Syntrovert uses the pronouns he/she/them, to respect this we will alternate the three in the course of the article.
Syntrovert’s new EP marks the final stage of a trilogy focused on the discovery and development of deep identity
In just a few years, Chilean producer Syntrovert has established himself as one of the leading figures in the new wave of Latin American and global club music.
After EPs on DNTFCK (The Gathering, 2019), Agva Records (Sword, 2018), and a large number of participations in compilations and mixes, Syntrovert will release her new project on the Chilean label Discos Pegaos. Entitled Amuleto, the EP to be released in early January will undoubtedly consolidate the importance of its author’s work within the club scene.
Drawing on the rhythms and sounds of zouk or dancehall without losing the Latin American essence of the productions that made Syntrovert famous, Amuleto bears witness to the constant evolution of their author’s artistic research. Composed of four tracks, this EP for Discos Pegaos is situated at the meeting point of emotion and modernity, urban and folklore.
Each track is built on an imaginary of reflective thoughts and heartbreaking emotions. I hope that this “amulet” will serve to keep a purpose and never lose the will.
Syntrovert
After the first single unveiled a few weeks ago, the track “Loreto”, we are pleased to unveil today the video clip made for it. A sensitive interpretation of the emotions released by the soundtrack, the clip puts into pictures the crystalline and idyllic melodies of the track composed by Syntrovert. The visual universe of 3D artist DMNC, author of the video, and Syntrovert’s musical universe match perfectly. With a work resolutely centered on architecture, landscape, and reflections, the whole bathed in surrealism, the graphic designer immerses the listener, who has become a spectator, in Amuleto‘s fantastical lands. DMNC also recently signed a cover for Forbes Mexico, more projects on his website.
Follow Discos Pegaos on Bandcamp to make sure you don’t miss the release of Syntrovert’s Amuleto on 7 January.
Interview : Syntrovert
CxC | Amuleto, your new project on Discos Pegaos, is your third EP. What makes it different from your previous releases?
Syntrovert | Amuleto is not really the third EP Syntrovert has released, but the third in a trilogy of albums that share a common narrative.
This trilogy deals with the discovery and development of deep identity and each of its volumes symbolizes a stage within the process.
This EP was mainly inspired by real locations and experiences. Unlike Sword and The Gathering that have a more fantasy alike conceptual aesthetic and use metaphor and symbolism to convey the message.
Syntrovert | Amuleto no es realmente el tercer EP que ha publicado Syntrovert, si no que la tercera parte de una trilogía de álbumes que comparten una narrativa en común.
Esta trilogía trata sobre el descubrimiento y desarrollo de la profunda identidad y cada uno de sus volúmenes simboliza una etapa dentro del proceso.
Este EP fué inspirado principalmente en locaciones y experiencias reales. A diferencia de Sword y The Gathering que teniendo una estética conceptual más de fantasía, emplean la metáfora y el simbolismo para transmitir el mensaje.
The EP is presented as a representation of the evolution of your musical career, what was your creative process on this EP?
Most of the tracks came from live improvisations. Each of the tracks was produced in different years and therefore in different stages of the project and its sound. The most interesting thing was to have managed almost involuntarily to find coherence between the sounds, the rhythms, and the atmospheres of the tracks.
So the tracks sound in order from old to new, where the older the tracks, the more lo-fi and instinctive they sound and the new ones sound complex and with better definition. Without losing the narrative or the emotionality of the album.
La mayoría de los tracks nacieron de improvisaciones en vivo. Cada uno de los tracks fué producido en distintos años y por ende en distintas etapas de la vida del proyecto y su sonido. lo más interesante fué haber logrado casi involuntariamente encontrar coherencia entre los timbres, los ritmos y las atmósferas de los tracks.
En este sentido los tracks suenan en orden de antiguo a nuevo, donde mientras más viejos los tracks, suenan más lo-fi e instintivos y los nuevos suenan complejos y con mejor definición. Sin perder la narrativa ni la emocionalidad del álbum.
The first single “Loreto”, whose video we are unveiling today, is tinged with zouk and dancehall influences, far from the more experimental deconstructed club that we usually find on your tracks. What inspired you for this track?
The entire Amuleto EP contains a strong Dancehall and Kizomba influence.
“Loreto” is inspired by a bay in the north of Chile and in those times that I visited there I dedicated myself to studying a lot the Afro-Latin and Portuguese sound, going back to the Central American and African origins of music from which (ancestrally speaking) all the electronic sound of Club was born.
It was important to give a solemn tone to the final part of this trilogy. After the euphoria and chaos that meant its initial and intermediate stages. It also has a lot to do with the desire to connect more with people through dance and musical elements such as melodic phrasing or constant rhythm.
Todo el EP Amuleto contiene una marcada influencia Dancehall y Kizomba.
Loreto está inspirada en una bahía del norte de Chile y en esos tiempos que visité allí me dediqué a estudiar mucho el sonido afro-latino y portugues, volviendo un poco a los orígenes centroamericanos y africanos de donde nace, ancestralmente hablando, todo el sonido electrónico de Club.
Fue importante darle un tono de solemnidad a la parte final de esta trilogía. Luego de la euforia y el caos que significaron sus etapas iniciales e intermedias.
También tiene mucho que ver con el deseo de conectar más con la gente a través del baile y elementos musicales como el fraseo melódico o los ritmos constantes.
The diamond, who seems to be the protagonist of the video, reminded me of your drawings that we see on your Instagram, and we sometimes find your illustrations on the artworks of your mixes or releases. What link do you make between your music and illustration? Do you practice other art forms?
For me, illustration and digital art are a very important part of my creative process. The rocks or quartz that we can see in the video, symbolize the materialization of the ideas. These rock and quartz structures evolve as the project grows in terms of sound and visuals.
I felt the need to have a very rudimentary foundation, which came out from very personal influences such as other illustrators’ works, geographic locations, and video games.
Currently, I have been able to explore digital art, painting, graffiti, stencil, sculpture, and music production.
Para mí, la ilustración y el arte digital son una parte de suma importancia en mi proceso creativo. Las rocas o cuarzos, presentes en el video, simbolizan la materialización de las ideas en general. Estas estructuras de roca y cuarzo van evolucionando conforme el proyecto crece en términos de sonido y visual.
Sentí la necesidad de tener algún cimiento muy rudimentario, que viniera de influencias muy personales como el trabajo de otros ilustradores, locaciones geográficas o videojuegos.
Actualmente he podido explorar el arte digital, la pintura, el graffiti, el stencil, la escultura y la producción musical.
Still on the subject of the clip, what is the idea behind it? Where does the imaginary landscape come from?
The video recounts a journey through different dreamlike places, in which the quartz (representing the identity and body of the project) perform “choreographies” and transmute while being intervened by the outside world and the life that lives there. To then be able to incorporate all this wisdom and get to know itself better.
It also represents the entire journey producing these albums has been, as well as my career in general.
El video relata un viaje por distintos lugares oníricos, en los cuales los cuarzos (que representan la identidad y el cuerpo del proyecto) realizan “coreografías” y transmutan mientras van siendo intervenidos por el mundo exterior y la vida que ahí habita. Para luego poder incorporar toda esta sabiduría y conocerse mejor a sí misme.
También representa todo el viaje que ha significado tanto producir estos álbumes, como mi carrera en general.
Follow Discos Pegaos on Bandcamp to make sure you don’t miss the release of Syntrovert’s Amuleto on 7 January.
