Journalist: What repercussions is “IKE” having nine months after its release?
Cyril Fernandez: The disk is doing well. It is the first time that I go out without the group and that was like the novelty. Presenting music with a lot of guests was like a novelty in that sense. Luckily they are giving a lot of ball to the disc.
Q.: How was it going from working with a constituted group to having to record with so many different artists?
CF: It also happened on the previous album, where I had the opportunity to work with Emma Horvilleur and with Ca7riel, there it opened for me like that little window to try music of this style with other voices. Beyond what we had been working on, I was very seduced by that possibility. Given that the pandemic drowned us all, it was a moment for that, to experiment and do those things that I wanted to do, beyond the alchemy that I had with Fernández 4.
Q.: Do you think there is an added value for taking that risk?
CF: Personally, sure. I think so. What happened, what came out and the type of music that came out of that new chemistry, at least I really liked trying new things.
Q.: Months after its release, what consideration do you have for the album today?
CF: I realized that it is very difficult to produce the show for this album. The practical part of the matter. We were recording, testing, and then when it came to presenting it, the production was half a motion. There is also that of taking it half only the whole thing; I’ve been rowing against all odds to try to free up the schedules of all the amazing artists, who are all very busy. Finally we agree this Sunday August 28 in La Tangente. They will all be present except for the North Americans from That kid is you, for there are quite a few songs with them on the album. They will be replaced by Axel Mark, singer of Palta & the Mood. As much as there are many different protagonists, the base, the structure of the album, which is piano and drums, has a lot of cohesion; the tones are all in the same tessitura.
Q.: Beyond the crossing of rhythms and genres, IKE’s songs are urban and fresh, did you have that goal?
CF: The intention was that, to stay within a half neosoul universe. There is a thing called jazztronica, which is like low fi jazz. He was listening to that music a lot and wanted to keep that aesthetic throughout the album. It seems to me that it was achieved quite well, without losing the nerdy side that characterizes me.
Q.: What is it like to mess with a genre as exquisite as jazz and update it to electronics?
CF: For me, jazz is popular music; one of the first free popular music, which has to do with the music that was heard at that time. It is a music that actually became elitist in these times. I always liked that, keeping jazz as a place of inclusion. In that sense, it is a super inclusive style. Bossa nova always crossed with jazz, tango with jazz, folklore with jazz. Jazz has that: it allows you to do things without giving too many explanations.
Q.: Is there resistance in jazz to this type of crossing?
CF: What we do with poor jazz is somewhat irreverent. Obviously, there are people who play traditional jazz and don’t share much with it and think that this is not jazz. I do not agree with that.
Q.: In promoting the album you talk about the “nutritional” value of IK E. What does the concept refer to?
CF: He talks about the music, the beats have a deeper search than just sampling. There is a depth search in the search. That means it comes with a bit of data.
Q.: Going back to the presentation on Sunday, what will the public find in La Tangente?
CF: It will be with everything. We are going to be with a full band, with Martín Allende on viola, Valentino Sampaoli on bass, Joaco Waiman on the robe, Axel Marc on vocals. We have Emma Horvilleur, Juli Kartun, Acus, Abril Olivera, An Spil and Sophie Sobral as guests. Also the choristers of An Spil. There is going to be a big party. We are going to present the songs from the album and also a hit, one or two songs from each guest, to give it a festive setting.
Q.: Why did you bet on the disc format?
CF: The truth is I do not know. I like that of having a canvas to tell a slightly longer story arc than with a single. In turn, the songs on this album also function as singles. Always, before releasing material, I think of having a couple of songs that have cohesion and that it is put together as a speech. It can be a single too, it doesn’t have to be an album. I like it, but I’m not fundamentalist that you just have to make records. As the songs come together I say ‘well, here I have a record, let’s go’. Now, for example, we have a couple of loose songs that we are going to upload. With An Spil we made a song, with Axel too. I’m going to release and if more material comes together we’ll release a record.
Q.: How was the genesis of IKE? Did the guests come first or the songs?
CF: First came the songs, those beats that we put together. I was throwing ideas at Joaco Waiman, who was the co-producer of the album, he put together all the robes. We put together simple songs and I later gave them development. Once we had the form of a song, an A and a B, we thought who we could send it to, what voice could pair well with that particular beat. So I was calling and puffing up everyone’s balls, who were grabbing. A pleasure and an honor that so many idols have come up to sing here.
Q.: You are an artist with a long background, what interests you about music today?
CF: I love the movement there is, it’s really spicy. There are a lot of great things. Ca7riel’s album blew my wig off. An Spil and Ivan Cetkovich. In jazz too, there are still incredible things. The set of Flavio Romero, for example. The scene is healthy and I love being part of that quilombo.
Q.: You don’t have a catastrophic vision regarding the trap and new moves.
CF: Not at all: I’m totally pro autotune.
*Cirilo Fernández presents “IKE” on Sunday, August 28 at La Tangente, Honduras 5317, Palermo, starting at 8:00 p.m.
Source: Ambito
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