Hailing from Hartford, Connecticut, Eddie Merced is a talented artist who skillfully blends deep techno and house influences in his craft. His productions are expansive and dreamy, constantly pushing the boundaries of electronic music.
Photo credit: Eddie Merced – Facebook
Merced’s journey into electronic music began with his father’s freestyle records. He explored various subgenres, reflecting on each one, and developed his own unique production style. His music combines ambient and trance melodies with experimental techno. While his tracks provide a platform for cinematic expression, Merced remains true to the essence of dance music, creating an immersive physical experience.
Eddie Merced’s highly anticipated 4th EP, ‘A Far Voyage,’ is now available via Elektronik Zoo. This transformative musical journey promises to transport listeners to multiple auditory universes, blending groove and intelligence in a captivating fusion.
EG had the opportunity to catch up with Eddie Merced to gain insights into his latest release and explore his upcoming projects and future endeavors.
EG: Hi Eddie! Welcome to EG! It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you right now?
Eddie Merced: Thank you for having me! I’ve been good, just recovered from hearing loss. I had fluid in my ears from an allergy infection, but luckily with strong medication, I regained my hearing. Right now, I’m in my hometown of Hartford, Connecticut.
EG: First of all, thank you for being a part of our EG Spotlight Mix series. What can your fans expect to find on this one? Was there a particular approach to this mix?
Eddie Merced: I wanted to deliver a mix that fans will like as their favorite, one of those feel-good mixes. The mix is really groovy and hypnotic techno, basically, you can chill with this mix, drive or dance if you want to.
EG: By the way, congratulations on the release of your ‘A Far Voyage’ EP, which is out now via Marco Bailey’s new label, Elektronik Zoo! What has the initial reception been like? Do you remember the first time you played any of these tracks live?
Eddie Merced: Thank you! The reception has been great so far, Beatport has charted it and also play-listed the EP on Spotify. I haven’t played these tracks live, but I’m jealous of the ones that have, haha! I’m definitely looking forward to playing it live myself.
EG: So, what’s ‘A Far Voyage’ all about? Is there a concept or thread interconnecting these four cuts?
Eddie Merced: For a long time I wanted to make an Electro track again, so when Marco Bailey emailed me and said he wanted an Electro track, I quickly got down to work and delivered two tracks called ‘A Far Voyage’ and ‘Sex in Space’.
There is a concept with the four cuts, it feels like the end of times out there, so the EP is about civilization leaving Earth and finding another habitable planet. Titles like ‘A Far Voyage’, ‘Leaving the Planet’, and ‘Sex in Space’ give you hints about that. Not trying to be political, but when I named the track ‘Information Warfare’, I was thinking about how false propaganda can become very dangerous to society and can lead to war.
“The EP is about civilization leaving Earth and finding another habitable planet”
EG: How do you approach production in general? Do you follow some sort of ‘blueprint’ by now? Do you just chase an emotion
Eddie Merced: I usually chase an emotion in my music, but I’m also visual. Sometimes I build a track until an emotion starts coming in. Or I create a track title and I take the emotion the title is giving me and I put it into music.
EG: And your next release will be ‘Dark Skies’, which will be out on your own R4808n Recordings. Is there anything you can anticipate on that front? What does R4808n Recordings stand for, and what can expect from it for the rest of 2023?
Eddie Merced: The ‘Dark Skies’ promotional campaign has been doing very well, Laurent Garnier, Colin Dale, Danny Tenaglia and many more are supporting this EP. It’s a dark hypnotic deep techno, minimal techno EP. I’m pretty sure it will do great when it’s released, there’s an audience that loves the dark hypnotic stuff.
Regarding my label name R4808n, it’s the restricted airspace code above Area 51. My label is based on the mysteries and the unknown of classified government projects and UFOs. Which makes it great for me to create detailed inspired productions. Sometimes I go off-script and make an EP influenced outside of that. Also, the numeric concept of the name is influenced by the late Pete Namlook’s record label FAX +49-69/450464. 2023 is going to have a few more releases.
EG: Social media seems to be playing a very prominent role in an artist’s development. But is it taking too much away from the actual music and making it more about numbers and the visual aspect?
Eddie Merced: Social media does take away from music when it’s too much. To create good stuff you have to spend a lot of time in the studio, you need to devote as much time as you can. There’s always time for studio selfies and promotion. Personally, I try to keep a balance, music is always first. Creating great music is a priority for me, second is making sure my music is getting to people on the platforms. I post what’s new, keep it current, and keep it moving. I don’t dwell on it too much, it becomes a distraction.
Fighting the algorithm is a real thing, it’s a struggle for all upcoming artists. But what I’d say to everyone is just try to keep a balance and keep working on music!
EG: Have you come across any good books, movies, or records recently that you’d personally recommend? Where do you look for inspiration?
Eddie Merced: Great question, not recently but I do recommend the movie ‘Perfect Sense’ and the book ‘No Sleep: NYC Nightlife Flyers 1988-1999.’ I look for inspiration everywhere, whether it’s in my travels, dreams, or certain situations. Sometimes when I’m not looking for it, I come across it. I make sure I put it into use, It’s always a blessing receiving inspiration.
“Creating great music is a priority for me, second is making sure my music is getting to people on the platforms”
EG: What’s next for Eddie Merced? Where can your fans catch you next? What new milestones are you looking forward to in 2023?
Eddie Merced: I’m constantly working on music, but I have a big passion for DJing. I’m currently accepting bookings, once the bookings come in many fans will be seeing me more often. I can’t wait to share my music with everyone!
EG: Thank you for your time, Eddie! We’re excited to see what’s in store for you. Take care!
Eddie Merced: Thanks again for having me, much love and respect!
Eddie Merced’s ‘A Far Voyage’ is now available via Elektronik Zoo. Download your copy here.
Follow Eddie Merced: Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram | Facebook
