The Sundowner. Mix #21 comes from Portuguese DJ and Producer Manata. Owner and founder of Nugs on Board and member of Kaizen Records, Manata defines himself as a true digger. Enjoy one hour of his selected gems and check out the interview we had with him.
Inés: Hi Manata, how are you? Manata: Hi guys, all good here, thank you for inviting me to do this podcast, it means a lot. I’m in my studio now, in my hometown just outside from Lisbon, cozy place 🙂
Inés: Could you tell us a little about your background in music? Manata: I started djing about 12 years ago, at the age of 18, at some local parties and bars. Since I’m originally from the area of Santarem, the scene there was very small, so it was when I moved to Lisbon that I started to get more gigs, and also started to develop my taste in music and also collecting records.
Inés: Who or what inspired you to start producing music? Manata: I always wanted to produce my own music, I was always a fan of the old 90s house and all the old machines, but I guess it was when I started to share beats with my friends Tiago Marques and Joao Carvalho.
Inés: Do you have any words that you feel might help producers step out of their comfort zone and be more creative? Manata: The best advice that I can give, is to keep true to your own style in music and also don’t be afraid to risk it, you have to show yourself and your music in order to succeed.
Inés: Apart from being a producer you are also a DJ, what has DJing brought you, or taught you, in your path and what have you changed since starting out? Manata: I learned a lot in these past years, and I’m still learning, I guess you never stop learning. As I said, I come from a small village in the countryside, where this type of music was not very present, I played in some really horrible parties, where the promoters had no idea on what you needed to play, where the people had no idea of what you were playing, so all of those moments helped me to grow as a DJ. I consider myself a true “digger”, so I’m always searching for the right gems. My style changed a lot over the years, but I think that’s normal, you are always looking for new sounds and new experiences, but now I think I finally play what I really like.
Inés: What sparked the idea to start Nugs On Board? Manata: It started when me, Tiago and João began to share some records. I always wanted to have a project of my own, so I decided to go through with it and invited them to join me in the label. Nugs On Board is focused on the old western cartoon theme, where the “golden nuggets” are the records, which you have to dig hard to find, and the nugs plain is kind of where all of them get together, representing the label style.
Inés: When recording a podcast do you improvise or do you take a more structured process approach? Can you explain to us a bit more about your process? Manata: I like to improvise, but I also like to show my best side in music. For me a podcast is like a story, so you have to try to tell the best story possible.
Inés: What’s your 3 favorite clubs/ parties to play at? Manata: I have to say Nugs On Board parties, Bloop Recordings, Ministerium Club, 5A Club and Harbour.
Inés: Any projects or releases we should look out for? Manata: You should definitely look for our next release on Nugs On Board, NUGS004 – Munir Nadir – Compass EP, and also the upcoming VA on Different Heads label which will feature a track of my own, both releases are vinyl only.
Inés: Thank you so much for your words Manata, looking forward to hear more from you and Nugs on Board in the future!
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