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Let’s go back to 2018. More specifically to June 21st. Yes, that was the day I released my last EP – Be The Best & Fuck The Rest.

It’s hard to believe that more than 4 years have passed! It’s true that in between I released an album – Yin Yang – and a few singles, including Single Collection Vol. 1. But to be honest, I already missed releasing an EP, something more complex. I know I repeat myself but I say it anyway: for me music is not just music. It’s a story! And in this case, the story I wanted to tell wouldn’t be possible to tell in just one song.

I’m perfectly aware that I’m not the type of artist who is constantly releasing new music every month. I’d like to work that way but I’ve already made my peace with it. It’s just that my creative side takes time to create something, to make sure that each song has a meaning, arouses an emotion and that it’s not empty content. Obviously, I want to create music that makes people dance, but more important to me is to make people think, to relive a moment from the past or to help support a situation in the present.

So, in this post, I will explain the story behind my new EP called Troubles In Paradise.

WHY ‘TROUBLES IN PARADISE’?

In fact, I created the project in FL Studio maybe more than a year ago, but it was one of those projects that I felt inspired by, I created the basis of the song (first loop with the main instruments) but then it got lost in the middle of the 27 unfinished projects that I have in FL Studio.

A curious fact about my creative process is that usually before creating a song, I already have the track ID in mind and that helps me to have a direction when I’m developing it in terms of mood and rhythm – darker or more melodic.

I came up with the title ‘Troubles In Paradise’ because it’s a paradox, just like the basis of Melodark – the light in the darkness, the melodies in the gloom. But as I said, the project got lost because I’m kind of addicted in starting new projects before finishing the old ones. Not a good addiction…

Anyway, earlier this year I was listening to all my unfinished projects and I realized that ‘Troubles In Paradise’ had a huge potential. I liked the bassline. And so, I decided to finish the track, already with a vision in my mind to an EP that could portray a life situation.

THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE EP

One would think that now that I have gigs all over the world, tracks with millions of views and streams on digital platforms, that everything is fine and that I live a good life. But it’s not always like that. We all have everyday problems.

This EP focuses on the problems of a romantic relationship and that’s the main message. I wanted to take the listeners to live the emotions associated with the darkest side of love, through beats and melodies.

I created it with the intention of portraying a ‘less good’ life situation, which can lead listeners to think that, in general, it is a depressing EP. But the truth is… it’s a common life situation in people’s lives, even though they think that they are the only ones who are suffering. And I think that ‘Hey, don’t worry, I’m going through the same thing too’ kind of solidarity is, somehow, uplifting.

A STORY TOLD IN 3 PARTS

Each track of the EP represents a different stage at the end of a relationship. When everything seems to be going well, problems start to arise (Troubles In Paradise). Then comes the grudge and consequent hurt and damage to the significant other (Paradise Circus). Finally, the realization that no matter how hard we try, the end is inevitable (Wrong).

As many of you know, the single Troubles In Paradise came out on August 12, while the full EP only came out on September 16. Thus, Paradise Circus and Wrong could be considered as a sequel to Troubles In Paradise.

Musically speaking, the second track of the EP – Paradise Circus – follows a similar record as the first track. This is a song inspired by the original track of Massive Attack that I absolutely love!

The third and last track of the EP – Wrong – is different in all aspects. It’s a more experimental track, with piano sounds, orchestral elements, and the amazing vocals of Odarka, a talented singer from Ukraine. It’s a song inspired by movie soundtracks – something I’ve always loved and that I wanted to try on this track. There’s a beat in the second part of the song, something that could be more related to my usual musical style but still… different!

THE DISTURBING ARTWORK

The artwork of this EP – originally called Spaggy – was painted by the Danish artist Laust Højgaard.

To be honest, I didn’t know Laust or his work. The label for which I released the EP presented the idea of using his painting as an artwork. Initially I was reticent about using a cover art that wasn’t my idea, because for me the artwork is a continuation of the song and I like to have control over its artistic process.

