Lex Luca and Junior Sanchez have more in common than you might think. Despite being from different parts of the world (Lex is a UK based house music hotshot, Junior lives and breathes in New York City), their passion for music and the culture shines through in everything they do. So when we asked Lex to come up with a series of questions, it was no surprise that the responses were as smart, blunt and raw as you’d expect from the man who’s worked with everyone from Stuart Price and Blondie to Roger Sanchez. Of course, both producers have worked with Roger… and now they’re working together on Brobot, Junior’s own imprint. Listen and learn.
Lex Luca: Hey Junior, what’s up? Where are you at right now… Physically, spiritually and emotionally?
Junior Sanchez: Hey Lex, right now I’m boarding a plane to Los Angeles. One of my best friends past away and his memorial celebration is tomorrow (Monday) and no virus in the world could keep me from attending, so emotionally I’m good, feel a lot better than a few days ago when I found out the news of his passing I was in the studio with Debbie Harry and a friend called me and that shook me to the core.
Lex Luca: I’m sorry about your loss… What’s your take on the current state of house music?
Junior Sanchez: I think there’s such an abundance of it from all angles that we need to weed out the one that truly is exceptional and stand out from the basic blueprint sample pack based music that is currently being produced, but with that said we have a lot of great music coming out also. So there’s a balance I would like to say.
“I love to create with a purpose with
meaning” – Junior Sanchez
Lex Luca: I know you’re a talented producer, what are the key aspects you aspire to in your own music?
Junior Sanchez: I love to create with a purpose with meaning, even if it’s just a track or a sample-based production there has to be substance.
Lex Luca: Who are the producers you look up to in 2020?
Junior Sanchez: There’s are tons of great producers that always deliver a sense of uniqueness: Kink, Demuir, AntLarock, Harry Romero, DJ Sneak, Avision. These ones from the top of my head are always included in my sets.
Lex Luca: Can you speak about your new Kultur project with Demuir?
Junior Sanchez: It’s a brand we developed to express what we feel the culture needs at the moment in our scene a true sense of house music and techno in its purest form created with heart and soul, our parties will showcase all DJs who release music with us, always striving to have no boundaries or bias no cliques. We also work in talks or curated panels in every city we go to speak on the culture and help keep the narrative true and correct so that future generations understand where this comes from and the story of our underground culture doesn’t get erased or changed due to culture vultures per dilution of the truth.
Lex Luca: You’ve recently been working back in the studio with the S-Men… How did that reunion come about?
Junior Sanchez: It was great were working on new singles and an album, we decided to come back together after a long hiatus in Ibiza and since then we’ve been getting all the pieces together, we launched our own label as well so we can release music within our freedom of timeframe and not have to wait on other labels and how they want to A&R, we know what we do, who we are and how we like to present music to the world.
Lex Luca: What was it like working alongside Sneak & Roger back in the day?
Junior Sanchez: It was fun, I was the young buck so to me everything was absolutely amazing, I was working to two of my heroes, and they still are.
Lex Luca: What inspires you outside of the studio?
Junior Sanchez: So many things! Cinema, books, food, my fiancé, my family, kids, all influence my art, also of course other music I hear, if it resonates with me I dive in…
Lex Luca: What’s your studio set up these days? How does that compare to when you first started?
Junior Sanchez: Interestingly enough I’m a gear head but I’ve downsized over the years and got rid of things I truly wasn’t using, I believe having gear now is more of I’ want it more than I need it’, technology is amazing and mathematically we’re making advances on every front, all you need is power processing power a gear set on monitors, a decent mic (even that can be done in the box) a great summing set up and boom you’re golden, remember it’s not the bow it’s the Indian.
Lex Luca: What’s your take on analog versus digital in 2020?
Junior Sanchez: As I mentioned before we’re at a point that the math is right if you want analog it’s because you want it, it’s a pure choose thing now you don’t need it, it’s come to preference.
Lex Luca: How do you handle the changes in technology?
Junior Sanchez: I embrace it with an open mind and open arms.
Lex Luca: What advice would you give to new producers starting out?
Junior Sanchez: Create create create, don’t be afraid to have your own sound print trust your gut and challenge the status quo.
Lex Luca: If you weren’t a DJ / Producer, what would you be doing?
Junior Sanchez: I don’t know, maybe a chef! I know everybody says that but I think I could do it!
Lex Luca’s ‘Tripping Again’ is out now via Brobot Records. Grab your copy here.
Follow Junior Sanchez: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud
Follow Lex Luca: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud
