Born in Venezuela and now based in Barcelona, Luis Garban is known under his alias Cardopusher and Safety Trance. He is one of the most interesting and genre-bending music innovators and has spent more than a decade creating forward-thinking dancefloor assaults.
He emerged in the world of fast-paced electronics in the early 2000s, inspired by IDM, jungle, and hardcore. Starting out in the breakcore and rave scene, Luis shifted a little bit more from the Cardopusher to the Safety Trance project and has been creating some of the most vital (not just) reggaeton-experimental-club songs of today. Safety Trance is more focused on collaboration with other artists, vocalists, rappers, and singers. As he will be performing a closing DJ set on Unsound Festival Krakow with Manuka Honey, we talked about his relationship with Venezuela, the early days of producing with Arca in Caracas, music inspiration, Latin American club producers finally getting some credit, and more.
[UPDATE] UNSOUND DJ SET RECORDING AVAILABLE:
I caught Luis via ZOOM call a couple of days after his show in Mexico City, where Kebra invited him for the Desculonización rave with an incredible line-up of local underground talents. One of the performers was DJ WEED, whose EP “LA MÁQUINA” was our first official project on Swine Records. Luis also acknowledged her set „It was really cool, really distorted, like something from hell, I love it.“
These weeks, he has been busy with touring, and with releasing singles as well. I was curious about his recent projects.
„I have been working on a couple of singles, for La Goony Chonga (which is out now). Next month, I have a single with MJ Nebreda, and the most important thing is that I am working on my debut album as a Safety Trance. Currently, I’m working on it full-time. I plan the full thing next year, first stuff in November, let’s see. I don’t want to say who is on the project, but yes, it’s full of collaborators. That’s what I want to do on Safety Trance. Not only instrumentals, but more focused on making songs, with singers, and vocalists. Up to now, it’s going really well, I’m excited about it.“
I had to ask about Luis and Lord Spikeheart’s recent collaboration on his album The Adept.
„He wrote me that he really likes my music. I was very interested because I knew about his work at DUMA, so I was really excited. Also, he had a cool song with Brodinski, who is a great friend of mine. So we did one song, and he was like let’s make another one. It’s really interesting, really challenging, edgy stuff – full of improvisation. This is the type of project I want to be involved in.”
So this kind of more experimental, noise music…
“Yeah, I like the pop side of things. I appreciate all these catchy pop songs with Arca. But at the same time, I don’t want to be pigeonholed doing only that. I want to show my other side, that’s important too, and to mix all those sides.”
You are quite often in the clubs, dealing with loud music. How do you keep relaxed?
“Well let’s say when I’m at home I listen to jazz, maybe for the 50s or 70s Latin, some stuff that gives me some peace, otherwise I can’t, I spend too much time in the noise (laughing).”
Are your ears still okay?
“Well, yeah, I used to wear earplugs. The last pair I lost, so I haven’t been using it since then. I should definitely get a couple of new ones. Especially this year and the last one, I’ve been playing a lot.”
Foto: P3pinot @p3pinot
I wanted to ask about different musical formats. Are you interested in some different forms like producing soundtracks, creating sound installations…
„Sound installations are really good I would like to be involved in that. Also in fashion stuff, you know maybe music for high fashion. But for the moment, that’s it, now I really want to focus on the production side.“
For the Unsound Festival Krakow, you are playing with London-based producer, DJ Manuka Honey, did you have some time to collaborate before?
„Yeah, she invited me to her party in London, so I know her style and she knows my style as well. So now, we are deciding a little bit about how we will set the mood for the set. But it will be dark, hard, baile. And very dancy at the same time. That’s what we wanna do. I have never been to Unsound before. I just played at the Unsound Party in London, but it wasn’t a proper Unsound Festival, so I’m excited.“
Are you watching news from Venezuela, are you still in touch with your home country?
„Yeah for the recent years, I’ve been a little disconnected from Venezuela. Because of the Arca’s Boiler Room, this was the first time in 14 years, that I’ve traveled there. It’s a complicated situation you know – we are facing really serious political, economic, and social problems. The elections… now getting even harder. So, everything is uncertain right now. Obviously, we all are checking what’s going on, we have families there. So it is sad to see what is happening. It’s frustrating really. When I was there for Arca’s Boiler Room, I think the people were feeling a little bit of hope, maybe this is the beginning of a new start. But after the elections, nobody is in the mood right now, it’s getting difficult. I wish just the best for my country, but I’m not sure if I will be still alive when this happens.“
…it’s very hard. Also in Argentina, a lot of my friends are telling me it’s getting even more difficult with Javier Milei as the new president… it’s hard to spent money for parties… But there is a lot going on, they still organize parties, a lot of the bars, which are affordable, basements, flats, and more alternative places.