But the truth is that I found Laust’s work interesting and confusing, maybe a bit disturbing, specifically this painting. And I thought that what can be confusing and disturbing for me can also be for my fans and listeners, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because it leaves the artwork open to different interpretations. And that’s what art is all about – not to be obvious, to let everyone have their own interpretation. Right now, I’m definitely a huge fan of Laust’s art.

'Spaggy' by Laust Højgaard

WHAT’S COMING NEXT

I consider this EP a preparation for the ‘big thing’ to come, like a “get in mood for what’s coming” kind of feeling. Because if Troubles In Paradise EP doesn’t arouse the best positive emotions (open to interpretation of course), the album will be even heavier and more dramatic. Not everything in life is sunshine and rainbow and when producing the album I’m just being myself and letting my emotions out. And that’s all I have to say for now.

Before the year ends, I will release a track in collaboration with my good friend Droplex, a track that has been the intro to my sets and that has been well received by the public. The track is called Sitting In This Cage.

As you might know, I am currently on tour. You can follow the dates here and, who knows, have the experience of seeing me live.

Finally, I hope to release my fourth DJ Mix later this year. The bar is high after the huge success of DJ Mix 03 at Jardins Efémeros (Viseu) but I believe that this will be even better, a more thought out and quality set. But as I said at the beginning of this post, my creative side takes time to create something, to make sure that each song has a meaning. That’s why it’s taking a while to be released.

Troubles In Paradise EP is available on all major streaming platforms. Choose your favourite in the button below!

Stream / buy

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“One track. Two different vibes. The symbiotic contrast between the beautiful melodies and the darkness surrounding the synths and basslines. Mesmerizing vocals. Countless sensations.”

This is what defines my brand new single Honey Trap. With this track, my goal is to reinforce my artistic identity, in an attempt to enter another orbit of creativity and to break the rules that existed before, in order to elevate even more the Melodark – that many of you already know as my musical style.

Let’s dig into it so you can have a better understanding about the backgrounds of this song.

WHERE DOES THE TITLE AND ARTWORK COME FROM?

Inspiration can come literally from anywhere. I remember that the day before I started producing this track, I was watching a documentary series – Spycraft – that talked about a spy stratagem in which an attractive person entices another person into revealing information or doing something unwise, called “honey trap”. I guess I liked the term and said to myself that one day I would produce a track with that name, inspired by this spy technique. At some point, I say in the song “I surrendered to your beauty, in my naïveté. And I fell, on the honey trap”. That sentence is the literal explanation of this song’s artwork, where someone seduce me to get something from me. In this case, something very important like my mask. Therefore, I fell into the honey trap.

Hozho - Honey Trap GIF

PRODUCTION PROCESS

Honey Trap was one of those tracks that I didn’t need to think too much to put the idea into the DAW. It flowed very naturally. If I remember correctly, I was producing another track when I decided to take a break and I started playing some notes on the piano I had in my old apartment. Something sounded right in my head and I went to the studio to develop the melody. I felt the muse. Then I remembered the documentary I saw the night before and came up with the idea for the vocals. From there, I think it took me about a week to finish the song. Usually when I spend a long time producing one track, I start having doubts and second thoughts about whether the track is really good or not. For a perfectionist like me, finishing Honey Trap was one of those rare moments where I actually felt really happy with what I had created.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Despite Honey Trap only being released on February 25th, it’s been almost a year since I produced this track. To be honest, there’s no reason why it took so long to release it. Somehow, it was good because during this whole time, a huge hype was created around this song, since I first performed it on my Quarantine Mix 3 recorded in April of 2021. For that reason, I know that many of you already know the song very well. Now you will finally be able to listen to the full version on streaming platforms. I leave you the link below. Hear it, feel it, share it with your friends and on social media. In these times of chaos, pandemic and war that we are experiencing around the world, these small gestures of support, gratitude and love are more important than ever. Be the best & fuck help the rest!

listen honey trap

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A few days have passed since the release of my latest single Something Else and it has been a good feeling to see your reaction. I’m very happy that the big majority of you like this track, despite being a little different from my usual stuff.

