This tasteful new slab, the Future Blues EP, is made up of four slow-burning Delta blues-infused disco-house bangers and is an auspicious sign from the musical director of the Faena Hotel Miami Beach venues.
New Times caught up with Richie Hell to discuss the new EP and his plans for both Gumbo Limbo and 2017 programming for Faena.
New Times: What is your history in Miami?
Richie Hell: I was born in Buenos Aires and came to Miami for the first time in 1990 with my family. In 2014, I got married and a couple of months later, we came to live in this magic and inspiring city. I found a lot of brave, local DIY promoters who are building a new music scene starting from the underground.
How did you first get into music production?
After several years of DJing and playing bass guitar in rock bands, it came
What was your creative process on the Future Blues EP?
The concept of Future Blues is an ideal world in which progress and ancient culture coexist in real harmony with one another. I'm a dreamer [but] the future is something that scares me at the same time. The future gives me the blues. The process of making music starts before I enter the studio. I'm a record collector and
When I listen to a loop that I like, I rip it to digital and start jamming over it, adding drums, keys, bass, textures, etc., and then I take out the original sample and the skeleton of a new song is born. After sketching this idea in Miami, I traveled to Buenos Aires and worked on the rest with
How did you come to work with the traditional blues sound?
I've been a fan of blues since
What can you tell us about your musical role with Faena Hotel Miami Beach?
In Faena Hotel, I'm in charge of programming all venues, and what I try to do is bring something different to the Miami Beach music scene. It's very important for my job to have at my side someone like Alan Faena, who has a clear vision of what he wants and is not influenced by trends. We both see this opportunity as a mission. That is what curating music is for me. I've been doing this my whole life. Like M.J. said, "make a better world for you and for me."
What is your vision for the newly launched Gumbo Limbo Music? Where do you plan to take the label in 2017?
Gumbo Limbo Music started as a necessity because I had my music ready, but it was very hard to find the proper label that would blend with it. On one hand, most of the electronic imprints were looking too much for dance floor fillers, and my music was somewhere in between with a very specific sound, and I found very few that would go with that sound. On the other hand, those that I found already had their established artists and were not looking for new ones.
Our intention is to take dance music beyond the club scene. We want it to be heard by people who like other styles besides electronic music and can enjoy them anywhere besides clubs. We want to be inclusive, initiate people, fulfill their curiosities, and make them know new styles and cultures. 2017 is going to be our first year of life and we have to choose very well our first baby steps. Our goal for this year is to create a clear identity and let people know that we are here and who we are. My aim is to release as many artists as we can, but far more important is to maintain the high quality of the releases.
Are you currently accepting demos for potential release on the label? What sort of sounds are you looking for?
Yes, the other main reason for creating my own record label is that it gives you the chance to get to know new artists and work with them. That’s the secret of youth, keep searching for new ideas or visions. We are looking for something different from the sound we are accustomed to in clubs. Less dark, with a perfect groove and excellent production. We prefer low BPMs for our releases to give greater depth to the tracks. We want them to be trippy but effective as
So what can we expect from you next on the production front?
I'm planning to release two more EPs this year on Gumbo Limbo along with the Future Blues remixes, and I'm also looking for other labels that could be interested in my music. My sister Martes is coming to live in Miami this year, so I'm gonna be working a lot with her making music and playing live as she is the lead singer of my live project. I want to expand my musical frontiers and try with new sounds as inspiration. I've been