SAV & Mystereo are a duo that have been taking the EDM scene by storm. Mystereo being the hypeman and SAV being the man behind the music it's a great combination to keep crowds going wild. While they were in town for PeepThis Beat we were able to sit down and talk to them, here's what they had to say to In Focus.
Where to find SAV and Mystereo:
SoundCloud- SAV
SoundCloud- Mystereo
Twitter- SAV
Twitter- Mystereo
Facebook-SAV
Facebook- Mystereo
How did you both get started in the EDM scene?
SAV - I used to DJ with a good friend of mine, his name is DJ Wyldlyfe, he was a turntable head so he taught me how to DJ with vinyl. We dj'ed for about 2-3 years and then I started a residency at a club now called Tammany Hall. That's where I got exposed to Electronic Music. I used to go to the Rough Club parties on Friday nights, and those cats were playing like The Rapture, LCD Sound System, Boys Noize. That's kind of when electronic music was starting infused with indie sensibility too like cause indie bands started incorporating electronic remixes into what they were doing. I was a fan of the indie scene and I started falling in love with dance music. I gravitated towards it, I started downloading massive amounts of music all this crazy shit that was so ahead of its time and now its mainstream.
What have been some of your biggest influences?
SAV - Laidback Luke, Diplo - Just cause their sets have so much variety and a collected mix of sounds. Were Diplo can play trap, electro-house, moobahton which is kind of what I'm doing. Laidback Luke can do the same stuff. I like that they can educate the crowd.
Mystereo told us you played a 7 Hour set at Camp Bisco 11, how was that?
SAV - I don't think I was ever the same after that. Seven hours was a grueling task. I didn't intend for it to be seven hours it started off as an hour, and then my friend Mark, Subset whose the resident DJ for Bassment Saturdays at Webster Hall in NYC, he was like I have this set up you should come play with Mystereo. So we did a very impromptu set, and then I love music and I love dj'ing so I decided to stay on the decks but then I didn't want to get off. So, I was like Subset let's play back to back. He was like I've never done that before so I said "Fuck it! Let's do it! Come on man!". We played everything techno, electro house, glitch, big room, you name we were playing it.
Mystereo - I'll be honest I danced there for five hours so you know this mother fucker went hard when I was like "Hey SAV I need to take a breather for a minute." Let's just say I came back in the morning to rage a little bit longer. I came back at the 6th hour 50th minute mark and was like "SAV this is legendary but we need to get leaving! The train is leaving and we need to get back to New York."
SAV - There was people to this day that still talk about that to this day. They come up to me and are like "yeah I remember going to sleep to the sounds of moobahton.
Tony - I remember sleeping after Zedd and Porter and then having heard you playing. I woke up at 6am and still heard you going and I was just like "What is going on right now? This is crazy."
SAV - People are asking us to do it again this year, so we will see what happens.
What are some future goals or plans that you guys have together or separately?
SAV - Well right now what we're trying to do is we're working on my solo EP. Mystereo and I really want to tell a story and convey a thought process, we feel dance music has been lacking that. We heard that Daft Punk said that everyone is doing generic dance music. I agree with that to a certain extent. I disagree in the sense that people are doing generic things, however I do agree things are getting a bit stale right now. I feel that some of the greatest albums use thematic elements to create an experience someone who does this really well is Zedd. Even though I'm not making an album per say I still want to tell a story. We're going to release a short film as well, I'm new to the production game but I know enough to take what I learn and incorporate it with thematic elements. I want you to feel something you're listening to my music. I don't want you to be like "oh that's a good banger." I want people to be like "whoa, that fucking spoke to me".
Mystereo - When you hear this guy's new shit it'll blow your mind! Take you on a journey! I've listened to the whole thing and by the end of it I was like "Shit man, I kind of changed in a way". I went through an experience and it was fucking dope.
What are some of the things you've done in your career that you never thought you'd be able to do?
SAV - That's a good question. I never thought I would tour the world, and I never had any interest in doing so until I met Skrillex. He offered the opportunity to us. As a kid people were like "Oh you don't want to see the world? You don't want to travel?" It just wasn't an interest to me. I love where I live and don't really care about seeing the world. But, once I got to actually experience that, it changed my mind. There's a world outside of New York City, and it's beautiful.
SAV - I talk a lot, I'm sorry. haha
Brit - Haha no no it's okay.
How has your persona as Mystereo become apart of your personal life?
Mystereo - This is my life. I'll tell you something else in all honesty, in the beginning it wasn't as hard. People would accept me more, but I'm going to get serious for a minute. There's been a lot of crazy shit going around, movie theater shootings and the bombing. That makes it harder for me to do what I do. Before it wasn't really an issue but now with all this shit going around it's making it harder for me. I'm walking around with my face in public and it sort of creates a tension with people and I'm misunderstood. I'm kind of like Frankenstein, not to compare myself to a legend, I'm just trying to say it's not easy being me sometimes. I just want to say to any crazies out there, please don't take it out on the others, just chill out, it ain't that bad brother.
What's your favorite type of music to play or produce?
SAV - Man that's so tough. It seems like an obvious question. -
Mystereo - See I'm Mystereo so I can be like "I'm Mystereo I can't tell you that." But you have to make a choice SAV.
SAV - My heart lies in moobahton cause that's the genre that got me noticed as a producer. It's just meshes well with my sensibilities cause I'm Latino and I grew up in an era where reggae-ton was coming out and I thought it was dope. With moobahton I can incorporate reggae-ton, salsa, dubstep, electro-house, you fucking name it we can throw it in there.
Who has been your favorite DJ to play alongside with?
SAV - Skrillex because he is a mentor and an inspiration to me. Despite what people think he devotes himself fully. I learned a lot from him. Pretty much everything I do is inspired by him, he taught me how to make people feel good about themselves on and off the dance floor. People talk shit about him, he's not perfect, I'm not perfect, you're not perfect, everyone has flaws. At the end of the day Skrillex, is an inspiration to me because embodies what an artist should be. He cares about his fans, he cares about his music, and works his fucking ass off.
Mystereo - What more could you ask for? What more could you do?
It there anything else you want to say?
Mystereo - No matter what city we're in or state we do this thing called Downtime. Where we show the fans what we're doing when we aren't preforming.
SAV - I just want to say all aspiring producers and artists, I get a lot of messages sent to me asking what I should do to get my production out there and build my brand. Just, be real be yourself and never compromise. Do your own thing, create your own name, be as creative as possible. I see an influx of producers doing the same thing, do your own thing. Don't bite off each other's sounds, use your own music. Even if it sounds so left field just stick with it.
Mystereo - Look at Skrillex now. When he first started out his music was so left field at his first show and he didn't necessarily win the crowd that night he asked SAV how he did and SAV said "You wrecked it but they don't know it now but they will". Now look at Skrillex, this left field mother fucker is redonkulous. That's why he is Grammy Award Winning and world traveling Skrillex!
SAV - I just want to say again be yourself and be creative.
Brit - Thank you again for having us and giving us the time, we really appreciate it.
SAV - You were really good by the way, you made us feel super comfortable and chill.
Brit - I wouldn't have been nearly as comfortable if it wasn't for you guys, thank you so much.
SAV and Mystereo are great people who bring forth nothing but the best music. SAV being the one to lay the music out and Mystereo to get the crowd hyped and going, one couldn't ask for a better combination. I am fully looking forward to the new music they will be coming out with. Be sure to check them out at Rage or Die in Utica on June 1st put on by Officially OutRageUs.
Written by: Tony Colasurdo & Brit Cosgrave