Music

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I><U>September Archive</U></I></div> <div> <A HREF="id8.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Front Page"><U>Front Page</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id10.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Editorial"><U>Editorial</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id9.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bellyworld"><U>Bellyworld</U></A></div> <div> Music</div> <div> <A HREF="introduction_yoga.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fitness"><U>Fitness</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Move of the Month"><U>Move of the Month</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Business"><U>Business</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="16c87590.png" border=0 width="135" height="89" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#CC0033" FACE="Berlin Sans FB" >  |    </FONT> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Navel Magazine"><U>Home</U></A></div> <div> Music</div> <div> <I><B>Electronica Beyond Electronica: An interview with Maduro</B></I></div> <div> <I>Interview by Eleyda Negrón</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="156b0d70.jpg" border=0 width="176" height="215" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="20" VSPACE="0"></B></I>Musicians have always been interested in using technology to create musical pieces.  This desire is the origin of “Electronica” - a musical movement that is based on using electronic devices.  When we think of Electronica nowadays, we think of the dance floor, clubs, and nightlife.  Yet, it seldom crosses our minds to associate this with belly dancing, at least on this side of the world.  Well, almost nobody…</div> <bR> <div> Maduro, an electronic music artist from Washington D.C., and one of the most promising musicians under Eventide Music Productions incorporated his background in electronic music with ethnic rhythms to give us what it has being promoted as “Electribal”.  We had an interesting interview with him and he shared with Navel many insights about his music, his projects, and belly dancing.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel:  </B></I><I>Although your official debut in the belly dance world was “Shimmer Sustain” in 2006, when did you start as a musician in Electronica?</I></div> <div> <B>Maduro:</B>   In 1990, I recorded a track with an old drum machine and a keyboard on a cheap 4-track recorder.  I wanted to make more songs, but stuck with playing guitar in a garage/rock band.  At some point in 2002, I decided to pursue what I always wanted to do - I think everyone should when it hits them. I started making electronica by programming hardware machines (synthesizers and sequencers) and recording live.  I have mostly utilized software to record music in recent years.  My earlier work did not have any ethnic sound, and was very dark electronica and electro.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel:  </B></I><I>How did you discover belly dancing and decide to contribute with electronic music?</I></div> <div> <B>Maduro:</B> I discovered belly dancing through my wife Asharah. Like a lot of proactive dancers out there, she was always on the hunt to find new music for her performances. A few of my friends in the local dance community also found themselves dancing to the same songs over and over again, saturating the scene with repetition. As someone who recorded electronica, I thought I could contribute to the community, and to hopefully inspire other artists to create art from mine.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>Tell us how you developed your relationship with Eventide Music Productions.</I></div> <div> <B>Maduro</B>:  I looked at a few record labels but held out from pursuing anything serious until I could get a hold of Jeremiah Soto, who is one of the most respected artists in the business.  Also, various renowned dancers suggested I go to him directly.  Jeremiah believed in my sound and did not ask me to change my sound or name for the sake of marketing.  I respected his DIY (Do It Yourself) ethic, and we fostered a solid relationship that continues.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel:</B></I><I> </I><I>Who or what is your muse?</I></div> <div> <B>Maduro:</B> I don't really believe I have a muse. </div> <div> <I>(Yet we at Navel give credit to Asharah).</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I> </I><I>In your own words, what is "electribal" exactly?</I></div> <div> <B>Maduro:</B> There's nothing I dislike more than categorizing one's sound and art; however, electronic music can sound so different from artist to artist, it's difficult to avoid this labeling. I suppose I didn't want to be labeled a "world" artist as I am not - I do not play ethnic instruments acoustically (although I did some drumming on Shimmer Sustain). Instead I consider myself an electronic musician/arranger who uses world sounds. There are a lot of electronic music artists who use world sounds - that doesn't make them world artists. I was trying to capture this notion in calling the sound "electribal" ... It seemed to fit my music.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel:  </B></I><I>What were you looking for in Shimmer Sustain?