Guava Project, a dynamic trance duo, has been captivating audiences with their unique sound and heartfelt melodies. With a friendship spanning over 25 years and a shared passion for trance music, they have journeyed from hosting private parties to releasing tracks on renowned labels. In this interview, Guava Project shares insights into their musical journey, creative process, and aspirations.
Tell us about yourself and how you got into music? We know each other for over 25 years and have been close friends ever since. We found our love for trance music back then already and had our own private parties where we played our beloved trance vinyls in front of our friends! Of course we felt the desire to produce such great music for ourselves, so we started our project "Guava" in 2005. During this time we worked on our first track ever called "Guavana" and although we believe we had a very emotional, special and nostalgic melody, we unfortunately never managed to finish the track. Due to school, studies and other things in life, the production of music had taken a back seat and although the desire was always there, it took us until 2019, when we attended the Luminosity Beach Festival for the first time and it was at this particular event that our "Guava Project" was born again and this time we promised to get really serious about it. As a result, we can say that today we are more than happy to release our music and share it with all trance fans around the globe! Speaking of "Guavana", this track is being worked on again and we are trying to do something very special with it, so stay tuned!"
Who are your biggest musical influeces?
"About two years ago, we'd probably have said that we were mostly influenced by Giuseppe Ottaviani, Aly & Fila, Robert Nickson, Binary Finary and so on. To be honest, today we're not so much focused on a person or a few people, but more on styles. We're equally influenced by today's driving, uplifting style and also the sound of the past. So wherever the journey takes us, we want to create unique, memorable music, whether it's uplifting or harder stuff."
What is your creative process like? "Usually we start the process by creating a melody that catches our attention and that we think is memorable. Most of the time we create the breakdown and then we start the build up of the track. Although there are times when we start with the build up first. Sometimes we like to split it up, so one of us will do the build up and the other one will do the breakdown, and in the drop we
have all the elements come together nicely."
What do you hope to achieve with your music? "In 2019, we visited the Luminosity Beach Festival for the first time. After the incredible impact this festival had on us, we wanted to be a part of such an amazing event one day. We started DJing when we were teenagers and began to produce music in 2005, but somehow we lost our vision back then. Probably the main reason was that we were too young to be able to focus on our goals straight away. In 2019, Luminosity was the main reason we started making music again; somehow this festival lit a fire inside us. Today we know that this fire is our love for trance music, which was always there but needed a reason. So we started making music for a reason. Our main goal is to spread the love for this music and share it with other people. And of course it would be a great pleasure and honour for us to do so at one of the Reason II Rise Label Night events"
How do you handle creative blocks or challenges in the production process?
"We think it is important to take a break sometimes from making music. There are times when you think you have to finish a track and that can put pressure on you and that can lead to a kind of writing block. In those times it's good to spend time with your family and loved ones or do your hobbies, getting out into nature or listening to different types of music can also help. When you come back with fresh energy and relaxed, it is often much easier to finish tracks."
What advise would you give to aspiring musicians?
"Firstly, we would advise aspiring producers and/or singers to let their love for music be the basis of what they are doing. The music business can be quite tough sometimes, so don’t let it stop you from doing what you love most: making music. Take every rejection as a chance to let your abilities thrive and become better and better. It's important to remember that there's no end to the learning process. Even if it hurts sometimes to hear words that don't fit your imagination, never give up on yourself. Don't take rejection personally. Use it as an opportunity to improve and grow. So even if it hurts sometimes to hear words that don’t fit your vision, never give up on your passion and learn to accept constructive feedback to achieve your goals."
What is your favourite piece of equipment or software that you use when producing?
"We mostly use the common and well known soft synths like spire, sylenth, omnisphere, dune or refx nexus as the basis of our tracks. It's hard to pick one in particular, but in the end we would say we use spire most of the time. We also have a bit of hardware gear that we love, like the
Moog Subsequent for example."
What is your favourite sub-genre of trance?
"We could just say: I'd say uplifting trance is the way to go, but it's not as simple as that. We also enjoy energetic and harder styles of trance. So our favourite style is trance music itself, without choosing a particular sub-genre. We think that’s a good starting point for keeping an open mind."
What is your favourite DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) to produce music?
"We've been using Cubase as our DAW for years, and although it's not perfect, it's an environment we really enjoy working in."
"Reason II Rise Music is a great label platform. Everyone who listens and likes trance will know the name Darren Porter! Of course it is a great pleasure and honour for us to release our music here, as we have loved Darren's music for so many years. He also has a great roster of other well respected and talented artists, which we are very happy to be able to join!" - Guava Project
What do you think makes Reason II Rise a unique label to release on?
"What makes R2R unique is the way they handle their artists. We’ve already released some of our tracks on different labels. Even that is a constant process of learning. At the start, we thought: great, we’ve got a contract with a label (which was great, of course). But nowadays, we focus more on appreciation. This also includes how we communicate with each other and the feeling that a label is on our side. That’s what is really great to about R2R! We feel like we're part of a family, not just artists. That’s what matters most to us, and we hope they'll stay that way! It really sets them apart! The whole team are very professional in managing the socials, doing label events, releasing sample packs and so on."
Who do you think have a big future in Trance Music?
"It would be easy to name several artists or something like that to answer this question. But those who really have a great future in this and every other genre of music are the ones who make music from the bottom of their hearts, not just for fame. Let people know that you share their love for music. It’s not just about you, it’s about music! Be a pioneer in what you’re doing! Be brave and try new things! These might be the paths to a great future in trance music."
Guava Project's journey from hosting private parties to gaining international recognition is truly inspiring. Their story is all about friendship and a deep love for trance music. With their unique sound and dedication, Guava Project is making a significant impact on the trance music scene. It's been a pleasure having the duo on Reason II Rise Music, and we can't wait to see what they do next. Keep an eye out for their upcoming tracks and live performances as they continue to share their passion for trance music with the world.
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