Enai and David Granha recently released their latest collaboration titled ‘Treasures.’ The track is featured on Adriatique’s Siamese imprint as part of the ‘Siamese Anthology VI’ compilation.
Photo credit: Enai / David Granha – Official
Enai, a talented musician from Spain, started his music career in 2012, fueled by his passion for raves and festivals. Since then, he has quickly gained recognition, captivating audiences at renowned festivals and clubs in Spain and worldwide. In 2020, Enai achieved great success with his ‘Fall EP’ released on Metro Dance Records. His music has received support from industry leaders and has been featured on respected labels such as Atlant and Oddity Recordings.
Spanish producer David Granha has had a significant impact on the electronic music scene throughout his 20-year career. He has an extensive discography on various labels, such as Filth on Acid, A.R.T.S, Noir Music, Tronic, