Hailing from South Korea, Shubostar has learned to gracefully ride the mighty wave of an ever-evolving underground scene. Her fondness for electric sounds and melodies is integrated by an accelerated shower of sonic meteors that shoot at high speed in terrain commanded by her ‘Cosmic Disco’ style, which was cemented in Italo disco with a wide variety of techno elements.
Shubostar has of an ever-evolving underground scene. Her sonic meteors that shoot at high speed in terrain commanded by her ‘Cosmic Disco’ style, which was cemented in Italo disco with a wide variety of techno elements. Dark, heavy bass and retro drums bring out the stellar contemporary sounds of electronic music. In September 2018, Shubostar took the bull by the horns by launching UJU Records in collaboration with artist Daryung Kim,’ a platform designed to release her own singles and artists she admires.
Dark, heavy bass and retro drums bring out the stellar contemporary sounds of electronic music. In September 2018, Shubostar took the bull by the horns by launching ‘UJU’ Records in collaboration with artist Daryung Kim, a platform designed to release her own singles and artists she admires.
In the middle of last year, Shubostar delighted us again with ‘Orbit Drive-In EP’ presented on ‘Permanent Vacation,’ this being a piece of four cosmic tracks that people’s consciousness towards colorful and surreal galaxies where the melody of their synthesizers and their disco touches invite us to spend a marathon dance session.
In the middle of last year, the production company delighted us again with ‘Orbit Drive-In EP’ presented on Jenifer Cardini’s label Permanent Vacation, this being a piece of four cosmic tracks that raise people’s consciousness towards colorful and surreal galaxies where the melody of their synthesizers and their disco touches invite us to spend a marathon dance session.
Circoloco DC10, Mayan Warrior (Burning Man), EDC México, Zamna Festival, Robert Johnson, Lux Fragil, Phonox and fabric in London are part of the magnificent spaces where her galactic style has been enjoyed by the audience. We entertain you no further and hope you enjoy this exclusive interview with Shubostar
Circoloco DC10, Mayan Warrior (Burning Man), EDC México, Zamna Festival, and soon fabric in London are part of the magnificent spaces where their galactic style will be enjoyed by the audience. We entertain you no further and hope you enjoy this exclusive with Shubostar.
HeyShubo, we are so happyto welcome you to Mixmag Brazil cover. How has this 2022 been for you on personal and professional sides?
Shubo, welcome to the cover of Mixmag Brazil. How has this 2022 been for you in terms of personal and professional experiences?
Hi everyone and thank you for having me, it’s an absolute pleasure to be your next cover artist! 2022 was my most incredible year so far. I travelled to 23 countries for an overall of 52 cities, made a lot of new friends, ate delicious food from all over the world and had many good drinks.
delicious food from all over the world and had
I released 2 EPs on great label such as Permanent Vacation and my own uju Records, joining also 5 compilations with original tracks, several remixes and dj mixes for the likes of HOR, BBC Radio1 and Keinemusik to name a few. Beyond any expectation!!
labels such as Permanent Vacation and my own UJU Records, joining also 5 compilations with original tracks, several remixes and dj mixes for the likes of HOR, BBC Radio1 and Keinemusik to name a few. Beyond any expectation!!
Can’t wait to show you more music coming out, and play more new cities in 2023 <3
Can’t wait to show you more music coming out, and play more new cities in 2023 <3
Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and México are some places you visited this year. Would you dare to say that all of this cultural richness would inspire you in your coming releases?
Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and México are some places you visited this year. Would you dare to say that all of this cultural richness would inspire you in your coming releases?
Absolutely! In my opinion, art is the outcome of life experiences. That means you need input in order to have output. You can have several kinds of inputs as for example reading a book, watching a movie, meeting friends and so on. My biggest input is and will always be traveling! Seeing new cities, eating local food, meeting local people… it makes me feel I’m alive! Making music is for me living my present like doing yoga or meditation. Traveling trains me on how to live my present, and it gives me a lot of energy to make music!
Absolutely! In my opinion, art is the outcome of life experiences. That means you need input in order to have output. You can have several kinds of inputs as for example reading a book, watching a movie, meeting friends and so on. My biggest input is and will always be traveling! Seeing new cities, eating local food, meeting local people… it makes me feel I’m alive! Making music is for me living my present like doing yoga or meditation. Traveling trains me on how to live my present, and it gives me a lot of energy to make music!
Before you were booked to play all these gigs, were you, attendee, yourself? Could you share a crazy experience when you were a raver in
Before you were booked to play all these gigs, were you, attendees, yourself? Could you share
Korea, Thailand, or even
México?
a crazy experience when you were a raver in Korea, Thailand, or even México?
I started clubbing when I was 23. I know, it’s quite late, but everything then came very fast. It took me just 1 year to move from being a clubber to becoming a DJ... it was love at first sight! I can clearly say my experience with clubbing happened more as a DJ then as raver even if every now and then I still like after my sets to go on the other side and dance along the crowd :)
I started clubbing when I was 23. I know, it’s quite late, but everything then came very fast. It took me just 1 year to move from being a clubber to becoming a DJ... it was love at first sight! I can clearly say my experience with clubbing happened more as a DJ then as raver even if every now and then I still like after my sets to go on the other side and dance along the crowd :)
I want to share with you the story of my first rave in Korea: I was a kind of punk kid. When I was in high school, I used to listen to Korean indie punk. One day I went to a rock festival which was organised in a very big public swimming pool… and the dance floor was an half-filled pool! I was wearing jeans and really not ready for this, but my friends and I kept dancing 4/5 hours without stopping while soaking all our body. That was the moment when for the first time in my life I felt the word “freedom” all over my body!
I want to share with you the story of my first rave in Korea: I was a kind punk kid. When I was in high school, I used to listen to Korean indie punk. One day I went to a rock festival which was organised in a very big public swimming pool… and the dance floor was an half-filled pool! I was wearing jeans and really not ready for this, but my friends and I kept 4/5 hours without stopping while soaking all our body. That was the moment when for the first time in my life I felt the word “freedom” all over my body!
How would you introduce your cosmic style to those who still do not know the power of your music?
How would you introduce your cosmic style to those who still do not know the power of your music?
Ahhh, great question! Basically, is a mix of disco with some more techno elements. 80s are my biggest inspiration with driving bass line you can also find on Italo disco and the kind of massive 80s gated snares, just with some techno/cosmic elements on top!
Ahhh, great question! Basically, is a mix of disco with some more techno elements. 80s are my biggest inspiration with driving bass line you can also find on Italo disco and the kind of massive 80s gated snares, just with some techno/cosmic elements on top!
Still, Cosmic Disco itself has some history: the genre was born with the Italian legend Daniele Baldelli, he invented cosmic/afro music. The next wave came instead from the north, in
Still, Cosmic Disco itself has some history: the genre was born with the Italian legend
“Traveling trains me on how to live my present, and it gives me a lot of energy to make music”
“CHOOSE A SHORT QUOTE FROM THE INTERVIEW TO PLACE HERE”
Daniele Baldelli, he invented cosmic/afro music. The next wave came instead from the north, in Norway, where artists like Todd Terje, Lindstrøm and Prins Thomas took this style to a new level. You were also able to find a different wave called Space Disco, emerged in Europe in the mid-tolate 1970s, characterized by layers of oscillating synth, space-oriented sound effects (laser guns, spaceships, etc.), and an overall futuristic sound. All these genres and their background mixed together made me call what I play Cosmic Disco: I got inspired a bit from each of them and made it become my signature sound, with a little personal touch coming from me on own productions influenced also by video games sounds and my roots!
Norway, where artists like Todd Terje, Lindstrøm and Prins Thomas took this style to a new level. You were also able to find a different wave called Space Disco, emerged in Europe in the mid-to-late 1970s, characterized by layers of oscillating synth, space-oriented sound effects (laser guns, spaceships, etc.), and an overall futuristic sound. All these genres and their background mixed together made me call what I play Cosmic Disco: I got inspired a bit from each of them and made it become my signature sound, with a little personal touch coming from me on own productions influenced also by video games sounds and my roots! In the past was common to have new genres invented, nowadays instead is the era where DJs are plays various genres to create their own “color” of mixing. I also myself play various genres but all of them have the common theme of some ‘Cosmic’ touch. Therefore, not only my productions but also my mixing can be called Cosmic Disco!
How did the interstellar sounds of Italo disco get to you?
In the past was common to have new genres invented, nowadays instead is the era where DJs are plays various genres to create their own “color” of mixing. I also myself play various genres but all of them have the common theme of some ‘Cosmic’ touch. Therefore, not only my productions but also my mixing can be called Cosmic Disco!
After I learnt how to play music, I listened to any kind of music for at least 10 hours a day. Compared to other European countries, Korean young generations are not really familiar with all the world disco hits... I had to catch up day by day with them!
How did the interstellar sounds of Italo disco get to you?
After I learnt how to play music, I listened to any kind of music for at least 10 hours a day. Compared to other European countries, Korean young generations are not really familiar with all the world disco hits... I had to catch up day by day with them!
I found Hedkandi’s nu-disco album and in that exact moment I realised that my heart goes to melodic music more than to repetitive music. When I listened to melodic synthesizer sounds for the first time, I felt like I
could see the color of each synth. The natural consequence of course was falling in love with Italo disco. The driving bass line you can find in it always inspired me as the sound of a spaceship engine!
