Ezel
Ezel is like a breath of fresh air to modern spiritually driven dance music. Hailing from the Dominican Republic, New York based artist Ezel truly represents all that the African-Caribbean tradition means to the dance floor. Ezel’s first studio album “Secreto” is about to see the light. His debut album due out this summer features some of the most vibrant artists in the global soul scene such as Carlos Mena, Monday Michiru, Djinji Brown and Tamara Wellons to mention a few.
Tell us how you met Casamena and how it all started ?
Everything started in 2008 with my first remix for Yoruba Records.Met Casamena during the A&R process I was having with Osunlade, who was in first who discovered me and signed me for an album in Yoruba. Osunlade & Carlos have been very close since the beggining.So that’s pretty much how I ended up asociating with Ocha.
Can you please tell us a little bit about the preparation of the album, how long did it take you to sit around a table and start to work on the tracks ?
This album have 2 years in the making. The songs featured here come to me as life experience in wich I’ve traveled during past moment of my life. Influenced I’ve received, trips I’ve made, people I’ve met. Not special preparation whatsoever but the joy of making music wich I receive and apply everyday.
What was the most challenging thing you faced during the recording of your new album ?
I would say the necessity of rising myself up to the challenge, the new challenges I would say that this album brought me. Writing a full song (lyrics & melodies) like in the case of “In My Lifetime” and work it out with a performer with the caliber of ms. Tamara Wellons was truly an amazing and nurturing experience for my production skills. Then the fact of having not only incredible A&Rs but producers/Djs of a higher level like Casamena & Osunlade backing me up and expecting quality from me created a process of self improvement that I have internalized not only in music but in everything I do.
Tell us about the vocalist Did singers have any actual input on the songs or did they just let you go at it?
In this album I will be blessed with the presence of Tamara Wellons, Monday Michiru, Kia Bennet, Quetzal Guerrero, Djinji Brown and Carlos Mena on the vocals, MC & Spoken words duties. Just the presence of this beings itself bring a whole new dimension to the songs. All of them contributed with a heartfelt effort in many aspects of the creative process. Songwriting, melodies, sound & engineering, its truly amazing how complete this artists are.
What is your collective opinion on the current state of the electronic dance music, its associated scene, and fans? Now that we are past the days of vinyl and CDs, has the digitalization age impacted how you view people digest and enjoy EDM?
This question will allways arise many shades of tought. Its really a good thing to see all this diferent producers bringin up their own ancestral culture and heritage to the table to create a powerful global dance statement. But the reality is also that no everybody who is out there creating buzz for themselve truly deserve to be counted among the ranks of real musicians. Its so easy now u know…I’m in favor of more musicality in what we do. But to understand what im talking about one must know where this music really comes from.
What is your most favourite dance record of all time and why?
Don’t really have favorites. I get striked at every moment by incredible things put out there or timeless music from the past that now reach my way.
You have remixed with some really interesting artists. Do you have a formula for how you approach each remix ? Are there still any names you would like to remix ?
I like to conect to the song im to remix on a personal level. There must be a vibe a romance between the original piece of work and my inspiration that allows that new baby to be born. When remixing its all about of the conection for me.
Some DJs are known to party post gig, while others like to leave the club straight away and go to hotel for sleep. If both have delivered flawless sets, is there a responsibility for the DJ to hang around after the gig and which of the two are you?
Im a very peaceful person. Don’t like uncesesary noises or waste of energy so when im on the club playing im doing what’s meant to be done. Of course, im very interested in the inspiration that i might recieve from the crowd and really special people dragged to me via the music or anything so i would share a moment to be accesible u know, to recieve. So i might hang out for a minute and the return to peace and quietude.
DJ Tommy Sunshine recently stated to MTV “Right now there are so many people in dance music that are doing so many things for dance music.Anybody that is in South Beach right now that discredits Lady Gaga for what she has done for electronic music is out of their mind,” “I mean [Gaga’s producer] Red One and Space Cowboy and her, in collaboration, have done so much for making dance music mainstream. I’m sorry, but there wouldn’t be a David Guetta top 10 hit … there wouldn’t be this Black Eyed Peas record, if it wasn’t for The Fame. The influence of that record is epic, and we are hearing talking about all of this because of that.’’
What is your input? Do you agree?
From the point of a mainstream participant this might be applicable. But for me doesn’t have any relevance. If I wanted to have everybody’s approval in the world, if would be trying to create hits, I might pay attention to this, but my reality is very far from this. I want to develop myself as an spirit in this planet. I was given the gift of music and art so I can achieve my personal evolution. The beauty of this experience might catch of some people but im sure not of everybody neither that’s the purpose.I am here to create in me a posibility of beauty and inspiration with a open invitation to all beings but not really forcing or relating to anybody else experience.
Looking back, was it very surprising to see how the songs developed from the initial idea that you had in your mind ?How do you want your debut album to be remembered as ?
I strive for Timeless music because I would like to make of my life the best I can. This album is a musical history of this past few years in wich I’ve got to know my what life has been preparing for me thru Spirituality, friendship, destiny, love and dreams.
Please tell us your plan for 2010 ?
Walk side by side with the experiences I’ve manifesting, the friends I’ve made and the histories im part of. Currently working on new music as I let life to redine me over and over as we go.
Secreto will be out beginning of summer 2010 accompanied with some slamming remixes by Osunlade,Atjazz and Deetron.
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