Barcelona based producer Adwer lands on Bolygo Records with his new upcoming EP ‘Memory Lane’ this September. We caught up with the DJ and Producer in advance of the release to discuss music, club culture and more.
Adwer - Interview
Hello Adwer and welcome to Minimal Mag! How are you finding 2023 so far?
Hello guys! It’s an exciting year; I am being reborn, coming out of deep water, being refreshened.
Your new EP ‘Memory Lane’ is set to come out on the 1st September via Bolygo Records. Stylistically, this EP sounds different from your previous releases as Adwer. What can you tell us about that?
Well, ever since I started the label we wanted to be eclectic, even within a release. The idea was always to put out music that moves us. We’ve had releases on the deeper end of the techno spectrum but I am actually more of a melodic guy. For me, music without melody is not of much interest and this EP reflects my more musical, less technical side. I’m aware that this might divide fans/followers but I rely on my instinct and mood when it comes to music.
The title of the EP is ‘Memory Lane’. Why did you settle on this as the title for the release?
The original title track was supposed to be ‘In my bones’ since that song is 2 years old and was the backbone of this EP, however I found ‘Memory Lane’ to be a better title for the entire concept: memories and nostalgia.
All of the tracks on the EP have a slightly dreamy quality. Do you agree with this, and if so, what drew you towards this atmosphere?
I agree completely. Most likely, the fact that I am a dreamer. I dream awake and I dream when I sleep. I dream when I make music and I dream when I listen to it.
You have a long history of experimenting with musical hardware; was there a lot of hardware used for this release?
Yes, there was as always! I find joy in using real hardware as it feels much more like playing an instrument, instead of just fiddling around with a mouse. The Analog Four MKII, Oberheim Matrix 1000 and DSI Mopho were used on some parts, but I have a hybrid approach and there are plenty of VST synths too.
Indeed it was a great moment. I was aware that he had been playing that track all through the summer of 2022 along with some other tracks from me, so when he came to play to one of my fav clubs in Barcelona, my dear label manager and collaborator, Alisa Filatova made the necessary arrangements, thanks to her social skills so that we could be right behind him for that great moment!
Other than remixes, all of your releases as Adwer so far have been your own productions. Would you like to collaborate with other artists on future productions or do you feel like you work better solo?
I actually love to collaborate with others and last year I collaborated with a jazz trio, we also had a duo called Teleporters for one release and we share studio quite often with Alisa Filatova. Doing music with someone else is a great joy, I am very open to these approaches, especially if the other party comes from a musician background, and the whole session just flows magically.
What’s the club scene like in Barcelona? How do you feel it compares to other scenes around Europe?
I go out less than before but the Barcelona scene is a very mixed pot, since the city has an immense amount of tourists all year round. Really all kinds of music are represented in the city – but unfortunately it seems to be a general tendency, that the clubbers don’t really go out for the sake of listening and dancing, but rather just to be there and take videos for Instagram. I wish clubbing went back to the old days of ‘lose yourself to dance’.
If you had to highlight a track from this year that more people should listen to, which track would you pick?
This is the first release that I put out this year so please enjoy these melodic pieces that come right from the heart. ‘In my bones’ is 2 years old and I am fond of its melody line. As for my previous works, one song I am proud of is called ‘Ouverture’.
Finally, what more can we expect from Adwer in the near future?
I am focusing on my live act, since I think it is next to impossible to stand out just DJing anymore. Possibly there will be a concert format with a band. Also, I have several EPs worth of music to be released – as one friend used to say, nobody knows them as long as they are only my hard drive…so I will increase my output!