Who were your early references in Korea?
I found Hedkandi’s nu-disco album and in that exact moment I realized that my heart goes to melodic music more than to repetitive music. When I listened to melodic synthesizer sounds for the first time, I felt like I could see the color of each synth. The natural consequence of course was falling in love with Italo disco. The driving bass line you can find in it always inspired me as the sound of a spaceship engine!
or festival I’d love to play, I can’t really answer because I haven’t even thought about it! My biggest desire is to create good music and improve my studio skills, everything else will come step by step as has always been.
When we met in México City, you mentioned that you used to produce music for video games and ‘anime’ played a crucial role in your life. How important has this been for you regarding versatility in your current productions? Especially in the story behind the track ‘Spiegel.’
Who were your early references in Korea?
My very first music references in Korea were definitely Crying Nut, Lazybone, Byul.org, Lucidfall and Misoni!
My very first music references in Korea were definitely Crying Nut, Lazybone, Byul.org, Lucidfall and Misoni! Crying Nut and Lazybone are Indie/Punk Rock Korean bands. They were my very very first love back in the days… the first CD I ever bought in my life with my own savings was Crying Nut first album! Byul.org, Lucidfall and Misoni are also Indie bands but oriented towards folk and ambient. Very emotional music! Both these sides describe well my youth music influences punk outfits for a very emotional wild kid :)
When we met in México City, you mentioned that you used to produce music for video games and ‘anime’ played a crucial role in your life. How important has this been for you regarding versatility in your current productions? Especially in the story behind the track ‘Spiegel.’
Have you ever imagined that your music will have the reach and support you currently have from top artists and new audiences?
Crying Nut and Lazybone are Indie/Punk Rock Korean bands. They were my very very first love back in the days… the first CD I ever bought in my life with my own savings was Crying Nut first album! Byul.org, Lucidfall and Misoni are also Indie bands but oriented towards folk and ambient. Very emotional music! Both these sides describe well my youth music influences punk outfits for a very emotional wild kid :)
To be honest, I’ve never even dreamt about touring worldwide either having top artists supporting my music, or to play in world-famous clubs and festivals... everything came so naturally I still need to realise it! I’ve always just wanted to be myself: do what I want, live where I want to live, work only when I want. Some people ask me if I have a dream club or festival I’d love to play, I can’t really answer because I haven’t even thought about it! My biggest desire is to create good music and improve my studio skills, everything else will come step by step as has always been.
Have you ever imagined that your music will have the reach and support you currently have from top artists and new audiences?
To be honest, I’ve never even dreamt about touring worldwide either having top artists supporting my music, or to play in worldfamous clubs and festivals... everything came so naturally I still need to realize it! I’ve always just wanted to be myself: do what I want, live where I want to live, work only when I want. Some people ask me if I have a dream club
I graduated in a special high school named “Korean Animation High School”, where my major was computer games programming. Here I learnt how to make computer games! One day I realised that computer programming wasn’t my path and passion, so I had to find a different way to graduate: I decided then to move my major to video games music creation. I visited a teacher who were responsible for movies OST and he gave me Cakewalk 3.0, a music program which only had one sound per instrument. He then taught me how to use the program and I started to make midi melodies with it.
I graduated in a special high school named “Korean Animation High School”, where my major was computer games programming. Here I learnt how to make computer games! One day I realised that computer programming wasn’t my path and my passion, so I had to find a different way to graduate: I decided then to move my major to video games music creation. I visited a teacher who were responsible for movies OST and he gave me Cakewalk 3.0, a music program which only had one sound per instrument. He then taught me how to use the program and I started to make midi melodies with it. It was not difficult at all for me as I used to play guitar and piano and yeah, that’s how I started to produce music! As my major was computer game programming, I used to play computer games a lot. I used to spend more time in virtual life than real life. The background music was always in my ears and I felt very comfortable while listening to it. I believe I love these kinds of sounds also because of this!
It was not difficult at all for me as I used to play guitar and piano and yeah, that’s how I started to produce music! As my major was computer game programming, I used to play computer games a lot. I used to spend more time in virtual life than real life. The background music was always in my ears and I felt very comfortable while listening to it. I believe I love these kinds of sounds also because of this!
I made ‘Spiegel’ during the first pandemic lockdown. Staying at my parents’ home without going out brought me back to my youth: the little girl playing computer games all day alone at home, very sensitive and fragile. That’s why ‘Spiegel’ sounds very cinematic and like comes straight outta a video game!
“When I listened to melodic synthesizer sounds for the first time, I felt like I could see the color of each synth”
“CHOOSE A SHORT QUOTE FROM THE INTERVIEW TO PLACE HERE”
What kind of track would you have produced back then with having the technical knowledge of today?
I made ‘Spiegel’ during the first pandemic lockdown. Staying at my parents’ home without going out brought me back to my youth: the little girl playing computer games all day alone at home, very sensitive and fragile. That’s why ‘Spiegel’ sounds very cinematic and like comes straight outta a video game!
Sometimes I listen to the tracks I made in the beginning of my career: very raw, unfinished, bad mixing... but all of them are very precious for me. I love every moment of my producer career even if in the early stages it sounded very rough. Every step of my path leaded me here so this is why I love every single track I did. In conclusion, I don’t think I would ever change something or go back to do something different!
What kind of track would you have produced back then with having the technical knowledge of today?
Sometimes I listen to the tracks I made in the beginning of my career: very raw, unfinished, bad mixing... but all of them are very precious for me. I love every moment of my producer career even if in the early stages it sounded very rough. Every step of my path leaded me here so this is why I love every single track I did. In conclusion, I don’t think I would ever change something or go back to do something different!
You are also a label boss, ‘UJU’ records have become something significant for you and for all the artists that have released their art there. What can you tell us about its beginning, and what can we expect from it in the future?
I moved to Mexico and started to work very hard to produce my own music telling myself “if I can’t produce something good this time, I should quit being a musician”. Luckily something good came out and I am still here :)
You are also a label boss, ‘UJU’ records have become something significant for you and for all the artists that have released their art there. What can you tell us about its beginning, and what can we expect from it in the future?
I moved to Mexico and started to work very hard to produce my own music telling myself “if I can’t produce something good this time, I should quit being a musician”. Luckily something good came out and I am still here.
My goal was to produce one track a day, then finally I started to create my own style.
My goal was to produce one track a day, then finally I started to create my own style. Finally, I had several demos I really liked and I sent them to many labels but 90% of them didn’t answer and the other 10% said they would have been able to release my music in 1/2 years. I absolutely didn’t want to wait that long! A good friend of mine then asked me “why don’t you open your own label?!” and I totally agreed with him! That’s the moment when I decided to start
my own label named “UJU”, which means space or cosmic in Korean. The same friend who gave me this brilliant suggestion made a logo for me and then I asked to a Korean painter friend of mine to do the artworks for the label.
Next big project for UJU includes the first label compilation where I plan to invite as contributors all the artists which influenced me and my style!
Finally, I had several demos I really liked and I sent them to many labels but 90% of them didn’t answer and the other 10% said they would have been able to release my music in 1/2 years. I absolutely didn’t want to wait that long! A good friend of mine then asked me don’t you open your own label?!” and I totally agreed with him! That’s the moment when I decided to start my own label named “UJU”, which means space or cosmic in Korean. The same friend who gave me this brilliant suggestion made a logo for me and then I asked to a Korean painter friend of mine to do the artworks for the label.
After the success of your track ‘Jigsaw’ on Permanent Vacation, you came back with ‘Orbit Drive-In’ EP. What happened in your mind and body when crafting it? How does that influence your approach to creativity and innovation?
Next big project for UJU includes the first label compilation where I plan to invite as contributors all the artists which influenced me and my style!
After the success of your track ‘Jigsaw’ on Permanent Vacation, you came back with ‘Orbit Drive-In’ EP. What happened in your mind and body when crafting it? How does that influence your approach to creativity and innovation?
The title “Spiegel” comes from the main character of my favorite Japanese animation “Cowboy Bebop” named Spike Spiegel. After finishing this track, I wanted to make more tracks related to my favorite Japanese animations. When I was in high school, I used to spend more time with Japanese media than Korean media: Japanese animations, TV shows, music, movies. Therefore, that’s part of my roots!
The title “Spiegel” comes from the main character of my favorite Japanese animation “Cowboy Bebop” named Spike Spiegel. After finishing this track, I wanted to make more tracks related to my favorite Japanese animations. When I was in high school, I used to spend more time with Japanese media than Korean media: Japanese animations, TV shows, music, movies. Therefore, that’s part of my roots!
Orbit Drive-In is a space station you can find in Cowboy Bebop. The strong driving bass line gave me the idea to use this name. The voice of “Nekono Uta” instead is taken it from the anime “Escaflowne”. There’s a song “Nekono Kimochi (Cat’s feeling)” by a cat girl-character and I loooved it! “Nekono Uta” translation means exactly Cat’s Song “Tiempo y Lugar” is also related to my youth. I used to be playing keyboards in a rock band and to reconnect with it I wanted to make some tracks with a
Orbit Drive-In is a space station you can find
rock attitude, not strictly electronic. At this moment of my journey I met super talented singer Galera in Madrid during my tour and I loved his unique voice… asking him to feature this track was the natural consequence of it!
in Cowboy Bebop. The strong driving bass line gave me the idea to use this name. The voice of “Nekono Uta” instead is taken it from the anime “Escaflowne”. There’s a song “Nekono Kimochi (Cat’s feeling)” by a cat-girl character and I loooved it! “Nekono Uta” translation means exactly Cat’s Song.
