Music Review and Interview with Jandre Paris – 1980 Disco
Using the sounds and effects available to build up the introduction to an electronic song of fairly epic proportions, using them cleverly and creatively, is the most powerful way to grab your audiences attention as you open up your track. I like the whole 1980’s theme and feel that this track has, but also I like the speed of it, the beats used and the playful nature of the instrumentation and the production – nothing is predictable or shows itself to be playing it safe. The creativity is the key, the mix and the production shine so brightly, and you can really let this one play out and surround you, loud and powerful; it makes you want to do something far more exciting with your day. I love the sound of bands like M83, and for me this gave a similar feeling of escapism; that elated joy of just letting the music be your moment, letting the music create your mood and drive you in a more entertaining direction.
What’s also great about this one is something I often say about classical music, I suppose it’s the whole nature of instrumental music, the possibilities are endless, and the effect can be phenomenal if executed successfully. There are no lyrics to drive the story, so the music has to fill in all the gaps, the music has to set the scene. This track has so much going on that there is never a moment of dullness or undue repetition. The only thing I might have hoped was that a particular riff or melody stuck in my mind a little longer afterwards, but I think it’s not necessarily an important quality in this kind of sound scape, what stayed in my mind was how the whole track made me feel, and it was a feeling that made me keen to get searching for more music from Jandre Paris.
By Rebecca Cullen
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Jandré París:
I grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the northern part of Philly. Back then, we were living in rough times and it wasn’t until my Dad moved us up toward Northeast Philly that things really took off. That’s where I live now, for the past eighteen years of my life.
Around the time I was twelve, I had an accident that broke both of my legs. In the three months that I was bed-ridden and in a wheelchair, I discovered music through a birthday present: An ocarina. Eventually, my mother bought us a software program called Music Maker 2007 and that’s when I became engrossed in this whole music business.
Fast-forward a whole six years: I hit eighteen (and was able to walk) and the year is 2010; I was attending Penn State in the hopes of becoming a Software Engineer to work on video games. Music was still there, but not my main mode of pursuit – it was more of a hobby at the time.
Toward the end of my first semester, I found out that being a Software Engineer wasn’t what I wanted to do. Which prompted me to pursue music whole-heartedly by transferring to A.I. to study it in-depth and to polish what I had an idea of. Three years later, I received my Bachelor’s and currently I’ve been working on nothing but music.
Well, music and the pursuit of my Master’s Degree.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Jandré París:
Initially, my first stage name was IZK. I was young and I was into the whole Japanese names thing so there I had it. I wanted to transition into a more professional sounding name so, being of Hispanic heritage and having a close family, I sat down with them to discuss my future in music and we thought, “Take the middle name (Andrés), the first letter of your name (J) and your last name (París).”
This is how I got “Jandré París.” It also stemmed from my love for the French culture, and in many of my French classes, I went by “Jean-André.” Merge those together and there you have it!
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Jandré París:
I think sharing music online is a wonderful thing. There are pros and cons to it, but I’m of the belief that sharing music online just increases exposure for plenty of artists. The internet is a huge place and there’s an ever-expanding audience of people who will listen to anything; if they love it, they will pass it on to their friends, their family, anyone they see fit.
I have given away my music for free many times. I’ve never thought about the money behind the music that I make, only about the passion and the soul that I pour into it: in every song, in every beat, in every harmony and melody. Because of that, I just want to share that passion with other people who are just as passionate about music as I am. Even if it’s just a small group of friends or a whole audience willing to listen. Of course, I do want to eventually turn it into a business, but that same passion will remain.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Jandré París:
When I first started, thought I what I made was the bee’s knees and the cat’s meow. I look back on those old tracks and think, “Wow… do these sound absolutely atrocious.” But it helps to get critical feedback and people who identify with what you make to point out your flaws and what you need to make it better to further your growth. No matter how good you think something sounds, a second opinion and a critical ear will always be around to tell you where you can improve.
I suppose if I could say one thing, it would be this:
Work on your sound. Work on it with everything you have: blood, sweat and tears. Nothing is without its sacrifices and if you want this, you have to fight for it, and fight for it hard. Some opportunities aren’t created without first putting yourself out there and building yourself from the ground up. In the words of Journey: Don’t Stop Believin’ and Hold on to that Feelin’.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Jandré París:
Honestly, I gather inspiration just about anywhere. If I’m walking over to a friend’s house, on my way to class, going to the movies with family, the place doesn’t particularly matter. When a song pops up in my mind, that’s my time to rush back home and start working on it.
My usual process starts at the piano. I play the sequence and write down what I hear or hum a recording of it if I’m not near-by it. Once I get to my computer, I write it into FL Studio. From there, I expand upon it with another melodic line or a harmonic line, some chord progressions and finish off with the drums, extra percussive sound effects and a couple of nuances here and there.
If it doesn’t start that way, it starts with a drum-line and goes toward the melody, harmony, etcetera.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Jandré París:
A website is something I do require, but while I’m still sorting out the details, I’ve been using Tumblr, Facebook, Instagram, Soundcloud and most recently Twitter; other times I post on some music forums.
Bit hard to keep track of all of those platforms, but hey, it works out a lot. I even share my music in person and direct them to my social media.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Jandré París:
Given half a million and a year off… I would probably just put it towards my music.
Upgrade my computer, get some proper instruments, interfaces, speakers, headphones and monitors… Those price tags wouldn’t add up to too much. The rest would go to paying off my debts and living frugally in a sizeable and affordable apartment/house. I don’t need much to keep myself comfortable.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Jandré París:
I ask for consultation regularly and I get ideas for what I could do to liven up my music and promote it better. What really works best for me is the internet. The entirety of my life is on the internet and I’m always accessing it. My media is always right there.
If I’m not on the internet, I’m with friends or others and I slip in the occasional shameless plug.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Jandré París:
Well, I’ve been working on a couple new things and expanding my musical palate. This past song, “1980,” was something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time but didn’t have the particular sense for the genre: Nu-Disco. I’ve just been making Drum & Bass for a very long time, so branching out helped to develop my familiarity of it.
Two more tracks will be released. The first one: A Drum & Bass track named “The Other Side,” is right in the middle of development. The second is still in its pre-production phase. Haven’t come up with a name for that one, but it’s going to be another Nu-Disco track.
You can listen to a preview of “The Other Side” here: https://soundcloud.com/jandre_paris/the-other-side-preview.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Jandré París:
If I wasn’t making music… well, to answer your question in a different way:
Music is has become an integral part of life and I think without it, I wouldn’t have the spark of passion I do today. If not that, gaming could be a thing. I do love to game, and pro-gaming has a been a thought for a while, but music is far too important to me to live without.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Jandré París:
It’s sort of hard but not exactly.
The most I’m doing is working on my Masters and taking classes to push that future into the realm of reality. That does take up a lot of my time, but music being a large chunk of the rest of that time is something I’m dedicated to, so I will never leave it by the wayside.
I just keep in mind that this is what I want to do, so whenever I’m on my phone, push it out to social media. Whenever I’m in my room, look up what’s happening in the industry for changes and updates and share it with the world. Anytime that I can make for it.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Jandré París:
Plenty more music and a bit of a change in the direction that I’m taking with it. I want to develop my acuities and I want it to be as appealing as possible. Come along for that journey because I think it would be a great experience for the both of us!
