After foraging into the worlds of afro beat, neo classical compositions, Latin rhythms and ambient pop over the past eighteen months, Swiss multi-discipline composer Pablo Nouvelle is directing his music at the dance floor again. His first release of 2022, ‘La Sensación Es Real’ is an induction into the sound that will permeate many of his upcoming works and will prove a welcome sonic addition to every clublike setting. 

Marking Pablo Nouvelle’s return to his club roots after broadening his sonic horizon, ‘La Sensación Es Real’ shows that the journey of the song matters more than the destination. Graced with gorgeous harmonies, fluttering synths, a steady beat and spoken-word vocals, this absolute treat to the senses is designed to make listeners feel with every fiber of their being.

“‘La Sensación Es Real’ is about appreciating the moment and being in the here and now”, Pablo Nouvelle says. “Every human being has his own way to reach this state of absolute concentration, trance or flow. The more we are constantly confronted with information overload and screens fighting for our attention, the more important it is to know how to cut the noise, check in into the real world and to ‘feel it all’. The first draft was made in my home studio during the pandemic last fall, more than a year ago. This summer, I worked on two films taking place in the mountains and dealing with the inescapable feeling that we are incredibly fragile and ephemeral in the face of the mountain massifs. Through one of the projects, I got to know Macarena, the irresistible voice of the song. The films inspired me to write the lyrics, which she then recorded and sent to me via voice memo from Argentina.”

Having mastered a range of different styles and influences that thrive in the gentle, soulful mixture of sound he calls his own, Pablo Nouvelle is an in-demand remixer and producer who has worked with the likes of Jessie Reyez, Anne-Marie, Bruno Major and Josef Salvat whilst stepping up on remix duty for Aurora, Gorgon City and Marina & the Diamonds. When he isn’t pursuing music, Pablo Nouvelle is an acclaimed animation filmmaker with three award-winning short films to his name. ‘In A Nutshell’, his latest, was longlisted for an Oscar.

We had the chance to chat with Pablo about the EP and more. Enjoy!

WWD: Hey Pablo, Thanks you for taking the time to chat with us today! Congrats on your first release of 2022: ‘La Sensación Es Real’. Could you walk us through the process of creating this track? What inspired you?

The first draft was made in my home studio during the pandemic last fall, more than a year ago. This summer I worked on two films taking place in the mountains and dealing with the inescapable feeling that we are incredibly fragile and ephemeral in the face of the mountain massifs. A topic that comes up again and again in my work and life and helps me to keep my feet on the ground. Through one of the projects I got to know Macarena, the irresistible voice of the song. The films inspired me to write the lyrics, which she then recorded and sent to me via voice memo from Argentina.

WWD: Last year you’ve been successfully experimenting with many different sounds and genres, including Afrobeat and Latin rhythms. What triggered you to move back to your original roots creating club music.

I usually work on very different songs at the same time. That gives me a certain balance. If I only produced hard club songs every day, I would probably go crazy at some point. At the moment, for example, I’m also working on a very quiet, reduced piano album. I think after my last album Stones & Geysers, which came out last November, that was very quiet and spherical, I was up for something that really bangs. The main thing is to stay inspired and that I can surprise myself again and again. I don’t want to write the same song twice.

WWD: Can we expect more club-focused records from you in 2022?

Oh yes! La Sensación Es Real was just the starting shot. In the course of the year, several songs will follow in the same vein. I think it’s also a liberating blow. Out of the pandemic, into the rave.

WWD: For anyone who is just getting into your sound, what are some things you would like future fans to know about the Pablo Nouvelle project?

Phu! it’s a complex project with very different facets. Often it’s hard for me to describe my own music. Maybe it’s soul music in a dress shop. Sometimes she tries on an indie-pop dress, then a deep house shirt, then a folk-electronic wig. The most important thing is that there is still a soul underneath and the heart in the right place.

WWD: Have you been able to perform the new track live yet? What have been the responses so far?
I had overwhelming feedback when I released the song. Playing it live, I haven’t had the chance yet. But we’ve started rehearsing with the band again for gigs in the summer and it’s incredibly fun to finally make music with real humans again.

WWD: Next to producing music, you are also a filmmaker, a magical combo! Does that mean we can expect a video for ‘La Sensación Es Real’?

Frankly, at the moment music takes up so much space that I don’t get to make any films. I do create all the artworks for my releases by myself though – often in collaboration with other visual artists and filmmakers.

WWD: Since you started your career as a producer, you have grown exponentially in your sound. If you could nail one single moment that you feel was the beginning of your career taking off, what would that be?

I was lucky to get a modest amount of exposure early on with my first self-released songs. Then I agreed to do a live residency at a small venue without having a band. So I had to find musicians and rehearse intensively. Not to be „just a DJ“ but to put on a live show pushed the project even further. I tried to make a name for myself in the UK by hiring a promo agency and coming to London often to work with other artists. Then when the Guardian wrote about my tunes, that was a little break through.

WWD: A lot of artists approach their live set-up differently – some opt to tailor their sets to the crowd while others have a certain sound they are striving for regardless of the audience. Can you tell us a bit more about your approach? Do your sets vary depending on where and who you’re playing for?

My set continues to evolve over time, building on previous gigs. Since I don’t really play DJ sets, but live, either with a band or solo, I play with a setlist and not completely free. It’s important to create a distinct musical universe, not only on the record but also translated into the live set-up and to think of a dramaturgical arc that takes the audience on a journey.

WWD: Finally, what goals do you hope to achieve in 2022?

As we are releasing song by song I am at a very exciting point right now. La Sensación Es Real is already released, other songs are still demos. The song list is not definite yet. So the goal for this year is to cobble together the best possible album out of these songs, and to put on a live show that will bring us back into the clubs and on festivals stages.