T.H.E Interview – Galestian

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galestian interview

Galestian is taking listeners on a spiritual journey with his new EP, A Warm Place, out 3rd February on his label imprint Global Entry Recordings.

The LA-born and Berlin-based melodic house and techno producer is an avid traveler whose spiritual and melodic influences span the globe, from the jungles of Bali through East Asia and the mountains of the Caucasus.

A Warm Place is no different. An enchanting and other-worldly collection, the three-track EP sees Galestian inviting the listener to face life’s many unknowns with a sense of hope and optimism.

We caught up with Galestian to learn more about how the EP came about, his favourite DAW, Global Entry Recordings and more.

Aditya – Hello, we’re glad to have you for this interview. Happy New Year! How was the last year for you?

Galestian – 2022 was really a special year for me since I was accepted into the Recording Academy. As a Voting Member, I can now vote for the Grammy awards each year.

My track “One” (ft. Denitia) also made it onto the Grammy entry ballot for “Best Dance/ Electronic Recording” which is truly an honor. It didn’t make it onto the final list of nominees, but just being up for consideration is something I’m deeply honored and grateful for.

Aditya – I had the opportunity to listen to ‘A Warm Place’ EP that comes out early next month. What’s the creative process behind this?

Galestian – I went into this project asking myself, “What do I want to put out into the world through what I’m about to create? What process is the world going through right now? What does the world need most?”

Music can be a source of transformation – a sort of inner alchemy. If someone is primarily experiencing negative emotions, for example, listening to the right music helps to acknowledge those emotions, process it, and eventually transmute it.

This EP was started over a year into the pandemic when there were mixed feelings of despair, loneliness and mistrust in the world. We really needed some hope and optimism, and we certainly weren’t getting that through the mainstream media. Around the same time, my nephews were born – beacons of hope and optimism. It all inspired me to write this EP as a vehicle to remind us of our true nature, our essence, and the core of who we are.

Aditya – Could you share a brief about this EP? The titles and meaning behind it.

Galestian – Most of the tracks on this EP were inspired by the birth of my two nephews and travels throughout Asia and the Caucasus regions. When I was thinking about how to convey feelings of warmth and optimism in these tracks, the desert sunrises in the Black Rock Desert at Burning Man all came to mind.

“A Warm Place” started with picturing the sun peeking up over the desert landscape, slowly warming up the coldest part of the night. The instrumentation and even part of the lyrics were based on that image, though the remainder of the lyrics were written with my first nephew in mind – born into a world of infinite possibilities. The lyrics are meant to be simple words of encouragement to help navigate the life that’s coming ahead, though I think we can all relate, even as adults.

“Inner Child” is more playful, mystical in some sense, and the most upbeat of the three tracks on the EP. I sampled my eldest nephew’s laughter in that track. The EP is a blend between organic house and progressive house. It was with this track that I decided to blend the two sub-genres together to see what I can experiment with and I’m really happy with the way it turned out.

“Silver Lining” is the most downtempo one. It was largely inspired by the travels I mentioned earlier – especially through Bali. I spent a lot of time there at one point, where I learned a lot about traditional Balinese instruments. The title came about because of a particular incident that I experienced while I was in Bali: the death of my then landlord’s wife, which was so sudden and unexpected (she was hit by a truck while on her motorbike). The community celebrated her life, who she was, and her transition out of the physical realm. Her untimely passing brought the community together, bonded the neighborhood together more tightly, and I was even invited into their home where their little son showed me how to play some of these Balinese instruments. So, as sad and unfortunate as the incident was, it did bring people closer together and opened up a new world of connection within the community. Hence the title, “Silver Lining” – there’s a blessing in every unpleasant circumstance in life, even if you don’t see it in that very moment.

Aditya – How long did it take you to produce this EP? From scratch to master.

Galestian – The first ideas started coming together in June of 2021. Initially, it was a single project with 3-4 different ideas, but later, these different ideas became their own tracks with a unifying theme. The EP was finally completed and mastered in August of 2022, so it took a little over a year to wrap up.

Aditya – You’re supported by globally renowned artists such as Nora En Pure, Nicole Moudaber, Joris Voorn, Paul Oakenfold, and more. How do you feel about that?

Galestian – It feels great and I’m super grateful for the support my releases have gotten from artists like the ones you mentioned. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without the support of those who have faith in what I do, from globally renowned tastemakers to the fans enjoying the music. Huge thanks to all of you, it means a lot.

Aditya – In 2020, you launched ‘Global Entry Recordings’, what’s the ideation behind it?

Galestian – I was working on a track called “Hindsight” with Sebu (of Capital Cities) and we were both very excited to get this record out. We had a few offers from labels, but none that we felt were aligned with the vision we had for the release. We talked about putting the record out ourselves, and it’s then that the idea was born.

It’s a natural expansion of my Global Entry Radio show, so it all came together at just the right time. I hadn’t planned on going full-on with the label at first, it just occurred naturally and I’m glad that it did. Now, it’s primarily an outlet to carry on the sound of the radio show through my original works, the works of collaborators, and artists who understand the current sound of the show.

Aditya – You’ve performed extensively, which is your favorite place to perform and why?

Galestian – That’s hard to say. I think every place has its own special vibe going. Some of the most memorable gigs were at places like Sankeys in Tokyo, Tanjong Beach Club in Singapore, Burning Man in Nevada (USA), Wilde Möhre Festival in Germany, even smaller venues like Süss War Gestern in Berlin and underground parties in Los Angeles.

Aditya – Which DAW do you use? And why?

Galestian – I use Ableton Live and love it. I’ve used a lot of DAWs in the past like Cubase, Logic, and even Cakewalk/Sonar way back when. I started using Ableton Live initially just to make mash-ups, but I eventually began using it for everything production-related and now it’s almost exclusively all I use. I love the interface and the workflow. At the end of the day though, it doesn’t matter what DAW you use, so as long as you learn it very well and master it to the best of your abilities.

Aditya – What’s in the pipeline for 2023?

Galestian – Lots already! My new “A Warm Place” EP comes out on the 3rd of February. I have a remix coming out in March, and another record slated for release in April on Perfecto Black, which is a label I’ve worked with for years now. The fifth release on my label is also in the works with a fantastic Brazilian remixer who I won’t name just yet. We don’t have a release date for that one yet. It will be out sometime this year, likely in the autumn.

Aditya – Lastly, you’re born in LA, and based in Berlin. If you had pick one, which one would that be?

Galestian – I get this question a lot and it’s still a difficult one to answer. Like anything in life, there are pros and cons to each. As far as lifestyle and overall quality of life goes, I’d say I prefer Berlin. It’s my musical home. There’s nowhere else on the planet that has an electronic music scene like that of Berlin right now. I love the people I work with and I have so many friends within the scene who I do not take for granted. It’s also easy to get around, I love how the public transportation is configured throughout the city with the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, and the buses and tram systems. It’s great not to have to rely on a car, quite liberating actually.

On the other hand, I have family and friends in LA so I still have a strong connection to the city. I love nature and fitness is a big part of my life too, so the thing I love most about LA is the hiking trails with so many different landscapes. I think having joined the Recording Academy recently will also expand my network and how I go about spending my time in the city.

So, for what I do, I think I’m between two of the best cities in the world right now.

To buy the EP, click here.

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