Hi Jordi, thanx for doing this interview. How are you doing?
Jordi: Fine. I would like to thank you for your interest and support. I used to read your e-zine for some time ago now. I really think you do a great job.
First of all, can you explain the unusual name DE_TOT_COR? What does it mean and why is the right name for your project?
Jordi: Not unusual in our country, as "de tot cor" is a Catalan expression that means "with all my heart", "in all sincerity"... and it's used quite often :-) And I thought it was cool because of its sonority, you can read it as it's written and it sounds quite "English", which seems to be the international language.
I was doing some background research for this info and found out you are originally a bassplayer that played in rock bands, what was the turning point for you to totally switch music?
Jordi: I played bassguitar in some local rock bands some time ago. I was not writing songs there, just playing bass-lines in rehersals and on stage. Anyway, the music I was listening to continuously changed (and still does). It was not a premeditated decision. Something brought me in front of a computer to start writing electronic music. That is the music I love now, the one I like to play with. It's not switching, it's evolution.
As a bassplayer does the music you create for DE_TOT_COR benefit from this, after all you are experienced in creating basslines?
Jordi: I don't think so, as the music was quite different and so were the bass-lines. I think bass is more important in electronic music. I really love to include a lot of basses in the tracks. Experimenting and experimenting. In rock bass-lines I had not this freedom. It was just a rythmic section with the drums. The melody was fixed by the guitar-chords and the writer of the songs. Definetely different processes.
Your first start in electronic music was the creation of some cover versions, what kind of songs do you cover? You are much more experienced now, what song is a dream for you to do a coverversion of?
Jordi: I tried to do covers from bands like Lacuna Coil, Him or Rammstein. Those were instrumental tracks with some home-made vocal samples. Rough tracks to play with the software anyway. These days I tried to build a new version of that Rammstein song, but soon got some work to do and I won't be able to finish it for now. Not a dream, but it would be great I could do a Blind Guardian song (from the old albums). A dream would be a VNV Nation remix! :-) I'm addicted to all their discography.
We know you are a big fan of Aesthetic Perfection who did a few covers (Katy Perry and Lady Gaga) can they be compared to the cover versions you made?
Jordi: Yes, I'm a big fan of Aesthetic Perfection and Necessary Response! But I can't compare what I did in my beginnings with that Mr. Graves does. I think he did something like a remix, more than a cover. What I used to do with that metal tracks can be compared with Laibach's "The final countdown" cover. But at the end of it all, as I wrote before, that was just a way of learning and experimenting with the software.
It’s always hard to label music so lets give this another twist, what are the ingredients of a DE_TOT_COR song, what makes it typical DE_TOT_COR?
Jordi: DE_TOT_COR is melody, bass and heavy beats!
I think there are two types of musicians, creators and performers, since you don’t want to bring DE_TOT_COR to a stage, can we say you are a creator, how would you describe yourself as a musician?
Jordi: Sure I'm not a performer. I try to have fun in my free time doing some electronic songs. I love to experiment with the notes in the stave, with all that software and the effects. I love the 4/4 beat with smart/distorted kicks and soft snares. All these elements build my music. I guess I'm more like a songwriter :-)
Your main reason for not doing live shows is that you think a band has to add something live to the music,. Many bands have live members for shows, have you ever thought of having a live line-up for DE_TOT _COR or are live shows really a closed book? What can make it interesting for you to switch your opinion in this?
Jordi: Live shows are not a closed-book. Maybe if the DE_TOT_COR audience requests me to play live often, I'll change my mind :-) Then, as you say, I'll have to search for a live line-up and a regular singer. And adapt all songs to be played live. So at the moment, the disco is a great place for the DE_TOT_COR songs. If you are a DJ reading this, remember to have some DE_TOT_COR tracks in your bag! :-) Apart from this, and connecting with the previous question, I prefer being a songwriter than a performer. And I prefer to be down the stage than on stage. I enjoy going to see my favourite artists playing live. However you never know what will happen in the future.
