compose your music? What inspires you? How do you come up with interesting melodies, for example the melody for 'And We Flew Away', 'Lost Angeles' or 'Kids Of New York'?

That's a good question. Every song has its own story or way in which it was produced. Almost all day long, I have melodies going through my head. I try my best not to forget them, 80% of the time I do. But the 20% of the time that I remember are the melodies for "And We Flew Away", "Tonight Is Forever", etc... Also, I am usually very busy. I work during the day at an architecture firm, while going to college nightclasses (for architecture), so I'm always on the run. I usually have my laptop with me, which has my production software, Reason 4.0. Many times, I'll whip out my laptop and write some music on a bus or a train or something! I've written some songs sitting on the grass in a park, or near the river looking across toward New York City. Every song is different!

6. How can you describe your amazing sound?

Well, there's a lot to answer there, but I'll try! Most trance producers will say they write "emotional" and "uplifting" stuff, but I feel the meaning of those words has been lost over the years. There's a lot of trance that's starting to sound like fluffy pop stuff and a lot of vocal tunes out there that don't really make sense. What I'm trying to do is a bit different. While I DO have a few pop-ish and vocal tracks ("Paradise Now" and "Garden State"), my main concentration is to really make the melodies do the talking. I approach each production as something I want people to enjoy listening, something I really want them to feel, or give them chills. I don't really focus on it being "dance music" or something to play in clubs, because it's not just "club music" anymore, it's the soundtrack to many people's lives who have fallen in love with this music.

7. Your sound is unique, original and that differentiates you from many other current producers! To be original and to surprise is good for you career! What influences has your style? What producers has inspire you?

Well, I'm not sure if it's good for my career to be original and experimental, but it's definitely what I love doing most! Many producers make a lot more money than I do by trying to sound like some other guys. However, to really answer your question, my inspirations come from a lot of older music. As a kid, my dad always played music by Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, and a lot of other 70s music. These are all guys that broke the boundaries of music, and made the guitar and effects an art. Their songs were more than "just music", they were like a living breathing thing. There was so much personality and so many different components to their music, that I try do to with mine. If you listen to one of my songs over and over again, you'll start to hear something new each time, and recognize the subtleties.

As for other producers that inspire me, here are all guys that I look up to and look forward to hearing music by. They're all guys I think are really doing the right kind of stuff in the true spirit of "trance": Mat Zo, Breakfast, The Blizzard, JPL, Marcus Schossow, Moonbeam, Rafael Frost, M.I.K.E., and there's probably some that I am forgetting!

8. Who is the producer (producers) with want to collaborate? Excuse me, if I dare and ask if maybe you would work with Rafael Frost or Breakfast...? I think your sounds will be completed in an amazing way!

There's a few guys I would definitely love to collaborate with. You've already mentioned two of them: Rafael Frost and Breakfast. They are both Flashover guys who have helped build the style of that label, and have always put music out that has its own identity and originality. I love everything they put out time and time again. Breakfast and I are actually working on something now, however, it's a very very slow process. As I mentioned before, I'm a very busy guy, as is Breakfast too. Other guys I'd love to work with would be JPL, Mat Zo, and maybe some of the chillout or ambient producers/bands like Ullrich Schnauss, Sigur Ros, Tycho, and some others, although those probably will never happen.

9. What is the favorites form all your productions?

That's a good question. I'd have to say my two favorites are "Staring At The Sea" and "Tonight Is Forever".

10. I know it's hard to remember all the remixes made by you... But recently you did a remix for Moonpax vs. Snatt & Vix to 'Winter Of Love'. How did that come about?

I was approached by a contact of mine in Romania who I speak to often, Bogdan from Ask4Records. He said he was working with Armada Music on this release (Ava Recordings). I was asked to do the remix, and got some good ideas after hearing it. I tried to do something very different than the original, I hope you agree.

11. What is in your studio?

I have an iMac from 2005 running Reason 4.0, two Mackie HR824 studio monitors, and an old M-Audio midi controller that I almost never use. That's about it!! When I'm on the go, I use the Reason 4.0 on my laptop too, along with my trusty Panasonic headphones.

