SERGIO PARRADO, artist and repertoire of the transatlantic YET! RECORDS, is the guest Spanish DJ to perform our new episode VALETRONIC PODCAST 031.

[Spanish Version]

To understand the development of electronic music in Spain, one of the names that may come to your mind is Sergio Parrado. 24 years of experience on his shoulders have made him a classic within the scene.

He started his career in the mythical club “Camarote” (Valladolid) in the late 90’s and this allowed him to enter in the competitive spanish market. In 2000 he opened his own club named “Conga” with tech house beats and had the opportunity to invite great artists. There he would start a labor relationship that led him travel to Chile. Where he would change his whole vision and start working with more organic sounds, like “micro-house”.

SERGIO PARRADO, artista y repertoire del sello transatlántico YET! RECORDS, es el Dj español invitado para celebrar el nuevo episodio VALETRONIC PODCAST 031.

As a DJ he has traveled to many countries, playing in some of the best clubs and festivals around the world. And as a producer we can mention him in labels like Bedrock, Lapsus, Trapez, or Brise, without forgetting his own: Yet! and My Little Dog this last one for more than a decade.

Currently he is writer of DJ MAG SPAIN (“Focus On” and “Around the World”) where he talks about labels, their music and the artists that have been there.

Now, to celebrate VALETRONIC PODCAST 031, veteran SERGIO PARRADO premieres an exclusive mix with an exquisite selection of electronic gems.

From start to end it features a wide variety of electronic cuts that experience broken rhythms, subtle melodies, progressive basses and steadily rising energy. Sergio Parrado takes his time to put together and present us with a session where he boosts the groove power between each cut sequence. Presenting unique scenarios and soundscapes that unfold into a story that can only be told through electronic beats.

Besides the usual weekly episode, for this edition of Valetronic Podcast we also have an INTERVIEW. Composed by several questions that we discussed with Sergio Parrado by mail. Afflicted, as most people, by the isolation that the new normality has generated, we talked about the situation and shared about his label, ideas and sounds.

With the current doubt in the clubbing scene that will be the one that takes more time to return… Sergio Parrado quietly goes into the studio and spends time creating new music and sounds for his label Yet! Records.

An odd question to start the interview, we are certain that, like most of the world’s artists, your performances will have been affected given the circumstances. How are you handling the situation?

With patience, this situation can only be faced in this way. During this time I try to do yoga and meditation several times a week and practice the philosophy of Buddhism to connect with my more spiritual side and all those around us. This helps me to channel things in a different way, learning to manage emotions better. I also don’t see news and I moderate my use of networks quite a bit, this also helps a lot.

From a creative point of view, though we know it is not easy, these dark conditions inspire some artists to create incredible works and very good music. Do you feel inspired today? As far as we know, not all artists find this new normality quite bearable.

I always felt inspired in some way, it doesn’t have to be precisely to create music. As you say, interesting projects were launched and will be released.

For our part, at Yet! we contributed to the Plur Tv channel together with our friends from Uruguay Connect me, right now we are recording a 2nd season. We launched charity platforms to help during these times like Moving the World or Beat Museum where electronic music was the main key. Some of them worked, others not as much as we wanted but we put all our heart into them and whenever the opportunity arises we try to contribute with our bit.

For my part I am retraining artists or people who want to become professional through various courses that I put in place as: Music Business, professional DJ with vinyl or implementation and management of events and electronic music festivals. I am quite restless, it is very difficult for me to be without doing anything, although sometimes it is necessary and I force myself to do it.

After knowing the strong consequences that the COVID-19 has exposed in the electronic music scene at a global level, what do you think about that and by what means do you think artists, promoters and clubbers could contribute or help in some way to keep the scene alive?

There is a lot of talk about this and it is hard to find or propose a solution in the short term, until that solution arrives right now there is a need for more unity and solidarity between us than ever before. The big question we have is how that scene will be played out when we can get back to work under normal conditions. That is why it is necessary to support the national artist and take advantage of this moment to finish laying the foundations of a strong and united scene. Although this gives for another complete interview

Maybe now you are having more free time on your hands to create new ideas for your label and your tracks, having said that, we want to know. What are your plans for the next months? Which releases does Sergio Parrado have lined up for this last quarter of 2020? What will Yet! Records have in store for us in 2021?

I don’t usually have much free time and I’m not much of a music maker. I try to make music that count and somehow leave a mark, no matter how small, so don’t expect too many records!

The only thing I can tell you in advance is that a new EP will be released in early 2021 on Yet! Records titled Too late which I made during the confinement and which carries a remix of a great producer and friend who is Mihai Popoviciu. In process the reference 100 of my other label My Little Dog (only in vinyl), an EP of Sascha Dive with remixes of Oscar Barila & Santiago Deep and another one of mine in collaboration with Julian Millan. Finally I have another EP with my partner Jee Bear that we are defining right now with the label.

As you see the right music for this 2021. As far as Yet! Records I can tell you that there is a lot of music coming. Great names of the scene with new talents and those of the home that never miss. So be on the lookout!

At the same time we are also working on Meet! the festival that the label is holding in Punta Cana and where we hope to be able to carry out the next edition in 2022. And a more boutique event for the end of 2021 called Road to Meet! Festival if they let us.

Electronic music is usually related to the sci-fi world and even to certain dystopian attitudes; but at the same time it is a way that unites people, first of all, to enjoy a pleasant time. What feelings do you like to express through music, positive or also dark depending on the theme? In this way, could you tell us about one of your productions and the story behind it?

I totally agree with what you say. The mood is almost always reflected when you compose music, but also in your daily life. We all have our special themes but if I had to talk to you about one of them it would be the track «El Abuelito» that came out on My Little Dog.

It was the song that somehow put my name on the international circuit, something that I did not expect and it was thanks to the fact that at that time several of the most important artists in the world, put it for more than a year in most of their sets before it went on sale, something that helped me notably.

And it does have a story behind it: it has a trip to Uruguay and an approach to its traditional music which is candombe; but above all it has the emotional charge and it is inspired by my maternal grandfather. who was a father to me and an accident on the road took him away. Its melody is happy and at the same time melancholic, the vocal part is a chorus of children singing to their grandfather who just died and is the most representative within the track, you end up humming it!

It can be seen as a sad story but in reality it’s not like that, when we leave it’s just another state and that’s what the children transmit. It’s emotional, it’s intense and it has a purpose as a tribute.

For all the artists and producers who are planning to start a label, what are the vital elements that they must take into account to create a solid concept? What are the best and worst experiences you have had with Yet! Records?

As main elements are basically four under my criteria: good music, passion for what you are doing, good image and a good marketing strategy to achieve realistic goals in the short term and expand them both in sales and positioning.

It is important to keep in mind that it is very difficult to do this on your own so you will need people by your side who understand how the industry works today. If you don’t have it, get trained and invest in yourself.

And to finish, we have had many experiences, almost all of them positive and we stay with that, from the bad moments we learn and we leave them aside.

Weareyet !

Finally, at Valetronic we invite you to follow and share the Spanish artist’s social media for future EPs and mixes. We also invite you to enjoy last edition of Valetronic Podcast, with a party mix full of Funky grooves by Chilean artist Carlo Porcile.

SERGIO PARRADO: Fb / Ig / Sc

The first 30 episodes of Valetronic Podcast are available in our Podcast category and on our Soundcloud and Mixcloud page. We also invite you to enjoy the review and interview we had with Sergio Bennett about the Groove On EP for Yet! Records.

Audio and photo credits: Sergio parrado dj