The other bandmember of DE_TOT_COR is Meritxell, how do you meet and how are things divided within DE_TOT_COR?
Jordi: I write and play all the music, and Meritxell supports with conceptual collaboration, which includes a long list of things like art, first-sound judgement and many other countless aspects. That means she is not into the process of creating music. But she's important for the DE_TOT_COR concept and for the songs. I guess it's not very clear, but you can get an idea :-)
You create all music on your own, why is the perfect way for you to work on music. How do you manager to keep an objective look on your songs?
Jordi: When I think a song is finished, the "objective" part in the DE_TOT_COR songs is Meritxell's first-sound judgement. Usually I feel a song (or part of a song) is a keeper when it brings a smile on my face. You see, not really objective. If it leaves me blank, I need to improve it somehow, or throw it away. That's why I say DE_TOT_COR songs are dark but with a smile. I don't want to lose this fun side in the songs. And I create music on my own, because I know what I want to do, and with all that virtual instruments I don't need more musicians to feel like a orchestra is playing in my studio.
I read you always add samples at the end of a song, isn’t it hard to find a perfect sample that match a song? Where do you find your samples? Does it sometime work the other way around, you hear a great sample that makes you think, I need to create a song around this one?
Jordi: I can imagine what Japanese people will think when they hear some samples I use, since some of them are cut without sense, just because they sound nice :-) Think of "bitsenu" in "Strawberry Panic". Most of the samples I use come from anime films. I watch them in Japanse with English subtitles. Sometimes I like the voice of a character, the melody in his/her voice. I try to record it and I keep it in my hard-drive. Later I try to include it on a song (cut, edit and effect). If it fits, great. If not, back in hard-drive again. Sometimes Meritxell records some samples with words I want to use in a song. But I'm not a fan of creating songs because of a great sample. Samples have to somehow fit with the music I wrote.
Why does a Spanish band uses sometimes German lyrics?
Jordi: Because I love how it sounds and how German language builds words and sentences. But basically because the singer on "Der Letzte Tango" song is German, and he felt better singing in his mother tongue. In the new album, there will be English lyrics and some more German and Japanese vocal-samples. Maybe we'll use Catalan in some samples in the future, since it is our mother tongue. Language is not important here, but its combination with the music. Remember the smile on your face.
There are coming more and more new young bands from Spain like you, Terrolokaust, T3rror 3rror which all have a pretty harsh sound, is there beginning to grow a small Spanish scene in dark electronic dance music?
Jordi: To be honest, I didn't know about T3rror 3rror. I checked them on the web when you mentioned them here. Pretty rave music. Terrolokaust are great! Anyway, I don't think there is a "new" Spanish scene, but there are bands that have been running for years (think of Culture Kultür for example). Maybe there are many of them now, since it's easier to make music with new technologies. But for sure there are really great "new" bands here! Larva joined some of them in their new EP. Great decision, great work. Be sure to check it out (it contains a DE_TOT_COR remix!).
You have been featured on some of the leading compilations like Extreme Sündenfall and Endzeit Bunkertracks? What does this do for a band like DE_TOT_COR? Is it important in terms of exposure?
Jordi: The inclusion of "Strawberry Panic" in these compilations was highly important. This gives some potential audience all around the world. Nobody knows about you, and suddenly your song is played everywhere. I won't get tired of thanking them for that. They continued showing support with the new track "Mädchenliebe". This provides new listeners for DE_TOT_COR. I received some messages saying they love the track on these compilations. They mix some popular names with newcomers. They definetely do a great job!
You are signed to Vendetta Music, a great quality label, how did you got signed to them?
Jordi: Dave was interested in DE_TOT_COR, he contacted me and we signed the contract. I think Vendetta is doing a lot of work in these difficult days for all labels. They release physical and digital, varied styles of music in their band-roster, close relationship with the bands... Be sure to check the Vendetta website (www.vendetta-music.com) and support buying your favourite albums!
Your first release on Vendetta Music is the “Dead Heart”ep, how are the comments on it so far?
