Ariel Parra first came into contact with music at a very early age, through bands such as Nirvana, Radiohead, Pearl Jam and others related to grunge and punk rock roots. Bristol trip-hop music was also an influence, thanks to bands like Massive Attack and Portishead. His musical style choices know no bounds, and so he has also found refuge in tango and classical music.
The artist started composing and making himself known in the music scene in 2001 with his first alternative rock band, called You Again, with which he recorded his first EP and gave some significant concerts. This earned him experience in recording, creating and composing for live performances. After a few shows, the band turned its sound into something much darker and electronic, giving a different flavour to the alternative rock with which they had started out.
After a while, Ariel decided to switch to an individual format, making music with synthesisers, software and analogue instruments. This kick-started the A.R.E.S project in mid-2011.
A few years later he had amassed a substantial discography recorded in this format: throughout his career, he has released EPs, remixes, edits and different versions with labels such as Iconyc Music, Bonzai Music, Balkan Connection, Gryphon Recordings, Hungry Koala Records, Like That Underground, Eclipse Recordings, Krafted, Tanzgemeinschaft and many more.
Having released two studio albums (Truth Be Told [2020] and My Valley of Darkness [2022]) and with over 20 releases under the pseudonym A.R.E.S, Ariel Parra now presents “Neville Klaus” and introduces his own style, known as proper minimal techno.
All of his sets are comprised of his own original tracks, creating a unique, evolved style within melodic techno. In October 2022, Ariel presented his first work under the name Neville Klaus, an EP titled Mad World, which includes three original tracks, recorded with Spanish label A100 Records.
Soon he will take part on our Various Artists compilation which we release in collaboration with EMA (electronic Music Anthem). Stay tuned, the release is foreseen for April 14.
Get to know the artist a bit more via his interview and guest mix below.
Connect with Neville Klaus on Soundcloud | Facebook | Spotify
For our readers who don’t know much about you, could you tell us a bit about your musical background?
It all began with acoustic instruments, starting with the classical guitar. I progressively started learning how to play other instruments as I went on to discover new genres, from rock and trip hop to tango and classical music. Later on, I began studying in depth how to work with Ableton Live and Logic Pro software, and composing with synthesisers.
Q: When working on new music, is the dance floor always something you keep in mind? Or does a certain vibe or flow sometimes transcend that?
When I compose, I don’t think about a physical place, but rather about the person occupying it; dancing is a merely physical experience and, in my case, I’m more interested in what I can provoke or how I can move people at a mental, spiritual and introspective level. I mean, someone who is standing completely still can be dancing internally with their angels and demons.
Later this year, you will have a track on our Various Artist compilation. Tell us all about that work. How did this one come together? From idea to creative process to final result.
It’s an honour to be a part of that compilation!
As for the question… I honestly can’t remember. As soon as I finish a creative process, I always forget how I did it by the next day. This happens to me both when I compose music and when I write —by the way, I am a writer in the process of having my first book, Espejismo [Mirage], edited to be published in 2023 by an important Spanish publishing house.
Do you believe in the possibility of “reading an audience” – and how do you put it into practice? Is the relationship with the audience on the dancefloor a collaborative one or, as Derrick May once put it, a “battle”?
I don’t believe in the idea of “reading an audience” at all; they are supposed to be the ones coming to “read” us. I have already done my “reading” and I go up there to tell my story through my music, so you can take it or leave it. I think many people hide behind the concept of “reading an audience” simply so they can settle for doing something they know will have a greater chance of being accepted.
I prefer the risks that come with doing my own thing as I please. I believe in offering something different and surprising — giving the audience something better than they expected, something they didn’t know they could love.
What do you find most challenging about the music business?
Overcoming frustration.
Nowadays, important record labels and platforms want to make people believe music is free and we, artists are last in line.
It feels like talent matters less and less while a fleeting success devoid of content becomes increasingly more important, but believing that would be the worst mistake a musician could make. If you believe in what you do, you shouldn’t give a shit about anything else. In artistic terms, success without substance and talent are opposites.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned along the way?
In fact, as I see it, there are only two possible ways to go:
- You take the risk that comes with creating a new style, developing your own sound, being trusting and devoting your time to it.
- You do more of the same.
All my sets are comprised entirely of my own tracks; it’s the long road to take, of course —road 1— but it’s also what defines you as an artist: art without any sort of risk is not art to me.
What have you got planned for the rest of the year? Any new music or collaborations we should know about?
After releasing my second album last year, My Valley of Darkness, under my former pseudonym A.R.E.S, I have begun a new stage in my career under the name of Neville Klaus, with which I have already released an EP, Mad World, and I am in the process of releasing 7 other tracks (EPs, VAs and singles). A free download is also coming of a remix I made of the band The xx, and I will be on tour in Mexico around March and April.
I think it’s time to leave the studio and showcase the new songs I’ve been working on.
If you could have produced any record in the world, which one would it be?
Kid A – Radiohead.
What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighbourhood or town?
To this day, nothing can surpass the feeling of singing and playing the guitar live with a rock band, for an audience of over 3000 people on the mythical stage of Cemento nightclub, in Buenos Aires. That happened when I was 15 or 16 years old.
Thank you so much.
