We recently sat down with three impressive artists, for insight into a very interesting project.
We love music. No doubts about that. And so, we love finding new music to show the world. This time we found not one, not two, but three songs that have their roots in a common starting point, each with very interesting results. We’re talking about ‘Tambor‘, the lead single from Mia Moretti‘s 2023 homonymously named EP, which received the remix treatment of duo PAUZA and Gio Lucca.
Mia’s single showcased a fresh direction back then, as she continued to develop her voice as a producer. Sampling and paying homage to legendary Colombian vocalist La Momposina and singers from the Colombian-Caribbean coast, she crafted something quite special. As remixers this time, Mia welcomed female duo PAUZA from Havana, Cuba, who brought the fire and embers with their ‘Bata Remix‘, and Peru-born-Phoenix-based DJ/producer Gio Lucca, who flipped the track under his ‘4AM Terrace Dub’.
You can listen to Gio Lucca’s remix exclusively over Beatport, by heading over here.
We had a chance to sit down and talk with all of them, to understand how the release is shaped, what they had in mind, what their sound is, and how their Latin roots have helped them find their unique sounds. So lay back, and read on, as we have a Q&A round with Mia Moretti, PAUZA, and Gio Lucca.
What’s a quality, sound, vibe, or other, that you as an artist feel is your signature mark when producing? In other words, what’s something someone who listens to your music for the first time will notice and immediately associate with you?
Mia Moretti: “I am drawn to people and stories. This is why all the music I have made is heavily sampled. I also believe in keeping as much of the soul intact as possible when sampling. The strongest part of Tambor is Toto La Momposina’s voice. It is the heart of the record. I want people to hear the strength of her voice, to connect to it and to tap into her world. I hope people can feel this connection in all of my records.“
PAUZA: “One of our distinctive marks is the use of percussion and Latin rhythms blended with electronic elements. When someone listens to our music for the first time, they will likely notice the fusion of Afro-Latin rhythms with electronic bases, creating a vibrant and energetic experience that represents us as artists.“
Gio Lucca: “When someone listens to my music for the first time, they’ll immediately notice the drums and groovy bass rhythms. I love blending the glitchy minimal style with warm sounds from hardware like the Linndrum and Korg/Moog synths. I’m always experimenting with different sounds but I try to incorporate a vintage feel in all of my records one way or another.“
Do you think a part of your early influences growing up in Latin America is captured and transferred over to your sound as a producer? If so, which one?
Mia Moretti: “I grew in the Bay Area, and that definitely had a strong influence on my sound as a producer and my interest in music from all genres being such a diverse home of people, cultures and sounds.“
PAUZA: “Definitely. Growing up in Latin America allowed us to absorb a rich diversity of sounds and native rhythms. This is reflected in our music through the integration of instruments like the drum and conga, and rhythms that evoke Cuban folk music and other Latin genres. These elements are transferred to our production, giving a unique and authentic touch to our sound.“
Gio Lucca: “Absolutely, I think that growing up in Latin America has had a huge impact on me as a producer. Peru has such a rich culture of music and art and being exposed to that at a young age sparked my passion for music. This has deeply influenced my appreciation for all music, and I try to infuse that energy into my tracks, creating unique fusion sounds in my productions.“
Please tell us about the moment in which you remember music clicked for you, and you decided to become an artist.
Mia Moretti: “I was at a nightclub in Los Angeles and DJAM was playing. It was the height of mash up era and he was playing everything from Hip-Hop to Pop to French Electro. What I was drawn to was not what he was playing, but the story he was telling. He was weaving every song together into a great adventure. That was what was so memorable about his DJ sets: they made you think, but they were playful. I wanted to tell stories the way he did on the dance floor.“
PAUZA: “The moment music clicked for us was during a local party in Havana, where we heard a mix of electronic music with traditional Cuban sounds. That experience was eye-opening and made us realize the potential of fusing both worlds. From then on, we knew we wanted to be part of that scene and contribute our own style and energy.”
