In the midst of a fairly bustling über cool career from the time this Spaniard slapped us with Progressive House that had a geometric mathematical shape; there’s been no real stopping for the musician who doesn’t seemingly care for his name to be strung in bright lights. Here’s an unassuming music maker who just makes you sit up and take notice of that wily musical brain.
For instance one of my favorites from the Granha stables – “Third Skin” shows vigor and stadium sized openness and one of the finest sounds during the time it released, creating an alluring revolution, of label owners and clubbers making a beeline for David’s Techy yet Progressive masculine magic, for want to describe it. From releasing on Noir Music, Sincopat, Einmusika to microCastle and more, he has balanced and managed to bridge the gap between the two opposing styles with great gentility and believability. I could not pass up the chance to go personally meet the great fellow at a gig in India, and just bulldozed him in to this feature on behalf of FRISKY News and also a guest mix for Provocateur, only because I happen to be a great fan of his, and there’s so much we don’t really know of the Galicia resident.
Take over David Granha…
Hi David, thanks for taking time out to chat with me for FRISKY News. First things first, what’s been cooking, how’s 2018 been overall musically, did anything different or close to your heart this year?
It’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to talk to you. 2018 has been a different year to me, a lot of things happened in my personal life, even though I would say that in musical terms it is my strongest in many aspects. I am happy with the achievements, especially with my recent tour of India and Noir music releases.
Is it safe to say that you have evolved and changed your sounds over the last couple years in to more edgy, techy strains as compared to being Progressive and melodic which was pretty evident in your earlier work?
Totally safe to say, I was a bit bored of the typical Progressive sounds, so yes it is safe to say I have been working around changing it up. It was time to say enough and then to start playing Techno in my sets, and it seemed to merge in well and I felt very comfortable doing so. But I do understand a lot of my older followers didn’t really understand or take to the change, it can’t have been easy for them. But I had to be comfortable about myself.
Has the change been organic, or is it to do perhaps working with different labels that have a certain sound that you had to fashion your music to?
I think everything affects me. The moment you play music for all the various, diverse labels you like, it’s a fact that you like their sound. So sooner or later is easy to get influenced by them.
Can you tell us about your earlier years as an aspiring music maker, were you always interested getting in to dance music?
My father used to play me music when I was kid, artists such as Mike Oldfield, Jean Michel Jarre, and Dire Straits to name some. I actually got pretty interested in playing the Guitar, but I also was pushed to play Football than play a musical instrument. It took me long to buy my first Roland MC-303, I was by then 16 and had spent all summer working as a bartender.
What were you listening to while growing up, any early influences you’d like to mention?
I grew up listening to artists such as Sepultura, Rage Against The Machine, Pantera, Fear Factory, The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Apollo 440. Thereafter my tastes started to veer to performers Laurent Garnier, Oscar Mulero, Jeff Mills and the Surgeon by the time I was already in high school.
Is the scene in your home town conducive to growing as an artist, happy with the clubs there and music direction in general?
I live in a small town in the North West of Spain and it’s quite the opposite actually. In Galicia there is no real or proper scene. All I have achieved is through hard work. I never had a god father to give me opportunities. I never had any residencies or chances to DJ at big parties, nor any exposure to audiences through any club. Plus it becomes even more important to be related to people of the scene to get success and moreover from a small town when there’s no one really, is even more difficult. I was lucky enough to meet Animal Picnic and Aaryon and the rest is history.
Are you a DJ or producer first?
I am a producer first. I am most comfortable in the process of making tracks. I do love DJing, especially when I drop my own tracks. Not to forget all the great producers out there whose music I love as well. I have a combination love for both spheres, but yes I do tend to be in love with producing more than the other.
It’s the time I forget reality and step in to another realm.
What can you tell us about your own imprint Aegyptia, how’s that coming along?
Aegyptia is a dream I have for many years now. It’s good to put your own flavor and taste in a label, where you can select the artists you like and to release your own music without the rejection of an A&R. It is a pain in the ass to deal with producers, egos etc, having said that it’s simmering at the moment. Let’s see what goes on in the next couple of years.
From your release on Baroque Digital Huelga on to being part of a compilation with Aphantasia released through Katermukke, even Eucharist on Hydrozoa, are these sounds a definitive new you?
I am very disappointed with Baroque Digital. The label used an EP which released originally almost 10 years ago on another imprint Future Lovers as their own, by changing the title and without asking for permission and not sending me a new contract. What kind of a label does that?
The EP on Katermukke is the transition to my new self. Eucharist is my new one; I am very comfortable with this kind of Techno. My future releases will reflect similar sounds and or even harder stuff.
How’s your rapport with Noir Music coming along, you have quite a few releases with the label, happy with the association?
I’m very happy with the association, working with Rene (Noir) is fast and the repercussions of the EPs have been huge. I am massively comfortable with the sound of the label, it’s true to mine and it’s always great to have a label that listens to your music as a producer and not as a number. I am already in talks for a new collaboration with Noir. I hope I can show you something new soon. But things should unfold in 2019.
What machines are you using to make your productions currently?
I am not using any hardware currently. I have a Dominion 1 which sounds very raw, it’s not mine, it belongs to my friend Diego Iglesias. I stole it from the studio months ago.
Is there a favorite piece of studio gear, any one that you cannot do without?
There are a lot of plugins I love to work with, especially with Psp Vintage Warmer and Psp Xenon. I am probably old fashioned but I know them very well.
How do you tackle doing remix work, is the process of creating someone else’s work with your own impressions similar as when you sit to do your own original work, by that I mean do you apply the same methods?
Well in a remix, half the job is already done. I try to find the perfect hook and then work over it. Whereas when I work on an original track the process maybe similar but I normally begin with the kick, sub and low frequencies. Of course it can change, but pretty much that, most times.
When not busy with gigs and production work, any hobbies or other pursuits?
I love to go to the forest and collect Mushrooms during autumn and winter time. I am a big fan of the “umami” taste. I love taking photos, I read and then of course spending time with family, friends and my girl-friend. One of my other favorite things to do is get a blanket over me and watch movies.
Where can we find you during New Years?
Having dinner with my family and fun with friends is the most important thing of my life.
Any projects or gigs you are looking forward to, in 2019?
I am waiting for my release on Octopus Recordings, think it will be the hardest of my career. Some more releases that I cannot talk about yet.
Lastly, wishing you a very Happy New Year on behalf of all of us at FRISKY news team, also you have very graciously provided a guest mix for my show Provocateur this month; can you share your thoughts on the flavor, vibe or tonality of the mix?
Thank you for having me on the show and a very Happy New Year to all the listeners as well. I think the mix is Progressive; it begins with melodic stuff going in to more hard and raw tracks. I believe this is the kind of style I am playing nowadays. It’s hard to tell a story in one hour, but it’s a piece of me currently.
Listen to David Granha’s guest mix on January 10th @ 12PM EST [convert timezone] or listen anytime / anywhere after with a FRISKY Premium Subscription & FRISKY Mobile Apps.