What can you tell us about your musical connection with the label of Jennifer Cardini, and what empowers you about her?
“Tiempo y Lugar” is also related to my youth. I used to be playing keyboards in a rock band and to reconnect with it I wanted to make some tracks with a rock attitude, not strictly electronic. At this moment of my journey I met super talented singer Galera in Madrid during my tour and I loved his unique voice… asking him to feature this track was the natural consequence of it!
The first connection I had with Jennifer was through a remix I made for “Ghost Of Arms”, 2nd single of the great Curses’ album on Dischi Autunno. Jennifer then invited me for her takeover on Aire Libre for the International Women’s day last year. We’ve never met in person (yet!), I only saw her playing twice before we were in contact, once at ADE and the other one at Berghain, but I’m pretty sure we will meet very soon. I admire her a lot because she supports a lot of female artists and we need more of this in our scene. We’re also planning to make something happen soon on her labels so keep an eye on it!
What can you tell us about your musical connection with Jennifer Cardini, and what empowers you about her?
The first connection I had with Jennifer was through a remix I made for “Ghost Of Arms”, 2nd single of the great Curses’ album on Dischi Autunno. Jennifer then invited me for her takeover on Aire Libre for the International Women’s day last year. We’ve never met in person (yet!), I only saw her playing twice before we were in contact, once at ADE and the other one at Berghain, but I’m pretty sure we will meet very soon.
What do you think is why the female presence has gained greater visibility and acceptance in genres such as indie dance, dark disco, and Italo?
We’ve been always great, is just people started to pay attention to female artists these past few years. I should also say this: one of the reasons why we can see more female artists these days is because women’s rights have been raised through various movements and protests, making it a little easier for women to take on new challenges compared to before. I still see so many female friends which are
I admire her a lot because she supports a lot of female artists and we need more of this in our scene. We’re also planning to make something happen soon on her labels so keep an eye on it!
“We’ve been always great, is just people started to pay attention to female artists these past few years”
“CHOOSE A SHORT QUOTE FROM THE INTERVIEW TO PLACE HERE”
do you think is why the female presence has gained greater visibility and acceptance in genres such as indie dance, dark disco, and Italo?
afraid of trying out something new... I understand some of their fears because we had to take care of so many things when we grow up compared to males, this leaded us to be more careful with everything. That’s why when I see my female friends hesitating to do something, I always cheer them up and say “you can do it!”. The world has changed, it’s now easier for female than in past, but we still have many high mountains to climb… the path is still way far to be completed!
We’ve been always great, is just people started to pay attention to female artists these past few years. I should also say this: one of the reasons why we can see more female artists these days is because women’s rights have been raised through various movements and protests, making it a little easier for women to take on new challenges compared to before. I still see so many female friends which are afraid of trying out something new... I understand some of their fears because we had to take care of so many things when we grow up compared to males, this leaded us to be more careful with everything. That’s why when I see my female friends hesitating to do something, I always cheer them up and say “you can do it!”. The world has changed, it’s now easier for female than in past, but we still have many high mountains to climb… the path is still way far to be completed!
How do your work and creativity relate to our world? What would you like to improve in the scene through your art?
For me, djing is channelling. DJ has their own frequency and if the crowd has a similar frequency, they vibe with the music. It’s a bit like finding the right channel on the radio. We flip through the channels and then when some tunes catch our attention, we stay. I try to catch the crowd with excited powerful club tunes and when people start to follow me, I show them what I wanted to show. My goal is to spread bright high frequency energy to people!
How do your work and creativity relate to our world? What would you like to improve in the scene through your art?
Lately you also released the powerful track ‘Thundered’. What can you tell us about its composition and the obscure tones that it lives in? How do you usually dive into the darkness to create melodies?
For me, djing is channelling. Each DJ has their own frequency and if the crowd has a similar frequency, they vibe with the music. It’s a bit like finding the right channel on the radio. We flip through the channels and then when some tunes catch our attention, we stay. I try to catch the crowd with
After joining the project “Next Wave Acid Punx” by Curses with my track AYA via Eskimo Recordings, I started listening to Front 242 again. I got soooo many ideas
excited powerful club tunes and when people start to follow me, I show them what I wanted to show. My goal is to spread bright high frequency energy to people!
from their tracks. That’s how I dove into this track - new beat club vibe with dark melody line, more punchy drums, acid sound effects. Creating some different tracks from my typical sounds always refreshes my creation and I really enjoy it!
Lately you also released the powerful track ‘Thunderer’. What can you tell us about its composition and the obscure tones that it lives in? How do you usually dive into the darkness to create melodies?
What can you share with us about your just released EP at Robert Johnson? What is it all about?
After joining the project “Next Wave Acid Punx” by Curses with my track AYA via Eskimo Recordings, I started listening to Front 242 again. I got soooo many ideas from their tracks. That’s how I dove into this track - new beat club vibe with dark melody line, more punchy drums, acid sound effects. Creating some different tracks from my typical sounds always refreshes my creation and I really enjoy it!
I had the chance to play at Robert Johnson a few months ago, and it was a memorable gig to say the least. The 3 hours I spent on the decks there made me feel like I was in a movie... the energy of the crowd was something special. I understood immediately why people says this club is legendary and how hard they worked to build such a vibe. That’s why it means a lot to release an EP on the label of such a club!
“What can you share with us about your upcoming EP on Live at Robert Johnson? What is it all about?”
The first track I made was Éternité. I wanted to create a track with some french sexy dark vibe on it. During the tour in Europe few years ago I met Alexandra in Frankfurt, and she sent me her poem. Her voice was unique, and the lyrics were beautiful. It was perfectly fitting with my track.
I had the chance to play at Robert Johnson a few months ago, and it was a memorable gig to say the least. The 3 hours I spent on the decks there made me feel like I was in a movie... the energy of the crowd was something special. I understood immediately why people says this club is legendary and how hard they worked to build such a vibe. That’s why it means a lot to release an EP on the label of such a club!
Queen Millennia came right next - the name comes (again!) from a famous Japanese animation which is a sequel of Galaxy Express 999. To be honest, I couldn’t finish watching all the episodes because it’s a huuuge series. The sad synthesizer melody reminded me of the main character Promethium, so I named this track in his honor Siestar followed - its original title was “Gospel”
The first track I made was Éternité. I wanted to create a track with some french sexy dark vibe on it. During the tour in Europe few years
ago I met Alexandra in Frankfurt, and she sent me her poem. Her voice was unique, and the lyrics were beautiful. It was perfectly fitting with my track.
as the pad on it sounds really like is a gospel singer. I wanted to make a fast danceable but bright track and the outcome was better than expected! I hope you love it at least the half of how much I love it.
Queen Millennia came right next - the name comes (again!) from a famous Japanese animation which is a sequel of Galaxy Express 999. To be honest, I couldn’t finish watching all the episodes because it’s a huuuge series. The sad synthesizer melody reminded me of the main character Promethium, so I named this track in his honor
Last but not least Dolphin Dream - the title track - was born. When this track was almost done, I felt something was missing. One of the pads I used on it was named “Dolphin Dream” and it reminded me about a DJ trio from Mexico City called Magic Dolphin Club, which are super good friends of mine. They always use dolphin sounds in their set, so I did the same adding also some seagulls sound. I like to think this track is dedicated to them, with some beautiful nature sounds on it!
followed - its original title was “Gospel” as the pad on it sounds really like is a gospel singer. I wanted to make a fast danceable but bright track and the outcome was better than expected! I hope you love it at least the half of how much I love it.
Besides this EP, you have some remixes coming up; what is it that you enjoy the most about remixes? We mentioned that because last year you released good ones like: ‘Frei Sich’ by Oberst & Buchner, ‘Italominati’ by Romain FX, ‘Feeling Electric’ and of course your fantastic collaboration with Biesman in the track ‘Across the Universe’ released on Watergate Records. How was it for you to work on all these fantastic remixes? Which one was your favorite or challenging to make?
Last but not least Dolphin Dream - the title track - was born. When this track was almost done, I felt something was missing. One of the pads I used on it was named “Dolphin Dream” and it reminded me about a DJ trio from Mexico City called Magic Dolphin Club, which are super good friends of mine. They always use dolphin sounds in their set, so I did the same adding also some seagulls sound. I like to think this track is dedicated to them, with some beautiful nature sounds on it!
When you make an original track, you work on it from 0 to 100, with remixes most of times you already have some essential ideas coming from the original tune. As sometimes is not my typical sound, really crazy ideas can come and it’s really fun. That’s why I love making remixes! The most challenging one was definitely “Italominati” remix. I had my first grey and cold Berlin winter that time. It was
Besides this EP, you have some remixes coming up; what is it that you enjoy the most about remixes? We mentioned that because last year you released good ones like: ‘Frei Sich’ by Oberst & Buchner, ‘Italominati’ by Romain FX, ‘Feeling Electric’ and of course
“I try to catch the crowd with powerful club tunes and when people start to follow me, I show them what I wanted to show. My goal is to spread bright high frequency energy to people”
“CHOOSE A SHORT QUOTE FROM THE INTERVIEW TO PLACE HERE”
your fantastic collaboration with Biesman in the track ‘Across the Universe’ released on Watergate Records. How was it for you to work on all these fantastic remixes? Which one was your favorite or challenging to make?
also the start of the 2nd wave of pandemic so many gigs got cancelled, which leaded me to stay at home. I didn’t realize in that moment, but I was suffering with deep melancholia. I had no input and no energy at all. My Mexico tour was planned for January so no matter what, I had to finish before I leave. I forced myself, but I wasn’t happy with the result. Suddenly a friend visited me at my house and saw my project open on the laptop, then tried to add an element. From this little hint I was finally able to finish my project and it became my favorite remix!
inspiring working with him. All came very fast and naturally!
