Contributing Writer
Hey MAMöro, great to meet with you! What have been some standout memories for you of summer this year?
Hello, nice to meet you! I have to say my performances in Ibiza this summer. I had a couple of gigs there and had a wonderful time with some friends and made some good connections, with a collaboration coming out very soon.
Tell us about playing Cova Santa at the start of the month – what was that like up in the hills? What tunes went off there?
Cova Santa was really special. When I play in Portugal I am used to having a deep connection with the crowd as they know me already, but the connection I got with the crowd at Cova Santa was really amazing and unexpected.
What’s the creative process like when you’re working on a track? Do you start with a groove, a melody, or something else?
It always depends on the feel that I have at that moment. I never start the process the same way. Sometimes I start by going up and down on the keyboard working on a bassline, than I start to fill it up with some pads or piano if I’m producing something more melodic, it can be also that I find a nice sample, and then I develop it from there or also sometimes but not often it can be started with a vocal, normally with the hook. But I always complete the groove and melody first and keep the fx’s and small fills till the end.
You’ve released on multiple labels, including Across The Time Records. How do you decide which label to release your music on?
As I progress on the production of the track I start to get a feel of it and then at the end I always get the idea that the track would be a fit for such or such label as it is within the style they usually release. I always try not to send a track to a label that is releasing something totally different from what I am producing. As you know right now there are so many variations of Afro House so you should choose wise when it comes to labels.
Your upcoming single “Whispers” has a progressive tech vibe. What was the inspiration behind this particular track, and how do you keep your sound fresh?
With Whispers, the whole idea started exactly with the vocals, “the whispering”. So, as it isn’t exactly lyrical the whispers were to by played in very short and specific spaces of the track and I had to come up with a group of elements and groove to create rhythm, tension, movement and curiosity along the track to keep listeners hooked and interested … that’s why I normally like to be very dynamic in my productions.
Second phase it’s all about the keyboard and synthesizers going on and on working on the bass line and looking for that lead hook. Then I moved to the kick, shakers, hi hat, percs, fills etc., but I must say that the final automation process is a huge impact in the way the track sounds.
You’ve been in the industry for more than a decade. How do you keep challenging yourself musically and avoid getting too comfortable?
As a DJ all together, I have around 10 years of experience. The goal here is to keep a fresh look of my self and search for new music every single day in order to keep my playlist diverse and dynamic.
Production wise I am always challenging myself producing different things without sounding all over the place.
Your performances are known for their energy. How do you maintain that high level of engagement with the crowd throughout your sets?
The crowd is my fuel!! I am a very quiet person but when I get inside the booth and see the crowd, I transform myself completely and then the more I see them vibing and dancing, the body language and the facial expressions, the more I get jacked.
How do you manage the balance between running Mamoromusic and focusing on your own productions?
Actually Mamoromusic is on pause right now, and I am developing a new brand that will premiere on the 2nd of November. It’s an electronic music event with local and international DJS and also with a spectacle of lights and performers.
It has been some challenging days, but we are at the final stretch.
What role do live shows play in shaping your studio productions? Do crowd reactions influence your music?
I wouldn’t say they have some type of influence on my music production, but they definitely have a huge impact on the way I prepare the sets. To me, I am not there just to play some tracks and be gone… I am there to provide people with a musical experience, so I like to create special moments for them and interact with them.
How do you approach collaboration with vocalists or other musicians, especially when creating intimate elements like those in “Whispers”?
In music production for me, that’s the hardest part. The ideal of course is to grab the singer and get to the studio, that’s the better workflow you can possibly get, but not always possible due to the distances. The collab I did with Idd Aziz for example, I’m in Portugal he is in Kenya. With Idd Aziz as not the case but working with singers on a distance it’s a very challenging thing. Collabs with other producers it’s an easier thing, I just freeze everything save the project and send it over. So this way the producer will get the whole project, it’s like me being there with him… singing has a lot going on with it!
What’s next for MAMöro? Any exciting projects or releases on the horizon that you can share with us?
I have this new brand that I am developing “EXODUS” the premiere is going to take place November 2nd in Lisbon. Whispers is coming out October 18th on Deep In Your Soul, and I am working on some very promising collabs. I am also closing a small tour to South America, which will be my first.
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