Jordi: It's difficult to do promotion for a small music project like DE_TOT_COR. However, some electronic magazines wrote very good reviews about "Dead Heart" EP. The album was released on November'09 digitally and it's still in pre-order in the Vendetta website for the physical release. Anyway, the comments have been very nice up-to-date. I guess it still needs some more time.
Was it hard to pick the right songs for this ep, after all you want to leave a great first impression?
Jordi: This was a decision between me and the label. But in the end I think the "Dead Heart" EP has the best songs I had for that time (these songs were finished around 2007-2008). There are six original tracks and five remixes. These 11 tracks cover a great variety of styles of dark music, from harsh-electronics to a glitch remix. I think the EP leaves a totally great first impression, taking into account it is my first release. Powerful songs like "This is not heavy metal", "I love you" or "Strawberry Panic" won't let you static for sure. And all the remixes (Soman, Engelmacher, Revolution State, Zuh and Statik Sky) show another side of the tracks. They're all perfect!
How do you look back on the recording of this ep yourself, was it a useful learning process for you, will you do some things differently next time?
Jordi: Of course. As you write, this was a learning process and I'm still learning. Every song I finish is like a new step. I don't know if these stairs have an end, if there is going to be a big plain-floor somewhere. I try to reach a step higher in every song. The DE_TOT_COR sound will continue evolving for sure. The last two remixes I did sound completely different from the songs of "Dead Heart" EP.
The songs on the ep are mainly instrumental, sometimes I miss vocals on it, have you ever thought of adding more vocals? The one track that has vocals is “Der Letzte Tango” in which Andreas of Akasha Chronic, handles them, will the vocals be handled by guest singers all the time?
Jordi: In the beginning I tried to search for a singer for this project, cause I felt some tracks needed vocals. Then I concentrated on the instrumental tracks I had. For these first songs, I only get the collaboration of Andreas. In the new album, there will be new guest singers. So, yes, the vocals will be this way for the moment. I don't want to write songs with the classic structure of verse-chorus-verse-chorus with the singer. I like to mix all the parts of the songs. Mix the sequences, join the melodies, add new elements... Almost all the songs I write don't ask me for a singer (I also try to make they don't have to ask). On the other hand, I agree that an album must have two-three songs with a singer. This provides variety. But at the moment we'll continue the collaboration with guest-singers. Hey, if you are a singer reading this and want to be on board, you are welcome and you can send me a message :-)
You are already busy preparing your first full length album, how are for you with it, what progress can people hear on this album?
Jordi: The new album is almost finished. I got about 15 demos finished and I'm uploading some of them on the DE_TOT_COR myspace player (http://myspace.com/detotcor). I've got great feedback from these new songs. The new record will have heavier beats, more powerfull sequences and lots and lots of melodies. If "Dead Heart" EP is "100% club-friendly" the first DE_TOT_COR LP will be 200% :-) But it will also have some quiet tracks, and one acoustic guitar! It will include a varied range of music styles: from dance, techno, hardstyle or harsh-electro. I hope it can be released soon.
We know on the album Fredrik Croona (Menschdefekt, Project Rotten) and Zynthexia did vocals, can we expect more guestsingers?
Jordi: I think both Fredrik and DJ Zynthexia did a great job with the new songs ("World made of Lies" and "The Battle"). I would love to have one singer in one specific track, but it wasn't possible... Maybe in the future we can make it real. There will be no more guest-singers this time, but as I said before, everyone is welcome. So get in touch!
Any last words for the readers?
Jordi: I hope they have read all these words, this was a long and nice interview! So if you have never heard of DE_TOT_COR, you are welcome to check our website (http://musicadetotcor.blogspot.com) and read/write about DE_TOT_COR and listen to our tracks. If you already heard about DE_TOT_COR, thank you for your support. You know I like to get in touch with everyone. I try to answer all messages in the internet. Let me know what you think. And finally I would like to thank again Ed and the Cyber Angels website for doing this interview! I'll write your name in the next "thanks-list" for the new album ;-)
www.myspace.com/detotcor