When you make an original track, you work on it from 0 to 100, with remixes most of times you already have some essential ideas coming from the original tune. As sometimes is not my typical sound, really crazy ideas can come and it’s really fun. That’s why I love making remixes!
It’s not a remix, but let’s talk about the collab with Biesman - working with Joris was very smooth and fast and of course fun! I just brought an arp, then he made a fat bass line which was immediately fitting on it. We were jamming without talking and found some more layers very naturally. After a short snack break, we almost finished track. It was very inspiring working with him. All came very fast and naturally!
What role does dig for music still play in your work as a DJ and producer?
The most challenging one was definitely “Italominati” remix. I had my first grey and cold Berlin winter that time. It was also the start of the 2nd wave of pandemic so many gigs got cancelled, which leaded me to stay at home. I didn’t realize in that moment, but I was suffering with deep melancholia. I had no input and no energy at all. My Mexico tour was planned for January so no matter what, I had to finish before I leave. I forced myself, but I wasn’t happy with the result. Suddenly a friend visited me at my house and saw my project open on the laptop, then tried to add an element. From this little hint I was finally able to finish my project and it became my favorite remix!
When I feel a lack of ideas about making music, instead of taking a rest, I dig into new music. Some bass line or melody line or arpeggios always ends up inspiring me. It starts with trying to replicate that sound, but of course the result comes out very different and bring to life something brand new and original which is always the best.
It’s not a remix, but let’s talk about the collaboration track with Biesman - working with Joris was very smooth and fast and of course fun! I just brought an arp, then he made a fat bass line which was immediately fitting on it. We were jamming without talking and found some more layers very naturally. After a short snack break, we almost finished track. It was very
Especially when we talk about DJing, digging is everything. I try to follow all the ti-
meline of my SoundCloud. That’s why sometimes it takes a long time to check all after I come back from my tours. I don’t dig just to play music at my gigs, I do it also for various genres like ambient, old world music and so on. That’s how I started my mix series called “Cosmic Voyage”. It’s my pure passion. When I’m tired of listening to club tunes, when I feel lonely or melancholy, finding new tunes to record a new Cosmic Voyage mix cures me and my soul.
What role does dig for music still play in your work as a DJ and producer?
To wrap up, what would be the first thing that came to your mind if I tell you about Latin America? And what is the most Korean thing about you?
people. Between Korean people it’s okay because we can see and recognize this without even talking, you don’t need to. For foreigners it’s instead hard to recognize this sometimes. Remember, when you see your Korean friends and you think they’re being too kind, think it twice and try to understand if they are just trying to be polite!
Arroz con frijoles? Ahahah kidding! Beautiful nature, delicious food, very kind and friendly people, Spanish language. I’ve only been in Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia so far, but I’ve always wanted to discover other countries too… Brazil is next on the list of course!
Any plans to release a full-length album?
When I feel a lack of ideas about making music, instead of taking a rest, I dig into new music. Some bass line or melody line or arpeggios always ends up inspiring me. It starts with trying to replicate that sound, but of course the result comes out very different and bring to life something brand new and original which is always the best.
Step by step! Of course, it’s on my list. But first, I want to settle down in my life. I’ve been always in different cities, moving from flat to flat and city to city very often. I want to find a house and settle down in order to also build my studio first. When I will have my set-up arranged, I will work on a full-length album with a variety of all my styles, that’s for sure!
Especially when we talk about DJing, digging is everything. I try to follow all the timeline of my SoundCloud. That’s why sometimes it takes a long time to check all after I come back from my tours. I don’t dig just to play music at my gigs, I do it also for various genres like ambient, old world music and so on. That’s how I started my mix series called “Cosmic Voyage”. It’s my pure passion. When I’m tired of listening to club tunes, when I feel lonely or melancholy, finding new tunes to record a new Cosmic Voyage mix cures me and my soul.
To wrap up, what would be the first thing that came to your mind if I tell you about Latin America? And what is the most Korean thing about you?
Any plans to release a full-length album?
Arroz con frijoles? Ahahah kidding! Beautiful nature, delicious food, very kind and friendly people, Spanish language. I’ve only been in Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia so far, but I’ve always wanted to discover other countries too… Brazil is next on the list of course!
Step by step! Of course, it’s on my list. But first, I want to settle down in my life. I’ve been always in different cities, moving from flat to flat and city to city very often. I want to find a house and settle down in order to also build my studio first. When I will have my set-up arranged, I will work on a full-length album a variety of all my styles, that’s for sure!
The most Korean thing about me is that I am over polite maybe. In our culture we respect each other even too much so sometimes we lose ourselves in order to take care of other
Thanks for having me Mixmag Brazil! Can’t wait to visit more countries in South America and to play music and dance together with you guys! Follow SHUBOSTAR on:
The most Korean thing about me is that I am over polite maybe. In our culture we respect each other even too much so sometimes we lose ourselves in order to take care of other people. Between Korean people it’s okay because we can see and recognize this without even talking, you don’t need to. For foreigners it’s instead hard to recognize this sometimes. Remember, when you see your Korean friends and you think they’re being too kind, think it twice and try to understand if they are just trying to be polite!
Instagram.com/ Facebook.com/ Soundcloud.com/ Twitter.com/
Thanks for having me Mixmag Brazil! Can’t wait to visit more countries in South America and to play music and dance together with you guys!
Follow SHUBOSTAR on: Instagram.com/Shubostar
Facebook.com/Shubostar
Soundcloud.com/Shubostar
Shubostar.bandcamp.com
“When I feel a lack of ideas about making music, instead of taking a rest, I dig into new music. Some bass line or melody line or arpeggios always ends up inspiring me”PHOTO: CHAD PARK
SHUBOSTAR
WORDS: ROCÍO FLORES | PHOTOS: ZOHAR SHITRIT MIXMAG.COM.BR
Hailing from South Korea, Shubostar has learned to gracefully ride the mighty wave of an ever-evolving underground scene. Her fondness for electric sounds and melodies is integrated by an accelerated shower of sonic meteors that shoot at high speed in terrain commanded by her ‘Cosmic Disco’ style, which was cemented in Italo disco with a wide variety of techno elements.
Artista da Coreia do Sul, Shubostar aprendeu a comandar com maestria a poderosa onda de uma cena underground em constante evolução. Sua paixão por sons e melodias elétricas é integrada por uma chuva acelerada de meteoros sonoros que dispararam em alta velocidade em terrenos comandados por seu estilo “Cosmic Disco”, que foi construído com base na Italo Disco e ampla variedade de elementos techno. Baixos pesados e baterias retrô trazem à tona sons contemporâneos estelares da música eletrônica. Em setembro de 2018, Shubostar pegou o touro pelos chifres ao lançar a UJU em parceria com a artista Daryung Kim, plataforma criada para lançar os próprios singles e artistas que ela admira.
Dark, heavy bass and retro drums bring out the stellar contemporary sounds of electronic music. In September 2018, Shubostar took the bull by the horns by launching ‘UJU’ Records in collaboration with artist Daryung Kim, a platform designed to release her own singles and artists she admires.
No meio do ano passado, Shubostar nos presenteou com o “Orbit Drive-In EP”, que saiu pela “Permanent Vacation”, um lançamento de quatro faixas cósmicas que elevam a consciência das pessoas em direção a galáxias coloridas e surreais, onde a melodia de seus sintetizadores e toques disco nos guiam a uma maratona na pista.
In the middle of last year, the production company delighted us again with ‘Orbit Drive-In EP’ presented on Jenifer Cardini’s label Permanent Vacation, this being a piece of four cosmic tracks that raise people’s consciousness towards colorful and surreal galaxies where the melody of their synthesizers and their disco touches invite us to spend a marathon dance session.
“Circoloco DC10”, “Mayan Warrior” (Burning Man), “EDC México”, “Zamna Festival”, “Robert Johnson”, “Lux Fragil”, “Phonox” e “fabric” em Londres são alguns dos magníficos espaços onde seu estilo galáctico já foi apreciado pelo público. Agora chega de papo e confiram uma exclusiva entrevista com Shubostar.
Circoloco DC10, Mayan Warrior (Burning Man), EDC México, Zamna Festival, and soon fabric in London are part of the magnificent spaces where their galactic style will be enjoyed by the audience. We entertain you no further and hope you enjoy this exclusive with Shubostar.
Oi, Shubo, estamos felizes em recebê-la na capa da Mixmag Brasil. Como foi 2022 tanto no pessoal como no profissional?
HeyShubo, we are so happyto welcome you to Mixmag Brazil cover. How has this 2022 been for you on personal and professional sides?
Olá a todos e obrigado por me receberem, é uma honra ser a nova artista de capa! 2022 foi
o meu ano mais incrível até hoje. Viajei para 23 países, visitando um total de 52 cidades, fiz muitos amigos novos, comi comida deliciosa de todo o mundo e bebi muitas coisas boas.