</I></div> <div> <B>Maduro:</B> I was looking to collect a body of work I had been playing around with for almost eight months and to release it as a collection. I wanted to release something that sounded original and not like any "belly house" or "belly lounge" music. I felt that mixing 8-bit video game sounds, hip hop breaks, and some programming would deliver something different. Originally, these sounds were posted online for free. I was a bit overwhelmed by dancers expressing interest in procuring them, and I felt that an album's worth of material would satisfy a prospective audience. But I was also trying to make an album different than the hardware recordings I had released previously.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel:  </B></I><I>Tell us more about </I><I>Juno Wakes</I><I>.</I></div> <div> <B>Maduro:</B> <I>Juno Wakes</I> is a thematic album first and foremost; it would be hard to deny that. It is an album about one's dreaming, an archetypal journey through sleep cycles and distraction, and being summoned to wake. The album exists on several levels, both on a personal level and an artistic level. That may sound a bit hokey and contrived, but there you have it.  While <I>Shimmer Sustain</I> was a collected assortment of tracks, I tried to cultivate a particular mood with Juno Wakes - I hope I've done that. The songs are not as stompy, formulaic, and punchy as <I>Shimmer Sustain</I>, but hopefully give one the impression that one is trapped in a dream cycle moving from twisted, confusing, and spacey landscape to landscape, just as one's dreams often morph into another.  The album is framed by a dark lullaby (<I>Drifting</I>) at the beginning and a song of rising (<I>Juno Wakes</I>) at the end. Trying to explain the journey in the middle would sort of defeat the purpose of the project.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel: </B></I><I>As a new upcoming artist in the belly dance scene, what has been your greatest obstacle and how are you dealing with it?</I></div> <div> <B>Maduro:</B> My biggest obstacle is being cast as a "belly dance musician". It's hard to avoid that being on Eventide as they sell a lot of music to belly dancers. I make dark ethnic/tribal electronica that some belly dancers enjoy. I record lots of sounds that have nothing to do with ethnic dance, and I don't want to limit my sound range.</div> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="15844420.jpg" border=0 width="324" height="322" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Navel:  </B></I><I>Do you perform live as well for belly dancers?</I></div> <div> <B>Maduro:</B>  I do not, currently, but I may at some point. I suppose my standing at a laptop twiddling a few buttons may not go over well for some. If you're not a fan of laptop electronica this kind of show might seem bizarre. That said, I have had a lot of great opportunities and offers. I consider myself a studio musician however, and I belong in the studio making sounds.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel:  </B></I><I>Any upcoming plans and projects?</I></div> <div> <B>Maduro:</B>  Plenty of them. Well, as of the time of this interview, <I>Juno Wakes</I> will be released in less than 3 weeks*. But I finished <I>Juno </I>back in October 2006, so I've been recording a lot of new material since then. I have actually completed a full album of material post Juno Wakes which I am very happy with. It is considerably more fragmented and complex, although it still has ethnic sounds. I'm not sure how I want this next project released, but it will likely emerge from different venues as its sound is vastly different than anything I've done - think German break core, and drum and bass, meets world fusion. While there are tracks on the next album that could be danced to, there are also songs clocked at 170 bpm (beats per minute).</div> <bR> <div> Before this next album sees the light of day next year, I plan on having a compilation of older songs, Selected Works: 2002-2005, released on a local label. It will be a digital release only and will be available on iTunes and eMusic sometime later this year, or in 2008.</div> <bR> <div> Also, I've been working on a few remixes and side projects. I finished a remix for the NYC band Djinn, and one for Dee Lite's Lady Kier. I've made some custom tracks for a few friends whom I respect highly.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Navel:  </B></I><I>For you: Belly dance is…</I></div> <div> <B>Maduro:</B> If I try to answer this question like a definition it will sound silly I'm sure.  I can say that I feel connected to this art form through those closest to me in my life, and by those who perform to my sound. I am quite a fan and attend numerous events monthly.</div> <bR> <div> *At the time of this interview <I>Juno Wakes</I> was not released yet.  Juno Wakes is now available.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.maduromusic.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.maduromusic.com/"><U><I>http://www.maduromusic.com/</I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.myspace.com/maduro" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.myspace.com/maduro"><U><I>Maduro on MySpace</I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://tribes.tribe.net/maduromusic" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://tribes.tribe.net/maduromusic"><U><I>Maduro's Tribe on Tribe.net</I></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>