Some of you believe that I have gone out of my style too much and I understand why and respect your opinion. So let me explain a little bit about the origin of this track.

THE NEW SINGLE: SOMETHING ELSE

You know, when you create a music style that defines you and you grow that style and you start influencing other artists, you start to feel that you are now a prisoner of that genre, because if you no longer produce the kind of music for which you have gained recognition, you are no longer the artist who your fans once admired.

Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do. There’s nothing in the world that makes me more realized than producing this style that I affectionately called Melodark. But at the same time I don’t want to be a prisoner, my creativity cannot be limited within a genre. Otherwise I go crazy.

That’s why I decided to explore other sounds but trying to keep the genre that always defined me at the same time. And yes, it will be perfectly normal that from time to time you will hear different sounds from my music because I’m curious, that’s who I am, I like to try things.

Now, some people will like it and others won’t. That’s life. One thing that I learned is that we cannot please everyone. So do what you wanna do and have fun doing that. That’s why this song has this name because it is in fact “Something Else”.

But you can be sure that Melodark is here to stay and you can keep expecting those introspective and traveling melodies in my upcoming tracks.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

I admit that in 2020 I was a little bit “dead”. The fact that I only released two songs (Time To Move On and Full Measures) proves how much I could have done.

The truth is… I didn’t react in the best way to what happened in the world, with the COVID situation. I went into a negative spiral, frustration, anxiety. And that blocked my motivation to make music.

But I like to think that everything happens for a reason and I believe that all the negative things that happened to me last year gave me the necessary inspiration for the projects that are coming.

If 2020 was a year of stagnation in my career, 2021 is a new beginning. I can tell you that, if you see me out from social media for a while, it means that I’m focused on the studio and making music. I like to disconnect from the world, make a kind of detox from the digital world when I’m in a creative mood.

Many songs are being produced, not only to be released but also to be able to play them in my future sets, starting with my Quarantine Mix 3 that will be recorded very soon. It will be my last Quarantine Mix because I want to believe that things will return to normal little by little and “quarantine” is something I never want to hear again in my life.

Plus, in 2021 I want to release my second solo album – Psychological Issues. It’s still at an early stage but I believe it will be ready to be released by the end of the year. It will be another very special project for me and I want it to reflect everything I experienced during this whole pandemic phase, my “not-so-good” times.

And yes, something that you have been waiting for will also be released this year: my DJ Mix 04. Right now, we are studying the place where it will be recorded. I want it to be something big, better than DJ Mix 03, which already has almost 5 million views. 5 MILLION! That’s crazy.

In addition to these projects that I just mentioned, you can count on the usual singles (or maybe EP’s) that will be released from time to time.

I have many more ideas for the future but I don’t want to write too much on this post, I know your time is precious. I guess some things will be a surprise.

Once again I wanna thank you for all the support you have given me, not only in this last single but throughout my career. Today I can say that I live only on music but it wasn’t always like this. With persistence, faith and hard work, anything is possible. So if you are a producer, DJ or you want to be an artist, whatever your craft is, never give up. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Music projects take time to be recognized but it’s a journey worth taking.

Be the best and fuck the rest!

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2020, what a fucking year! A year marked by the virus, the lack of shows, quarantine, etc. But not everything was bad. More than ever we have seen artists emerge in the midst of adversities, thinking outside the box, doing stuff instead of crying “Why me?”

This is what 2020 taught me: where there is determination, there is always a solution! Next, I will show you 5 ways where you can apply your art and your music project, and make some extra money that will allow you to put food on the table, even without shows. Remember: we are living this pandemic situation but these tips will be useful even when, in the future, you go through a bad moment in your career where shows are scarce. Let’s do it!

1. YOUTUBE CHANNEL

The proof that YouTube is a great source of income is youtubers. Nowadays there are thousands of content creators who live their lifes and pay their bills just by using this platform, and music artists are no exception! In the end, we are also content creators. We make music. I’m not getting into much detail on how to create a successful channel but you can follow the tips I wrote in my post “7 ESSENTIAL WAYS TO GROW YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL (FOR MUSIC ARTISTS)”, by clicking the button below.