Hi everyone and thank you for having me, it’s an absolute pleasure to be your next cover artist! 2022 was my most incredible year so far. I travelled to 23 countries for an overall of 52 cities, made a lot of new friends, ate delicious food from all over the world and had many good drinks.
Lancei dois EPs em gravadoras como Permanent Vacation e minha própria UJU Records, além de participar de 5 compilações com faixas originais, vários remixes e sets para nomes como HOR, BBC Radio1 e Keinemusik, para citar apenas alguns. Foi além de qualquer expectativa!!
Mal posso esperar para mostrar as músicas que estão a caminho e tocar em cidades novas em 2023. <3
I released 2 EPs on great label such as Permanent Vacation and my own uju Records, joining also 5 compilations with original tracks, several remixes and dj mixes for the likes of HOR, BBC Radio1 and Keinemusik to name a few. Beyond any expectation!!
Ásia, Oriente Médio, Europa e México são alguns dos lugares que você visitou. Você arriscaria dizer que toda essa riqueza cultural inspira você em suas próximas produções?
Can’t wait to show you more music coming out, and play more new cities in 2023 <3
Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and México are some places you visited this year. Would you dare to say that all of this cultural richness would inspire you in your coming releases?
Absolutamente! Na minha opinião, a arte é o resultado de experiências de vida. Isso significa que você precisa de entrada para ter saída. Você pode ter vários tipos de entradas, como ler um livro, assistir a um filme, encontrar amigos e assim por diante. Minha maior entrada é e sempre será viajar! Ver novas cidades, experimentar comida local, conhecer pessoas locais... me faz sentir que estou viva! Fazer música é para mim viver meu presente como fazer yoga ou meditação. Viajar me treina a viver meu presente, e isso me dá muita energia para fazer música!
Absolutely! In my opinion, art is the outcome of life experiences. That means you need input in order to have output. You can have several kinds of inputs as for example reading a book, watching a movie, meeting friends and so on. My biggest input is and will always be traveling! Seeing new cities, eating local food, meeting local people… it makes me feel I’m alive! Making music is for me living my present like doing yoga or meditation. Traveling trains me on how to live my present, and it gives me a lot of energy to make music!
Antes de ser convidada para tocar em todos esses shows, você mesma curtia raves? Pode compartilhar uma aventura de quando você ia na balada na Coreia, Tailândia ou no México?
Before you were booked to play all these gigs, were you, attendee, yourself? Could you share a crazy experience when you were a raver in
Comecei a ir à festas aos 23 anos. Eu sei, é
Korea, Thailand, or even
México?
bastante tarde, mas tudo depois aconteceu muito rápido. Levei apenas um ano para ir de baladeira para me tornar um DJ... foi amor à primeira vista! Posso afirmar claramente que minha experiência com festas aconteceu mais como DJ do que como clubber, mesmo que de vez em quando ainda goste de ir para o outro lado e dançar junto com a multidão. :)
I started clubbing when I was 23. I know, it’s quite late, but everything then came very fast. It took me just 1 year to move from being a clubber to becoming a DJ... it was love at first sight! I can clearly say my experience with clubbing happened more as a DJ then as raver even if every now and then I still like after my sets to go on the other side and dance along the crowd :)
Quero compartilhar com vocês a história da minha primeira rave na Coreia: eu era uma espécie de adolescente punk. Quando estava no ensino médio, costumava ouvir indie punk coreano. Um dia, fui a um festival de rock que foi organizado em uma piscina pública muito grande... e a pista de dança era uma piscina meio cheia! Eu estava usando jeans e realmente não estava preparada para isso, mas meus amigos e eu continuamos dançando por 4/5 horas sem parar com o corpo molhado. Foi o momento em que senti pela primeira vez na vida a palavra “liberdade” por todo o meu corpo!
I want to share with you the story of my first rave in Korea: I was a kind of punk kid. When I was in high school, I used to listen to Korean indie punk. One day I went to a rock festival which was organised in a very big public swimming pool… and the dance floor was an half-filled pool! I was wearing jeans and really not ready for this, but my friends and I kept dancing 4/5 hours without stopping while soaking all our body. That was the moment when for the first time in my life I felt the word “freedom” all over my body!
Como apresentaria seu estilo cósmico para os que ainda não conhecem sua música?
How would you introduce your cosmic style to those who still do not know the power of your music?
Ahhh, ótima pergunta! Basicamente, é uma mistura de disco com alguns elementos mais techno. Os anos 80 são minha maior inspiração, com linhas de baixo marcantes que você também pode encontrar na Italo disco e os tipos de caixas clássicas dos anos 80, só com alguns elementos techno/ cósmicos por cima!
Ahhh, great question! Basically, is a mix of disco with some more techno elements. 80s are my biggest inspiration with driving bass line you can also find on Italo disco and the kind of massive 80s gated snares, just with some techno/cosmic elements on top!
Still, Cosmic Disco itself has some history: the genre was born with the Italian legend Daniele Baldelli, he invented cosmic/afro music. The next wave came instead from the north, in
Ainda assim, o Cosmic Disco em si tem uma história: o gênero nasceu com a lenda italiana Daniele Baldelli, que inventou a música cosmic/afro. A próxima onda veio do norte, da Noruega, onde artistas como Todd Terje,
“Viajar me ensina a viver o presente e me dá muita energia para fazer música.”
“CHOOSE A SHORT QUOTE FROM THE INTERVIEW TO PLACE HERE”
Lindstrøm e Prins Thomas levaram esse estilo a um novo patamar. Você também pode encontrar uma onda diferente chamada Space Disco, surgida na Europa em meados dos 1970, caracterizada por camadas de sintetizadores oscilante, efeitos sonoros orientados para o espaço (armas a laser, naves espaciais, etc.) e um som geral futurista. Todos esses gêneros e seus antecedentes misturados fizeram com que eu chamasse o que toco de Cosmic Disco: eu me inspirei um pouco em cada um deles e fiz com que se tornassem meu som característico, com um pequeno toque pessoal influenciado também pelos sons de videogames e minhas raízes!
Norway, where artists like Todd Terje, Lindstrøm and Prins Thomas took this style to a new level. You were also able to find a different wave called Space Disco, emerged in Europe in the mid-to-late 1970s, characterized by layers of oscillating synth, space-oriented sound effects (laser guns, spaceships, etc.), and an overall futuristic sound. All these genres and their background mixed together made me call what I play Cosmic Disco: I got inspired a bit from each of them and made it become my signature sound, with a little personal touch coming from me on own productions influenced also by video games sounds and my roots! In the past was common to have new genres invented, nowadays instead is the era where DJs are plays various genres to create their own “color” of mixing. I also myself play various genres but all of them have the common theme of some ‘Cosmic’ touch. Therefore, not only my productions but also my mixing can be called Cosmic Disco!
No passado, era comum ter novos gêneros inventados, mas hoje em dia é a era em que os DJs tocam vários gêneros para criar sua própria “mistura” de som. Eu mesmo toco vários gêneros, mas todos eles têm o tema comum de um toque “Cósmico”. Portanto, não apenas minhas produções, mas também minhas mixagens podem ser chamadas de Cosmic Disco!
How did the interstellar sounds of Italo disco get to you?
Como os sons interestelares da Italo disco chegaram até você?
After I learnt how to play music, I listened to any kind of music for at least 10 hours a day. Compared to other European countries, Korean young generations are not really familiar with all the world disco hits... I had to catch up day by day with them!
Depois que aprendi a tocar música, ouvia todos os tipos de música por pelo menos 10 horas por dia. Em comparação com outros países europeus, as gerações jovens coreanas não estão realmente familiarizadas com todos os sucessos da música disco mundial... Eu tive que me atualizar dia a dia com eles!
I found Hedkandi’s nu-disco album and in that exact moment I realised that my heart goes to melodic music more than to repetitive music. When I listened to melodic synthesizer sounds for the first time, I felt like I
Encontrei o álbum nu-disco da Hedkandi e, naquele exato momento, percebi que meu
could see the color of each synth. The natural consequence of course was falling in love with Italo disco. The driving bass line you can find in it always inspired me as the sound of a spaceship engine!
Who were your early references in Korea?
coração se inclina mais para a música melódica do que para a música repetitiva. Quando ouvi sons melódicos de sintetizador pela primeira vez, senti como se pudesse ver a cor de cada sintetizador. A consequência natural, é claro, foi me apaixonar pela Italo disco. A linha de baixo que você pode encontrar nela sempre me inspirou como o som do motor de uma nave espacial!
gostaria de tocar, não consigo responder porque nem mesmo pensei nisso! Meu maior desejo é criar boa música e melhorar minhas habilidades em estúdio, tudo o mais virá passo a passo, como sempre foi.
When we met in México City, you mentioned that you used to produce music for video games and ‘anime’ played a crucial role in your life. How important has this been for you regarding versatility in your current productions? Especially in the story behind the track ‘Spiegel.’
Quem foram suas primeiras referências na Coreia?
Minhas primeiras referências musicais na Coreia foram definitivamente Crying Nut, Lazybone, Byul.org, Lucidfall e Misoni!
