Joyce Muniz talks to us about the many challenges, emotions, and genres she went through to create her latest album, Zeitkapsel.
After her last feature album, Made in Vienna, Brazilian DJ and Producer Joyce Muniz has been busy. Along with her already impressive resume, Muniz has released on a host of prominent labels in her career, including Permanent Vacation, Get Physical, and Exploited, as well as going on a US tour. With numerous tours, remixes, and collaborations over the last few years, it was the constraints of lockdown that finally allowed Muniz the time and freedom to delve into her latest album.
Joyce’s versatile musical background has been ingrained into her creative psyche and bled out into her productions which ricochets from genre to genre.
Talk to us about your upcoming album Zeitkapsel. What motivated you to start the project and how does the name encapsulate the feeling of the album?
The idea of producing a second album had been in my head for a long time. I always wanted to make an album where I could showcase all the music genres in the electronic world that influenced my career as a DJ and producer. During the time of Covid, I finally got the time I needed to research and focus on this project.
I didn’t want to just make music for the club. The album has 12 tracks ranging from 90 BPM to 170; there are styles like Trip Hop, Drum N’ Bass, Hip-Hop and Break Beat, which influenced me a lot in the late 90’s. Also, Indie Dance, Electro and Deep House, which are more present in my career today. ‘Zeitkapsel’ means Time Capsule in German. I thought it’s the perfect name that brings my past, present and future together in my own capsule.
You criss-cross through various genres throughout the project. Can you share some insight into the inspirations behind some of the tracks?
One of my biggest influences was my record collection. During the lockdown, I finally had the time to listen to some of my old records. One of the records that really caught me was the Groove Armada Album (GoodBye Country/ Hello NightClub). This album came out in 2001 and I remember how amazed I was when I listened to it for the first time. The guys managed to bring different styles in one album.
I also went through my Trip Hop and Downtempo collection, which contains albums from Massive Attack, Tricky, Amon & Tobin, Cold Cut or Portishead. I also listen to a lot of Calibre. He is still one of my favourite D&B producers. Electro was also a very important influence for me like DJ Hell, Miss Kittin and Peaches. Even if I had all these influences, it was important to mix all these genres in my own way, with my own touch.
” I don’t think I would have been able to produce this album 10 years ago.”
There are a few features on the album. How did your creative process differ when collaborating with other artists and how did you find the process overall?
The album has several sound elements: Indian sounds, electro, and electronic percussions. To add to the productions, I invited several vocalists such as Roland Clark, Fritz Helder (Azari III), Leciel, Play Paul and Karl Michael. Even though I ended up doing vocals in Portuguese, I haven’t done that for many years. But as this album tells a little bit of my musical history, I thought it had everything to do with it. The mix of Samba and Electro was something I had never done before. For each track I had an exact vision of who should be the vocalist. It was a very beautiful process that brought a lot of amazing vocalists together from different places and genres.
You have been releasing music for over a decade now. How do you feel you have grown as an artist over the years?
I became a better DJ and producer in the past few years. I don’t think I would have been able to produce this album 10 years ago. It’s a very different process to make a downtempo track or Hip Hop. Is way easier to make a House track. It was very challenging for me to work on these genres that I was connected to as a music lover, but not as a producer. I learned a lot and I still can’t believe that I have produced all these tracks on my own. I did not know that I had the skills to make it happen. I am very happy with the finished product. I can’t wait to share it.
You obviously have a strong connection to Brazilian music as its influence can be heard in many of your tracks. Who were some of your favourite Brazilian musicians growing up?
My mother had a great record collection with Brazil Jazz, Bossa Nova, Samba Rock and Samba. Besides that, my great uncle was the leader of a Samba school back then. We have a lot of percussionists in our family. I also play percussion. I can’t really name an artist. But I have to say that samba was very present in my life as a child.
Generating an income is a difficult thing for most artists. Can you explain how your relationship with Musikfonds began and how that funding has benefited you?
In the first place, I wasn’t expecting to get it. For electronic musicians it can be very difficult as most of the jurors are not connected with the genre, but since the album is so diverse, I thought I can at least reply and see what happens.
When I got the confirmation, I was a little overwhelmed because I had to finish and release it. The funding was very important as I could invest the money on the project and launch a new label to release the album. It was definitely a good start, but since I am doing everything myself, I have a lot to pay on my own, but I don’t regret it. This is the first time that I can release an album by myself and take over the control of everything, artwork, video, promotion, etc. It’s a lot of work but feels good to me and I think it was the right decision to do it.
What are some personal goals that you have for the year ahead?
One of my personal goals is to go on vacation. I have been working a lot even If I try to keep a balance with sports. It’s still not enough. I think 2 weeks of holiday would be great. Let’s see, right now I don’t think it will happen soon.
What does your schedule for this year look like? Do you have any exciting projects to share with us in addition to the album release?
Beside the album, I am writing a live show with the German film orchestra, Babelsberg. Some of my tracks will be performed live in concert with a live orchestra. I am very excited about it as it is a milestone project in my career which I still believe they invited for that. I will be touring in Australia for the first time. Australia is the only country I have never played. I have some great shows confirmed in Europe and this summer I will bring a very cool collaboration out with my friend Theus Mago on Exploited, and I just signed a club banger on Pets recordings. I think it’s going to be a very exciting year.
See more from Joyce Muniz here.
Pre-order Zeitkapsel here.
Joyce will release single ‘Bangalore Girl’ on the 3rd March, the 3rd single from the album.