YOUTUBE TIPS

2. MUSIC RELEASE (SINGLES, EP’S, ALBUMS)

When COVID-19 exploded, the big question DJ’s started asking was: “What can I do right now?”

The answer is: record music at home and put it out.

Don’t underestimate your work, seriously! You can make more money on Spotify, Apple Music and Beatport than you might think. Obviously the numbers need to be big enough so you can have a proper income that allows you to live exclusively from that, but it can be a great help.

There are other factors involved besides the quality of your tracks: the way you release your songs, the labels involved, the promotion & marketing plan, etc. I advise you to study a lot about marketing and promotion, especially in the music industry. 

Because here’s the painful truth: the success of your project depends a lot on the way your work is promoted. 50% music quality. 50% marketing & branding.

If you want to feat your track on my Spotify playlist “Played by Hozho”, send email to contact@hozhomusic.com to discuss further details.

3. MASTERCLASS VIDEOS

Just a fancy name for tutorial videos. But certainly we saw many well-known artists during this pandemic offering their knowledge to anyone who wants to learn more about music production: ANNA, Victor Ruiz, Alex Stein and Khainz, to name a few.

Obviously you need a certain knowledge and technique to create this kind of content but if you feel good about yourself and you have the confidence that your work is really good and your music has quality, here you have a good opportunity to make some extra coin.

3 Simple Ways To Make A Bassline Like Hozho

4. MERCHANDISING

Currently, there are several online platforms where you can sell your products (physical and digital) without any initial investment. How does this work?

At Teespring, for example, if someone buys one of your products, you receive a percentage and the company receives another. The great advantage of using Teespring is that you can associate your products with your YouTube channel and increase your exposure. Take some time to learn more about design and Photoshop, or talk to a friend that knows how to do it so you can create unique designs that people really want to buy.

“But Doc, why would I sell merch if no one cares about me?”

Well, work your ass off, make music, keep learning and make yourself recognized. There is no magic formula for success. In fact, the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.

playgue collection by hozho

5. CREATE A LABEL

How about a way to make money on other artists? You need a great knowledge about the music industry but creating a label goes beyond that. It involves a great entrepreneurial spirit. This is something I’m still learning, that’s why I haven’t created my label yet, but it’s definitely one of my plans for the near future.

Some things to keep in mind when creating a label:

– Find your niche: what is the musical style? What is the philosophy of your label? What makes it unique?
– Know more about distribution: distribution platforms, royalties, contracts, etc.
– Be trustworthy: pay the artists what was agreed in the contract and in the right time, you don’t want to be famous for being an asshole who only thinks about money. You need 100 positive reviews to give credibility to your project but sometimes a negative review is enough for you to lose everything.

If you are a music producer and your style is Melodark / Melodic Minimal Techno / High Tech Minimal, send your promos (unreleased tracks) to contact@hozhomusic.com

I’m selecting tracks to play in my upcoming sets and maybe release them on my future label, with a release scheduled for 2021.

Remember: you are doing this for the love of music! Income is just a consequence of your good work. Keep grinding 💪

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Once upon a time, I was a guy who always started the tracks with the beat and the bassline, which makes sense because when you start a new song in this way, you already have the feeling of rhythm and dance from the beginning. Is this beat aggressive? Or does it have a chill vibe?

As a Melodark producer (subgenre of melodic minimal techno), for years I used this method but as I learned more about music, improving my technique and making my music more and more complex, my workflow changed.

I felt that I could set the mood of the track if I started with the melody. It makes sense right? If you’re under the mood you are more likely to compose a sad or melancholic melody. And based on the melody you created, you will be able to choose the instruments that you want to associate with that mood more easily. A track is a story and for me it’s in the melody that all the emotion of that story resides. The beat and the drums are what makes the “story” danceable.

For this reason, the melody is the natural place to start your track. In most of the songs you know and love, the melody is what keeps the song playing over and over in your head.

But Doc, can you be more specific when you talk about “melody”?

Well, melody can be the bassline, synths, pads, even vocals. It’s the part that you sing to a friend when you want to know the name of a song that you don’t know.