12. What do you think about the trance music of our days? EIs it evolving in the best direstion? Where do you see it going in five years? Who do you admire and think will go far in the future?

I think there's a lot of great things that have happened with the trance music today, and a lot of really negative things. I get so many promo emails every week and I listen to all of them. It seems like 95% of them all sound the same. They use all the same Vengeance presets, the same synths, sometimes even the same melodies; they are like recycles of recycles of recycles of old trance songs. It seems that many of the new producers out there are itching to make trance, but not putting much thought and creativity into it. On the other hand, there's some amazing artists springing up out of no where. A lot of kids are listening to stuff by the guys I mentioned earlier (Mat Zo, Breakfast, etc.), and are deciding that they too want to put their own style into the trance music scene. Ultimately that's what I want (and wanted) to do. I think I am succeeding so far, because people can hear the beginning of a song and say "Oh, this is an Eco track!!" I hope that's a good thing, and hopefully people don't get bored by it.

There's some great new producers out there, so how about I name some. I'm listening to some new guys like: SHato, Juventa, Aerium, Matt Lange, Neelix, Estiva, Tsykhra, Skywings, Tucandeo, Basil O'Glue, and some others. Keep your eyes and ears open for them!!!!

13. All day listenig to trance or something else? What?

I don't listen to much trance during the day actually. I listen to some bands like Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and some chillout and ambient stuff like Tycho, Boards of Canada, Helios, etc.

14. What are you working now?

I just finished a new remix for the Polish producer Dereck Recay, as well as a remix for Tucandeo. I also just finished a new single called "Drowning", which is a real banger! It's not one of my slower progressive tunes; it's pretty aggressive stuff, really big-room trance music, along the lines of "Borealis" and "Tonight Is Forever". Today I am actually just finishing up another single, not sure what to call it. It's also pretty big-room stuff, with a similar vibe to "Staring At The Sea" and a really emotional breakdown.

15. Working as an architect, a student, DJ and producer...Let's talk about your free time? What do you enjoy doing when you have time?

Unfortunately, I don't usually have too much free time (as you can see with the delay in getting in touch with you for this interview haha), but when I do, I do the usual things. I like going to a lot of parties here and New York, some trance parties, some not. My favorite parties to go to are actually some of the minimal techno events that are thrown in more underground locations here in New York. They're really exciting and have a different sort of edginess to them that the $40-50 ticket trance parties don't have.

I also enjoy the simple things: spending some time in the park with some friends eating and drinking in the sun, playing some music. I'm also a HUGE hockey and soccer fan. Hockey has become one of my greatest passions that take up the very little free time I have haha... Art museums and walking around New York City looking at architecture is always a nice way to pass the time too ;)

16. DJ Eco's Current Top 5 trance tracks:

Susana feat. Omnia & The Blizzard - Closer
Breakfast - Slow Motion
Glenn Morrison - Symptoms Of A Stranger (Henry Saiz Space Oddity Remix)
Mat Zo - 24 Hours
Eco - People (Rafael Frost Remix)

17. A few words for your fans and visitors trancearena.ro!

Hello Romania, welcome to my world! And I hope you enjoy my story, and most of all, my music!

Thanks for you time!!

1. Salut! Muncesti, la scoala, cu prietenii, un nou track sau remix..? Ocupat ca de obicei? Ce faci?

Sunt bine! In cele din urma am gasit ceva timp pentru a face acest interviu cu voi. Sunt intre sarcini de munca, cat si de muzica, scoala si la munca...haha

2. De la ce varsta te-ai apucat de muzica? De ce muzica electronica si cum te-ai apucat de aceasta? Care este povestea ta despre inceput?

Am inceput sa cand la pian, luand lectii de la varsta de 4 ani. Mai tarziu, aproximativ 10 ani mai tarziu, am inceput sa ascult muzica trance si alte genuri electronice: Tiesto, Trance Allstars, Warp Brothers si multe chestii din Germania. Pe la 15 sau 16 ani, am decis sa-mi fac propriile track-uri pe Fruity Loops/FL Studio. In acel moment, toti tinerii tranceri au inceput asa. Un an sau doi mai tarziu, artisti precum Mat Zo, Breakfast, Menno De Jong si alti tineri au inceput sa iasa la lumina, toti artistii a caror muzica imi place la ora actuala.

