INTERVIEW: SERGIO ZENER

More than 20 years in the music industry support Sergio Zener’s career, whether in his facet as a producer or in his live performances as a DJ, dynamism and versatility are his main characteristics.

One year after the release of ‘Infinite’ in 2021, his debut solo album so far has reached more than 350,000 views on Spotify, 200,000 on YouTube Music as well as on other streaming platforms and digital stores, Zener reflects on ‘ Infinite’ his constant experimentation and search for new sounds within music electronics.

He has made presentations at festivals of global significance such as Dreamfields Festival México, frequent performances in places like Pachamama, Pimp and Plutarco in the city of Guadalajara, as well as livestreams that are carried out periodically through different social networks.

His music and video clips have the support and promotion of the European company Red Entertainment Group, the main subsidiary of Universal Music Group worldwide.

He currently makes musical releases through his record label: Pulsar Records, in all digital stores and produces audiovisual material of each of my performances that are later published on his YouTube channel and other social networks, mentioning the place of presentation.

How would you present your work to someone who doesn’t know you?
I would share them my Youtube artist channel, I believe it’s the best way to show my work.

I released a single called ‘Tonight (Acoustic)’ this year.

Where is it born from? 
It’s an acoustic track with rock music influences, the idea of this song came after having a bad trip with MDMA drugs, I composed the lyrics in one night based on that experience I had.

And where do you want to lead?
I haven’t had the opportunity to perform in Europe yet, and I would like to achieve that goal this year.

Find a purpose in life, don’t waste your time and always keep in mind you’re gonna die.

How did your last project come about?
I’m a frustrated filmmaker and I always wanted to direct a film, so I decided to direct, film and produce a music video for a remix I released this year called ‘Tonight (Acoustic)’, it was something challenging but funny at the same time, I did that music video with a low budget but with a lot of creativity, and I was pretty satisfied with the final result.

I came from doing rock music and ‘Tonight (Acoustic) it’s an alternative version that I decided transform from a dance song to a melancholic intimate rock ballad, I like experimentation and I liked the idea on presenting the same song in different moods just changing elements and modifying some features of the track, frequently a song it’s composed from an acoustic guitar or piano and then in the production process you add elements, arrangements, harmonics, or whatever the song needs, but in this case was de opposite, the original version of ‘Tonight’ was builded from a solid dance demo track builded before lyrics and then for the acoustic version I experimented lowering the BPM of the original version from 124 to 114 BPM, then I just added an acoustic guitar, and that transformation gave the song that melancholic feeling, and the music video for this song it’s just the cherry on top, just a minimalistic video concept, and I really liked the final result.

My philosophy is do more with less, and my home studio it’s very simple, in the hardware I have a Macbook Pro, an M-Audio MIDI controller, a pair of KRK Rockit 5 monitors, Logic Pro X as a DAW, a Pioneer XDJ-RX2 controller for mixing, and that’s it.
All the elements I use in my tracks came from MIDI sources, even the strings, percussions, and all synthesizers, sometimes I like to present to my non musicians friends some tracks with strings and they always think that there are real violins, violas and violoncellos recorded on it, it’s really amazing what you can do currently just using a laptop properly.

What is the one instrument you would never get rid of, no matter what?
To be honest I don’t have any special connection with gear and instruments, I just see them as tools that I need to do my job.
But currently I have a Fender CD-60CE electro acoustic guitar that my musician friends and I tasted in the studio comparing with many other guitars with the same characteristics, even with some others with the same brand and model, and we concluded that my Fender has a unique and special sound, probably I’ll keep this guitar for many many years more.

I’m not a crate digger currently, but I used to be, in fact about five years ago I gave to a friend all my CD’s and vinyls, he collects all that stuff and I thought he would be happy to keep them, I’m more of a digital type guy.

Yes music has been part of our existence since we develop intelligence, or maybe our intelligence was developed by music that our ancestors started doing, we don’t know, I think the music itself is hope.

How would you like the future of the music industry to be?
For independent artists like me, It would be great if we didn’t have third parties companies collecting royalties between streaming platforms and artists, I really think that in the near future intermediaries won’t be necessary.due technology.

Can you reveal some future projects?
I’m thinking of doing more commercial stuff, rather than experimental music, due the underground music audience it’s very small right now, and for me it’s very hard to find ways to expose my music out there.