A chat with Argentina DJ/Producer, Sound Process

Argentina's Sound Process is a DJ and producer with nearly two decades in the music industry, recently embarked on a profound journey to create his first LP. This project, a celebration of his 20-year milestone, reflects not only his dedication to musical excellence but also his meticulous attention to detail in every aspect of production and promotion. 

With the support of renowned artists like Jamie Jones and Steve Lawler, and inspiration drawn from personal experiences and the vibrant club scene, Sound Process has crafted a unique and cohesive collection of tracks. His residency with Crew Savage and his global influences have profoundly shaped his sound, making this LP a significant milestone in his illustrious career. We caught up with him recently to learn more…

Can you tell us about the journey of creating your first LP and what inspired it?

It is a journey that began about a year and a half ago. It's a way to celebrate my almost 20 years of musical production and leave in this world something more than just an EP. It's definitely not just another release. I tried to put energy into every detail, not only in the musical aspect, which is without doubt the most important thing, but also in each graphic piece of content to promote the LP before and after the release, to decide which was the best option for mastering and many more details than one has to take into account in a self-managed launch.

How does it feel to have your music supported by renowned artists like Jamie Jones and Steve Lawler?

It feels amazing. Beyond the fact that I had the opportunity to be able to share a booth with both artists, having them use my music and in Jamie's case being able to release it on his label is without a doubt a highlight in my career.

Can you describe your creative process when producing new music?

In general, inspiration always comes from personal experiences in clubs, whether playing or going dancing and listening to artists that I like. In the case of this album, I had a series of finished tracks that I felt had a common thread between them and that helped me decide to complete the LP. As the vocals say in my track "New Concept", once I have a good loop, I copy that loop into arrangement mode since my music is very loop-based. From there I develop the structure and make the arrangements and sequencing. Then when I consider that the track is finished I try to listen to it on as many and varied sound systems as I can to draw conclusions about how the mix is ​​made, etc.

What influences and experiences have shaped your sound over the years?

I always felt influenced by the English music industry. Since I started going to clubs or listening to international DJ sets online until today where I try to research everything I can and discover new labels, artists, crews, and sounds. Another thing that I consider helped shape my musical taste was being able to travel and find out what was playing in other countries and see what I felt like all of that added to my own sound.

How has your residency with Crew Savage impacted your career and musical style?‍

Definitely a lot. I have been one of the resident DJs of Crew Savage since the first edition in 2014 and having the possibility of sharing stage with so many top-level artists during these first 10 years definitely had a positive impact on my artistic and personal growth. It was not only about sharing a booth with renowned DJs but also having the possibility of sharing dinners, talks and moments outside the club and nourishing myself with their experiences. The same with the rest of the resident DJs who, from their musical eclecticism and professionalism, always contribute to me artistically in many ways.

What are some of the key differences you’ve noticed between playing at festivals versus clubs?

Being able to play at festivals and clubs has its magic and peculiarities and I love both. Although I prefer to play in clubs if I have to choose. The connection and energy that is exchanged with the dancefloor in clubs is more intimate and allows you to connect in a much more special way than in places as large as the stages of festivals. It also happens that at festivals the set time is generally much less due to the number of artists in the line up and that means that perhaps you  cannot develop your set as you would like to.

Which upcoming vinyl releases are you most excited about, and why?

Can't say too much yet but these are a couple of releases on some friend's labels!

How has your music evolved since your early releases on labels like Hottrax and Inermu?

I think that my music evolved more than anything from the technical and sound aspects than in terms of musical genres since I always try to progress and improve from those aspects to sound as solid as possible.

What role do you think social media plays in the success and reach of electronic music artists today? 

Nowadays the role of social media in the careers of electronic music artists is key and I would even say sometimes ridiculously important. Social media is full of people who try to show more than share and that is a problem. I think there is a difference between showing and sharing. I think social media are very useful tools to share what you do and by that I mean to provide something of value, but when these tools are used more to show than to share and contribute something valuable, that is when it becomes a little toxic. Although I admit that I spend a lot of time on social networks, I always try to do it from a point of view that helps me to learn and discover things, connect with people and entertain myself, but when I notice or feel that I am starting to get anxious, I try to set the limit and put the phone aside. Something I've been trying to do for a while now is not go on social media until at least an hour after I wake up. Sometimes I can and sometimes I can't but it helps me start the day better.

Can you tell us about a particularly challenging moment in your career and how you overcame it?‍

I think that like the vast majority, one of the most challenging moments was during the 2020 pandemic. Finding ourselves locked up, with so much uncertainty and not knowing when all that was going to end made us all have to find a way to manage all kinds of emotions, feelings and concerns that this new challenge brought. At some point we were all forced to reinvent ourselves and find new ways to move forward with our careers until everything returned to the new normal.

What advice would you give to aspiring DJs and producers trying to make it in the industry?

It sounds cliché but I think it all comes down to not giving up. One of the most important things for me is learning to manage frustrations. Don't give up when gigs don't show up or labels don't respond. This is when you have to keep working and pushing the most. Understand that everything is cyclical and if some months are not good, the next ones can be and so on. Life is like that and so is this. Also understand that the best path is the one that is done slowly, step by step, enjoying, learning and always trying to look at the full glass. Never stop being interested in continuing to learn things. Anyone who wants to dedicate themselves to music should know that this is very important.

How do you balance maintaining your unique sound while experimenting with new ideas and trends?

Always being loyal to the music I like. The music I feel. In my case I consider that I am an eclectic DJ, who clearly tends to move within the house spectrum but eclectic nonetheless. I like the sound of the 90's, the 2000's and of course how things sound nowadays. I think the key is to share and show what you like the most, what you enjoy the most. If people feel you are enjoying the music you share and what you propose, most probably that energy will be well received by them.

How do you stay inspired and motivated to keep producing and performing?

Always discovering new music. By new music I mean music that is new to me. Music that I didn't know. It doesn't matter if it's from this month, unreleased or from 30 years ago. I love spending hours and hours digging for new records, labels and discovering new artists. Another thing that inspires me is going to listen to colleagues do their thing, you always continue learning new things and the energy and feedback from people is a more than satisfactory motivation to always keep pushing.

What are your future plans and goals after the release of your LP?

Since I try not to release music so frequently, I have a new EP that I am going to release at the end of the year that has big support from great artists and that has been played at festivals and some of the best clubs in the world. I am also planning a new European tour for next year and visiting several cities that were left pending from my previous visit.

Buy/listen to the release via Bandcamp here

Keep up with Sound Process on Soundcloud, Instagram and Bandcamp 

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