Henry Saiz has already garnered enough success in the dance music scene to sit comfortably with his career, but he doesn’t want to stop there.

The Spaniard has extended himself beyond conventional electronic music, and has altered his performances around a completely live band, which you can see in its full glory in his Boiler Room set ">here. Inspired from his own churning mind, he also created his last album Reality is for those… with field recordings that were donated by fans, as well as a Kickstarter-funded audio visual project. We were lucky enough to get a glimpse into the fascinating mind of Saiz ahead of his highly anticipated set at Strawberry Fields. Full interview below.

SR: Being a Madrid native, how do you think that has shaped your taste in music now?

HS: I don’t think being a Madrid native had a crucial influence in my music taste. Maybe my family was a more obvious influence; I remember listening to amazing music when I was a kid: Vangelis, Jean Michel Jarre, Pink Floyd… that kind of stuff. When I started going to clubs in Madrid there were some great venues as Copelia. The music I used to listen there was a huge inspiration for me, so I guess that’s the way Madrid has shaped my taste in music.  

SR: Do you think traditional Spanish music plays a part in the inspiration or practice of your productions?

HS: Not just traditional Spanish music but music from everywhere. I love traditional music when it’s pure and honest. And of course I love listening to bizarre instruments or to exotic voices singing in a language I can’t understand hehe. Also, in most cases, traditional music has an interesting background so it’s not just music. I consider myself an extremely curious person so listening to that music and getting influenced by it is an experience I really enjoy.

SR: How did your set evolve from a typical DJ set into a full live band performance?

HS: It wasn’t a one way evolution. I still play as a Dj and I have so much fun doing it. But I’ve been always playing in bands and side projects so djing and producing wasn’t enough for me, I wanted to play live shows so my friends Eloy and Luis got involved from the beginning. The evolution from playing as a Dj to playing live show too was completely natural.

SR: What triggered the change and why?

HS: I guess my album “Reality is for those…” was one of the main reasons. “Reality” is not a collection of dancefloor tracks but an album full of acoustic elements such as vocals, real drums, analog synths… When I started producing the album I knew the music was asking for a live band format. What I like is that our live show is oriented to dance floor but also it allows us some experimentation so the options are unlimited.   

SR: Tell us about your Kickstarter-funded audio visual project. Where did the inspiration come from to create such a large project?

HS: I had that idea many years ago, so I don’t really remember hehe. But I always thought it was almost impossible to make it happen because of the logistics, schedule etc. At some point I thought: “Ok, I’m surrounded by a talented team and an amazing group of followers so… why not ask them for some help?”

We spent several months shaping the idea and planning the Kickstarter campaign so I feel really proud of my fans and my team. I’m really glad I’m not the only one who believes in this crazy and risky idea hehe.

SR: Why do you think you stray from conventional music-making practices like your counterparts in dance music? Have you always been like this, even outside your music career?

HS: Well, it’s not that being unconventional is part of my masterplan hehe. My musical background and my musical taste goes beyond electronic music. I started playing bass on extreme metal bands and at the same time I enjoy listening to good mainstream pop music. Maybe this is one of the reasons I’m not a conventional electronic music producer or Dj. I just try to be honest when I make music so I’m the first listener I’m trying to satisfy.  

SR: As someone with such big ideas, what kinds of challenges have you come across?

HS: I always face every project as a big challenge and I like it to be that way. Evolving and surprising myself is something that I need when I start a new album or a new side project, so that means risk is usually an ingredient. The new album is obviously a huge challenge: it’s not just a music album but also a film and all this is making me work away from my studio. Challenges make me keep the same passion I had when I started making music.

SR: Any specifically you’d like to tell us about? What did you learn from it?

HS: A recent big challenge was recording the debut album of my side project Hal Incandenza. When you listen to it you’ll now why hehe. The recording involved real vintage drums, a saxo player, singers from all over the world, experimental and analog recording techniques… Mixing the album has also been not just a challenge but a nightmare; some of the songs have more than 60 or 70 tracks and I had a concrete kind of sound in mind. Now I can say I’m more than satisfy with the finally result and I can’t wait to share this album.

SR: I see you’ve spoken about psychedelics as a large inspiration for yourself creatively – the Joshua Tree specifically. Can you tell us about how the Joshua Tree impacted your creative flow, and why you think psychedelics are so constructive for yourself?

HS: We spend a whole week in Joshua Tree just a few days ago. It wasn’t the first time I was there but this time I’ve really experienced what Joshua Tree is. We were composing a track for the new album, from scratch, and also shooting the album film. Is needless to say Joshua Tree and psychedelics are a perfect combination hehe. We were completely inspired by the surroundings since day one. Our main goal was writing a song that reflects what Joshua Tree means to us and we’re extremely happy about the result. Psychedelics have been always constructive for me, I guess that if you’re not afraid of releasing your imagination and question everything the experience is always constructive.

SR :What can the Australian festival-goers expect from your set at Strawberry Fields this year? Will it be anything like your hugely successful Boiler Room?

HS: Yes, we’re playing some of the tracks we performed at Boiler Room but also there will be some new tracks that we’ve adapted to the live band format. We always enjoy playing in festivals so we’re really excited to experience Strawberry Fields. Can’t wait to see you there! 🙂

Catch Saiz at Strawberry Fields this year, from November 17 until November 20.