Pfirter
Juan Pablo aka Pfirter has been an icon in the South American underground club scene for over a decade, pushing his dark and sexy brand of techno through outlets such as CLR, his own label MindTrip Music and more recently Stroboscopic Artefacts. Pfirter unleashes his driving techno sound in the world's best known venues, frequenting clubs like Berlin's Berghain and London's The End. He is regularly charted by some of the most respected DJs in the scene such as Richie Hawtin, Chris Liebing, Speedy J, Xpansul and Joey Beltram.
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AR: How do you view Stroboscopic Artefacts role within the current techno/electronic dance music scene?
Pfirter: Stroboscopic Artefacts has gained a lot of attention during the past year and in my opinion, this is one of the labels defining Techno sound in 2010. Lucy and his crew managed to go back to the roots regarding ideas and aesthetics of techno, but taking it to the next level of sound and textures. There's a unique vibe and energy on every single release, the work on every aspect is just perfect (from mastering to art, promotion, etc), and even if most of the releases are focused on the dancefloor, it's also focused on smart music that can be listened in many different enviroments as well. There's definitely an idea and a concept behind its music. For me, SA is taking Techno to a higher level regarding deepness, rawness and quality as well.
AR: Tell us a little bit about your background; what was the scene like in Argentina that lead you to produce music?
Pfirter: I first started working on radio stations that were focused on electronic music in the early 90s, and the scene was pretty basic on those days. Of course that there's always been small places for Techno music, but everything became bigger on the late 90s. Still, I've been DJing since mid 90s and I started producing music in 2004, so I don't think that the local scene had anything to do with my career as a producer. It's been a logical evolution and the next step after several years DJing, and the only possible way for me to learn, seek and explore.
AR: How would you contrast Argentina with other places you’ve played? How do the crowds differ across the globe? What’s your favorite place to play?
Pfirter: Comparing to other countries where I've performed, I think that clubbers in Argentina are super enthusiastic and have lots of energy. On the other side, I can tell that in most of the places in Europe, people dance but also listen to the music with more attention…but Argentinian crowds in general can get reeeeally loud. So far, best place to play for me is Berghain. Played there last year in an Ostgut Ton night and it's been one of the best experiences so far.
AR: Do you have a vision for the music that you create?
Pfirter: Well, I have a vision of how things should be, and i want my music to fit into this parameters of structures and aesthetics through the creative process. I feel more and more into timeless art and i truly believe that there must be a message and an idea behind music.
AR: How has it been appearing on such a diverse roster of record labels? Do you think that says something about the wide appeal of your music?
Pfirter: I've always focused my music in a wide range of Techno, and always wanted to work with the people that I respect as artists, producers and persons. All the labels and people that I've been working with, gave me the opportunity to share about music and ideas, and they all have a big space for creativity. And there's no limit on creation, therefore there's no limits in techno or in any music genre...
AR: What kind of equipment do you use to get your distinct sound?
Pfirter: I don't think that there's any equipment that is important for defining my sound. I think it's defined by how deep you want to explore into a single sound, the way a producer mix a track or the effect you want to create on the listener. For me, for example, bass sounds are super important in the mix and gets priority, while some other producers might be more interested on the mid range sounds for example…but i'm convinced that ideas and concepts are way more important than equipment or technology.
AR: How did the Monad project come together?
Pfirter: I met Lucy in Berlin on the beginning of 2010, but we already knew each other for our previous works…and after exchanging ideas and music, we found out that we were both looking for the same thing. Lucy was interested in music that "other labels would refuse because it's too crazy"…and that was the perfect inspiration. Started working on the project when I got back to my studio in Buenos Aires, and it's been one of the most interesting projects to work on.
AR: How does your home express itself in your music?
Pfirter: It doesn't. I'm not affected by the place where I work, as long as I have everything I need.
AR: What was it like being asked to be part of CLR's tenth anniversary series?
Pfirter: It's been a great honor! And a big surprise as well. I've supported CLR and Chris work for a long time, and the whole project and producers involved are fantastic. It's definitely one of the highlights in my career so far and I can see more collaborations in the future.
AR: How do you react when people say you are an icon for the South American scene?
Pfirter: Mmm I'm not really aware of what people say, but I know that I'm contributing to the scene in the region and that's always something good. Still, I think that best is yet to come in our scene, and I want to be there to experience it.
AR: So, what's coming up in the next year for you and your label, MindTrip Music?
Pfirter: So far I have releases coming out in the next months on Figure, Micro.fon and 2 releases on Stockholm LTD. Will work in the studio for 1 more month and will tour Europe after that (November 2010). I'm also starting to work on new projects for Stroboscopic Artefacts, CLR and a couple of labels that I feel close to. Last but not least, I'm also working on my first album, but it's still too soon to talk about that! MindTrip Music is also a priority to me, and plans include a special compilation for the 5 Years of the label (October 2011), but the essence of the label will remain the same…Good friends sharing their love for music.
-Andrew Reilly
Source :
Pfirter Interview | FWD Entertainment
