Unpropped spent some time answer our questions about their music and how they make it. Let’s see what they have to say!
First off, What’s up with your name? Is there a story behind it?
‘Unpropped’ tries to be a reference to the type of sound and mood that the project is based on: without any clear attachment, guideline, or support, just floating around, triggering the listeners’ spontaneous associations according to their own state of mind, like some sort of empty canvas which can be best filled through careful attention or even introspection.
Tell us about your musical past, would you tell us about your early years?
I don’t come from a musical background. Never really learnt to play an instrument or a lot about music theory, besides the limited stuff that we were taught at school. As fool as it may sound, I started experimenting and crafting beats when I was a teen just to impress somebody. Not sure it really played out well, but I kept on messing around, on and off.
At some point, several years ago, after having been living around the world and secured a way to sustain myself, I decided to step up and pursue some formal training in music production. I had understood by then that all I needed to feel fulfilled, to keep some sort of a mental balance, was to make music. Everything else had become noise, stuff that one must deal with to eventually figure out what really matters.
How would you describe your sound?
Evocative, curious, textured, rather minimalistic, slightly dubby with ambient, drone, and techno elements. I like to think about it as somehow eclectic.
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
I always felt attracted by electronic music and enjoyed the Spanish breed of artists from the end of the 90s and beginning of the 2000s: Oscar Mulero, Christian Varela, Abel Ramos… But I also found pleasure in other genres: I’m thinking now about Oasis (“Standing on the Shoulders of Giants”) and Metallica (“S&M”), to whom I perfectly remember got addicted in the summer of 2000.
In any case, my biggest influences in terms of electronic came afterwards, after listening to the work of artists (who I also consider innovators) such as Autechre, Alva Noto, Marcel Dettmann, Floating Points, or Amon Tobin, to name a few. And more recently Rrose, whose sonic concept I find extraordinary.
What’s the last song you listened to?
Some from Lotus Eater’s latest album, ‘Plasma’.
What’s your source for hearing new music?
I enjoy browsing the Buy Music Club site, which is an initiative focused on Bandcamp and whose playlists are far away from the standard, algorithmically curated recommendations made by the streaming platforms.
Additionally, following and reading about the artists and labels that one likes is a great way to discover new stuff that otherwise would remain unnoticed.
Who is your dream producer?
I love Caterina Barbieri’s exploratory approach and analogical mastery, as well as Carsten Nicolai’s neatness and clarity across all his productions. For sure I could mention several other producers (Rival Consoles? Plaid? Floating Points?) but these are currently my top ones.
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
Again, so many names coming to mind… But if I could summon the genie from the bottle, Modeselektor would be my choice. Those guys have been fundamentally contributing to define the Berlin electronic scene since the nineties, and in that sense, I can’t think of many other artists as influential as them. They seem lovely, their music is of ridiculous high quality, plus I can’t imagine how much I’d be able to learn from just one collaboration with them.
That’s in terms of big names, so in case the genie feels a bit overwhelmed by my request, I’d keep in my sleeve a ‘rising’ musician called Grand River. Her ability to enrapture is exceptional and that might fit quite well with the Unpropped sound.
What led you to music, and what motivates you to keep making it?
The answer to this question could take us some time to discuss. To keep it straight to the point, to me, producing music is, first, the best means that I have found to deal with my own reality, thoughts, and emotions; this is the pragmatic side of the answer. And second, I believe that art is the most valuable legacy that a society can leave to transmit the knowledge acquired through our experiences, observations, feelings, technical prowess, etc., so that the coming generations can learn from them; this would be the more humanistic part of my motivation.
Now, I reckon that this last point might not be the most popular. Some people will argue that education is more than just arts, or that science is definitely what makes us progress… There is a lot of room for discussion. But my opinion is that embracing the power of arts to better understand the multiple expressions of the human nature should sit at the top of our list of priorities… and it definitely does sit at the top of mine.
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
I feel the most creative during the first steps of a new track or album, when there is nothing limiting you. And especially during the night. In those days it is only about sound design. Trying and crafting kicks, bass lines, leads, and any other rhythmic or non-rhythmic element, and tentatively putting them all together to see what fits, what does not, what is missing… To me, the task of producing music is pure craftsmanship, and I believe in dedicating as much time and care as needed to create something authentic, something deserving being considered art. It is all about enjoying, so no issues or frustration whatsoever if going to bed empty-handed. The head keeps working in the background, though, and I have learnt that, given enough time, something will come up.
After I have accumulated enough material and I have a relatively good idea of where everything would fit, it is time for arranging and polishing. This is when I get glued to the seat for hours to the point of standing up only when something aches. I also start to use the headphones at this stage and to a/b test on the monitors. Breaks are now days long, not just hours, as there is more reflection and auto-critic involved. In any case, I remain “slow” in terms of productivity… no way I can arrange and polish a track in less than a week!
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
I’m currently on Twitter, IG, and FB, which I regularly use to share news and updates related to Unpropped; these are also the best channels to connect with me, as I manage them directly. But if someone wants to really be on top of the project, I can only recommend to join the email list via unpropped.com; that’s the best way to be the first to know, also granting the possibility to have access to exclusive merch and other content.
Website – Facebook – Twitter – Soundcloud – Vimeo – Instagram – Spotify
What’s next for you?
Well, besides the EP ‘Acausality’, which dropped at the end of June, I’m already working in the first full Unpropped album, which I expect to finish during the first months of 2024. I’m very excited about this one, because it’ll be a full display of the Unpropped sound and universe, something that has taken quite some time to mature and develop which is finally coming to life. And after that I’ll be able to dedicate more time to the design of a live show, which I plan as an immersive experience based on sound and visuals. It may take a while until it hits the road, but I’m confident that when it does, it’ll be worth checking out.
Anything else you’d like to add or let us know about?
I’d only like to state that Unpropped is a project in its initial stages with still a lot of ground to cover. But it’s here to stay, and over time will only continue to expand and evolve. Stay tuned.
Bio:
Innovative is a term loosely thrown around in modern day music, but it is a term ringing loud here as the Unpropped concept unravels. Explorations of obscure textures and abstract environments, crafted with a definitive sense of timeless drifting. Real name, Germán Sánchez, seems to have a certain ability to paint pictures for the listeners of his music, using your mind as a canvas with each curious sound blending in a new colour. Once you begin to immerse yourself within his charismatic and industrial tone, the animations start to play out right before your eyes, dispersing emotion and curiosity. His daring, yet enlightening compositions delve deep into the realms of the impossible.
This native Spaniard currently resides in Germany, after spending considerable amounts of time in Brazil, India, and Morocco, improving his cultural palette as he travelled, drawing strains of influence from all these vibrant locations, resulting in his bold and boundary stretching productions of today. Quite notably the biggest influence on the development of Germán as a musician comes from his two year studies at Longevity Music School in Strasbourg, France (2019-2021). This is where he learnt how to process his vast creativity and open mind into unsuspected patterns and mystical arrangements that will stand the test of time.
Whilst dedicating a large focus to creating his debut album, the cinematic music maker is also beginning to prepare a live performance where he will present his dynamic ethos to groups of people at one time, utilising a minimal amount of machinery, propelling intuitive sounds, maneuvering way beyond the norm. The aim being to create a sense of community that before the experience seemed inconceivable.
Unpropped is a project dedicated to the extraordinary and otherworldly, and over time will only continue to expand and evolve with such a singular artist at the helm of the idea. Always seeking to challenge the listener’s perception as a way of triggering subconscious reactions and associations.