SO WHICH COMES FIRST: DRUMS OR THE MELODY?

I can only speak from my experience and opinion as a producer of Melodark (melodic minimal techno), and for me it’s better to start with the melody because that way you can set the tone when you start to develop the track. I don’t mean that this is the correct way. In fact, I believe that in music (and art in general) there are no right and wrong ways to create.

There are even those who start with vocals, if it’s the case. If you want to start with FX’s and noises, be my guest. Just keep in mind your mood and the story you want to tell in your music.

Many artists who start producing neglect the knowledge of music theory: notes, scales and shit. I don’t say that this is essential if you want to become a great artist but when it comes to creativity, you can bet that it opens many doors for you. Knowledge is everything!

Btw, stay tuned about my upcoming single Full Measures that comes out on December 25th. A melodark Christmas gift for you guys! Check the preview here:

preview full measures

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Yeah, yeah… You just started reading this post and you must probably be thinking “Why read books when Hozho’s tracks can tell whole stories in 7-8 minutes?” Well, probably you’re right. I like to think that I’m a storyteller, but I chose FL Studio instead of the pencil and paper to tell my stories.

In any case, much of the knowledge I acquired about music theory came from books: techniques, creating good habits, marketing, etc. He who does not neglect reading and learning will always be one step ahead.

But be careful! Don’t confuse knowledge with information. You should have the wisdom to distinguish what an author says is important from what is REALLY important. It’s all about putting it into practice, knowing what works for you.

The truth is… whenever I read a new book, I consider it an event in my life because, in one way or another, it changed me and I discovered a new way of looking at things, even if sometimes I disagree with them.

Following, I present 5 books that changed my paradigms, not only regarding my musical knowledge but also my life philosophies.

1. The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook, by Bobby Owsinski

For me, this book is the ultimate bible about the mixing process in music production. Regardless of the music style you produce, this book gives you fundamental tips about several mixing styles, rules about arrangement, some secrets about EQ, as well as tricks to add effects such as delay, reverb, compression, etc. You will realize that with the basic tools at your disposal in your music software you will be able to improve the quality of your songs, with the best quality for distribution on digital platforms and others. Definitely a “must” to have on your bookshelf or in PDF on your phone, whatever suits you better.

more info

2. The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne

If I had to go to a desert island and could only take one book, this would be undoubtedly my first option. The Secret was a life changer for me. Before reading it, I saw life in a completely different way. I lived according to the paradigm that I didn’t have much control over my life and that in order to have good opportunities, they would have to show up to me, not the way around, i.e. I HAVE to create the opportunities. Focusing essentially on the law of attraction, this book shows you that you can have whatever you want in your life, as long as you keep your thoughts and beliefs in the right frequency. You are no different from the best producers and DJ’s out there, you haven’t had less opportunities. They simply believed it was possible and succeeded. As Napoleon Hill said, “whatever the human mind can conceive, it can achieve.”

more info

3. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey

Regarding to the mindset of creating good habits in your life, this book is one of the best, if not THE best. It’s not just a personal opinion. There are thousands of people around the world who share the same opinion, including the most brilliant minds, the most successful entrepreneurs and the top athletes. The author of this book – Stephen R. Covey – believes that winning or failing is the result of seven habits. They are the ones who distinguish happy and successful people from failures and those who sacrifice inner balance and happiness to achieve success. Good habits form our values and our values determine our destiny.

more info

4. Getting Things Done, by David Allen

Looking back on what I said in my last post about perfectionism, I felt the need to share this book with you. In fact, this was one of the books that introduced the motto “Done is better than perfect” in my life. David Allen’s premise is very simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are in the right place can we achieve good results and unlock our creative potential. For an overthinker and perfectionist artist like me, this book has helped me to overcome feelings of confusion, anxiety and being overwhelmed.

