Portuguese electro-rockers, MAQUINA talk creating new beats, new album, ‘PRATA’ and more!
S] How are you guys?
We are doing pretty well. We took this month to spend as much time as we have in the studio, jamming and cooking up new grooves.
S] Talk us through the development of ‘denial’ as a track?
Well, ‘denial’ was one of the first songs that came up right after completing ‘Dirty Tracks for Clubbing,’ so we approached it differently in terms of pace, progression, and breaks. We sort of attempted to do everything differently from what we had done up to that point. Once the groove was established, we had this feeling that the song had a very ‘thriller/suspense’ vibe, so we wrote the lyrics to solidify the entire concept. In the end, it was darker and more industrial than the previous songs we had written.
S] How does this new material push you in new ways as a band?
We are still exploring our sound; it feels like there’s so much to discover and experiment with. The entire experience of creating the album was filled with ‘surprise’ moments, where we found the right groove for the right moment and tried to think outside the box. We experimented with transitioning from one section to another without traditional bridges, to see how it worked. We enjoy listening to lots of bands and electronic music (even though we don’t use electronics at all) to feel and understand different grooves and passages. This exploration has certainly pushed us towards a darker yet danceable sound.
S] How do you look back at the creative development of ‘Dirty Tracks for Clubbing’ now?
It was a very different experience when we started ‘jamming’ for our first LP. Initially, we never thought of becoming a band or receiving so many opportunities from it. Everything felt quite relaxed; there was no rush against the clock. We wrote and jammed the songs purely for enjoyment, with no compromises. Looking back, it was a fun and pressure-free process. It’s something we always strive for when it comes to writing songs.
S] How do you define success as a band?
Some people might say, ‘When we play at Coachella,’ hahahahahaha.
How do we define success as a band? I think it’s when you can do what you love most and still sustain yourself financially, pay the bills, have food on the table, and, most importantly, be happy! That’s a significant success.
S] What motivates you outside of music – think specific movies, people and places, for example?
Friends, family, nature, sun and our beautiful cat.
S] What is the message you have for your supporters in Portugal, and beyond?
We’ll write in Portuguese, can it be? hehehe
Obrigado a todes por todo o suporte que tem nos dado, estamos muito felizes com tudo que nos tem acontecido, não estaríamos cá se não fosse por todo o pessoal que fez essa MAQUINA funcionar melhor do que alguma vez pensamos. Um beijo grande a Pointlist Music e ao João Modas que acreditou em nós desde o começo. xox
Translated:
Thank you all for all the support you have given us, we are very happy with everything that has happened to us, we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for all the staff who made this MACHINE work better than we ever thought. A big kiss to Pointlist Music and João Modas who believed in us from the beginning.
Thanks everyone for listening to us, supporting us and most important, DANCING WITH US!
See ya on the dancefloor!