Gio Lucca: “The moment music truly clicked for me was when I got my first guitar at 11. I spent hours learning how to play my favorite songs and it led to spending a lot of time with my childhood friends recording music on my family computer. That desire to pursue a career in music was deep in my head since then and It wasn’t until the Covid lockdown happened where I had free time to explore music production at a deeper level and take a shot at it.“
(To Mia) How was ‘Tambor’ born? What’s the story behind the sample used, and how did the song come about?
Mia Moretti: “I was in Colombia record shopping and I found a trove of Bullerengue records. I was drawn to these samples as I said before because of their voices- pure, honest, soulful. They reminded me of classic house records with strong vocals that carry the track. These were the same stories, just different woman telling them. I wanted to make a record with Toto’s voice that would live in the spaces where I play music. To share her voice with a new audience.“
(To Mia) You’ve played in several parts of the world, and as such you’ve probably had the chance to test the reaction of different crowds. Would you say the Northern Hemisphere enjoys the fusion of Latin American sounds in Dance music?
Mia Moretti: “That is definitely a tried and true fact you don’t need me to tell you that! Latin American sounds are impossible not to dance to. I’ll leave it at that.“
(To the remixers) How (or what) did you feel when you listened to ‘Tambor’ for the first time, and what would you say are the key takeaways about how your remix flipped the original track into a new direction?
PAUZA: “The first time we heard ‘Tambor,’ we felt deeply connected to its rhythmic essence and energy. When working on the remix, our goal was to highlight those elements while incorporating our own vision. We added layers of percussion and electronic textures to give it a new twist, maintaining the authenticity of the original track but taking it to a more contemporary and danceable real.“
Gio Lucca: “I had just come home from Miami Music Week when I first listened to ‘Tambor’ and it brought me back to Dennis Cruz’s set at Black Coffee’s Factory Town takeover. It was the first time I got to experience a deeper Dennis Cruz set and my remix aimed to take that essence and reinterpret it through my own lens, adding layers of deep basslines, percussion and subtle underground elements that reshape the track into a darker, more atmospheric direction. I would say the key takeaway is being able to show my range as an artist, as most of my music is high energy club music, where this track pays homage to the deeper late night underground vibes and my latin culture.“
(To PAUZA) We’re aware you girls are not the greatest fans of using renowned samples and sounds, and instead, you like to create every element of your tunes yourselves. Does that impact your workflow from time to time, do you feel like that slows down how quickly you can create and finish a track?
PAUZA: “Yes, creating each element of our songs from scratch can affect our workflow in terms of time, as it involves a more meticulous and detailed process. However, we believe this approach allows us to maintain an authenticity and originality that is essential to our identity as artists. Although it can slow down the creation and completion of a track, the final result always justifies the extra effort, as each song feels truly ours and unique.“
(To Gio) Your style of production is quite minimalistic, groovy and, to me, kind of old-school-resemblant. How did you gravitate to that late-night Tech House sound, was it something you always aimed to produce or did it all unfold somewhat effortlessly?
Gio Lucca: “What drew me to the minimal/deep tech sound was the minimalistic yet groove-driven nature of it. It allows room for a wide range of sounds, rhythms and subtle nuances to shine. The sense of community with this genre is also incredible, I’ve met some of my best friends and mentors through this music and I’m grateful for it.
The old-school vibe wasn’t something I consciously aimed for initially, but as I experimented with different styles and started learning about hardware, I found myself naturally gravitating towards this aesthetic. It feels like home to me — creatively, blending old-school influences with a modern twist — and is something I aim to portray throughout other aspects of my project as I’m a big fan of using VHS and film photography.”
(End of interview)
Final Words
Huge thanks to all the artists involved in this little interview. We loved diving a bit deeper into your own sounds, what sets you apart from other producers in the scene, and the work you did on ‘Tambor’. You can stream the tracks as follows: Original Mix, PAUZA Bata Remix, Gio Lucca 4AM Terrace Dub Mix. Stay tuned to our page for the latest news and views regarding our beloved Dance music world!