There are many techno producers whose works are devoid of the subtleties that would suggest a wider musical competency and understanding. Then there are those whose grooves are infused with painstakingly produced little details and a sense of wonderment that reaches beyond mere dancefloor functionality. Whether he’s producing thumping techno or downtempo chillout, David Gtronic’s sense of musicality always shines through. Known for his bass driven, percussive sound but it’s those obscured flourishes of organic elements that colour his sound which really set him apart from the pack. He’s released on labels such as Vatos Locos, Suara, Monique Musique, Kina Music, and Chelsea Hotel Records to name a few, as well as collaborations with Santos, Hector and Leon have found support from the likes of techno deities including Richie Hawtin, Marco Carola, Loco Dice, Dubfire among others.
Catch David Gtronic At Red Ruby Bali
Going back, at what stage did you decide to start taking music seriously?
It became serious from an early age. When I was 18 years old I was already releasing some decent music, which was getting support from some big artists like Richie Hawtin, Marco Carola, Dubfire, Loco Dice etc. This is when I knew I had to keep it up and give it my everything to keep pushing boundaries. I was also studying sound engineering at that moment, so my whole life was revolving around music. It wasn’t until I took the next step and left everything behind in United States to make the move to Europe when I was 20. That is the moment when I started touring frequently and making a living just from my production and DJ gigs.
You released a four track EP with Guti on SCI+TEC, tell us about the release? What’s the vision behind this one?
Guti & I have been working together for almost a year now. At first, we were just doing it for fun to experiment to see what sort of results we can achieve. After the eighth track we made together we thought this sounds cool enough, we should release some of the material. During Art Basel Week in December Guti played b2b with Dubfire and during the set Guti played some of the tracks we made together. Ever since Dubfire has been interested in putting out an EP from our collaborations.
And how did you come to be in the studio together?
For the past year Guti has been visiting Berlin frequently so immediately we thought it would be a great idea to jam together and see what the outcome would be.
Will you be working together again?
We already made about twenty tracks together. Besides the EP on SCI+TEC we released a 14-track album on the new label ‘Personality Disorder Music’ we created for our collaborations. We definitely have plans to keep making music together and developing the label much more.
What about other original work? Have anything in the pipeline that you can talk about?
I have a new record I am putting out on a new vinyl only label called Synkronized, that will include an original track from myself plus a remix from Marius Laurentiu and a collaboration that I produced with Just Me. This is an EP we have been waiting for almost a year to release so I’m pretty excited to finally put it out. I also have a couple of collaborations I’ve made with artists like Hector, Tripmastaz, Chad Andrew and of course more projects with Guti to come.
You’re a part of Hector’s Vatos Locos team, how did you meet the guys and what’s it like working in a collective?
I met Hector in Ibiza during the summer of 2013 when he was playing for Enter at Space. We had a good connection from the beginning, he told me he liked to play my music a lot and since we are both from a hispanic heritage we had many things in common. A few weeks later he invited Randall M and I to play at his birthday party in Berlin and officially this was the first time us three played together. I met Randall and Chad back in 2011 while I was studying sound engineering in Orlando, Florida. The city where they grew up. Chad was a local DJ in the scene and Randall was making the transition from playing hip hop to house music. I was already producing music at that time so slowly we all started working together. Being in a collective certainly has its perks. The best part is to be able to travel the world with some of your best friends. A few months ago we had a tour in Australia with Hector, Randall, Chad and we also had a trip to Japan last year. It’s amazing to be able to share the experience with close friends rather than traveling alone. As a group, it’s much easier to make an impact rather than doing it alone. You can always push and inspire each other to grow as a team.
What’s one lesson you’ll never forget?
Never take things too personal, there is always situations that are going to test your character and strength. In the music business there will always be circumstances where the outcome seems unfair or someone will try to take advantage of you. Before letting your emotions take over it’s important to evaluate the predicament and move on from a negative situation that might be holding you back.
https://soundcloud.com/davidgtronic/tripmastaz-david-gtronic-breaker-preview
And one lesson you think has changed your career in music the most?
One of the most important lessons I’ve experience was too always take a risk and step out of your comfort zone. Six years ago, when I first moved to Berlin I arrived with no visa at the time and 300 euros in my account. I had no idea how I was going to survive and make a new life in Berlin. I took the chance in a new city and it has opened so many doors for me ever since. Moving to Berlin has been one of the most important decisions I have ever made for my career and it all came down to taking the risk.