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[INTERVIEW] San Pacho Shares Inspiration Behind His Tracks, Goals For 2022 + More
Born and raised in Croatia, San Pacho has recently emerged into the spotlight in the house music scene. Since the birth of his project in 2019, the young artist has released tracks on renowned labels such as Confession, UKF, and Dim Mak.
San Pacho has created a signature tech house sound that he utilizes in every one of his releases. The talented producer is also able to incorporate his sound into classic remixes, like his rendition of Bee Gees', "Stayin' Alive". His popularity continues to exponentially rise as he gains support from Matroda, Tchami, Wax Motif, and others. San Pacho clearly has shown no signs of stopping his blossoming role in the house community.
Read iEDM's exclusive interview with San Pacho below.
iEDM: How did growing up in Croatia influence your taste in music and your identity as an artist?
San Pacho: Croatia has a very beautiful landscape. Spending some time in nature always refreshes my mind and helps me keep my focus on my musical journey. I've also definitely gathered some influence from the summer beach parties over here!
iEDM: Which artists did you look up to the most as a kid and why?
San Pacho: To be honest, I've had somewhat broad electronic music taste growing up. I remember my dad blasting Prodigy's The Fat Of The Land album and later on, he had some mixtape CDs ranging from Daft Punk to Fedde Le Grand. When I got my first PC, it all started snowballing. I can say that deadmau5 was the first person that I thought: wow, this guy has it all.
iEDM: What is the meaning being “San Pacho”? Is there any relation to Saint Pachomius?
San Pacho: Hahah, great question. I wish I was somewhat clever but not really. Pacho is just my nickname in real life; it's what everyone calls me. I remember we were having a beer for Saint Patrick's Day and my friend called me San Patrik. Later on, it was just natural to turn that into San Pacho.
iEDM: Since your breakout onto the house scene in 2019, you have quickly amassed a huge following and widespread popularity towards your signature sound. What advice can you give to upcoming artists in terms of standing out and being successful in the EDM industry?
San Pacho: To be honest, as much as a cliche this will sound, just try to be you. There's a million artists chasing that one sound at the given moment, just experiment and try doing things your own way. Even without the biggest production knowledge, you can stick out amongst a sea of other producers chasing the same sound.
iEDM: Who is your favorite artist to collab with and why?
San Pacho: Matroda is definitely fun to work with just because we’re from the same town and hang out in real life, so it’s a very easy and a natural process.
iEDM: What has been your favorite label to work with and release a track on and why?
San Pacho: I’ve just had my second release on Hau5trap and to be honest, I’m loving the whole experience, the team is amazing! But, every label has its own charm I wouldn’t want to downplay anyone.
iEDM: What are the main differences that you see when releasing a self released track versus putting one out on a label?
San Pacho: Well, it’s definitely hard to do everything on your own when you’re self-releasing. But then again, you have the liberty of arranging everything how you want to, whether it be the visuals, posts or whatever. I’d say both have their own benefits and limitations.
iEDM: Describe the process of producing “La Pasion”. What inspired you and Matroda to create its unique sound structure?
San Pacho: I was listening to some Cuban mixtapes on YouTube and got inspired very quickly. I opened my program up and banged up the idea. After sending it to Matroda (he liked it), we went back and forth a bit. Before we knew it, we had made a smash! I’m so happy with that track.
iEDM: Where did the idea for “Amor” come from and what was your reaction to its immediate success?
San Pacho: "Amor" was actually inspired by La Pasion’s success, I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to release it at first, but I wanted to make a follow-up to "La Pasion". I sent the demo to Matroda, he played it at EDC, the crowd went nuts, and I knew I had the one.
iEDM: How were you able to blend old-school classic house and cutting-edge new wave house elements so smoothly in your newest release, “Pride”?
San Pacho: I always try to bring something new on the table with each of my songs, so "Pride" was just that. I wanted something catchy like an old-school repetitive vocal and the synth sounds with something more modern which is the bassline and the drums in this track. I think it worked out pretty well!
iEDM: What is your process for finding hidden gems to play during your sets?
San Pacho: Luckily, I've made a lot of talented friends, so I just ask around for some hidden gems and I’m covered in that area hahah. Other than that, Beatport and some YouTube channels never disappoint.
iEDM: In your Twitter bio is the phrase: “unlock yourself”. What does this mean to you?
San Pacho: Coming into 2022, I wanted to change my appearance to the public. I want people listening (and viewing) me and my music as something inspiring, achievable - not just in a music sense, but in general. The key and lock symbolism represents you having an unlocked talent and passion for something and I’m going to help you “unlock yourself”.
iEDM: What exciting plans do you have in mind for the rest of 2022 in terms of producing and your performances?
San Pacho: I’m very excited to finally start touring and playing my music out. It’s been a very fun ride so far, but I think the real San Pacho movement will start rolling this year. People can expect a lot of great music and content from me.
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