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The brand new Furie Music label is born in Lyon, headed by Pedro Bertho and Patxi. Their label, full of great ideas and promising releases, is going to be the talk of the town.
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We had the pleasure of interviewing Patxi and Pedro and this was the result.
Hello guys, it is a pleasure to have you at DVOX MAG.
Well, to start the interview itself… How are you? Where are you currently living?
Patxi: I’m fine! Winter is coming but I’m fine ahahah.
I’m living in Lyon, France, a beautiful city with a lot of amazing stuff to eat and drink ;)
Pedro: Olá, amigos!
Thanks for having us here! I’ve been doing great recently… lots of projects in the works—new music, gigs, and meeting new people. I’m Brazilian, from São Paulo, and I’ve been living in Lyon for the past 4 (almost 5) years.
How did you meet? How did you start making music together?
It’s a long story but let’s try to make it as short as possible. Pedro and I met in 2019 when he decided to travel to Europe and made a stop in Lyon. We had some common friends in Brazil then. Augusto from Selvagem had just texted me something like « my friend Pedro Bertho is visiting Lyon, he comes from São Paulo, you should def plan to meet him, showing him the French vibe, pretty sure you will get along easily » So we met, and it was an immediate evidence between us. During his first stay here, we played a lot of music together, even produced on Saturday afternoons (our first track was Jogo Italo released on Make Italo Great Again vol.2), and we founded Furie with Pierre Marie Oullion, Sheitan Brothers partner. Since then, we have not stop making new projects together. So many stories to tell, so many journeys, but it’s an interview, not a biography.
How is your creation process?
That’s a tricky question! Haha. It really depends, but we usually start by exploring musical references that catch our attention. It could be a sample, a full track, or even just a vibe from a specific genre (like the drum patterns in digital reggae, for example).
From there, we begin jamming around that initial idea. Typically, we focus on the drums first, then build out the bassline, and eventually layer in melodies or other instruments. Once the jam starts to take shape, we move into the arrangement phase, always staying open to changing direction or even rewriting parts as needed.
At the end of the day, it’s all about the vibe for us—though sometimes we have to work on letting go of certain ideas to keep the flow.
What can you tell us about your brand new EP “Fundamental Process”?
Fundamental Forces did not come out of nowhere. In the last 2 years, we have played more and more tracks that are deeply rooted in and influenced by reggae / ragga & dub. From old school stuff to more electronic productions or even D&B, we love to spice up our DJ set with these kind of weapons. The idea of making our own tracks based on these influences was obvious to us. This vibe always gives a particular taste to our DJ sets, from strong voices, to reggae rhythms and grooves. Last year, we even introduced a traditional dub siren into our DJ set and we feel it has taken it to another level. Fundamental Forces was influenced by this basic synthesizer which made us fall in love with the idea of mixing dub and electronic / techno music. This EP represents our vision of djing: mixing cultures and influences in order to drop a super solar vibe on the dancefloor.
Why did you decide to start with FURIE Music in the first place?
What can you tell us about the label and its way of working?
Furie is more than a label or a collective, it’s a space of creation. We promote parties, release podcasts of artists we like, and teach DJing to the next generation. Everything is about sharing music. We were wondering if we should find a proper label for this first EP, and at the end, releasing it under this Furie project was obvious for both of us.
At the beginning of the project, we wrote a short manifest about Furie, to explain its essence, and it goes like this:
Furie is not a party, Furie is not a label, a night, a media, a crew. Furie is free, Furie is sweat, dance and music. Furie is a sparkle, Furie is Furie.
Let’s get geeky.
What instruments do you usually use in the studio? What is your favorite synthesizer? What criteria do you use when producing your own songs?
Well, we always have Ableton Live as our DAW/brain.
When it comes to instruments, it varies: sometimes we go more into hardware mode, other times we’re 90% plugin-based. However, we always have a synth around or a TB-808 for the drums.
Our favorite synthesizer at the moment is the Hydrasynth from ASM.
It’s an amazing synth where you can really design and modulate your sound in an analog-like approach. We use it for basslines, pads, and even drum/percussion sounds, it’s incredibly versatile.
Our main criterion is the idea of telling a story, bringing a vibe to people. If we’re feeling it, we’re happy. Oh, and we’re a bit demanding with the mix of a song.We like the idea that when listening, you can notice details and re-learn a track with each play.
Can you recommend any artist or label that you have been listening to lately?
Patxi: Two amazing DJ’s who blend so many influences and vibes in there sets and production: Mike Burns & Fernanda Arrau. Two labels we love to work with and have become friends with: Blanc Manioc & Dubquake from O.B.F. Soundsystem
Pedro: Easy and hard question! There’s so much talent around, hehe.
For me, there’s this guy called Kaval whose productions I’ve been playing a lot lately. Also, Orion Agassi from Ritmo Astral and the productions of Pr.a.do from Brazil. A big shoutout to Badsista, RHR, and my bro Cardozo. I’ve been listening a lot to their stuff.
And finally, what can you tell us about 2024/2025? What’s coming up for the label… Tours, showcases, upcoming releases, etc.?
Patxi: We are going to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in December 2024, to work on a residency with the Malian singer MC Waraba, to develop his next live for 2025. We are also working on some remixes for Fundamental Forces, and we would absolutely love to release a full vinyl from this EP in 2025!
Pedro: Wow! There’s a lot to share!
I’m launching my own label, with the first vinyl release scheduled for October 25th. Stay tuned! After that, I have a few gigs to promote it. Then, I’m heading to Brazil for a two-week production workshop I created with BPM (Pierre Marie & Baptiste Pinsard), focused on a minority of genres. Following that, I’ll be back for more gigs before heading to the Ivory Coast for a music residency with the talented Mc Waraba. I’m also releasing another EP in December for Mangabey’s new label.
For 2025, we’re working on the remixes of “Fundamental Forces,” and I’ll be releasing one song per month through my label. Oh, and there’s also a collaborative EP in the works with Cardozo, along with the return of my residency at Le Sucre. So many plans and dreams!
What things inspire you outside of the music world?
Patxi: I’m a graphic designer so I take influences in any form of art and artistic movement. Every form of culture and history is a strong foundation to create and develop any form of creation.
Pedro: Anything! Arts in general, like reading a book, watching a movie, or going to a DUB party… but nature has also been really inspiring me. I’ve been running a lot lately, which helps me relax and refresh my ideas.
What is your favourite activity when you want to disconnect from everything to do with music, work and everyday life?
Paxi: Definitely cooking! I really love it, it’s almost a therapy. I also love to ride my bike, being excited to let myself get hypnotized by the connection between my legs and my bike… It’s almost like playing music.
Pedro: Reading, running, cooking, swinging X 4
Any last words of wisdom that you would like to share?
Patxi: Never stop to dance / dance and drink good wine <3
Pedro: Stay tuned to what’s going on around you. Life is beautiful, but it’s also about making a change in this world! Reconsider your thoughts, think about others, and respect them! It’s about learning and evolving.
Thank you for this interview guys =)
