Close To Us Reveal the Journey Behind ‘Loco Por Ti’

Italian duo Close To Us has landed on the Electronic Music scene, seeking to make their mark with their innovative blend of genres and original sound. Their latest single, ‘Loco Por Ti,’ released via Shaman Records, highlighted their musical individuality, incorporating their unique sound into a dancefloor-ready track for listeners worldwide to enjoy. So, we’re thrilled to be joined by the duo for this exclusive interview; as we dive into the inspiration, production process, and ideas behind ‘Loco Por Ti,’ we uncover the creative mind of Close To Us, gaining valuable insight into their artistic vision.

Hi, Close To Us! How are you? Congrats on the release of ‘Loco Por Ti’!

Hi guys!! We are ready for this summer starting with ‘Loco Por Ti’ all around the world! And thank you very much, we are glad you enjoyed our track.

What inspired you to create ‘Loco Por Ti’? Was there a specific moment or experience that sparked the idea for this track?

Yes, of course! We had the idea last summer, in July 2023. We were producing Latin House tracks, but we felt something was missing in the industry. One day we were checking through Spotify’s top 50 global, and we discovered that some artists started to sing over Bachata beats, but only in the ‘classic’ style of this Latin genre.

So we said: ‘Why not try to give a Tech House feel to a Bachata song? We will be the first ones in the world, maybe!’

Can you share the story behind the title ‘Loco Por Ti’? How does it reflect the essence of the track?

We had the first draft of the track without the vocal, then we found a Spanish singer, and we started writing the song with him via email. We asked him to find a catchy and short phrase with simple notes. For us, it was also very important to have sensual and hot lyrics, like every Bachata song. Then he wrote what we needed, and these three simple words, ‘Loco Por Ti’, gave the perfect feel to the track. Something sensual but melancholic, which reflects the club feel of the track too.

How did you approach the fusion of Tech House and Bachata in the production? Were there any specific techniques you used to merge these genres seamlessly?

To be honest, it was a bit hard in the first steps. We never produced a Bachata beat before, so we had to study a lot to understand the essence of the genre. We listened to a lot of Bachata tracks to learn how to make it.

We started with the drop, adding the classical Bachata hat over each kick, and we saw that it worked! Then we faced the real challenge: the Bachata break. But the cool part was the build-up, the transition which allowed us to switch between Bachata and Tech House perfectly.

What were the key elements you knew you wanted to include from the beginning? Can you walk us through the production process?

For us, the key elements were basically four: our synthetic basslines created from scratch with our DAW, our signature sounds, a cool and catchy Latin guitar to give an organic feel to the track, the right Bachata drums, and warm vocals.

We wanted to mix those four elements but needed to keep the whole track simple, something you can sing every day in your car or at the beach.

That’s why in the production process we decided to keep the notes of the bass very linear. The melodic part was already done by the guitar and the singer.

What role did the original Spanish vocal layers play in shaping the overall vibe of ‘Loco Por Ti’?

It seems strange, but the role of the vocal layers became central after the end of the production process!

We imagined (and made) the track without any vocals, so we had to make it work from the beginning without the help of the singer. But once he gave us the final result, it was clear we had to focus the whole track around his great vocals.

Can you elaborate on the sound design techniques you used to create the vibrant guitar lines and punchy bassline in the track?

Great question! That’s the best part. We always loved creating our bass and synth sounds with the ‘Serum’ plug-in from scratch, without being affected by other tracks. That’s our goal since day one! We felt we needed to create a bass a bit different from the classical sub (or dark and closed basses) you hear in the Tech House scene. We started having fun with Serum LFOs and automation with the FX section, and that’s what we ended up with!

The guitar was easier; we took some riffs and started to find a ‘call and response’ with different notes. Then we added in the second drop some reverbed chords under the main guitar to give more space and an organic feel.

What challenges did you face during the production process, and how did you overcome them?

We think that the hardest challenge was to write the whole lyrics with the perfect notes too, only via email from Italy to Spain. It took a month of work!! The only way to overcome this problem was to be patient and not settle for the first or second result, better to go deeper and slowly with the singer.

What message do you hope listeners take away from ‘Loco Por Ti’?

The most important message we want to share with our listeners is to try to do something different and not already done by other people. Think outside the box! We did it in ‘Loco Por Ti’ but we have always lived our lives with this mantra.

What’s next for Close To Us? Do you have any more releases coming up?

Yes!! We already have a couple of follow-ups for our new genre: we call it Bachatechouse. Let’s see how it works with our listeners, then we will surely release these tracks.

In the meantime, we have tons of other demos ready for the music industry. Not only in this genre, of course; we also like to stay in the Tech House mood.

Hope you enjoy our track, as we said, it took one year to give ‘Loco Por Ti’ to the world!

Thank you for the interview. Close To Us is here!

With ‘Loco Por Ti,’ Close To Us has demonstrated their knack for blending genres and crafting infectious music. Their commitment to originality and creativity keeps motivating their journey, making them a duo to watch closely within the Electronic Music landscape. So, we thank Close To Us for sharing their insights and look forward to seeing what they will offer listeners next. Be sure to stream ‘Loco Por Ti’ and follow Close To Us via social media to not miss out on their future releases and projects.

Listen to ‘Loco Por Ti’ now:    

https://tr.ee/F3B99PLsQ1