ILLAPA's Interview

Hace unos dias tuve la sorpresa de que, de la nada, surgio una entrevista con un productor frances que ha estado sonando mucho en mis playlists ultimamente. Se trata de ILLAPA. La cosa estuvo muy interesante y fue asi...

Among all the new music you can find easily today on the web, some of the most interesting is the one made by a group of artists, from different labels, different countries and different continents that are connected by one single thing, loving and being inspired by all the sounds an icons of the late 80's pop culture. And they are connected! Just take a look at the "Masters of the Universe" compilations by Sakura Night, or Valerie and you'll find out!
So, i was talking to ILLAPA, a very young french producer that has been creating some dreamy electro[pop] tracks that can represent, in some of the best ways, this music that i'm talking about.
Just for the reccord: Neither he, or i, speak english as our first language, but it was the easiest way for us to talk. result: you may find some things hard to understand, but for us it was waaay too funy, here it goes:

Disconect Please: So, my first question is : Who's ILLAPA ?
ILLAPA: ILLAPA... Is an Inca God! The god of weather and the five elements, he is totally natural like me... I love mountain feelings, high levels and extreme sensations.

DP: Do you want your music to be taken as something natural ?
I: Yeah, a music that represents our world's day by day... It's just that now, music follows us everywhere, everytime, most of the teenagers have a portable mp3 player with them all of the time.
I've always had a personal relationship to the music, a track is a part of my life.

DP: Yeah... Music is part of everyone's life in multiple ways, and who's the man behind ILLAPA ?
I: Behind ILLAPA, there is a young man who loves music, what music represents, and the impact music can get with pictures or videos.

DP: So, how can you explain the way your music sounds and all the imagery that's behind it ? What does it means to you ? Which are your influences ?
I: About my influences,they are totally eclectic, i listen to classical music, I love the Valerie wave in my France too, and music of video games makes me crazy by their fitness! I have gone through several phases since I started, I'd like to produce an image that speaks of today's media in our society.

DP: And what do you think it's media today ?
I: It's media convergence. I explain : we've got, for example, a mobile phone that plays music, TV, radio, takes pictures, etc. The media is multiplied, it may lose quality but in practice, its expansion is huge.

DP: You have mentioned Valerie. How can you explain all this new wave of artists and producers that is starting to use and talk about elements of 80's, early 90's american pop culture ? You know, all that sounds and imagery that represented being a teenager.
I: Yeah, Valerie, these guys have made high cultural level things that are basically pure consumer product. i think we must show people our creations from another angle,what they make is love[brands].

DP: Can you explain more?
I: I mean we can all enjoy a "Judge Dredd" better than a "Full Metal Jacket", the challenge is knowing how to appreciate what an artist, a producer can give us, and it is often the hardest thing. It could be a great debate ! What I think it's good is when, by a popular media, we can show people some more complex references, like contemporary art, silent cinema, etc.
That's more interesting to me.

DP: So, what do you think it's (or should be) the direction of this "movement"/"trend" ?
I: Can you explain the question ?

DP: Yeah, we are talking about a trend that is making music that sounds as music from an 80's space/teenager/cheesy/horror movie, (just like Valerie, guys like Keenhouse , p e a c e FIRE, etc.) and you say that what they are doing is selling people a good experience, but an easy one ? And the interesting thing is to show some more complex references and see what happens, am I right ??
I: Yeah, to make "banal popular thing" like a "good cultural thing", and the reverse.

DP: So, what I ask is, what do you think is going to happen, or should happen with this trend ?
I: Well, we see an artist using a picture of Silvester Stallone (80's Stallone) to make his electro 80's music, I think it's amazing! Stallone is not a musician but his movies have some good musics, so after this, people maybe want to see (again ?!) Stallone's movies. If for example I make a remix of La Moldau symphony of Bedrich Smetana, will people want to listen to his original compositions ? We must try to see if people could be interested in classical music.

DP: That's an interesting focus !
I: Glad you like it, but for now I'm just composing more simple music !

DP: Ok so, we have the "Valerie stuff" and then I remember that, like a year ago, I watched an interview to the teenagers where they were asked about why they were using all those icons of the american 80's pop culture, and they answered something about people in France growing up and being strangely related with that pop culture. What do you think of that ? Or what could you have answered ?
I : Hum, give me two minutes, lets me think my answer...
They are obviously right, we have as evidence that their music is working well with the people. there must be a cause to all of this, the eighties... It's the generation before me, they were teenagers on those days. If it's this; in 2030, today's culture will be approachable and Valerie too ? If it's possible i'll be there to listen. But otherwise it will be an evolution, we will go to "A Big Brother kind" culture with a world of voyeurism or a universe of television series in America attacks and counter terrorists. For summary, things that we will have seen and experienced during our youth ! Isn't possible?

DP: Totally! Speaking of music wich are your favorite musicians ?
I: I was born with vinyls of JJ Goldman that my mother loved. He is the best in france for me. With 2 agreements he can create 8 tubes and in different styles. With those vinyl records of Goldman there were those of Police, Toto, etc. Music that influences me today again, that's what I used to listen, but then one day, after having worked with my father and touched my first "pay", I bought my first compact-disc : Daft Punk's "Homework".

DP: And what about new artists ? Is there something interesting ?
I: Yes! Today is another story,everyday I fall in love with very different kinds of artists, just now I discovered John Beltran, what he does is enormous. Each day I can give you the name of an artist that I just found out and who has great music, but I can rarely listen to a full album, the latest was "Push the Button" of the Chemical Brothers. Often an album lacks of focus.

DP: Can you tell me your top 5 songs for today?
I: We Are Scientist - Chick Lit (Danger remix)
Rah Band - Clouds Accross The Moon
Gonzales - Slow down
C2C – Mix DMC 2004
and Jupiter with Starlighter or Rollergirl or Nightdrive or Chip.

DP: Yeah, Jupiter is great. What is your artist top 5 for the rest of 2008 ?
I: Gonzales with his album Soft Power, Anoraak, Danger [of course and for ever], I like The Killers album too, i don't konw if it was in 2008 [Day & Age has just been released], and Russ Chimes! In the beginning of this year I was always listening to his tracks.

DP:Totally right, and what is ILLAPA specting for the near future ?
I: To have a good time. I'm working on a new track alone, another but not alone. And if I could compose the music for the next episode of the Extreme Home Makeover it could be so good !!

DP: Hey, my last question. What do you think about Sébastien Tellier ? [he's coming soon to Mexico]
I : Sébastien Tellier, he's been successful but I have not hung on him yet, nor his music, it lacks something. I hope he will be more daring on a next album!

And now i'll show you some of ILLAPA's pieces,It's a couple of dreamy tracks made for you to listen while looking to the stars, and it's better if you are with your significant other, so here's Zenith TV , his latest track, and Dead Hero, a very special song that was made with the amazing 80's Stallone!

ILLAPA- Zenith TV [This one is EPIC!]

ILLAPA & 80's Stallone- Dead Hero [HGGLY RECC]

And don't be shy, leave your comments, i know you are there... otherwise i won't know your opinion, and this is an important issue..... n e ways... Enjoy your youth!