My very first music references in Korea were definitely Crying Nut, Lazybone, Byul.org, Lucidfall and Misoni! Crying Nut and Lazybone are Indie/Punk Rock Korean bands. They were my very very first love back in the days… the first CD I ever bought in my life with my own savings was Crying Nut first album! Byul.org, Lucidfall and Misoni are also Indie bands but oriented towards folk and ambient. Very emotional music! Both these sides describe well my youth music influences punk outfits for a very emotional wild kid :)
Quando nos conhecemos na Cidade do México, você mencionou que costumava produzir música para videogames e que o ‘anime’ desempenhou papel crucial em sua vida. Quão importante isso foi para você em relação à versatilidade em suas produções atuais? Especialmente na história por trás da faixa ‘Spiegel’.
Crying Nut e Lazybone são bandas de Indie/ Punk Rock coreanas. Foram meu primeiro amor... O primeiro CD que comprei na vida com minhas economias foi o primeiro álbum do Crying Nut! Byul.org, Lucidfall e Misoni também são bandas de Indie, mas orientadas para o folk e ambient. Música emotiva! Ambos os lados descrevem bem as influências musicais da minha juventude, com roupas punk para uma garota selvagem e emotiva :)
Have you ever imagined that your music will have the reach and support you currently have from top artists and new audiences?
To be honest, I’ve never even dreamt about touring worldwide either having top artists supporting my music, or to play in world-famous clubs and festivals... everything came so naturally I still need to realise it! I’ve always just wanted to be myself: do what I want, live where I want to live, work only when I want. Some people ask me if I have a dream club or festival I’d love to play, I can’t really answer because I haven’t even thought about it! My biggest desire is to create good music and improve my studio skills, everything else will come step by step as has always been.
Você imaginava que sua música teria o alcance e apoio que você tem atualmente de artistas conhecidos e novos públicos?
Para ser honesta, eu nunca sequer sonhei em fazer turnês mundiais, ver artistas renomados apoiando minha música ou tocar em clubs e festivais famosos pelo planeta... tudo foi tão natural que ainda preciso entender isso! Eu sempre quis ser eu mesma: fazer o que quero, viver onde quero, trabalhar apenas quando quero. Algumas pessoas me perguntam se tenho um club ou festival dos sonhos onde
Eu me formei em uma escola secundária especial chamada “Korean Animation High School”, onde minha especialidade era programação de jogos de computador. Lá eu aprendi a fazer jogos de computador! Um dia percebi que a programação de computadores não era meu caminho nem minha paixão, então tive que encontrar um caminho diferente para me formar: decidi mudar minha especialidade para a criação de música de videogames. Visitei um professor responsável pelas trilhas sonoras de filmes e ele me deu o Cakewalk 3.0, um programa de música que tinha apenas um som por instrumento. Ele me ensinou como usar o programa e comecei a fazer melodias midi com ele.
I graduated in a special high school named “Korean Animation High School”, where my major was computer games programming. Here I learnt how to make computer games! One day I realised that computer programming wasn’t my path and my passion, so I had to find a different way to graduate: I decided then to move my major to video games music creation. I visited a teacher who were responsible for movies OST and he gave me Cakewalk 3.0, a music program which only had one sound per instrument. He then taught me how to use the program and I started to make midi melodies with it. It was not difficult at all for me as I used to play guitar and piano and yeah, that’s how I started to produce music! As my major was computer game programming, I used to play computer games a lot. I used to spend more time in virtual life than real life. The background music was always in my ears and I felt very comfortable while listening to it. I believe I love these kinds of sounds also because of this!
Não foi difícil para mim, pois eu costumava tocar guitarra e piano, e foi assim que comecei a produzir música! Como minha especialidade era programação de jogos de computador, costumava jogar muitos jogos de computador. Eu costumava passar mais tempo na vida virtual do que na vida real. A música de fundo estava sempre em meus ouvidos e eu me sentia muito confortável
I made ‘Spiegel’ during the first pandemic lockdown. Staying at my parents’ home without going out brought me back to my youth: the little girl playing computer games all day alone at home, very sensitive and fragile. That’s why ‘Spiegel’ sounds very cinematic and like comes straight outta a video game!
“Quando ouvi sons de um synth melódico pela primeira vez, senti como se pudesse ver a cor de cada sintetizador”
“CHOOSE A SHORT QUOTE FROM THE INTERVIEW TO PLACE HERE”
ouvindo-a. Acredito que amo esses tipos de sons também por causa disso!
What kind of track would you have produced back then with having the technical knowledge of today?
Fiz ‘Spiegel’ durante o primeiro lockdown da pandemia. Ficar na casa dos meus pais sem sair me levou de volta à minha juventude: a garotinha jogando jogos de computador o dia todo sozinha em casa, muito sensível e frágil. É por isso que ‘Spiegel’ tem um som cinematográfico e parece que saiu direto de um videogame!
Sometimes I listen to the tracks I made in the beginning of my career: very raw, unfinished, bad mixing... but all of them are very precious for me. I love every moment of my producer career even if in the early stages it sounded very rough. Every step of my path leaded me here so this is why I love every single track I did. In conclusion, I don’t think I would ever change something or go back to do something different!
Que tipo de música você teria produzido naquela época se tivesse o conhecimento técnico que possui hoje?
Às vezes eu escuto as músicas que fiz no início da minha carreira: muito cruas, inacabadas, mixagem ruim... mas todas elas são muito preciosas para mim. Eu amo cada momento da minha carreira de produtora, mesmo que nos estágios iniciais soasse muito áspero. Cada passo do meu caminho me levou até aqui, então é por isso que amo cada música que fiz. Concluindo, eu não acho que mudaria algo ou voltaria a fazer algo diferente!
You are also a label boss, ‘UJU’ records have become something significant for you and for all the artists that have released their art there. What can you tell us about its beginning, and what can we expect from it in the future?
I moved to Mexico and started to work very hard to produce my own music telling myself “if I can’t produce something good this time, I should quit being a musician”. Luckily something good came out and I am still here :)
Você também é chefe de um selo, a ‘UJU’ Records se tornou algo significativo para você e para todos os artistas que lançaram sua arte lá. O que pode nos contar sobre seu começo e o que podemos esperar no futuro?
My goal was to produce one track a day, then finally I started to create my own style. Finally, I had several demos I really liked and I sent them to many labels but 90% of them didn’t answer and the other 10% said they would have been able to release my music in 1/2 years. I absolutely didn’t want to wait that long! A good friend of mine then asked me “why don’t you open your own label?!” and I totally agreed with him! That’s the moment when I decided to start
Eu me mudei para o México e comecei a trabalhar muito duro para produzir minha própria música, dizendo a mim mesma “se eu não puder produzir algo bom desta vez, devo desistir da música”. Felizmente, algo bom saiu e ainda estou aqui :)
my own label named “UJU”, which means space or cosmic in Korean. The same friend who gave me this brilliant suggestion made a logo for me and then I asked to a Korean painter friend of mine to do the artworks for the label.
Next big project for UJU includes the first label compilation where I plan to invite as contributors all the artists which influenced me and my style!
Meu objetivo era produzir uma faixa por dia e finalmente comecei a criar meu próprio estilo. Finalmente, fiz várias demos que realmente gostei e as enviei para muitos selos, mas 90% deles não responderam e os outros 10% disseram que poderiam lançar minha música em 1/2 anos. Eu absolutamente não queria esperar tanto tempo! Um amigo então me perguntou “por que você não abre seu próprio selo?!” e eu concordei totalmente! Foi nesse momento que decidi começar meu próprio selo chamado “UJU”, que significa espaço ou cósmico em coreano. O mesmo amigo que me deu essa sugestão brilhante fez um logo para mim e depois pedi a um amigo pintor coreano que fizesse as artes para o selo.
After the success of your track ‘Jigsaw’ on Permanent Vacation, you came back with ‘Orbit Drive-In’ EP. What happened in your mind and body when crafting it? How does that influence your approach to creativity and innovation?
O próximo grande projeto da UJU inclui a primeira compilação do selo, onde planejo convidar para colaborar todos os artistas que influenciaram a mim e a meu estilo!
Depois do sucesso de “Jigsaw” na Permanent Vacation, você lançou o EP “Orbit Drive-In”. O que aconteceu em sua mente e corpo no processo? Como isso influencia sua abordagem à criatividade e inovação?
The title “Spiegel” comes from the main character of my favorite Japanese animation “Cowboy Bebop” named Spike Spiegel. After finishing this track, I wanted to make more tracks related to my favorite Japanese animations. When I was in high school, I used to spend more time with Japanese media than Korean media: Japanese animations, TV shows, music, movies. Therefore, that’s part of my roots!
O título “Spiegel” vem do personagem principal da minha animação japonesa favorita, “Cowboy Bebop”, chamado Spike Spiegel. Depois de terminar essa faixa, eu queria fazer mais faixas relacionadas às minhas animações japonesas favoritas. Quando eu estava no ensino médio, eu costumava passar mais tempo com a mídia japonesa do que a coreana: animações japonesas, programas de TV, música, filmes. Portanto, essa é parte das minhas raízes!
