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Defmain music newcomer CementO releases a four-track EP packed with electro patterns and a dark flavor of ebm mixed with raw techno beats. Based in Chile, CementO brings his extensive production experience gained from making tracks for many innovative techno labels.
Played on full-scale sound systems or on your beloved headphones, these tracks will transport you to a world where dark tones rule and body movement is mandatory.
We have had the pleasure of interviewing him and this has been the result.
Can you tell us a little about your experience? Where are you from / how did you get into music?
Hello, I'm Javier Araya, I was born in Argentina, raised in Chile and was resident in Norway for more than 20 years and now I live in Chile since 2018, but my papers says I'm from Chile.
I got into music because when I was a kid I paid attention for what I was hearing, not just listen to music for the fun of it, music in general gets my attention.
With that said, I got into electronic music thanks to the sound of Synth Pop. I grew up with Latin Rock from the 80's and most of the music was made with electronic intruments, synth modulators and synthesizers in general, that leaded me into New Order, Kraftwerk and a few EBM bands.
I was listening to metal for a good among of time, when I got to Norway I started again with electronic music, Jungle, Psytrance and Hardcore and that got me into Techno in 1999 and that's where all started to get clear where I wanna go as a producer and dj.
How is your sound evolving? What artists and genres do you enjoy mixing right now?
I started producing music in 2001, I was mostly experimenting. In 2004 I really got more into production and getting tracks done and in 2008 I got my sound and I evolved from there until my first release in 2012, so my sound evolved when it comes to sound in general and I just try to sound good. The main thing that's keep changing is the writting of the tracks, how it begun is way different on how I do writting now.
Do I have a artist I enjoy mixing now ? no, not really, I always go back where I started with tracks from Surgeon and Pacou, right now I don't have a favorite artist(s), but genres ? yes, Techno, EBM, Electro, Industrial, Minimal and Tech House, I try to be as diverse as possible and not shifting so much of a tone when I do mixes or at least increase the tone when it comes to warmups in parties or as a main artist.
How do you feel that your music influences or impacts your listeners?
I always get some nice reviews, that is always a good sign that they enjoy what I do.
But sometimes there are people who give me an honest impression and opinion of what I produce, certain tracks reminds them the past and what they would like to listen more today, so those people are always as important as a good review of my material.
What projects are you working on right now? What can you tell us about your last job?
I'm just still writting more music, everytime I get inspired I started to do some writting and then leave it alone for a while so the inspiration doesn't die out too soon and get back at it when the time is right. Mostly I'm checking old material that I've never released and making it sound new and see how it might work today.
The lastest EP was a combination of two old tracks that I have work for 15 years almost and I got an idea how to finish them and add two tracks I made on the spot so it can become a full EP release and I really wanna present something different coz this EP has an Electro track, an EBM track, a Techno track and a Hard Techno track. So my EPs lately has been straight up techno material, my albums has been the most variation that I have presented and this " Entrance And Exit " release is an EP that shows a different taste from my part and thankfully sometimes change is good.
Where are you and what have you been doing now?
I'm at my home. I'm still writting/producing music to present to labels and see where that gets me to. Not much to tell there.
Has that sound changed a lot in recent years? What is your musical criteria?
It has changed since 2008, at least I have noticed it the last 4 years and that changed is realized when you try something different everytime, it was different from the last album I released and this new EP coming up.
My criteria is about been as representative as possible, if I'm doing techno, I'll do it as how I remember when I first listen to it and how different artists has been a big influence as how I perceive the genre, the same criteria goes for other electronic music genre I wanna and I will try.
Do you feel safe now to play a more experimental sound?
Yes, to play it and to make it, it is a new experience but at the same time a nice new challenge to drive to.
We all know that the digital revolution has affected sales, but has it affected creativity?
No, or at least it doesn't seem that way for a lot of labels.
I see a lot of releases been made in a record time period, so I'm not sure it is because of the time we're living right now with the pandemic or if it is because there is more plenty of opportunities due to the creation of more labels lately. Eather way, creativity is there and it is not at all gone.
Can you tell us what your present and future projects are?
To be honest, there is none, I just keep been busy with new material and see where it takes me. All in good fun but at the same time to keep the culture of representing a genre I believe in alive.
