It’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything from Para One, but we’ve got special treat for you. To celebrate the release of his new “Kiwi” EP on Teki Latex’s Sound Pellegrino imprint, the French DJ/producer/filmmaker has made an exclusive mix for VMAN (and the music blog Discodust.blogspot.com), jam packed with new tracks and unheard material.

Click here to download it.

So what have you been up to lately? Tell us about your new EP.
Been touring for a while, then back in the studio a lot, that’s where i spend more of my time these days. Getting a couple of tracks done, good suff coming up! Slice & Soda album is ready, and also tons of new tracks with partner in crime Tacteel. Regarding the EP, I really find this whole Sound Pellegrino thing really fresh and inspiring, so when Teki and Orgasmic asked me to release something, I was excited! I tried to bring my own take on this genre, so it took me some time to figure out what to do, but then it was really fun to build a new sound, away from the boring club bangers that have been all over for a few years. I wanted something more subtle, yet pop & emotional. This new scene is creating new standards and as a producer it’s cool to be able to put some more mystery in dance music production. Then we cast the remixers, and I’m really happy with what they did! It was all pretty natural.

What is your creative process like? What influenced you while working on this EP?
I do music daily so I keep going, and then from time to time I pause and think the whole thing. Everytime I have to release something, I try to pick stuff that’s really accurate with the moment. That means I have to not repeat myself, and that’s a good thing. This EP clearly was inspired by my friendship with Teki and Orga, and also their dj sets! I discovered so much cool music as I was hanging with them in the dj booth… Back home I didn’t even try to actually get those records, I would just use the way I remembered them, to be inspired without really knowing how.

Will all of your releases be digital-only from now on, or just this one?
I don’t know. I gotta say I don’t care anymore! Digital is good enough, obviously nobody’s gonna buy vinyls from now on, so it’s okay for me to move forward. And also I like the fact that the whole process is way faster.

You’ve been around since before blogs became an important part of dance music. How would you say the scene has changed over the last couple years?
It has changed a lot. Mostly it has speeded up! “Blog time” is running so fast right now, it feels like records go out of date in a matter of weeks. But it’s interesting , cause you have to keep fresh and updated. I hope good music is gonna come out of all this. It’s up to the new generation now.

You’ve made a few films..Do you have any plans to make another?
Yeah I’m working on a feature, but can’t elaborate on that right now.

Tell us a little bit about the mix you’ve made.
Well I tried to put in as much exclusives as I could, and ended up mixing 100% of my productions, live tools I did for my sets, or remixes of my tracks. I thought it’d be fresher. I like that new sound that’s emerging, and this is my contribution to it.

KEYWORDS: Music