15 Questions to Adrián Juárez

"At first I was very excited about the idea of showing what I do", Adrián Juárez admits. Indeed, he was. Between 2005 and 2008, Juárez went on a breathtaking release spree that saw his work published by a slew of leading imprint all across the globe. Offering his music for free was not just an easy way of finding an outlet for his work - which, with its cathedrally reverberating drones and ominously glistening textures would easily have made it to the world of physical format - but a political statement pur sang: Remaining entirely independent from the machinations of the record industry and free from any kind of unwanted third-party influences is still essential for Juárez, who rejects intellectual filters and enjoys the undiluted flow of ideas and sounds through his art. Thanks to this philosophy, too, his oeuvre has pleasantly fanned out into the most diverse directions. "Caleta Uno & Dos", a related mini-series of two EPs on Resting Bell, dealt with spooky textures and distant ambiances and would make the heart of any Mystery-Sea-Records-fan skip like a broken CD-player in sheer excitement. "Novocento", on his own, equally prolific netlabel Frigida, is a 21st century hyper-take on Conlon Nancorrow's "Player Piano" and a whirldwind-like breath of fresh air for the contemporary composition scene. Oon Spanish label Ruidemos, last but not least, which has acted as a second home and European anchor to him over the years, he has gone through a cornucopia of styles, resulting in his most recent effort "Defensor" - essentially a collection of pure Rock songs with astounding melodic power. Despite these artistic successes, Juárez has however grown increasingly sceptical about the importance of being prolific. Since 2009, his output has slowed down considerably, with many finished works sleeping on his hard drive instead of making their way to an eager audience. "The excitement has quickly subsided and now I mostly concentrate on producing now", he continues his quote from the first line - which, if it leads to more surprises like "Defensor", need not be a bad thing at all.

Hi! How are you? Where are you?
Hello! I am very well, and how are you? I am at home, in my room, where a garbage truck is distracting me because it’s standing right in front of my window.

What’s on your schedule right now?
“Carbonilla y lápices de cera" and “Amílcar remixes” have been just published. On the other hand, there are many things waiting to be released: "El gran ejército del sur", "Racooni" and some new ones I'm working on, not sure so far where or when they will published.

How would you describe and rate the music scene of the country you are currently living in?
I do not have a personal connection to the music scene in Argentina in general. I have only one or two artist friends and some people I know. That's why I am very poorly informed. From the little I know, I see both interesting people and then some other people who are constantly repeating themselves. The first ones I mention are almost unknown here, whilst the others are constantly featured in every possible cultural place and playing with anyone who has an unpronounceable name. But I guess that happens in this world and life.

Do you see yourself as part of a certain tradition or as part of a movement?
I feel if I had a connection with a real movement in particular it would be linked to the way of production. I am referring to music made at home, with a PC and without compromising in order to sign with a label to finance a professional recording studio, a music that spreads itself via the Internet and without ambitions for someone with money to support the production of physical copies, the distribution and diffusion.

What, would you say, are the factors of your creativity? What stimulates you to write music?
My main interest is the production itself. In fact, more than once I thought about the idea of no longer publishing what I create, due to the fact I generally forget about each work once it has been finished. At first I was very excited about the idea of showing what I do, but the excitement has quickly subsided and now I mostly concentrate on producing, leaving many unpublished works for several months, and others ones for an indefinite time. There are no intentions or concepts leading me to make music, just the desire to produce and above all, the wish for new ideas, accidents and incidental things.

How would you describe your method of composing?
Every work is a recently discovered way of production.

In which way, would you say, is your cultural background reflected in your work?
It is impossible not to be influenced by the culture surrounding me and I am happy about that. I let everything go, I will not attempt to filter out things too much. I would have no problem in making music like "boy bands” if at any time something comes in that direction.

How do you see the relationship between sound and composition?
Even when I compose something using melodies, I concentrate on the timbre. 70% of my job just consists of choosing timbres.

How strictly do you separate improvising and composing?
I feel improvising is like talking with someone and composing is like writing a letter. You just let your self go or instead think more and choose words. I do both, depending on the time, and often combine them.

What does the term „new“ mean to you in connection with music?
We are living in very melancholic times, right? There are lots of people saying everything has been done and the only thing we can do is recycle. It is a concept inherent to these times. I have not quite formed an opinion thereon. I am 22 years old, and I always feel that I find new music, but I have friends who are 40 years older and they tell me "it has been already done." So I do not know, it seems that I have shot myself or something like that and allowed only the past to exist.

Do you personally enjoy multimedia as an enrichment or do you feel that it is leading away from the essence of what you want to achieve?
It's good to combine sounds with images. They re-contextualise themselves and exacerbate each other's polysemy. They can also limit each other. It depends.

What constitutes a good live performance in your opinion? What’s your approach to performing on stage?
I know some people whom very kindly use to invite me to play in their concerts and I enjoy it. But I'm actually not that interested in performing live sets.

How, would you say, could non-mainstream forms of music reach wider audiences without sacrificing their soul?
Facing the fact that change is not a betrayal but very a very liberating thing, people should free themselves from any kind of a posse which might rules their lives. There are certain styles which are unbearable to a certain group of people, you know, people who talk some way, dress some way and so on. Everytime people avoid some genre tagging it as ‘pussy’, the music is lost. And if we care about the music and not about seeing ourselves like serious ones or "very masculine" ones, those things shouldn’t affect us.

You are given the position of artistic director of a festival. What would be on your program?
Hmmm, I don’t know.

Many artists dream of a “magnum opus”. Do you have a vision of what yours would sound like?
It would sound like whatever is coming up every time.

Discography:
Siete Composiciones Ambientales (Ruidemos) 2005
Koala (Ruidemos) 2006
La Torre Bajo El Gran Polígono (Biodata) 2006
Océanos Imposibles (Ruidemos) 2006
Amílcar (Two Left Hands On Two Right Arms) 2007
Beso Y Fruta Cortada (Planear Records) 2007
Caleta Dos (Resting Bell) 2007
Caleta Uno (Resting Bell) 2007
Criatura (Ruidemos) 2007
Guaymallén EP (Mixomat Recordings) 2007
Las Guerras (Ruidemos) 2007
Mahorka Remixes, Volume One (Mahorka) 2007
Monochrome.Landscape (Sine3pm) 2007
Musicadebarcosparatrombones (Standard Klik Music) 2007
San Pedro (Hazard Records) 2007
Split Series # 3 (Mirakelmusik) 2007
Split Series #4 (Mahorka) 2007
Split Series #6 (Noise-Joy) 2007
Split Series 10 (Mahorka) 2007
Vasco Da Gama (OUIM Net.Label) 2007
Amílcar (Audiotalaia) 2008
El Viaje. Adrián Juárez Remixes (Audiotalaia) 2008
Hermano Telesferico (Deep-X Recordings) 2008
Mahorka Remixes Vol. 3 (Mahorka) 2008
Planicie Corrediza (Test Tube) 2008
Random Trip (Chew-Z) 2008
Tierra Abierta (Resting Bell) 2008
Novocento (Frigida) 2009
Carbonilla Y Lápices De Cera (PERKuNowA) 2009
Fotografrei (Frigida) 2010

Homepage:
Adrián Juárez

Tags: experimental, interviews, adrian juarez, sound art, dark ambient, drones, noise, article, argentina

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