"After Hours by Francisco AP" now available on Spotify listen here.
From a very young age, Francisco Aires Pereira already showed a connection with music, influenced by his mother's collection of classical music CDs (opera singer). At 7 years old, he would sit in front of the stereo with headphones listening to Mozart and Beethoven. But only later, at 13, influenced by his cousin Gonçalo Maria, who already had a complete DJ setup with a mixer and turntables, he became "completely absorbed." It was then that music truly became part of his daily life.
"When I started living music daily, I was very absorbed in house music and listened to very few things besides House, my “heroes” were the great House and Garage House DJs - Frankie Knuckles, Masters at Work, Mousse T, Boris Dlugosch, Grant Nelson, Francois Kevorkian, CJ Mackintosh, Joey Negro, Daft Punk among others."
What are your biggest musical influences?
That question is complicated, because I feel I have many musical influences at different times. When I started living music daily, I was very absorbed in house music and listened to very few things besides House, my “heroes” were the great House and Garage House DJs - Frankie Knuckles, Masters at Work, Mousse T, Boris Dlugosch, Grant Nelson, Francois Kevorkian, CJ Mackintosh, Joey Negro, Daft Punk among others. Outside of House, my big initial influence was undoubtedly the band Jamiroquai, I listened to the album Traveling Without Moving many times, it was perhaps my awakening to the “groove.” A few years later other influences of organic music appeared - Minnie Riperton, Patrice Rushen, George Benson, Roy Ayers, Incognito, among others. I also had a certain awakening to Rock, at a time when I was starting to launch myself as a DJ at private events, influenced by certain mutual guests who ended up becoming my friends. I had a year super absorbed in Rock music, generally more Indie Rock, I loved listening to Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks, Mando Diao, Franz Ferdinand and also at that time I deeply explored Pink Floyd (early albums) and The Doors which, although I don't listen to as much today, I feel some influence in me, mainly from Pink Floyd, nowadays I feel very connected to more introspective (journey) music definitely because of the early Pink Floyd albums. In the current scene there are so many artists and musicians and vast access to all the music from the most remarkable decades that it becomes difficult to identify all the names that influence me, there are really many. (laughs)
What has been your favorite gig so far?
I don't know if I can say just one favorite, maybe a few favorites:
The Maracujália Parties, I have played at some (including at Casa da Música), are always gigs very different from my usual and with a full house, I liked all the ones I played, they were always special.
The Calypso Parties in general too, especially the first ones, when they were still “House Parties” but there was one in particular that marked me a lot, which was a Calypso partnership with Goat Community where I closed the dance floor in a top mountain setting, it was incredible, I received high energy from the crowd, it was an amazing moment of liberation.
In the Base where I live, there were also some magical nights, especially when returning to some post-pandemic normality, people were thirsty for parties, there were moments that felt like authentic “Boiler Room” events, everything vibrating wildly around me.
The Cumbia Ritual Parties at Espaço Compasso. They were some of the most beautiful and authentic experiences I've had, a true ritual with a bonfire and a small introductory speech, an audience intimately connected with the music and the surrounding nature. It was where I felt I could give greater freedom to my explorations of more ethnic and organic music under the alter-ego Shrumate.
The Círculo and Cru Parties, which unfortunately no longer exist, and although they were organized by different people, they happened at the same timings and had some common audience and some parallel musical ideas. I really enjoyed the DJ sets I did at those parties; the audience was very connected with the music and everything seemed magical at that time.
Top 3 favorite songs in your personal playlist right now.
Another difficult question because it's a matter of moments and naming only 3 is unfair (laughs). But these 3 are songs I've listened to countless times and can listen to many more times.
Gene Harris - LosAlamitosLatinfunklovesong
Zero7 feat Jose Gonzalez - Today
Donny Hathaway - Valdez in the Country
What was the most out-of-the-box request you've ever received from the audience?
I've received some, I don't know if I can consider any truly out of the box, I'd say more totally inappropriate or out of context. It's very common in the DJ sets I do at Base, where the music style is very specific and not mainstream/commercial at all, for people to tell me that their friend or sibling is having a birthday and ask me for a birthday song or to request a totally commercial song, nothing related to what is playing at the moment. Unfortunately, this has happened many times. (laughs)
Do you have any project you want to share?
Yes! I record a radio show every week called “Pérola Negra Rádio” with great music connoisseurs and also DJs - Nuno Di Rosso, E.A.R.L, Bruma, Helena Guedes, Tomás Lobo, and Paulo Cunha Martins - where we share music from all corners of the world and different decades. It airs every Sunday on Rádio Oxigénio (in Lisbon), RUM (Minho University Radio), and Rádio Nova in Porto. Recently a father, I have managed to dedicate little time to production, so my alter-egos and label have been a bit inactive, but soon you will certainly be able to hear some good stuff under the names “LSK (Lazy Spoiled Kid)”, “Shrumate”, and “Undergarden”.
We challenged Francisco to create a playlist to accompany you this Summer. “After Hours” offers an engaging and energetic musical selection, providing a build up for unforgettable nights. – "After Hours" now available on Spotify listen here.