Interview with JAVIER VAREZ [2011]

"I just prefer to smile because I know that I never will be rich in making music." 
                                                  -Javier Varez


Javier Varez isn't playing the game for money nor for fame, but he's in it for passion. Currently based in San Fernando de Henares, Madrid, Spanish producer, DJ, and label owner Javier Varez is one of the driving forces behind the A-list house music label, ALMA Soul Music. Javier manages ALMA with  D Low, Memphis and Alex Sosa and their unending dedication towards quality music can be heard in the releases they bring out. In fact, ALMA not only caters to Javier's , D Low's, Memphis' and Alex's own releases but it is also responsible for releasing material from Alvaro Hylander, Evren Ulusoy, and Satoshi Fumi, just a few of the many seasoned artists in the industry. 


Read through our exclusive interview with Javier Varez himself, and know more about his music, his label, and his insights when it comes to music. Maybe soon, we can have him over again to talk about his grandfather's grape harvest in Spain!


ALMA Soul Music Official Webpage
ALMA Soul Music on Facebook

Copyright © 2011 Miguel Libre

Greetings Javier! Thank you for making this interview possible. Without further delay, let us begin the interview. Firstly, how are things lately as a producer, a DJ, and a label owner?

Hello Miguel, is a pleasure to sharing some words with you and readers of Soundscapes. Things are cool about my work, we are really glad with the running of our label Alma Soul Music, so many great releases and several projects in clubs are coming.

Before we go to the details of your label, Alma Soul Music, let's first talk about your solo career. What inspired you to become a DJ and a producer?

Certainly I must to thank to my brother Fernando, he was my example and inspiration in the world of electronic music from I just was a little children! Years after was inebitable to focus my attention out of the commercial music, for this reason at day of today is possible to listen different influences like Jazz or IDM sounds into my own Deep House productions.

We're pretty sure that the things that revolve around you have had certain impacts on your musical career. In your case, how has Madrid been able to influence your career?

It´s not easy to answer this because I´m thankful to many people in Madrid.Certainly it´s a city where you can enjoy several types of art every day, inside and outside the music, without a doubt all people could be well influenced here... But I recognize that this is a country with a giant porcentaje of persons who prefer to spend his time and money in seeing to famous TV celebrities "playing" Mainstream music at big clubs. Definetely I think that this is not the land of opportunities... but sincerely I don´t see my life far of this sunny place.

Now, we talk about your label, Alma Soul Music. Can you tell us something about your label?

As I said, me and my partners D Low, Memphis and Alex Sosa are 100% satisfied with Alma Soul Music´s way, soon we will launch great material from important artists such as David Herrero, Ilya Santana, Siwell, Show B, Jack Pattern, Meterius Johnson and many more. In other things I must to remember that our own radioshow "Alma Dreams" is broadcasted weekly by 3 radio stations in Europe, it´s all about midtempo and downtempo music, out of our usual Deep House tunes.

Alma Soul Music: Javier's Record Label

What is or are the driving force/s behind Alma Soul Music, and what makes it unique?

Another time I gonna be sincere with you. I think that we launch just the music we like with the wish that be nice for our listeners, but I recognize that at day of today is very hard to highlight between bigger labels... Maybe one thing what distinguishes us is our visual image, we always use original designs from artists as record cover.

As a label owner and manager, what obstacles have you faced in the past, and how were you able to surpass these problems?

Uff... daily I ask to myself why I was not the creator of Facebook or maybe a muscled porn star who gains millions of dollars per month? LOL. But the reality is other, it´s simple, if people can get music for free, why them gonna spend money in it? The problem with piracy always will exists in our life, I don´t see a solution for this... I just prefer to smile because I know that never I will be rich in making music ;)

Let's go back to you being a producer. How does your studio set up look like?

I share a studio with my partners of Alma Soul Music, this room is called Atmosphera Studio where I usually kick our Akai MPC and touch some notes with my nose in differents analog synths. Also I record sweet melodies made with my own voice with Logic and our Rode condeser microphone (these sweet melodies always are erased instantly because my voice sucks)

The Atmosphera Studio

If there's one producer in the world you would like to collaborate with, who would it be?

My favourite artist from years ago is Matthew Herbert, would be amazing to see him working for our label!! But the true is that i never will try to make music with him, because is 100% sure that I would damage the results! He is the most original artist in electronic music in my opinion.

Any news for your followers? What's new from Javier Varez and from the guys on Alma Soul Music?

At the moment personally I only can speak about a new moniker for a different style of my productions, future releases with a couple of important labels. And about our label, I will try my partners works more, this form I will can sleep more hours!

This concludes our interview! The guys behind Soundscapes by Motionmigs would like to thank you for your time and effort in making this interview possible! We wish you all the best. Cheers and keep in touch!

I´m really thankful for this nice and funny interview, maybe another time i could speak about grape harvest in my grandfather´s town or something similar hehe!Thanks a lot from me and all Alma Soul Music components!

Here's a free download mix exclusively made by Javier just for our readers here on Soundscapes! Check it out, and have a good day! :)


Javier Varez´s Mixtape for Motionmigs.com by Javier Varez