3. De la acele inceputuri, acum ai ajuns si pe cele mai renumite compilatii de pe scena muzicii trance! Cum te simti cand apari pe noua compilatie OUAN a lui Ferry Corsten sau pe ASOT 2010 si nu numai?

Evident, incantat. Imi amintesc prima data cand Armin mi-a prezentat prima mea piesa in show-ul lui radio. Am fost extrem de incantat, ca si prietenii mei. De-atunci, totul a fost mai mult decat un sprijin. In ceea ce priveste compilatiile, eu sunt foarte fericit ca acesti mari dj imi sprijina muzica, mai ales ca eu cred ca muzica mea este un pic diferita si ciudata uneori, asa ca este minunat ca ei sunt ''deschisi la minte'' sa-mi sustina muzica atat de mult. Exista multe productii progressive si experimentale lansate care nu primesc atat de multa sustinere, asa cum primesc eu, asa ca sunt onorat ca dj-lor precum Ferry, Armin si Tiesto le place muzica mea.

4. Ai inceput sa produci si sub numele tau - 'Pacheco'. Un alt sound cu un alt nume, sau poate doar productii lansate sub label-ul Flashover Recordings?

Este un pic din ambele. Am iubit mereu label-ul Flashover. Cand am inceput sa lucrez cu ei, am decis ca trance-ul pe care il lansez acolo trebuie sa fie un pic diferit de lucrarile mele obisnuite. Muzica de la Flashover este intotdeauna interesanta, si de multe ori foarte diferita de trance-ul normal de la celelalte label-uri. De aceea am decis sa folosesc un nume diferit si sa pot experimenta si mai mult sub numele meu de Pacheco sound-uri progressive, emotionale si sa incerc ceva diferit!

5. Cum iti compui muzica? Ce te inspira? Cum faci melodiile interesante, cum ar fi spre exemplu 'And We Flew Away', 'Lost Angeles' sau 'Kids Of New York'?

Asta e o intrebare buna. Fiecare piesa are propria ei poveste sau modul in care a fost produsa. Aproape toata ziua, imi trec prin cap melodii. Incerc din rasputeri sa nu le uit, 80% din timpul meu asta fac. Dar in celelalte 20 de procente din timp imi amintesc melodiile pentru 'And We Flew Away', 'Tonight Is Forever', etc... De asemenea, eu sunt foarte ocupat, de obicei. Lucrez in timpul zilei ca arhitect, in timp ce seara merg la cursuri (pentru artitectura), asa ca sunt mereu pe drumuri. Eu, de obicei, am la mine laptop-ul, pe care am software-ul meu de productie, Reason 4.0. De multe ori imi scot laptop-ul si scriu muzica in autobuz sau tren! Am scris cateva piese asezat pe iarba in parc, in apropierea raului privind catre New York. Fiecare cantec este diferit!

6. Cum iti poti descrie minunatul sound?

Ei bine, exista o gramada de raspunsuri aici, dar voi incerca! Multi producatori trance vor spune ca scriu ''emotional'' sau ''uplifting'', dar cred ca sensul acestor cuvinte s-a pierdut in ani. Exista o multime de trance care incepe sa sune ca muzica pop si o gramada de vocaluri iesite fara nici un sens. Ceea ce incerc eu sa fac este putin diferit. In timp ce EU FAC cateva ''mai pop'' sau track-uri vocale ('Paradise Now' si 'Garden State'), scopul meu primordial este sa fac ca melodia sa vorbeasca cu adevarat. Am abordat fiecare productie dorind ca lumea sa se bucure de ascultare, ceva care sa simta, sa le dea frisoane. Eu nu ma axez pe ''muzica dance'' sau ceva ce se canta in cluburi, pentru ca eu nu produc muzica de club, este soundtrack-ul multor oameni pe care ei s-au indragostit de aceasta muzica.

