Hailing from the Amazon riverbanks in South-America but stationed in the South of the Netherlands: meet Kapibara. This semi aquatic trio is known to infuse their cultural heritage when creating electronic dance music in the studio together. After the success of their track ‘Boto Boto’ on our recent SPIRALS compilation, they are back on Constant Circles with a remix and guest slot on the radio show.
What is the meaning behind the name Kapibara?
We came up with the name 4 years ago, when we decided we wanted to continue our musical journey together. Boyan and Jeroen had been playing music for quite a while (since they’re also brothers) and Rick was just another bedroom producer. We shared a passion in music and wildlife, so that’s where connections were made. We wanted a name that represented our personalities and our interest in nature. Another reason is that Jeroen and Boyan always had a lot of animals at home. All kinds of rodents including guinea pigs, which are related to Kapibara. So quite mysterious and unknown, but also not taken too seriously as you can see.
How does it work with three of you, do you each have separate roles?
In the beginning Boyan and Jeroen were the dj-ing part of Kapibara when Rick introduced them to producing. But in the years following, we all picked up skills from each other. So for the production of new tracks we now send parts to each other and then the music evolves from there. There is no set distribution of roles. However we feel the moment. In the end no track will leave the studio before we all had our hands on it.
Who has the most annoying habit and what is it?
Rick has the most annoying habit, by far. Since he lives in Amsterdam and we live in the south of the Netherlands, it is always difficult to meet (journey of two hours at least). But when you’re like Rick, always late, it gets even tougher. It is something we got used to, so now we fool him by just telling him he has to be at the studio 2 hours earlier. Which he knows now because of this interview.
You describe your sound as floating between deep house and techno – Who or what is you biggest inspiration musically?
Our taste in music is very diverse, partly because there are three of us. But we really like music that tells a story. Music that takes you by the hand and has that persistent tension. But always with a blend of percussion, driven by african drums and melodies. So for example labels like Keinemusik, Lossless, Innervisions, Life&Death, Ellum and of course Constant Circles are some sounds which really inspire us to get the most out of our sets and studio. We believe in tracks that make a bridge between live instruments, analog synths and good production.
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What is your production process and do you have a sound in mind when you start each project?
Our tracks never have a set starting point. They can start from a jam without even turning on the computer or even be build completely on a laptop. As long as there is some kind of groove to it. Real percussion and an organic touch always needs to be in our tracks. We grew up listening to all kinds of music like African, Latin and Pop so that’s where a lot of our inspiration is drawn from.
Do you usually play as a DJ trio, or a live act? What are the differences in terms of performance, and which do you prefer?
We usually do DJ sets as a duo, Boyan and Jeroen behind the decks. When we do a liveset it is Boyan and Rick. The DJ-set we like the most, because as a DJ you get the chance to really take people on a long journey, combining sounds from other artists we like. Also because you can do a completely different set each time you play. You can’t do that with a liveset. It is something that has to be rehearsed and takes a lot of time. But it is something we would like to do more in the future. The possibilities are endless when playing live. It’s very nice to play your own track in different intuitive versions.
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You play often at Labyrinth club and host your own night there, Taka Tuka. Can you tell us about that?
We joined the Labyrinth crew a few years ago and we’re really lucky to be part of the team. We had the chance to curate a night as we would like to see in a club. Like we said before, we really dig the jungle/nature vibe. So we created an evening called ‘Taka Tuka’ that feels like a walk in the forest. In addition, we invite storytelling artists. Last edition was with a liveset by Stephan Bodzin, which really hit the right nerve. We transformed the entire club in a dense jungle for one night and we’re planning to do it again on the 1st of April.
What do you have coming up in the near future release wise?
We have a few remixes coming up. One on Constant Circles for Just Her and Ryan Murgatroyd. Another one for Dansor on Comport Records and one on Chapter 24, which will be a remix for Kurt Baggaley with our friend Sheffè.
Listen here to Episode 041 of our radio show with Just Her & Kapibara:
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