Interview with Bluetech

Please introduce yourself: My name is Evan Bluetech, I'm 27 and I am a producer from North America. Where from: British Columbia, Canada, at the moment, although I am pretty nomadic up and down the west coast. I've only been here for a few months. I've spent a good amount of time in San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles. There really is a West Coast scene that spans two countries, so I consider myself a West Coast citizen. Tell me what drew you in to making electronic chill out music? I've been into this kind of music for a very long time; I started with the Orb, Ultramarine, Spacetime Continuum early chill out compilation on N.tone, Silent, etc. What have you done before musically? I started playing classical music when I was 5-6 on piano. When I first started producing I was writing really full on psy trance, 145 bpm+, melodic stuff. Why the shift then? I got to the point where I didn't want to be defined by genre. I wanted to see what happened if I just wrote what I was feeling, and kept absolute honesty to my own vision in the studio. The first album Prima Materia is what came of that perspective. I tried to forget what I knew about genres, and just let the music flow. It was a learning experience, and lots of experimentation with software helped achieve my sound. What is the role according to your description of chill out music in world's trance scene and festivals? It's like the yin and yang. People love the full power adrenaline energy, but it needs to be balanced with the feminine energies as well. Balance is crucial in these types of experiences, it provides contrast. Both trance and chill out become more powerful when placed next to each other because they augment each others differences. Where have you played recently? I have played in Italy, Portugal (Boom Festival), Germany (Voov Festival) and Croatia (Underwater Overground) on my last tour. I also played lots of shows in North America - Om festival outside Toronto, Gaian Mind in Pennsylvania, InVision in B.C., Digital Be In, in San Francisco. How has the crowd responded to your sounds? Very well actually! Boom was strange, because everyone sits down in the chill out. In North America, the chill out is full of people dancing. Lots of people come to parties only for the chill out, not for the trance. That is very much what west coast parties are like: really good vibes. Although in the northwest the chill out is much bigger, sometimes you get a few hundred in the chill out. Wow that's something! Its not all chill music, lots of what we play is mid tempo. Tell me about growing up in North America and its anemic psy scene I was introduced to psy in San Francisco, which has a great scene. It was small when I started going, but the energy was incredible! I haven't seen many parties that carry the same level of intensity. Even around the world? The parties are good everywhere, but in places where the scene is new it is much more special for people. They feel as if they have discovered paradise, so the parties have a stronger intensity than places where the scene is more well-known. I played in Croatia this year and the party was very nice! When I got to San Diego, there was no psy scene, so I and DJ Hydroponic, Dj Feather, and Rahmeen started our own scene. Here in New York City, it is a bit more jaded… perhaps the city itself is too binding; maybe the hippie core in the west is the key to the successful rooting. I've noticed that east coast parties feel different; I think people are more reserved in general. The west coast is where all the freaks and hippies end up. We have a history of activism and radical expression here, not so much puritan tradition I think. Your music has influences of serious 60's psychedelics in my opinion would u agree? If so, tell me what non electronic music influenced you I have a soft spot for early synth music like tangerine dream and Wendy Carlos. I think some of those influences come through, I listen to everything In high school I was all about industrial music, Skinny Puppy! Neubauten!!! Then Ozric Tentacles - which have a bit of the psychedelic, jam band aesthetic. Also: lots of classical music. Tell me about your studio where is it? My studio is in my bedroom, I'm pretty much all software these days. I wrote Prima Materia on a desktop machine, I think the only hardware synth on that album is a K5000 additive synth. These days I alternate between a desktop and a laptop; still all software, with Native Instruments software being my favorite, Reaktor specifically. Ok, now tell me about the production process itself: how does one go about doing something that has no boundaries, no rules so much space and room to roam? That's a hard one…I just start playing with stuff until something magic happens. That magic is like a seed...I water it with ideas until it starts to grow a foundation of roots (i.e. beats, bassline) I start building layer upon layer after that and just exploring, messing with sounds until I feel a shiver. When I feel that weird feeling, I know the story of that piece of music is becoming clear and I work to make that story more apparent. What's different about the new album, what sets it apart? I think its more Bluetech, it has a different energy. It's a solidification of who I am and that makes my music different. Its music that moves you from one state of being into another, I try to capture the essence of that "something other" in the world, whatever that is for each listener, that element of the fantastic that underlies normal reality that peers through in dreams. I want my music to be like a doorway for that energy and I think the newer material is stronger in that function. I felt the album was very emotional, ranging the spectrum even within one track.... would you agree? I hope so! The best music is stuff that is written in an emotional state, or inspired by one. Emotional music bypasses logic, and moves people on a deep level. When you feel something, you don't have to think about it as much and you are freer to experience what it has to offer. Tell me about the artwork on the CD sleeve YES! Designed by one of my favorite designers right now, we gave him the music and let him do his thing. I knew he would interpret the music. I love it because it is both organic and digital at the same time, exactly what I try to achieve with my production. Why have u decided to re release Prima Materia with Elementary Particles? Prima Materia was only released in North America, its finally getting proper release throughout the rest of the world. Your choice of label was Aleph Zero, explain: Both Shulman and Shahar are incredible people. They have an extremely high standard of excellence and it shows in everything that they do. Shulman's music shows this and it comes down to all aspects of their work. Aleph Zero is run with integrity and the actual product looks incredible. They show that labels don't have to be a frustrating experience for the artist. At every step of the way I really knew that they believed in my music and would do their very best to promote it and support my work. Where do you see the chill out scene in a year or two? I'd like to see event promoters paying more respect to the chill out outside of North America, lots of chill out artists don't get paid to play. I'd like to see chill out keep innovating and not get stuck in genre boundaries, chill out should expand mental horizons and not play it safe with the current "sound" that is en vogue. Are there any chill out artists you would like to collaborate with? Do such things happen regularly in the chill scene? That's an interesting question: absolutely they happen and I am collaborating with some folks. After touring with Solar Fields, my respect for him and his music has only grown. If I can figure out how to get to Sweden, I would love to make music with Magnus. I'm digging Ulrich Schnauss as well. Any previews? As far as previews, I can't let the cat out of the bag; someday soon you'll see some Bluetech Vs __ releases. There are a few new tracks that are being considered for various compilations. People should sign up for my e-mail list at www.bluetechonline.com for information on new releases, remixes, and collaboration projects. By the way, why the name Bluetech? Blue technologies are the technologies of communication of energy. I don't know, it just made sense, I like blue, a lot…I dig the tech side of things obviously - it stuck. Quick question: vanilla or chocolate? Chocolate with vanilla. I'm sorry that's incorrect. The answer was of course vanilla. Thank you very much for your time.

Interview by Gadi Vered