Photo: Katja Ruge (Joyce Muniz)
Joyce Muniz has always been about community, whether on the dancefloor, in the studio, or elsewhere. Even her album Zeitkapsel, a deeply personal affair that saw the producer and DJ work across different genres, featured a slew of guests. The same applies to her recent collaborations such as her split 12″ for Kompakt with Hardt Antoine, for which she teamed up with vocalist Sara Bluma. Unsurprisingly, Muniz’s contribution to our Groove Podcast is also marked by stylstic eclecticism and, of course, a sense of togetherness and collaboration.
You have been involved in different musical genres and were instrumental in taking Brazilian baile funk global, a style of music that is again getting a lot of attention. How do you experience this renewed interest in the sound?
One of my first releases in the 2000s was very connected to baile funk. Together with Sterotyp and Eduk, I made a few baile funk and electro tracks for Daniel Haaksman’s infamous label Man Recordings. Back then, baile funk was still underground, most of the parties took place in the communities, the favelas, and you couldnt find any parties in the centre of the big cities in Brazil. Not even the radios played baile funk, the conservative haters called it dirty. Baile funk was born in the ghetto of Rio, and I am very happy to see that this genre has become so big and respected.
Your album Zeitkapsel was an ode to styles that have shaped you as much as you helped shape them. What led you to trace your musical biography in this way?
I always wanted to make an album with different genres. I went through so many electronic genres and styles as a DJ in the last 20 years, but I never had the time to dig deep in the past. Then COVID-19 came and I took the time to work on it. Zeitkapsel is my personal interpretation of all genres that left a mark on my life as a music lover, including trip hop, drum’n’bass, deep house, electro and many other styles. It showed me as a producer that I am able to make other tracks outside of the club world.
For the album, you collaborated with a roster of artists such as Leciel, Fritz Helder, or Le3 bLACK. How draws you to working with others?
I love to collaborate with other artists. Over the years, I understood how important it is to connect and create music with other talents, especially when it comes to vocals. The voice is an instrument that can be used in so many different ways. I also like to collaborate with other instrumentalists and producers. Combining styles is the beauty of creating music. Working with people that I appreciate definitely helped me to broaden my horizon as a music maker.
After that, you’ve teamed up with Theus Mago for the 2023 single “Balin Bali.” What did your working process look like?
This happened after I was finished with the production of Zeitkapsel. When I say finished, I mean finished with mixing, mastering, artwork and all the assets that are important for an album release. Making an album by itself is a long process, but releasing an album completely independently takes a lot of time and energy. It was a very beautiful and interesting experience for me, but it took a lot of my energy, and I was a little creatively drained. So I called Theus Mago, who is very creative. As friends, I knew that he could give me some fresh input. I asked him if could send some unfinished sketches to me to work on. I picked “Balin Bali” and it was a very easy and fast process. I added a new kick and some analogue synths, changed the arrangement a little bit and Mateo mixed it. The process was the same with Renato Cohen for our collaborative track “No Haters” on Permanent Vacation. Collaboration is about mutual respect.
Even more recently, you’ve put out a split EP with Hardt Antoine on Kompakt. Your track features Sara Bluma. How did your collaboration come about?
I met Sara Bluma a year ago when she booked me to play at one of her parties in Rome. We connected straight away. It was a matter of time that we decided to make some music together. I had this idea for a while, so I sent it to Sara and asked her if she would like to add some vocals. She came up with these great fun lyrics. This tune represents both our energy, which is supposed to be fun. Kompakt was the first label that I sent the demo to, and I was very happy and surprised that Michael Mayer [Kompakt’s A&R manager, ed.] dug it. Kompakt is an electronic music institution that I have been following since the age of 16 when I started DJing. When Michael said that the EP will be a shared collaboration with the talented British artist Hardt Antoine, I was even happier. I loved the idea and I feel grateful that “Beats & Lines” even reached the Top 1 on Beatport Indie Dance chart.
You continue to host the monthly Joyce Muniz & Friends radio show on Austria’s FM4. What’s important to you in regard to whom you invite to participate in the episodes?
I love to play on the radio. It gives me the possibility to play different music. After 15 years of doing radio, I am still not bored of it. Most of my guests are artists that I know or whom I have never met but whose music I love. It’s very nice to interview other artists to get to know things that we otherwise never talk about.
What was the idea behind your mix for our Groove podcast?
I was very excited to record this mix for you since I have been following the Groove Podcast for many years. The mix contains different moods, involving a lot of electro vibes and combining that with indie-dance, house, acid, and even afrobeats. Some of the tunes have been released and some of them aren’t out yet. There are some tastemakers for sure. Enjoy it!
Last but not least: what are your plans for the future?
I am about to finish a remix for my friend Moderna which will be released in September. In the next week I will be back in the studio to finish a new single for Exploited and Pets Recordings, respectively. Both singles have cool guests, but unfortunately I can’t tell you more about it right now. Stay tuned!
Stream: Joyce Muniz – Groove Podcast 419
01. Diar Storm, Lost Boy 1984, Play Paul – Everything So
02. Mufti – Evasion
03. Bufi – Horsepower
04. Joyce Muniz & Renato Cohen – No Haters
05. Hifi Sean – The Beat
06. Joyce Muniz & Sara Bluma – Beats and Lines
07. Amirali – Whispers of Deceit
08. Clo, Kimshies – Spiders in My Head (Modular Project Rave Mix)
09. Eddie Amador – House Music (Sharam 2.5 Club Remix)
10. 4sumotion – House Music Nation
11. Phillipi – Hacido
12 Robytek, Emmanuel Jal, SAMBA MAPANGALA, Shield (IT) – S
