The sounds of German producer Parra for Cuva found me in the most interesting of circumstances - while I was out rock climbing. Music was blasted nearby and a bulk of the tracks I Shazamed turned out to be his. A week after diving into his colorful discog, funnily enough, I was presented with the opportunity to interview this newfound artist who's been sitting cozily in my rotation.
I not only bring this up because of the coincidental nature of how this happened, but the fact that Parra for Cuva's sound seamlessly sets the mood while rock climbing says a lot about his aesthetic. Throughout his catalog (except for "Wicked Games" - but we'll get there) listeners are teased with natural and earthy tones that are driven by upbeat drums and meticulously crafted electronic textures. On his new album Juno, Parra for Cuva REALLY leans into this 'World meets Electronica' ambiance in a manner that is garden-fresh, and the single "Her Entrance" honestly punctuates that sentiment. In this interview Parra for Cuva shares what distinguished Juno from his last album Paspatou, his process for working with other musicians, moving to Berlin, and much more.
When you lived in the countryside, how were your surroundings influencing your music, and how did that change when you moved to Berlin?
It might have had an impact on me as you're always stuck at home and culturally there is not much going on so once we found out about electronic music back in the days we just absorbed it like a dry sponge. After moving to Berlin it's very exciting as there are so many other creative persons. Right now I am turning 30 and sometimes I just want to leave the city for good to make music in a more remote place with not much going on.
I'm glad we're doing this because there is something that was on my mind when I was going through your discog. Your biggest hit "Wicked Games" is VERY different to most of your other release and I think has the potential to mislead the listener if that's the only track they know from you. What led you to transform your sound into something that's more organic and somewhat left field from the Electronic/House music you were making in your early days?
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So Wicked Games is already a few years old and was made during a time when I just started to make electronic music. During that time I also tried to produce some 80s vibes or ambient electronica.
Some people don't really believe me when I tell them the story that "Wicked Games" was basically a coincidence. I just wanted to try out different things. Head to my Soundcloud page and scroll down. You will find the song accompanied by tracks like "Your inner Workings" ( which is still in every Liveset I play ) or "Towards Orange ".
I don't think that the project transformed into something it just went its natural flow. I just start to make music and whatever comes out I go with.
How does the tracklisting/sequencing of Juno play a part in the journey you've created for listeners?
The Tracklist or the process to find the right order for the Songs wasn't too easy. I did it exactly a year ago in Italy at the lake Como where I endlessly listened to the record and there was no right way to bring it into order.
At some point, you have to decide and it never feels right. I am also not sure if people really do care about the order or if they just listen to one song from the album.
What was it about "Her Entrance" that made it the ideal single for Juno?
It's weird catchiness. I like sounds that haven't been heard much and I guess this weird flute moment created by the Indian artist Latif Khan is stunning and lets you travel.
How was the production process of Juno different from the previous album Paspatou?
Well, it was very different. I wrote Paspatou basically alone with a lot of free time which lets you focus on the writing. I finished Paspatou within three months. With Juno, it was all different. I had a baby on the way and that meant a lot of stress. Tracks took longer and the writing process went over a year. On the other hand, I learned so much after the last album and it felt good to develop my music in a bit of a new direction.
It was great to see Kyson on the album and I'm curious to know what it was like working with him?
Unfortunately, we never met to write the Song together. It was all sending ideas via email. But we will definitely meet in Berlin once he comes down.
In your opinion, what are some of the key elements that produce the best collaboration between artists?
So first of all collaborations are super important to keep you inspired. The biggest key element would be the surprise you achieve by creating something together you could never make up yourself.
For the album, I worked with more than 15 musicians. Some just played drums over some songs, others like Aukai really gave some songs a completely new direction. It's also really important for me that the people I work with are fast in sending back ideas back and forth, otherwise, it takes too long to finish a project.
Bad recommendations/advice which you commonly hear when it comes to music production?
Watching a lot of youtube tutorials before making music. I guess there are some good ones out there but they get super detailed nowadays and to be honest, you can't remember all of them. The best way to make music is to make music and learn from what you have done. For example, since the first song was released I mix all my tracks myself. Album one which is called Majouré is terribly mixed and it's just amazing how much better I got every project. There is still so much to learn.
Okay so, 1) an artist/band you’d love to have a D.M.C (deep meaningful conversation) with 2) An artist you think would be rad to party with 3) An artist you would love to spend a week within the studio. You’re welcome to select from artists who are dead/retired
1. Werner Herzog. First of all, I think I will look like him when I am old and second I just love his work.
2. I guess some super famous EDM Dj who could just pay for the night and I would just leave in the morning...and never see him/her again.
3. Nicola Cruz maybe as it would be super interesting to record percussions and all kinds of instruments in his style.
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