Get to know the Spanish duo Gameboyz and take a listen to their new EP, ‘Chicken & Drugs’, on Nein Records.
Well, first of all, guys, tell us a bit about your journey. How did you start, and where are you currently?
Gameboyz emerged 11 years ago. We kicked off the project drawing inspiration from Latin artists like Matias Aguayo, Rebolledo, Daniel Maloso, Mijo, etc. We believed it would be a good idea to bring something like that to the Spanish scene since there weren’t many electronic groups with that rebellious touch singing in Spanish. It all came about during a barbecue session with friends, where there was a microphone, beers, and lots of laughter. After that day, we decided to hit the studio and try things out.
To be honest, in the beginning, we didn’t expect to receive such a good reception. As the years went by, we realized things were getting more serious, and our work became more methodical. However, it was born without any pretensions, simply to have fun and do something different. Nowadays, we can’t complain. We move within the national scene, have some gigs abroad, and there’s a lot of work in the studio.
We know that one of your strengths is your versatility when it comes to performing in different clubs or festivals. How do you prepare for your performances?
We love DJing; we started when we were kids, around 15 years old. We’ve gone through many styles; jungle, techno, house, electro, breakbeat, etc. With 25 years of DJing experience, our repertoire is vast, and we take advantage of that musical journey to play tracks of all colors and influences. That’s why we also incorporate classic electronic tracks that have been forgotten.
We usually create a tracklist for the first hour of the set, with a carefully selected and fresh selection depending on the venue, line-up, etc. However, we always come prepared to adapt to different styles based on the energy of the dancefloor and the connection with the audience. Once we get going and there’s a connection, we love to improvise and play a bit of everything.
Tell us a bit about your studio work. Do you have a specific methodology when it comes to composing?
What we enjoy the most is starting with some beats and then playing synths over them. Cool ideas start to emerge, and we record them. Once we have a good loop with multiple tracks, we start sequencing and getting more specific.
Are you the type of artists who work on commission, or do you always have ready-to-go tracks if labels ask for them?
Whenever we finish something, we try to fit it into a label as soon as possible, or we release it through our label, Melomana Records. So, we don’t have a large stockpile of tracks ready for editing.
Tell us about the new developments for 2023.
The year has started off well in terms of gigs in Asturias, Seville, Madrid, Ibiza and Barcelona. Now, we want to allocate more time during the week to focus on production and aim to release at least 4 or 5 releases this year, including ones from Nein Records and Melomana, which will see the light very soon. Towards the end of the year, we would like to start working on a new album. Everything will depend on how we progress with the rest of the work and gigs.
You’ve had quite a lot of activity this year in terms of gigs. What do you enjoy the most? And what do you enjoy the least?
Above all, we love meeting new people, enjoying good food, and sharing great moments. We’ve made some great friends thanks to the gigs in recent months, and our fan base grows with every city we visit. It’s always satisfying when someone new approaches the DJ booth and asks for a track.
