Genuinely talented musical couples might be far and far between in electronic music, and few we can safely assert are as on the money as Brazilian duo Flow & Zeo. A couple for over two decades, the pair have been making music ever since and also co-run the much-respected Tropical Beats label. They’re extremely dab hands in the studio too, and their latest LP (the fantastic Spacekraft) is set to see the light of day on Berlin label Katermukke: proof if needed that these guys are seriously talented producers. We put some questions to them recently, getting some insight on how they’ve dealt with the pandemic, their relationship with Katermukke and what’s left to come…
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How are you, how was 2020 and the pandemic for you?
We are fine thanks. And hope you too?
Life has changed… perception, respect, space. It’s very delicate all this we are passing thru Pandemic Covid-19. We are thankful that our beloved are healthy. But we cannot hide our feelings and respect for all. It’s hard times. We trust that better days are coming. With all this feelings and life changing, we focused our creative energy to produce our first album Spacekraft, here in our Studio Arvore, in our house in Rio de Janeiro. Without shows, our focus is directed to our Live broadcasts and producing music in the Studio.
When did you guys first meet? What was it like? Did you immediately bond over music?
We met 21 years ago, at Flow’s college. I (Zeo) was promoting a Rave I was co-producing. At that time Electronic Music was fresh in Brazil, the scene was starting to get hot….it was a new thing for most of the people. But once I gave her the flyer, we immediately connected and had that feeling we were talking the same language. Basically, since day one, music connected us and love made us connect our lives into music together. We love, live, share and breathe music everyday since then.
So at what stage did you decide to work together? And who does what in the studio?
When we started our relationship back in 2000, both of us were already DJing. I was promoting events, starting to play some gigs and Flow was on the path to start playing as well… So during our initial 6 months relationship we both had different DJ cases and bookings… besides this we were also in college (I’m a lawyer and she is in marketing), so we didn’t have much time to enjoy together. Our taste of music was similar and our cases started to become one naturally…. We realized that together we could enjoy more and live the life as dream. And that’s how it’s going till today. 🙂
Flow studies music and plays guitar, she has a refined and unique taste. I play piano and take the technical part of programming and arrangement. But all is done by two hearts, 4 hands and our souls.
Does working with you wife/husband present its own problems in the studio? Or can you be completely honest with one another?
We’ve been on a long journey of love and music. If we speak for nowadays, 20 years together, life teaches you a lot. We respect and listen to each other, we can talk honestly and keep it true. It’s a balance of pleasure, dedication and letting the music be the answer. It’s divine and energetic creating our songs in our studio together.
Of course, there are some arguments sometimes … but we have learned how to focus and take the best part of it and be thankful to have the privilege of sharing this sublime experience with music.
Tell us about the album and what inspired influenced it…
The Spacekraft concept was born in April 2020 when we started to feel the symptoms of isolation. We live in a house in Rio de Janeiro, up in the mountains surrounded by rainforest. Staying home changed our perspective. And made us take a closer attention/care of what really is on us and around us. Meditating in our garden, laying on the grass and looking to the sky, fulfilled a space in our lives.
The sky, the space, inspired us, during our galactic observations. It was a call from the universe and we accepted immediately. Music is a universal language that brings out the magic of our eternal journey. It is pure energy. It is cosmic poetry expressed in sounds that vibrate through the infinite, bringing in its intimacy the throbbing of nature and manifestation of the creation force.
Our album can be taken as an inspiration for a new awakening, a journey with subliminal messages, frequencies and binaural mixes that takes you into this special and unique musical trip.
SPACEKRAFT is our musical perception of the planets that exist in the solar system, based on deep research, celebrating love and celestial energy. A long musical path has been driven and this album brings all the references and knowledge absorbed during this trajectory.
Flow & Zeo’s Spacekraft is out on March 19 via Katermukke.
Buy/listen to the release here.
And the DFÛZE alias – what’s the thinking there?