„Yeah the problem we are facing, let’s say with the artists and creative people. When you get a chance to leave your country, to pursue your dream, your career – you do it. So everybody is leaving when they can. So it’s hard to have a strong scene when people from all over the country are leaving.“
Also, CRRDR had to leave Colombia for Berlin, where he’s starting to organize parties, and playing more, we can see this with artists from all over the world…
„Yes, I think Latin America is definitely one of the most difficult places. Even though Latin music has become more and more popular over the years, it’s still hard. Imagine 20, 25 years ago, electronic music producers were totally underground. It was even harder. So it’s shit, you gotta move to the countries… to Europe, to North America, because there is bigger infrastructure.“
How do you feel about the current rise in Latin American club music, do you feel it is a new energy on the club scenes?
„Yeah definitely, I think we are getting there. We are getting the recognition we should have since a long time ago. The world is realizing – oh these artists are making something now. But we have been doing it for a long time. You know the world has been watching Europe, London, Paris, Berlin, United States as a source of inspiration, but not Latin America… DJ BABA [also from Venezuela] was making this music [raptor house] more than 20 years ago. People are starting to catch up just now. Same with me. I’ve been doing this sound for a long time, and people are like: “Ahh yeah, we get it now”.
Exactly. A lot of people here are for many years now looking for the Berlin sound… Where now you can research very easily whatever genre and style of music from literally anywhere in the world. I don’t get it – how some curators can be fixated on just one sound… When you can have all the different genres playing. For example, we linked up with the Labortatorio Tropical crew, they are making incredible parties in Warsaw, Poland, also DJing great underground music from Latin America, and I was asking the guy from there [Krzysztof aka Fourth World Music], how you know all this? He responded: “Just from SoundCloud, just hours and hours of researching new music.”
About living in Barcelona:
„I mean Barcelona has its ups and downs. I think when I arrived, it was in a little bit of a low position. Maybe people were leaving from there. Everybody was moving to Berlin (the techno boom was happening) But after the pandemic, it changed drastically. Old promoters got kicked out from their position, now you have new faces, new collectives, and fresh parties. They are certainly bringing something new to the table, you know. Even if it’s Razzmatazz, Nica… there is like a nice community of Latin musicians (or people supporting these artists) right now.“
About workflow:
„I normally work at home. I have my little room and studio at home. And I spend most of my week here. When I’m not traveling around. I really like to work a lot, swapping files back and forth. For me, it’s really easy. Because I need some time to sit down alone. I’m not used to writing music with someone next to me, I don’t feel it naturally. Maybe sometimes, when I’ve got a really strong idea, I would rent a studio nearby other than that, I keep it very simple.“
Are you checking all the time new music, that coming up, music from your friends, etc? Or you’re trying not to be influenced by other music for example?
„Well, I really like to listen to new music. I like to keep an eye on what’s going on. Because I have to DJ every weekend, it’s important to have fresh music every time. But sometimes, when I’m discovering new stuff, some music just breaks my mind, and I love that! When I’m listening to something that’s really good, It makes me go and write some new music. So it’s important to be inspired, of course.“
It’s refreshing, it can boost your drive…
„Exactly. It can be a good concert also. Like, the other day I went to Chuquimamani-Condori (fka Elysia Crampton).“
they are amazing!
„Yeah, it blew my mind. When I got home I was like wow, I was in the mood to create some new sh*t right now, you know.“
Do you enjoy also some other art forms other than music particularly? Films, exhibitions…
„Well yeah, when I travel I try to check galleries, and exhibitions everywhere. Recently I worked with Candela Capitán, she is a choreographer, so we did a kind of performance in the biggest museum here. Last year I did a presentation in church with MACBA (Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona), which is also one of the biggest museums here. I’m also inspired by books, films, art installations, and just everything.“
It would be cool to see a film with your music as a soundtrack
„Yeah, that could be amazing (laughs). Focusing just on this one big project could be interesting.“
And then to really enjoy the quality sound in the cinema.
„Maybe the next year, I don’t know. That is something that would be interesting for sure.“
And with the release of your debut studio album, you have to throw a big launch party, no?
„I would like to. For the moment, I’m sticking to finishing the music and finishing the artwork. So once, I would get that done, I will do a planning of this for sure. Hopefully, we can have a launch party, yes.“
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Questions: Krištof Budke / Cover Foto: p3pinot / You can follow Safety Trance on Instagram / Bandcamp
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