Alvaro Smart joins names like Alan Nieves, Will Taylor, Carter, and John Summit, as he debuts on flourishing house imprint South Of Saturn.
Having previously put out music with Sola, Material, Lapsus Music, and his own Space Invaders label, Smart delivers his new club-focused Te Gusta EP to South Of Saturn.
We recently spoke to the Ibiza-based talent to chat about the new release, which other labels we might expect to see him on soon, how the pandemic has changed the white isle, and more. Get the full discussion below.
Hi Alvaro, I hope you’re well. How is life in Ibiza right now?
Hi guys, it’s a pleasure to talk with you. The most positive things are the wonderful weather, many beautiful beaches, plenty of outdoor activities, a big mix of cultures and (pre-pandemic) a lot of parties wherever you go. As I always say, Ibiza is a chapter that you need to have in your life.
You recently dropped your new ‘Te Gusta’ EP on South Of Saturn, talk us through the tracks on this one?
‘Te Gusta’ is one of my most favourite tracks I’ve made so far. I wanted to add some Latin vibes and Spanish vocals, while keeping the underground feelinng. It’s a special track, and got amazing feedback from Jamie Jones, Groove Armada, John Summit, De La Swing, Eli Brown and Chris Lake, to name a few. Then ‘Energy Drink’ is a cut destined for the dancefloor at peak time, and ‘Call My Name’ is deeper but still has a big bassline, perfect for a warm-up set.
In the past you’ve also released music on Defected, Sola and Relief, which labels might we expect to see you on soon?
I’m already thinking of next year, so expect some releases on Relief, Material, Happy Techno Music, and some surprises which I can’t reveal yet. Also, one of my targets is to push my label Space Invaders, we will celebrate our third year, and from January 2022, we will reveal a big change with a new logo, new hand-made illustrations, and a lot of great music. Solardo, Loco Dice and Marco Carola have all played tracks from the label.
And do you have a label that you would absolutely love to release on at some point in the future?
For sure! I wish to repeat on Repopulate Mars and South of Saturn, but I also have a big goal to get signed to any of Jamie Jones’ labels: Hot Creations or Hottrax. Respect!
The pandemic has been hard for everyone, but we imagine it must have changed Ibiza quite a bit, how has it been there during the different periods of lockdown?
Summer 2020 was a shock for many of us. The island was at around 30% of its average capacity and there were literally no parties. Spain is one of the more vaccinated countries, however, it’s also one of the countries with more restrictions in Europe. This summer the situation got better, but many clubs are still closed. There are just a few events in Cova Santa and small clubs like Tantra or Bora Bora in Playa D’en Bossa. At least it seems that DC-10 will do a proper closing with Circo Loco. Ibiza is the same magic island, and we hope next season will be the year to bring back normality.
And have restrictions on clubs eased at all over the past few weeks?
There has been some de-escalation since the end of September. Clubs can open, but they need to ask for a covid vaccination certificate, have 75% capacity, and require masks on the dancefloor. And 5am is the new closing time. Anyway, we need to be careful with these new restrictions as we are living through continuous changes.
Thanks for taking the time to chat to us, anything else you want to mention before we go?
Thanks for having me! Music is about love and unity, so let’s support each other and grow together! Peace.
Alvaro Smart – Te Gusta EP is out now on South Of Saturn.