more info

5. Introdução à Engenharia de Som, by Nuno Fonseca

Like The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook, this book also gives you important tips on everything related to sound engineering, from effects, equipment, acoustics, terms and music theory, etc. The only problem is that it’s only available in Portuguese but since I found this book super important, I wanted to share it too. Who knows, maybe it’s an opportunity for you to learn this beautiful language spoken by about 250 million people worldwide.

more info

BONUS BOOK – The 4-Hour Body, by Timothy Ferriss

Because a healthy mind in a healthy body is one of the fundamental rules for living a better life, I would also like to share with you a book about health and body physics. However, we know that the life of a music producer can be very busy and it’s sometimes difficult to find time and motivation to take care of our body. And this is a HUGE mistake! You see, our body is like a machine and if we don’t take care of it properly, how can we get the best results? In The 4-Hour Body, you will realize that with just a few minutes per week you can achieve good results and consequently feel healthier and happier, even more creative. Your life is your life, obviously, but you don’t have to be the typical music artist or DJ always smoking around, taking drugs, neglecting the body. Say yes to some pleasures, life is too short but try to keep your mind and your body in shape. Trust me, it’s a game changer.

more info

In the end, you can’t buy happiness but you can buy music and books, and that’s kind of the same thing. So… headphones on, listen to my new track Time To Move On that is OUT NOW and enjoy life, always with a book by your side.

stream / buy: time to move on

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Thank God (and thanks to my hard work, of course) I have been rewarded with a lot of luck in my artistic life. Apparently, the Universe has insisted on giving me the best fans in the world and there is nothing that makes me happier to know that I am an inspiration to some producers, DJ’s and other musicians out there. A lot of people ask me questions about my adventure in music production. Here are some of them:

Well, this won’t be a tutorial post but all of these questions made me think about what is essential and not essential in what we are doing here. For that reason, I want to share with you my opinion as a music producer on the million dollar question:

What is the hardware gear required to produce minimal/techno music? (more…)

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In this blog post I won’t write too much because a video is worth a thousand words. In this case, there will be three videos. Each one explains a different way to make a bassline, like the ones I usually produce in my tracks. Creating this kind of basslines is a very simple process as you will see, even for an amateur producer. It’s simple but effective! So let’s get down to business.

(more…)

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To talk about Melodark is to talk about my journey, my story, my inspirations and the desire to create something different. My passion for electronic music came at an advanced stage of my life. However, music in general has been part of my life since I was born. At that time, in an unconscious way but now I’m fully conscious. And it was that musical awareness that led me to define my path and my musical style, through the different influences that inspired me throughout this journey. I’ve always been a creator and I decided to create something that is more than an electronic music genre. It’s a movement. A philosophy. A musical story. It’s Melodark. (more…)

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Another post, another dose of motivation! This time I will talk about a rule that I think is key to the growth of any music artist. This rule, in practice, doesn’t exist. It was created by me and therefore, it may not be consensual. It has been appearing over the years since I created my project Hozho and so far, it has worked quite well for me. One day I woke up and I thought that made perfect sense. In the future, I would like to develop even more this rule. Maybe even write a book. But until then, I leave you here the basics of the 3P Rule: Psychology, Production and Promotion. (more…)

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“Done is better than perfect” – A quote from Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer (COO) of Facebook. I learned this lesson when I was studying Marketing at the University of Aveiro and since then it has been one of my life mottos, especially at an artistic level. And it’s around this sentence that this Blog Post #5 is going to be based because I believe it’s a plus for all people who want to achieve their goals. However, as would be expected, I will address this theme by focusing primarily on electronic music and more specifically, the production process that all music artists love. But of course, this learning can be applied to any area, you can get the idea. I sincerely hope that this post will help you to find the light that you need to take a step forward towards your dreams.

(more…)

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Producers: Have you ever wondered how that artist you idolize made that transition in that song you love? Or what effect did he/she use in build-up / drop? Or how does he/she do that punchy kick? Well, I confess that many times I don’t even know the answer because in electronic music we have endless ways of doing things. And that’s good! After all, the production of electronic music is a continuous learning, we are always evolving and that’s what makes it so interesting, the fact that we can explore every detail, every transition, every moment of the music in order to transpose our emotions and mood. (more…)