In the era of the home studio, software and laptops, you can record music anywhere around the world. But just a few places on earth have the electric touch of Sao Paulo, the capital of electronic music in South America, a Mecca of good taste and audio design.
Télépathique is formed by drummer and producer Erico Theobaldo and singer- songwriter Mylene Pires. The duo met during the recording of Mylene’s solo album in Rio de Janeiro. Combining her roots in musica popular brasileria (MBP) and his background in drum and bass and hip hop, a side project called Télépathique was born.
Their debut album, Last Time on Earth was originally released in Brazil in 2006 on label Urban Jungle (home of Céu, Curumin) and dropped August 6th in the US through Seattle label The Control Group (El Perro del Mar, The Killers) . To support the release, the duo performed at a few small shows in Seattle, Chicago, Montreal, LA and New York, and they were lucky enough to catch the attention of a booking agent who chose them to open for Tricky on his American dates.
Right before their first show opening for Tricky at Irving Plaza in New York, Erico and Mylene sat down with us to talk about their new album, the electronic music scene in Brazil, and their incredible luck.
RE: Tell us about the electro Brazilian scene.
Mylene: I came from the Brazilian popular music (BPM) scene and when I meat Erico I started to listing electronic music. He introduced me to bands like Miss Kittin and Peaches , and I started to work the lyrics and voices for this electronic style. In Rio and Sao Paulo we have a huge electro scene: DJs with bands, DJ´s with singers, playing at clubs and in big events; everybody is using the sounds of the electronic side of music.
RE: Does this have to do with the explosion of technology and software?
Erico: No, no just that. Seven years ago the movement was bigger than now – the big parties and explosions of drum and bass is going down right now in Sao Paulo – but the mixture of styles are really present in all kinds of music, mixing the electronic sounds with rock, jazz, samba, bossa nova, soul and other elements of the fusion in Rio and Sao.
RE:What do you think about drum and bass?
Erico: As a producer, right now I think is boring, it’s the same formula. But I got into the electronic scene by going to the drum and bass parties, listening to artists like Rony Size. And then I started to work with hip hop artist in Sao Paulo. I think the separate scenes are meeting today, in these days nobody likes just one style.
RE: What has your experience in the US been like?
Mylene: For Erico and me it was a surprise, because we came here to New York just to play two shows and now we are playing with Tricky, is kind of high step.
Erico: I didn’t expect this.
RE: So how did the Tricky connection happen?
Mylene: We have the same [booking] agency as Tricky, but there were a lot of bands trying to do this gig, but someone from the agency came to see our show three weeks ago in New York….
RE: Three weeks ago? wow that’s amazing.
Mylene: Yeah! We were thinking about going back to Brazil but we decided to stay a little more, and now we are playing with Tricky, it’s really amazing.
RE:What do you think about people don’t like the electronic music and who think all electronic artists are doing cheap drugs and creating cheap music?
Mylene: It’s so weird, because I think there are good songs and bad ones in bands and in DJ´s, but I don’t now how works with the public, I think is kind of good luck.
Erico: I think there are drugs in every kind of music, doesn’t matter if it is electro. There are more drugs in rock and roll than electro that’s for sure.
RE: Finally, give us a message for all the South American crew living in North America.
Mylene: In Last time on Earth, our new album, we recorded some songs in Portuguese, and some others in English and trying to mix the Latin roots with electronic style. I know for sure the South American crew is going to like this.