Henry Saiz is the kind of artist you shouldn’t be presenting much. You should rather listen to his music. He gained a lot of fans and admirers by creating distinctive musical language that couldn’t be described with words. His music is a mixture of melodic specter, emotions and seductive vocals that take the listener to another world, and that is what we will witness tonight at Exit Festival.
We had a chance to speak with Henry about his new project and career, and he also had a message for everyone who’ll be at Dance Arena listening him and Hernan Cattaneo. Enjoy!
Could you tell us how it all started for you? When did you first get interested in electronic music, and how did you realize that that’s what you wanted to do professionally?
Since I was a child I’ve always had a special relationship with music. Luckily, my parents have good taste in music so I discovered artist such Vangelis and Mike Oldfield when I was very young. My older brother has also always been passionate about music and he even worked several years as a DJ . When I was a teenager I started playing bass and I had several bands of different genres, but my most important project was black metal oriented. Later I began to study sound engineering and I became interested in the unlimited possibilities of technology. Something I loved about producing electronic music was the creative control that it allowed me. I’ve always knew that my ideal profession should be related to music and after many years of hard work my effort began to be recognized.
Back in 2008 you founded the Natura Sonoris label, tell us about the main idea behind it. How did it all started and how do you perceive its mission?
From the beginning, the aim of Natura Sonoris was to release electronic music from talented producers, forgetting about the labels and avoiding to being locked to a specific genre. Most producers who have published their work on the label are also great friends of mine, so Natura Sonoris is like a big family. The mission of the label is to promote unique and honest music.
What are the artists and upcoming releases we should keep an eye on when it comes to Natura Sonoris and other artists you collaborate with?
I’m lucky to have on board many talented artists, Cora Novoa, Simon Garcia, Brassica, Marc Marzenit… But we have some brand new artists joining the label soon that I’m sure people will love.
Your Balance 019 compilation and your album Reality Is For Those… have moved the electronic music towards more melodic and more story-telling productions. How do you keep true to your own style and what would be the meaning you are trying to portray?
The only way to keep true to my own style is continually changing it, evolving. We often believe that an artist who keeps true to his style is the one that repeats the same thing over and over again, but I disagree. Over the years you discover new influences and you go through experiences that make you change. If you don’t reflect all this in your music you ‘re staying stuck in the past. Obviously, there are elements that remain and they are always part of your style. In my case, although I think my style has evolved a lot since the beginning of my career, I’ve been always focused on melody and I’ve have always sought to convey complex emotions with my music.
Kickstarter campaign for your upcoming audio-visual project went live few days ago. How did you came to an idea to make such project and what do you expect as a result?
This is an idea I’ve been obsessed with for several years but I’ve always found it very difficult to carry out. When I plan composing a new album I like to think about it as a creative challenge, not just writing new songs but also investigate some aspect related to music. I always wondered how everything around influences us when we make music and every time I visit a special place my first thought is „It would be wonderful to make music here.“ In recent months I worked with my friends and band members to shape this idea and we decided that the best way to carry it out was through crowdfunding. This is a very ambitious project and I need the help and support of all those who also share this idea. So far, the campaign is working very well so I hope people continue supporting the project and we can achieve the goal.
Upcoming project should represent the spirit of several places and to catch their overall atmosphere but also to keep you true to your own style of musical production. What do you find challenging in trying to paint those landscapes into your colorful melodies and how do you plan to do that?
As I said before, the only way to keep true to my style is evolving and avoiding putting limits to my creativity. In my first album, „Reality is for those … „, I experimented with new sounds and elements such as vocals or acoustic instruments. This album will definitely have the style of Henry Saiz but my I would like it to sound like the work of a band. I want to use instruments and structures that I never used before. I only know one way to compose music: taking risks and trying to surprise myself. I know that translating the essence of every place to a musical language is a challenge, but it doesn’t scare me, it motivates me and I’m sure it will help me grow as a musician .
How did you choose the places for the project and what keeps you tied to them?
I’ve been fortunate to know many parts of the world during my career as a DJ, so of course I’ve always had a list of favorite places. There are places that you feel connected to from the first day, cities or landscapes that offer something unique, something impossible to find elsewhere in the world. It is very difficult to choose just 10 places so I tried to make a selection that shows the amazing variety of landscapes and environments that we have on our planet. I wish that when people listen to the album they feel something close to the experience of visiting these places .
Mentioning your trips to the volcanic landscapes of Lanzarote at Canary Islands as the place where you relax and recharge your batteries, you also said that the upcoming album will feature the track dedicated to that specific place. Could you give us a glimpse or a hint of how would it sound?
Everyone knows I’m in love with the Canary Islands and I’m proud of it, hehe . Before launching this Kickstarter campaign I wanted to test the project, composing a track and shooting some scenes to see how the experience would be, so I decided to start in Lanzarote. This first track is already in production phase and is a good example of how I want the album to sound. It has many electronic elements with an analog and unique sound. For example, I recorded the synths inside a volcanic cave so the sound is really special. We also recorded acoustic drums and even a traditional instrument of the Canary Islands called “timple”. If you are curious about how all this sounds pay attention to the end of my Kickstarter video, the track that plays during the closing minutes is a first version of what we recorded in Lanzarote.
Dance Arena and EXIT festival are waiting for you, this is your first time in Serbia and the crowd is becoming impatient. So what would be your message to our followers and what would be your expectations?
I´m so looking forward to go to exit, I’ve heard so many good things about the festival. We are gonna try to make you have a great musical experience, expect a journey through melodic house and techno 🙂
You have the experience of performing in various different places. Would you say you prefer playing in clubs and warehouses or at the festivals and open air parties?
It’s very difficult to choose between the two options. Each one has unique things that I love. When you play in a club there’s a very intimate and special atmosphere and usually the public who go to clubs is people who follow your work. Festivals are also an incredible experience; during the festival days you feel part of a tightly knit community and it’s like you’re transported to a new planet. A few days ago I played with my band at Glastonbury and I can say that the experience is unlike anything else I’ve done before. In addition, festivals are also a very good opportunity for showing your work to a new audience
If you had to choose a favourite track from all the tracks you produce – which one would it be and why?
This is also a really difficult question, haha. Each track you produce during your career has something special because it reflects a certain moment in your life. I guess my favorite track is always the last one I produced and I hope it stays that way because that’s a good sign..
Performing all over the world alongside the underground scene legends, running a records label featuring uprising artist with their own ideas, playing unreleased tracks each week on your The Labyrinth radio show, having personal touch with your followers and braking the boundaries with your team – what keeps you moving, where do you find your inspiration and all the enthusiasm?
I know all that is too much to handle and sometimes is really hard. But I couldn’t keep that pace if I wasn’t passionate about my job. The satisfaction I feel when I compose a new track or those moments when I’m enjoying music with my audience always remember me that it worth all the effort.
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