7. Sound-ul tau este unic, original si asta te diferentiaza de foarte multi producatori actuali! Sa ramai original si sa surprinzi nu face decat foarte bine carierei tale!! Ce influente are stilul tau? Ce producatori te inspira?

Ei bine, nu sunt sigur daca e bine pentru cariera mea sa raman original si experimental, dar este, cu siguranta, ce-mi place cel mai mult sa fac! Multi producatori fac mai multi bani decat fac eu, incercand doar sa sune ca altii. Cu toate astea, ca sa raspund intrebarii voastre, inspiratiile mele vin din muzica veche. Copil fiind, tatal meu asculta mereu muzica celor de la Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana si multa muzica din anii '70. Acestia sunt baietii care au depasit barierele muzicii si au facut din chitara o arta. Cantecele lor au fost mai mult decat muzica, ei au respirat pentru asta. Era atat de multa personalitate si multe componente in muzica lor, asa ca am incercat sa fac si eu asta. Daca ati asculta o piesa de-a mea si inca, si inca, veti incepe sa auziti ceva nou de fiecare data si sa intelegeti subtilitatile.

Ca alti producatori care ma inspira, aici sunt toti baietii pentru care ridic privirea si astept cu nerabdare muzica lor. Sunt tipii care cred ca fac intr-adevar lucrurile asa cum trebuie in spiritul ''trance'': Mat Zo, Breakfast, The Blizzard, JPL, Marcus Schossow, Moonbeam, Rafael Frost, M.I.K.E si , probabil, altii pe care i-am uitat!

8. Cu ce producator doresti sa colaborezi? Ma scuzi daca indraznesc si te intreb daca te-ai gandit cumva la Rafael Frost sau Breakfast...? Sound-urile voastre cred ca se vor completa minunat!

Exista cativa tipi cu care as dori sa colaborez. Deja ati mentionat doi dintre acestia: Rafael Frost si Breakfast. Amandoi sunt baietii Flashover care au ajutat la formarea stilului acestui label si care au scos doar muzica individuala si originala. Imi place tot ce lanseaza baietii astia. Lucrez cu Breakfast la ceva, cu toate astea, este un proces destul de lent. Asa cum am mentionat mai devreme, sunt un tip foarte ocupat, ca si Breakfast, de asemenea. Alti artisti cu care as dori sa lucrez ar fi JPL, Mat Zo si poate unii din producatorii chillout sau ambiental precum Ullrich Schnauss, Sigur Ros, Tycho si altii, desi, poate cu acestia nu se va intampla niciodata.

9. Din toate productiile tale care sunt cele favorite?

Asta e o intrebare buna. Ar trebui sa spun doua: 'Staring At The Sea' si 'Tonight Is Forever'.

10. Stiu, e greu sa-ti amintesti toate remix-urile facute de tine...Dar recent ai facut un remix pentru Moonpax vs. Snatt & Vix la 'Winter Of Love'. Cum s-a intamplat asta?

Am fost abordat de o persoana de contact din Romania, cu care vorbesc adesea, Bogdan de la Ask4Records. El mi-a spus ca lucreaza cu Armada Music la acest release (Ava Recordings). Mi-a fost cerut un remix, si mi-au venit unele idei bune, dupa ascultarea acestuia. Am incercat sa fac ceva diferit de original, sper ca sunteti de acord.

11. Ce se afla in studioul tau?

Am un iMac din 2005 pe care ruleaza Reason 4.0., doua monitoare de studio Mackie HR824 si un vechi midi controller M-Audio pe care aproape ca nu l-am folosit. Asta este! Cand sunt pe drum folosesc Reason 4.0. de pe laptop-ul meu, impreuna cu castile mele de incredere Panasonic.

12. Ce crezi despre muzica trance din zilele noastre? Evolueaza in cea mai buna directie? Ce fel o vezi dupa 5 ani? Pe cine admiri si crezi ca va fi sus in viitor?