Orbit Drive-In is a space station you can find in Cowboy Bebop. The strong driving bass line gave me the idea to use this name. The voice of “Nekono Uta” instead is taken it from the anime “Escaflowne”. There’s a song “Nekono Kimochi (Cat’s feeling)” by a cat girl-character and I loooved it! “Nekono Uta” translation means exactly Cat’s Song “Tiempo y Lugar” is also related to my youth. I used to be playing keyboards in a rock band and to reconnect with it I wanted to make some tracks with a
Orbit Drive-In é uma estação espacial que você pode encontrar em Cowboy Bebop. A
rock attitude, not strictly electronic. At this moment of my journey I met super talented singer Galera in Madrid during my tour and I loved his unique voice… asking him to feature this track was the natural consequence of it!
forte linha de baixo me deu a ideia de usar esse nome. A voz de “Nekono Uta” é retirada do anime “Escaflowne”. Há uma música “Nekono Kimochi (sentimento de gato)” por um personagem de gato-mulher e eu amei! A tradução de “Nekono Uta” significa exatamente Canção do Gato.
What can you tell us about your musical connection with the label of Jennifer Cardini, and what empowers you about her?
“Tiempo y Lugar” também está relacionado à minha juventude. Eu costumava tocar teclado em uma banda de rock e, para me reconectar com isso, eu queria fazer algumas faixas com uma atitude de rock, não estritamente eletrônica. Neste momento da minha jornada, conheci o talentoso cantor Galera em Madrid durante minha turnê e adorei sua voz única... pedir a ele para participar desta faixa foi consequência natural!
The first connection I had with Jennifer was through a remix I made for “Ghost Of Arms”, 2nd single of the great Curses’ album on Dischi Autunno. Jennifer then invited me for her takeover on Aire Libre for the International Women’s day last year. We’ve never met in person (yet!), I only saw her playing twice before we were in contact, once at ADE and the other one at Berghain, but I’m pretty sure we will meet very soon. I admire her a lot because she supports a lot of female artists and we need more of this in our scene. We’re also planning to make something happen soon on her labels so keep an eye on it!
O que você pode nos dizer sobre sua conexão musical com Jennifer Cardini e sobre como ela empodera você?
A primeira conexão que tive com Jennifer foi através de um remix que fiz para “Ghost Of Arms”, o segundo single do ótimo álbum do Curses na Dischi Autunno. Jennifer me convidou para participar do seu programa na Aire Libre para o Dia Internacional da Mulher no ano passado. Nós nunca nos conhecemos pessoalmente (ainda!), eu só a vi tocar duas vezes antes de entrarmos em contato, uma vez no ADE e outra no Berghain, mas tenho certeza de que nos encontraremos em breve.
What do you think is why the female presence has gained greater visibility and acceptance in genres such as indie dance, dark disco, and Italo?
We’ve been always great, is just people started to pay attention to female artists these past few years. I should also say this: one of the reasons why we can see more female artists these days is because women’s rights have been raised through various movements and protests, making it a little easier for women to take on new challenges compared to before. I still see so many female friends which are
Eu a admiro muito porque ela apoia muitas artistas femininas e precisamos de mais disso em nossa cena. Também estamos planejando fazer algo em breve em seus selos, então fique de olho!
“Nós sempre fomos ótimas, é que as pessoas recentemente começaram a prestar mais atenção em artistas mulheres.”
“CHOOSE A SHORT QUOTE FROM THE INTERVIEW TO PLACE HERE”
Você acha que as mulheres tem ganhado mais visibilidade e aceitação em gêneros como indie dance, dark disco e Italo?
afraid of trying out something new... I understand some of their fears because we had to take care of so many things when we grow up compared to males, this leaded us to be more careful with everything. That’s why when I see my female friends hesitating to do something, I always cheer them up and say “you can do it!”. The world has changed, it’s now easier for female than in past, but we still have many high mountains to climb… the path is still way far to be completed!
Nós sempre fomos ótimas, é que as pessoas começaram a prestar atenção nas artistas femininas nos últimos anos. Eu também devo dizer o seguinte: uma das razões pelas quais podemos ver mais artistas femininas atualmente é porque os direitos das mulheres foram melhorados por vários movimentos e protestos, tornando um pouco mais fácil para as mulheres enfrentar novos desafios em comparação com antes.
How do your work and creativity relate to our world? What would you like to improve in the scene through your art?
Ainda vejo muitas amigas mulheres com medo de experimentar algo novo ... Entendo alguns de seus medos porque tivemos que cuidar de tantas coisas quando crescemos em comparação com os homens, o que nos levou a tomar mais cuidado com tudo. É por isso que quando vejo amigas hesitando em fazer algo, sempre as encorajo e digo “você consegue!”. O mundo mudou, agora é mais fácil para as mulheres do que antes, mas ainda temos muitas montanhas altas para subir ... o caminho está longe de ser concluído!
For me, djing is channelling. DJ has their own frequency and if the crowd has a similar frequency, they vibe with the music. It’s a bit like finding the right channel on the radio. We flip through the channels and then when some tunes catch our attention, we stay. I try to catch the crowd with excited powerful club tunes and when people start to follow me, I show them what I wanted to show. My goal is to spread bright high frequency energy to people!
Como seu trabalho e criatividade se relacionam com o mundo? O que gostaria de melhorar na cena por meio de sua arte?
Lately you also released the powerful track ‘Thundered’. What can you tell us about its composition and the obscure tones that it lives in? How do you usually dive into the darkness to create melodies?
captar a multidão com músicas empolgantes e poderosas e, quando as pessoas começam a me seguir, mostro o que queria mostrar. Meu objetivo é espalhar uma energia brilhante e de alta frequência para as pessoas!
from their tracks. That’s how I dove into this track - new beat club vibe with dark melody line, more punchy drums, acid sound effects. Creating some different tracks from my typical sounds always refreshes my creation and I really enjoy it!
Recentemente, você lançou a poderosa faixa ‘Thunderer’. O que pode nos dizer sobre sua composição e os tons obscuros em que ela vive? Como você costuma mergulhar na escuridão para criar melodias?
What can you share with us about your just released EP at Robert Johnson? What is it all about?
Depois de entrar no projeto “Next Wave Acid Punx” de Curses com minha faixa AYA via Eskimo Recordings, comecei a ouvir Front 242 de novo. Tirei muitas ideias das músicas deles. Foi assim que mergulhei nessa faixa - com uma vibe club new beat e linha de melodia dark, baterias mais fortes e ácidos efeitos sonoros. Criar faixas diferentes dos meus sons típicos sempre renova minha criação e eu realmente gosto disso!
I had the chance to play at Robert Johnson a few months ago, and it was a memorable gig to say the least. The 3 hours I spent on the decks there made me feel like I was in a movie... the energy of the crowd was something special. I understood immediately why people says this club is legendary and how hard they worked to build such a vibe. That’s why it means a lot to release an EP on the label of such a club!
O que você pode contar sobre o próximo EP Live at Robert Johnson? Do que se trata?
The first track I made was Éternité. I wanted to create a track with some french sexy dark vibe on it. During the tour in Europe few years ago I met Alexandra in Frankfurt, and she sent me her poem. Her voice was unique, and the lyrics were beautiful. It was perfectly fitting with my track.
anos atrás, conheci Alexandra em Frankfurt, e ela me enviou seu poema. Sua voz era única e as letras eram bonitas. Era perfeitamente adequado para a minha faixa.
as the pad on it sounds really like is a gospel singer. I wanted to make a fast danceable but bright track and the outcome was better than expected! I hope you love it at least the half of how much I love it.
Queen Millennia veio depois - o nome vem (de novo!) de uma famosa animação japonesa sequência de Galaxy Express 999. Para ser honesta, não consegui assistir todos os episódios porque é uma série enorme. A melodia triste do synth me lembrou o personagem principal Promethium, então nomeei essa faixa em sua homenagem.
Last but not least Dolphin Dream - the title track - was born. When this track was almost done, I felt something was missing. One of the pads I used on it was named “Dolphin Dream” and it reminded me about a DJ trio from Mexico City called Magic Dolphin Club, which are super good friends of mine. They always use dolphin sounds in their set, so I did the same adding also some seagulls sound. I like to think this track is dedicated to them, with some beautiful nature sounds on it!
Siestar veio a seguir - o título original era “Gospel”, pois o pad usado nela soa como se fosse um cantor gospel. Eu queria fazer uma faixa rápida, dançante e brilhante, e o resultado foi melhor do que o esperado! Espero que você goste pelo menos metade do quanto eu amo.
Besides this EP, you have some remixes coming up; what is it that you enjoy the most about remixes? We mentioned that because last year you released good ones like: ‘Frei Sich’ by Oberst & Buchner, ‘Italominati’ by Romain FX, ‘Feeling Electric’ and of course your fantastic collaboration with Biesman in the track ‘Across the Universe’ released on Watergate Records. How was it for you to work on all these fantastic remixes? Which one was your favorite or challenging to make?
Para mim, ser DJ é canalizar. Cada DJ tem sua própria frequência e se a multidão tiver uma frequência semelhante, eles vibram com a música. É um pouco como encontrar o canal certo no rádio. Nós passamos pelos canais e, quando algumas músicas chamam nossa atenção, ficamos. Tento
Tive a oportunidade de tocar no Robert Johnson há alguns meses e foi um show memorável, para dizer o mínimo. As três horas que passei no palco me fizeram sentir como se estivesse em um filme... a energia da multidão era algo especial. Entendi imediatamente por que as pessoas dizem que este club é lendário e como trabalharam duro para criar tal atmosfera. Por isso, significa muito para mim lançar um EP no selo de um club tão importante!
