Three albums and 10 EPs into her career, Cora Novoa has released on Henry Saiz’s Natura Sonoris and John Talabot’s Hivern Discs as well as running her own Seeking The Velvet, which is designed to seek out Barcelona’s new vibrant, creative talent. She was the first woman to collect the Best DJ award at 2017’s Vicious Music Awards in Spain and has a fantastic live AV show that enthralls all who hear it. Her fresh new EP out on the last 24th of April 2020 on Vitalic’s label, Citizen Records, is an Electro and techno offering of pure intensity.
Main picture: © Viridiana Morandi
Opener ‘The Hive’ follows a sensational metronomic beat pattern and plays on high pressure breaks that constantly increase the tension. The seven-minute track is as dense as it is gripping and brings fantastically unrelenting energy. The equally arresting, floor-destroying « Hey » revolves around short slogans that are repeated throughout. The brief vocals lay over a strong beat that is run through with industrial textures and shiny metallic sounds.
You
WODJ MAG: Hello Cora, how are you in doing during these unusual days?
Coroa Nova: Working hard in the studio and also on the promotion of my last EP ‘The Hive’ released on Citizen Records.
Could you introduce yourself, for those who don’t know you?
My name is Cora Novoa and I’m an electronic music producer and creative director of Seeking the Velvet, a record label which works expanding its artistic vision through art, music and design. I was born in Galicia, but I am based in Barcelona.
How would you describe your style? What influenced you to start playing this type of music?
I discovered club culture and electronic music when I went to study sound engineering in Madrid. It was the time of electroclash, and my group of friends always went to « Coppelia 101 », that inspired me a lot to play music and make my own beats. There you could hear a lot of techno and electro and it was the key for me to fall in love with electronic music.
Could you share with us a memorable souvenir?
My closing live act at Sonar Barcelona 2010. It was a dream come true, to be playing my own songs with 5000 people in front of me while the sun was rising, that moment is priceless.
I read you have been active as a dj for 10 years, could you explain your evolution in that time?
The music industry is infinite, it all depends on your willingness to learn and explore. In my case I’m a restless ass and I’ve learned to manage my own label, to work with brands, to have my own team with which to develop projects, to create a business model, press strategies or to do exclusive events. All this has made me a richer person in terms of experience and professionalism.
Your place
Can you tell us something about your local scene?
Right now it’s all stopped because of COVID-19, so I don’t know which promoters will survive this situation and which won’t. But before this Barcelona was a very diverse music scene, full of artists, labels, festivals, booking agencies or press agencies. Many people from Berlin or Paris came to live here because of the quality of life and the music scene, parties like voodoo club, Razzmatazz, Diverso, Fuego are just some examples.
How are you living your confined life?
Making music, preparing vocal collaborations, studying advanced mixing techniques, meditating and very busy with the promotion of the ‘The Hive’ EP.
Your projects
You released ‘The Hive’ EP on Vitalic’s Citizen Records out on the 24th April 2020, could tell us about it?
I am very happy with the feedback we are getting at all levels, the international press is responding very well, and we’re having a lot of streams on digital platforms.
What are your next projects for 2020?
A few techno releases will come out, also remixes and collaborations with other artists I wanted to work with for a long time, so some very cool stuff is coming out.
Could you share your the top 5 tracks that come to your mind ?
01. Optics – Eta Carinae
02. Im Kellar – The Scene
03. Cora Novoa – The Hive
04. Identified Patient & Sophie du Palais – Crush On you
05. Cora Novoa – Hey
What is the place you would love to play?
Unsound Festival or CTM Festival.
What’s your biggest dream and how you do go about achieving it?
Continue to make a living of music, have a family and live in a house in the country.
‘The Hive’ EP [Citizen Records] by Cora Novoa is out on 24th April 2020.
‘The Hive’ EP Tracklist:
01. The Hive (original mix)
02. The Hive (dub)
03. The Hive (acapella)
04. Hey (original mix)
05. Hey (dub)
06. Hey (acapella)
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