Next up in the Sinchi & Friends series is Fernando Pineda aka Teniente Castillo. dj, producer and label boss he does it all and someone we’ve been following for some time. Furthermore, we’re very happy to be featured a cracking track from him on the inaugural Sinchi – Altered States Vol.1 compilation which will be available from July 26th. Get to know a bit more about whats going on in his world, inspirations and favourite artists in the interview below.
1) Introduce yourself?
I’m based in Madrid and make music and Dj under the alias Teniente Castillo. I also run the label Play Pal Music which was set up 7 years now.
2) What have been your highlights from the last 12 months?
My last tour in Mexico was definitely one of them, also being remixed by Vox Low and Jonathan Kusuma, two artists I admire and having that Ep out on Roam, plus the Play Pal Showcase we did at Renate (Berlin) with the Heimkinder crew, which went even better than the previous year.
3) What do you have lined up for the coming year?
A track included on the upcoming Sinchi comp, the Roam Ep, also a possible new Ep on Relish collab with Mufti, a couple of remixes, a new tour in Mexico for october-november and finishing some new tracks still unsigned.
MUSIC
4) Which track in the mix is your favourite right now?
I’d mention the Motel77 remix of a track from Argentinian producer Nahuel that’ll be out on Play Pal after the summer (min 17), one of the tracks I’ll be including on the Roam Ep (min 43), Braulio Rentería ‘Venus’ included on your comp (min 40) and the remix Jonathan Kusuma has done of the other track from the Roam Ep (min 57).
I’d say almost the whole mix is full of favourite tracks of the moment.
5) What is your favourite track of the last 12 months?
Really hard to say, there’s been so many great tracks released this year. I’ll tell you my favourite artist instead, Die Wilde Jagd, big fan of his sound.
6) What is the last record you bought?
Cardopusher ‘Never Fade Away’
7) What is your number 1 go to track of all time?
Another tough one, there were 2 vinyl that stayed in my bag for many many years, never took them out and have probably been 2 of the most played back in the days. The Snake Corps ‘This is a Seagull’ and Chaka Khan ‘Ain’t Nobody’ I don’t play them these days but they certainly are amongst the most played ones since I started djing.
8) Who or what are your biggest musical influences?
I’m influenced by many different types of music, disco from the 70’s, synth music from the 80’s , love downtempo, classical music too and by listening to my mixes and sets its easy to see what labels and artists I follow nowadays. There’s an artist who has nothing to do with electronic music but it’s probably the artist who’s moved me the most and a total genius on the guitar for me, Mark Knopfler. I’m a big fan of him, not of all his work but of many of his songs and performances.
9) Tell us about 3 DJ’s / Producer’s we may not know but should be looking out for?
I’ll mention more than 3, some of them I’m sure you will know of, my partner in crime and good friend Mufti is doing some really good stuff, Motel77, TYU, Fabio Me Llaman Soltero, Steady State, Braulio Renteria, Balam, Die Jungle, Local Suicide, Lusca, I like a lot what Niv Ast is doing, Rigopolar also.
10) What is your favourite Venue or Festival to play at and why?
Renate in Berlin, La Dame Noir in Marseille and M.N.Roy in Mexico. Great crowds, sound systems and atmospheres.
PERSONAL
11) Do you have a ritual before you start playing or straight after?
Not really, I like to be at the club some time before I start playing so I can listen to the warm up set and see the crowd’s reaction, the sound of the club etc
12) What is your favourite bit of kit?
Any good kick-snare-bass combination
13) What is your favourite film score?
Hard to say just one so, ‘Scarface’, ‘True Romance’, ‘Goodfellas’ are the three that immediately come to mind.
14) What is your dream destination?
I wouldn’t call it a dream destination but I’d like to cross and ‘get lost’ in the Nevada desert some day.