After joining the project “Next Wave Acid Punx” by Curses with my track AYA via Eskimo Recordings, I started listening to Front 242 again. I got soooo many ideas
Queen Millennia came right next - the name comes (again!) from a famous Japanese animation which is a sequel of Galaxy Express 999. To be honest, I couldn’t finish watching all the episodes because it’s a huuuge series. The sad synthesizer melody reminded me of the main character Promethium, so I named this track in his honor Siestar followed - its original title was “Gospel”
A primeira faixa que fiz foi Éternité. Eu queria criar uma faixa com uma vibe francesa sexy e sombria. Durante a turnê na Europa alguns
Por último, mas não menos importante, nasceu “Dolphin Dream” - faixa-título. Quando a faixa estava quase pronta, eu senti que faltava algo. Um dos pads que usei nela tinha o nome de “Dolphin Dream” e me lembrou de um trio de DJs da Cidade do México chamado Magic Dolphin Club, que são amigos meus. Eles sempre usam sons de golfinhos nos sets, então fiz o mesmo, adicionando sons de gaivotas. Gosto de pensar que esta faixa é dedicada a eles, com belos sons da natureza nela!
When you make an original track, you work on it from 0 to 100, with remixes most of times you already have some essential ideas coming from the original tune. As sometimes is not my typical sound, really crazy ideas can come and it’s really fun. That’s why I love making remixes! The most challenging one was definitely “Italominati” remix. I had my first grey and cold Berlin winter that time. It was
Além deste EP, você tem alguns remixes chegando; o que mais gosta nos remixes? Mencionamos isso porque no ano passado você lançou bons remixes como: ‘Frei Sich’ de Oberst & Buchner, ‘Italominati’ de Romain FX, ‘Feeling Electric’ e, claro, sua fantástica
“Eu tento cativar a multidão com músicas fortes nas pistas de dança e, quando começam a me seguir, dou a elas o que quero mostrar. Meu objetivo é espalhar energia vibrante de alta frequência para as pessoas.”
“CHOOSE A SHORT QUOTE FROM THE INTERVIEW TO PLACE HERE”
colaboração com Biesman na faixa ‘Across the Universe’ lançada pela Watergate Records. Como foi para você trabalhar em todos esses remixes? Qual foi o favorito ou o mais desafiador de fazer?
Quando você faz uma original, trabalha nela de 0 a 100, mas com remixes na maioria das vezes, já temos algumas ideias vindas da música original. Como às vezes não é meu som típico, ideias realmente loucas podem surgir e é muito divertido. É por isso que eu amo fazer remixes!
also the start of the 2nd wave of pandemic so many gigs got cancelled, which leaded me to stay at home. I didn’t realize in that moment, but I was suffering with deep melancholia. I had no input and no energy at all. My Mexico tour was planned for January so no matter what, I had to finish before I leave. I forced myself, but I wasn’t happy with the result. Suddenly a friend visited me at my house and saw my project open on the laptop, then tried to add an element. From this little hint I was finally able to finish my project and it became my favorite remix!
falar e encontramos algumas camadas naturalmente. Depois de uma curta pausa para um lanche, quase terminamos a faixa. Foi muito inspirador trabalhar com ele. Tudo aconteceu muito rápido e naturalmente!
meline of my SoundCloud. That’s why sometimes it takes a long time to check all after I come back from my tours. I don’t dig just to play music at my gigs, I do it also for various genres like ambient, old world music and so on. That’s how I started my mix series called “Cosmic Voyage”. It’s my pure passion. When I’m tired of listening to club tunes, when I feel lonely or melancholy, finding new tunes to record a new Cosmic Voyage mix cures me and my soul.
muita frequência. Quero encontrar uma casa e me estabilizar para construir meu estúdio primeiro. Quando eu tiver meu set-up pronto, trabalharei num álbum completo com uma variedade de estilos, com certeza!
Qual é o papel da busca por música em seu trabalho como DJ e produtora?
people. Between Korean people it’s okay because we can see and recognize this without even talking, you don’t need to. For foreigners it’s instead hard to recognize this sometimes. Remember, when you see your Korean friends and you think they’re being too kind, think it twice and try to understand if they are just trying to be polite!
Para concluir, qual a primeira coisa que vem à mente quando falam sobre a América Latina? E o que há de mais coreano em você?
It’s not a remix, but let’s talk about the collab with Biesman - working with Joris was very smooth and fast and of course fun! I just brought an arp, then he made a fat bass line which was immediately fitting on it. We were jamming without talking and found some more layers very naturally. After a short snack break, we almost finished track. It was very inspiring working with him. All came very fast and naturally!
What role does dig for music still play in your work as a DJ and producer?
O mais desafiador foi definitivamente o remix de “Italominati”. Eu estava enfrentando meu primeiro inverno cinzento e frio em Berlim naquele momento. Também foi o início da segunda onda da pandemia, então muitos shows foram cancelados, o que me levou a ficar em casa. Naquele momento, eu não percebi, mas estava sofrendo de uma profunda melancolia. Eu não tinha inspiração e nenhuma energia. Minha turnê no México estava planejada para janeiro, então eu tinha que terminar antes de sair, de qualquer forma. Me forcei a trabalhar, mas não estava feliz com o resultado. De repente, um amigo visitou minha casa, viu meu projeto aberto no laptop e tentou adicionar um elemento. A partir dessa pequena dica, finalmente consegui terminar meu projeto e ele se tornou meu remix favorito!
When I feel a lack of ideas about making music, instead of taking a rest, I dig into new music. Some bass line or melody line or arpeggios always ends up inspiring me. It starts with trying to replicate that sound, but of course the result comes out very different and bring to life something brand new and original which is always the best.
Não é um remix, mas vamos falar sobre a faixa colaborativa com Biesman - trabalhar com Joris foi muito fácil e rápido e, claro, divertido! Eu trouxe um arp e ele fez uma linha de baixo que se encaixou imediatamente. Estávamos tocando sem
Especially when we talk about DJing, digging is everything. I try to follow all the ti-
Any plans to release a full-length album?
Quando sinto falta de ideias para produzir música, ao invés de descansar, eu busco novas músicas. Alguma linha de baixo, melodia ou arpejo sempre acaba me inspirando. Começa com a tentativa de replicar aquele som, mas é claro que o resultado acaba sendo muito diferente e traz algo totalmente novo e original, o que é sempre o melhor.
Step by step! Of course, it’s on my list. But first, I want to settle down in my life. I’ve been always in different cities, moving from flat to flat and city to city very often. I want to find a house and settle down in order to also build my studio first. When I will have my set-up arranged, I will work on a full-length album with a variety of all my styles, that’s for sure!
Especialmente quando se trata de discotecagem, a busca é tudo. Eu tento seguir toda a linha do tempo do meu SoundCloud. Por isso, às vezes leva muito tempo para checar tudo quando volto das minhas turnês. Eu não busco apenas para tocar músicas em meus shows, eu faço isso também para vários gêneros como ambient, música antiga e assim por diante. Foi assim que comecei minha série de mixes chamada “Cosmic Voyage”. É minha paixão pura. Quando estou cansada de ouvir músicas de clubs, quando me sinto solitária ou melancólica, achar novas músicas para gravar um novo mix de Cosmic Voyage me cura e acalma minha alma.
To wrap up, what would be the first thing that came to your mind if I tell you about Latin America? And what is the most Korean thing about you?
Arroz con frijoles? Ahahah kidding! Beautiful nature, delicious food, very kind and friendly people, Spanish language. I’ve only been in Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia so far, but I’ve always wanted to discover other countries too… Brazil is next on the list of course!
Algum plano de lançar um álbum completo?
The most Korean thing about me is that I am over polite maybe. In our culture we respect each other even too much so sometimes we lose ourselves in order to take care of other
Tudo no seu tempo! Claro, está na minha lista. Mas primeiro, quero estabilizar na vida. Sempre estive em cidades diferentes, mudando de apartamento e cidade com
Thanks for having me Mixmag Brazil! Can’t wait to visit more countries in South America and to play music and dance together with you guys!
Arroz com feijão? Ahahah brincadeira! Bela natureza, comida deliciosa, pessoas muito gentis e amigáveis, língua espanhola. Eu só estive no México, Guatemala e Colômbia até agora, mas sempre quis descobrir outros países... O Brasil é o próximo da lista, é claro!
Follow SHUBOSTAR on:
Instagram.com/
Facebook.com/
Soundcloud.com/
Twitter.com/
O traço mais coreano em mim é que sou muito educada talvez. Em nossa cultura, respeitamos uns aos outros até demais, então às vezes perdemos nós mesmos para cuidar de outros. Entre os coreanos, tudo bem porque podemos ver e reconhecer isso sem nem mesmo falar. Para estrangeiros, porém, às vezes é difícil reconhecer isso. Lembre-se, quando você ver seus amigos coreanos e achar que eles estão sendo muito gentis, pense duas vezes e tente entender se eles estão apenas tentando ser educados!
Obrigado por me receber, Mixmag Brasil! Mal posso esperar para visitar mais países na América do Sul, tocar música e dançar com vocês!
Follow SHUBOSTAR on:
Instagram.com/Shubostar
Facebook.com/Shubostar
Soundcloud.com/Shubostar
Shubostar.bandcamp.com
“Quando sinto falta de ideias para fazer música, em vez de descansar, eu mergulho em novas músicas. Alguma linha de baixo, melodia ou arpejo sempre acabam me inspirando.”
PHOTO: CHAD PARK