Future Legend is the alias of Chilean electronic music DJ and producer, Andres Bucci. Andres Bucci has released deep tech tracks on Dinky’s Horizontal, Mike Shannon’s Cynosure Recordings and collaborated on a classic album with Kate Simko. We decided to catch up with Andres Bucci to chat about his Future Legend alias, as he is soon to release a new album titled Under the System…

> For the people reading this who have not heard your music before, how would you describe your style and the key elements that define it?

In simple words, I would best describe my music as eclectic, because my sound has been influenced by many genres over many years. I’ve discovered new sounds through collecting music, working with different people from different places, and using lots of different musical equipment ranging from analogue hardware to field recordings. I am constantly exploring and experimenting with electronic music through various productions and projects which include sound art, theatre, performance, club music and festivals. My music tastes are coming from Western culture but there are also Latin American influences in there, as I grew up in Chile, before moving to Germany where I lived for many years. You can definitely identify classic synth and drum machine elements in all my productions, as these technologies are at the heart of my work, and a constant theme in any project of mine.

> Your most recent release is an album called ‘Under the System’, could you tell us about the concept of the release?

So, this album is a compilation of different tracks, and brings together different flavours that I had created over the years. These tracks were finished ideas that had never seen the light of day, so when Hummingbird by BPZ asked me if I had any music free to do a new project, I presented these ones and we decided to collect them all together and turn them into a new LP. 

The theme and title behind the album is focused on the Internet Society that exists today. It’s my personal observation of social development into this type of cultural system, and the emergence of a tech dependent global community. The tracks on the album reflect certain themes from this phenomenon, which I find interesting, and fascinating to interact and study with.

> Is this your first album release and how do you approach putting an album together in comparison to an EP?

Putting an album together takes a lot more time, as usually when I do an LP it’s more of a compilation of different tracks, rather than one big musical concept. An EP is easier to do, and can be a lot of fun as a short format, but naturally, an album requires a lot more thinking to make it all come together. My approach to both of these is very ‘anti-industrial’ if you like, as I am not in any rush, and avoid putting myself in a stressful situation to meet a short deadline. I like to have space with my tracks, and allow lots of listening time to make changes or amend a mix down, so it is polished to a point that I feel ready to release it. 

> The release is forthcoming via the Hummingbird by BPZ record label, and I wanted to ask how you first made contact with them?

By email of course…Internet Society 🙂 We first spoke through Myspace back in the day. The label is run by Benjamin and he got in touch to ask about the availability of some of the music I had posted on my Myspace page, then it progressed naturally from there. 

Over the years, we kept in close contact, and continued to collaborate on many other projects. We did some more music releases and I  played for a few label showcases. It’s been a good and close relationship for many years, and Benjamin has provided a good support network for me. I find that in this “music business” game at least from my point of view to have a long and lasting trust like this in the industry over so many years is really rare.

> Could you talk us through the creative process of putting a track together, and list any specific equipment used to bring your sound to life?

In my studio, I generally like to work with my analogue gear, and my favourite synths include my SH-101 plus various Moog’s. I also work a lot with a few drum machines such as the 707 and 606. I also like to use an NPC sampler and use it to sample a lot of live instruments or sounds taken from various field recordings that I’ve made.

I keep things flexible and like to experiment, but I also like to use a lot of different guitar FX pedals to create layers of textured sound. For me, it’s important to be able to explore with creative freedom during the recording and production process. It’s here where you often get the happy accidents and the best moments during a studio session. 

I also use some digital software, as I find it gives some nice options that bring another level to my productions. It is always good to have a lot of options close at hand when working on new ideas.

> What is coming up next in your music schedule, do you have any other releases in the pipeline?

Currently, I am focused on scoring music for a live contemporary dance performance group, which is taking me all over Europe. I am also working on my field recordings, which I am building up to make a collection for a compilation that I plan to release later in 2023. Other than that, there may be some new EPs releases, but these are just some ideas I am currently thinking over and I want to see where this goes and what comes in with the new year.

> Could you give some advice or words of wisdom to any aspiring producers who might look to your music for inspiration?

Always be ready to try new things, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, trust in your music, and never stop learning. Doing music is a constant education, and you can never learn enough. It is also good to be a little obsessive about it, and be a little stubborn too. Things don’t always move or arrive in the way you hoped, but it is imperative to have patience. Building good relationships and having good manners is strongly advised for this type of industry, as those bonds can go a long way to support you over the years.

> Thanks for taking the time to speak with us today, we like to finish our interviews with a couple of questions that are a little bit light-hearted… without getting too personal, could you tell us something many don’t know about you?

I don’t smoke… maybe not so exciting but a Gentleman never reveals 😉

> You don’t need to mention names, but what’s the most “outrageous” thing you’ve ever seen happen in a club… was it something outrageously brilliant, like a blindfolded DJ mixing seamlessly and scratching with their elbows, or something outrageously cringe-worthy, like some embarrassing drunk person urinating on the dance floor?

People using Smartphones to record DJs playing inside a club, this is really totally alien to me and defies the concept of going to experience live music, your attention is taken away from the moment just so you can document the situation like you are on vacation somewhere. This is sad for me and you won’t remember the night at all, and only have these fragments you captured on a dark video with distorted audio. These guys forget they are in a shared space and others don’t want to feature in their home videos, this is invasive to me especially when its from a stranger, and did anyone ask the DJ? Everyone just assumes this is fine and it’s ok for you to make a recording of their music…  

> Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, is there anything extra you want to add before we wrap up the conversation?

Just want to say thank you for the interview, it was a lot of fun to do

> You can soon buy Future Legend ‘Under the System’ from …HERE…