Cred ca se intampla o multime de lucruri bune cu muzica trance de astazi, dar si o multime de lucruri negative. Primesc saptamanal multe email-uri promo si le ascult pe toate. Se pare ca 95 % din ele suna la fel. Ei folosesc aceleasi sample-uri presetate, aceleasi synth-uri, cateodata aceleasi melodii; ei sunt un fel de reciclatorii reciclatorilor reciclatorilor pieselor vechi trance. Se pare, ca multi dintre noii producatori sunt pasionati sa fac trance, dar nu pun ceva de gandit sau creativitate in el. Pe de alta parte, exista cativa artisti minunati care vin de nicaieri. O multime de copii asculta materialele muzicale semnate de tipii mentionati mai sus (Mat Zo, Breakfast ...) si se hotarasc sa-si puna propriul stil in scena muzicii trance. In cele din urma, este ceea ce doresc si eu (si mi-am dorit) sa fac. Cred ca am reusit pana acum, pentru ca lumea care asculta inceputul piesei spun ''Oh, asta e un track Eco!!''. Cred ca este un lucru bun si sper ca lumea sa nu se plictiseasca de el.

Exista cativa producatori noi mari acolo, si am sa-i numesc. Ascult baieti noi precum: SHato, Juventa, Aerium, Matt Lange, Neelix, Estiva, Tsykhra, Skywings, Tucandeo, Basil O'Glue si altii. Ramai cu ochii si urechile pe acestia!!!!

13. Toata ziua trance sau asculti si altceva? Ce anume?

Nu ascult prea mult trance in timpul zilei, de fapt. Ascult unele trupe precum Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd si unele chestii chillout si ambient precum Tycho, Boards of Canada, Helios, etc.

14. La ce lucrezi acum?

Tocmai am terminat un nou remix pentru Polish producator Dereck Recay, precum si un remix pentru Tucandeo. De asemenea, am terminat un nou single numit 'Drowning', care este o adevarata lovitura! Nu este unul dintre track-urile mele progressive, e ceva destul de agresiv, ceva intr-adevar mare pentru trance, asemanator pieselor 'Borealis' si 'Tonight Is Forever'. Astazi am finisat un alt single, nu sunt sigur cum se va numi. Este, de asemenea, ceva tare, cu vibratii similare track-ului 'Staring At The Sea' si cu un breakdown foarte emotional.

15. Muncesti ca arhitect, esti student, dj si producator....putem vorbi despre timpul tau liber? Ce-ti place sa faci atunci cand ai timp?

Din pacate, nu am de obicei prea mult timp liber (dupa cum ati vazut si intarzierea pentru acest interviu haha), dar cand am timp, fac lucruri obisnuite. Imi place sa merg la multe petreceri aici in New York, unele petreceri trance, altele nu. Petrecerile mele favorite unde merg sunt, de fapt, cele de minimal techno, organizate in locatii mai underground in New York. Sunt foarte captivante si au un aer mai provocator fata de petrecerile trance care costa 40-50 $.

De asemenea, ma bucur de lucrurile simple: ma plimb prin parc cu cativa prieteni, mancam si bem la soare, ascultand muzica. Sunt, de asemenea, un mare fan de hockey si fotbal. Hockeyul a devenit una din pasiunile mele care imi ocupa putinul meu timp liber pe care-l am haha... Muzee de arta si plimbari pe jos prin New York, uitandu-ma mereu dupa arhitectura cladirilor este mereu un mod placut de-a petrecere timpul, de asemenea ;)

16. DJ Eco Top 5 track-uri trance:

Susana feat. Omnia & The Blizzard - Closer
Breakfast - Slow Motion
Glenn Morrison - Symptoms Of A Stranger (Henry Saiz Space Oddity Remix)
Mat Zo - 24 Hours
Eco - People (Rafael Frost Remix)

17. Cateva cuvinte pentru fanii tai si vizitatorii trancearena.ro!

Hello Romania, bine ai venit in lumea mea! Sper sa va bucurati de povestea mea, si, mai presus de toate, muzica mea!

Multumim pentru timpul tau!

www.myspace.com/djeco
www.facebook.com/.../DJ-Eco/
twitter.com/dj_eco

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