Coffee Break with Upercent
Although fairly new to the music scene, he’s an artist who has undoubtedly made quite the impact over the past six years. With releases on Kompakt, Sincopat and Watergate, 2019 saw Upercent join the Adana Twins’ new label, TAU, where he released the impressive ‘Regal No Material’ - an EP which included ‘Malson’, a track which has been belted out on almost every dancefloor imaginable.
To coincide with the exclusive mix he recorded for us, we managed to grab some time with the Valencian producer and DJ, where we talked about his musical influences, how he decides on track titles and everything else in-between.
Welcome, Upercent, thanks for dropping by!
¡Hola! Thanks for having me!
When you were nine years old, you were given a CD, which you said was key in how it inspired you and your perception of music. What was that CD and how did you change you and the way you produce and play music today?
Truly the CD itself didn't change the way of production, it was more like the discovery of a new genre, which has evolved over time and the influences of my childhood and adolescence. But yes, somehow that CD was key in connecting with what I do today.
Do you still have this CD today?
Sure, in a box full of dust, but yes, it makes sense to keep it.
You're from Valencia, which has seen a whole wave of relatable DJs to your sound escalate themselves in the scene quite recently. What do you think has been the magic from the city which has seen you all become so popular?
In the late 70s, Valencia started to experiment with vanguard sounds, creating a new movement and situating the city on the epicentre of Europe. Maybe for this, the new generations have the essence inherently connected, but not just DJs - record labels like Sincopat or Fayer continue to keep the city alive to date too.
You've been DJing and releasing music as Upercent since 2013. When did you establish your signature sound would you say? Or do you reckon you're still in the process of learning this?
My beginnings were very diffuse since I had been doing another style of music for many years. Maybe after two years of entering the Upercent project, I began to discover what I liked; I saw that you could do things a little deeper, like small micro-stories and continue to do what is referred to in the moment. Today I keep looking for what else I can do to surprise myself and for something which doesn't bore me. I think that was one of the reasons why I decided to merge together everything I had learnt or experienced so far.
Now, to your mix which you put together for us at Melodic Diggers. Over the hour you seem to utilize vocals quite a lot. What was the reason for this, if any in particular?
There was no particular reason, I just played the music I like, and depending on how the vocals are used, it seemed like a human contribution to me within the complexity of a synthesisers sound.
The mix begins off quite intense then goes through a more melodic phase towards the middle, which seems a different approach to other mixes. Was this a natural process or did you do this for any reason in particular?
I like how they sound among them as well as many different styles of music and somehow it is also what I try to convey in my live sets, I don't like linear or static sets.
Has your love you have for Detroit Techno had an influence over you for your use of vocals in general? Who are the artists you used to listen to on repeat?
I grew up with the US Hard House from Chicago - Detroit techno was more a transition to the use of analogue machines or rather two-drum machines like the mythical Roland 808 and 909, but if I had to say a name, maybe Jeff Mills would be the artist who I've listened to a lot.
Your most recent release, 'Regal No Material' is on the Adana Twins' label, TAU. How did you come up with the name and does it signify anything in particular?
All titles have a meaning for me - they are a calendar of moments in my life. Others are meanings or delusions that the song provokes, but translated into a word. ‘Regal No Material’ of the Valencian language means ‘non-material gift’. Over time I have learnt that material things have no meaning, possession is not full of happiness, and as I told you, they are simple titles or phrases that I repeat to myself: they place me in the present moment.
On one track from the release, you collaborated with '80s British electronic group, Stereo MC's for 'Endless'. What's the story behind this pairing? Did you learn anything from working together which you now implement in your music?
I have always felt admiration for the Stereo MC’s and their lyrics, so I was very proud that they accepted my proposal to work together. From each different project you learn, and in this case, I learnt that working with people with great experience makes the creation processes shorter and more intense, so ideas flow faster.
A lot of the lyrics in 'Endless' are quite melconic and deep, but there is a constant repetition 'only the rhythm shall never end'. Are these just simply words, or do they signify something underlyingly more within the context of the song? Who wrote the song?
It was written by Rob de Stereo MC’s and in this case, it’s better if answered by the author:
“The sense of the lyrics is that the hunger for technology is making us blind to the consequences of achieving it and our time is getting short, only the rhythm (of life / nature / the elements) shall never end.”
TAU's roster of artists seems to be select and small, with each spectating a different sound and feel. In three words, how would you sum up your musical sound on the label?
I've been thinking about the question for around 5 minutes and it’s difficult to express my answer! :D
Every artist and each release on TAU is different and this is what makes the label so special. Being a record label which does not have many artists on it makes it more exclusive, and in my opinion, also makes it bigger.
Many of your EP covers are intricate artistic drawings. Do you have more of an artistic side to you that we don't know of?
I try to work with record labels which also work hard on the artwork. That’s music, plus something else, there is a creative process behind it and any art form adds to it. In my adolescence, I was taking oil painting classes for a while. I discovered that I had more possibilities with music there, although I must say that they were not so bad haha
What's next for you for that you can let us in on?
The next thing is to continue making music and feeling the passion in doing so. Soon there will be new music and remixes that I wish to share, meanwhile I'll continue touring and discovering new places.