Words-Art Jefferson
Photography-Jordi Castells
Barcelona may boast warm weather, a champion Spanish football club and a non-stop party atmosphere, however, the city is also home to one of the bands who are responsible for creating some of the sexiest 4×4 driven based music in the country. Lasers have been pumping out some of the most sophisticated house and disco with sheer class.
Consisting of friends Iván Lorenzo, Charlie Newton and Alex Ferré, the band originally played various styles of guitar oriented genres before delving into experimental electronica. Their five track, 2011 self-titled release incorporated bits of ambient with indie. In 2012 Lasers dropped their debut full length album “Juno” exemplifying the use of dreamy synth-pop rhythms, melodic downtempo and atmospheric house.
In 2013, Lasers unveiled their second album “Exchange Levels”, shifting the sounds to more of an upbeat tempo without losing the elegance of their past records. The LP could be described as the best parts of cosmic disco and Chicago style house, chopped with pure Spanish chic. The record received raving reviews from multiple magazines around the globe, highlighting the consistency of production throughout the album.
Already working on more projects, Lasers have not only helped to bring back the passion into the music but did so from a space of fun and most importantly, the love of the art form.
AJ-When did you all start the band and what brought you together?
Iván Lorenzo-We started the band about four years ago. Charlie and Alex were playing together in another band and one day they decided to start a new project, but they needed a bass player. Alex and I have been friends since we were 5 years old, so they asked me to join them and I accepted the offer. That’s all. We started playing different styles, like shoegaze with a lot of distorted guitars. But electronic sounds were gently introduced in our music, making guitars and distortion disappear.
AJ-Your new album “Exchange Levels” is a collage of music which includes classic house and disco. There is a hint of the Italo sound in there as well. Overall there is a really sexy atmosphere with the record. What were the aims when recording the new work?
Iván Lorenzo-We didn’t have a clear idea of the sound for the new record. We just wanted to simplify things and have fun. We just started to eradicate layers of atmospheres and weird sounds to the music that we were making in that moment. We found it very interesting, so we decided to follow that way. Furthermore, the records that we were listening to had that clear sound. We use to listen to a lot of disco and house music so I think that they came out naturally when we were recording the album.
AJ-I know that there has been a love of the funk and disco sound in Barcelona for many years, even with the re-emergence of nu disco. What would you attribute to the vast love of this particular style of music in the city?
Iván Lorenzo-I don’t know. The Mediterranean climate is one of the factors that contribute, I suppose.
AJ-Many of the songs on the album are instrumental based, which I personally like, but you do have a singer on the track “Weightless” which sounds great as well. Do you plan on recording with more vocalists in the near future?
Iván Lorenzo-That’s an idea that we had in mind a long time ago. We have always dreamed of making a song with Roisin Murphy, for example. When we were recording “Weightless”, we noticed that the song needed a voice, and we thought of Merche directly. She is a good friend and has a great voice. The result was awesome and we will repeat it in the near future for sure.
AJ-While you all are actual musicians, when producing tracks, what is the ratio of analog vs. digital gear? Do you use one more than the other?
Iván Lorenzo-I don’t know exactly, but maybe 80% analog. We love the sound that analog synths can make. For example, a big part of the album was made with a Roland Juno 106 – we love it. Almost all of the drums and percussion were real. Real drums, shakers, bongos and a lot of stuff were played and recorded here at the studio. And of course, we used our Space Echo a lot. Analog gear wins!
Even so, we used Pro Tools and digital plugins for mixing the album – it’s so comfortable…but all the mix down was made through our Soundcraft Series 1600 analog desk.
AJ-I think that people are once again excited to see actual bands perform whereas for the past number of years, it’s been a DJs market. Talk about the importance of performing.
Iván Lorenzo-Yes, that’s true, and we are very happy with that. The live show is almost the most important part. These days there are a lot of people making very good music in their home studios, bedrooms, etc…but only a few can make good performances with their music. That makes a difference. A live show allows you to connect directly with the audience and you can see it in their faces if you are doing it or not. That’s cool! We love to play live and we always try to do the best, although sometimes we don’t get it… 🙂
AJ-Finally, what can people expect to see when they come to a Lasers’ live show?
Iván Lorenzo-A lot of fun! Synths and drums are played live, with a little part sequenced (and less everyday). In our past shows, we have played almost all of the songs from the new album with a couple of old tracks and some surprises…we love to do that!
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