Inti festival is one of the most unique dance events on the planet. Taking place on February 16th, near Lima, Peru, it marries culture, ecological awareness, and the best of underground music in one of the most diverse climates in the world. Running since 2010 on the beautiful "Asia Beach" just outside Lima, Inti festival educates attendees on Peruvian history and global issues through eco art projects, while top billing underground dance artists provide a forward thinking soundtrack. One of the artists on the bill for this year's festival is the infamous Adultnapper aka Francis Harris, man of many monikers and co-owner of quickly rising NY based label, Scissor and Thread (along with Anthony Collins). He sits down with us prior to the festival to talk about why he loves Peru, the importance of relationships in dance music, and the potential for dance music to effect social change.
In a recent interview with Meoko, you said that literature, in its various forms, inspires you to make music. How does the written word transform itself into musical notes, in your mind? Have you ever thought about putting pen to paper yourself? I don't think it translates directly into musical notes, but clearly every form of art has a mood to it. Thus, often this mood inspires a musical direction. As I also said in the previous interview, I find it troubling to intellectualize music, as then it sets up imaginary boundaries that can be limiting. I find that my love of music inspires my writing and my love of literature inspires my music, but in ways that cannot be quantified, nor spoken of. In terms of my own writing, I write all the time. I've been published a few times in my past, but right now, I only do for myself.
You're being billed as Adultnapper at Inti Fest, but recently you've mentioned that the dark, clubby sounds associated with this moniker have lost some appeal to you. You've also been producing under "lightbluemover," and your own name, Francis Harris. What can kind of sound can fans expect from you at the festival? Adultnapper is, as you say, a bit of a darker sound, so I suppose if that’s how I am being billed, this is how I will approach the set more or less.
Inti Fest has a unique place in the spectrum of electronic dance music events. It promises to educate attendees on the culture and history of Peru, and also has a strong focus on conservation. What are your thoughts on this kind of environmentally and culturally friendly festival? Well as most of my Peruvian friends know already, I am in love with Peru and the focus of this festival is ultimately what I would love my music to be invested in. I do not think that art and social responsibility are mutually exclusive. I think they can and must interact, so this festival is very important to me as an artist.
INTI FEST - ¿Por qué bailamos? from 4Beats Peru on Vimeo.
Having traveled all over the world, what's special about Peru, and specifically playing in Peru? There is something very magical about Peru and its people. I always say when I land in Lima, even at the airport, it feels like I am coming home, which is rare. Even though I do not live in Peru, nor come from Peru, it feels familiar and warm.
Scissor and Thread, your imprint with Anthony Collins, has been in steady ascent over the past couple of years. Tell us about the impetus behind this label, and your vision for it. Our vision was to step out of the box and just follow our hearts and our love of all kinds of music. We feel that if our passion remains clear and true, the audience is sure to follow and thus far we have found this remarkably successful.
As label boss, how do you handle A&R? Are you receiving enough demos to sift through and find material, or are you proactively reaching out to many new artists? We are not a label that necessary looks for demos. It’s about relationships. All of our artists have been found through mutual friends in both New York and Paris. We are lucky to be involved in a community of highly talented artists that in one way or another come into our group of friends. So, I suppose much of it is luck in the beginning. The rest comes through nurturing our relationships and developing our artists for a long term vision. We are not interested in "flash in the pan" EPs and hype. We are interesting in exploring long term relationships with artists and their vision.
As you further in your career how do you see yourself, and your sound, evolving? Do you have a plan, or are you following your muse wherever she leads you? As a good friend always says to me, "Follow the arrow." I try not to think about how my sound evolves. I just keep an open mind and heart, I work hard and I just trust that development is a part of a true and honest dedication to the music. The rest is just small talk.
Speaking of muses, what, or who, inspires you today? The strength and dedication of the people in my life.
For the techies amongst us, what instruments, software or hardware, do you absolutely love these days? Right now I am obsessed with creating sound out of the box with as many unusual sources as possible. I am doing a lot of sampling from found sound recordings, so microphones are my current fetish. That, and the most simple and remarkable little drum machine I have ever owned, the MFB-522 drumcomputer. My next album will have beats only from this and my microphone recordings. It’s an incredibly enriching experience to focus your attention on just a few things. It has opened up a whole new vision and palate for me. It’s very exciting.
In closing, we'd like your thoughts on the underground dance music scene at large. Independent dance music is finding its way into more and more corners of the globe, and into more "commercial" arenas (like TV ads, stores, and large festivals like Ultra). What is your prediction of where the scene is going? Is dance music headed to a similar fate, or will it manage to retain some of the grittiness of the underground even as it's exposed to more daylight? I hope it doesn't sound too controversial to say this, but I truly don't even think about this sort of thing. I find it to be a waste of time. I don't really care about trends and their impact on popular culture. I do care about how our industry might be more conscious and involved in aspects of our culture that matter, meaning, how underground dance music can be an effective medium for progressive social change. Beyond that, it’s merely fodder for those who give a damn about what’s popular and what’s not.