It’s our side project Influenced by 80’s and 90’s baggage mixed with nowadays textures, a combination of Breaks, Electro and Miami Bass.
Zeo: My first contact with DJing was in the “Baile Funk” of Rio de Janeiro. The music played was the old classic “funk carioca” which is a mixture of Miami Bass and the sound of the soul of Rio Favelas. MPC, Drums Machines, MC’s. Lyrics of love, against violence, and of also violence. A scream from Rio’s ghetto population.
Our passion for broken beats is an old thing. During quarantine we had the privilege to free our minds and travel into DFÜZE and make it happen. DFÜZE has been part of our studio creation for a long time and now it’s finally released on D-edge Records with 2 original mixes. Propeller & Burst and great remixes by Renato Ratier, Joyce Muniz and L_cio. Feeling grateful. 🙂
The album is out via Katermukke – why is it the right place for the album for you guys?
And can you tell us a bit about your relationship with them? We are very happy that Katermukke became Spacekraft’s home. We had the feeling during the album creation that it could fit there. And it happened. It could not be better. 🙂
We have a long relationship with Berlin and Bar 25, where we’ve played and also did our label showcase. Katerholzig, Kater Blau. We love the atmosphere. We have good friends in Germany. We also had a previous release on the label, a remix we did of the Track Space Junk from Uone & Western, Andreas Henneberg.
Thanks to Dirty Doering and the Katermukke team for having us on board! It’s an honor for us!!
And can you tell us a bit about your relationship with Renato Ratier and D-Edge?
We have a long relationship with D-edge, for almost 20 years. Back in the days our partner Claudio Brio, who lives in São Paulo was running the Thursday nights, signed by our label Tropical Beats. Naturally we became friends with Renato. And around 2 years we become part of the D.agency roster.
Do you remember the first time you went to D-Edge? What was your thoughts on it?
Of course we remember. The first time we went to the club was for a gig on a Thursday night. D-edge is iconic, unique and we have total respect. It is and always will be the propellant of the underground scene in Brazil. We are proud to be part of this team/family.
Where and when was it written, what gear did you use, what was the plan for it?
The album was written at our Studio “Árvore” which means tree, this name because the studio is located in our garden, in front of a Jabuticabeira tree.
We produced a track for each planet of our Solar System. We did many researches to get involved with the different atmospheres. introducing Schuman Frequencies, also some instruments and sound elements are on 432hz and we also used Binaural mixing. The bonus track of the album Terra is made to listen with headphones to capture the feeling of Binaural 3D Mixing. It’s an experience of mixing totally different and new for us that we’ve been studying and had the collaboration and support from our friend and Mastering Engineer VAntonio.
Our gear consist out of a Moog Voyager, MicroKorg, Gretsch Guitar, Mic Shure PGA27, Acoustic Bongos, Eventide H9, UAD and plugins. We are really into Roland Juno 106, Jupiter, 303, 808, 909.
What have you learnt about each other over 20 years?
Many many things and it keeps coming, we are always learning, sharing, loving, living. It’s a long journey to eternity!
What else have you got coming up?
We are working on the tracks The Sun & The Moon to release on vinyl also via Katermukke. And we are planning an EP with remixes from the album inviting artists and friends that are part of our history. In our Spacekraft project we will realize an art exhibition representing the planets and many themes from the Infinity Universe, connecting a multi sensorial experience with samples from the tracks interacting with the audience. Besides Flow & Zeo new tracks and partnerships under construction we’ve been producing 2 new musical identities.
DFÜZE that we talked about before and FLUYD that is more downtempo and seeks through sound a relief for the soul. Smooth melodic aspects, deep immersion among details of acoustic elements and unique texture exploring sensorial frequencies.
What are you most excited about once the pandemic is over?
We can’t wait to feel the energy from the dance-floors around the world again and vibrate positive frequencies thru the music, traveling and exchanging culture and love.
Thank you
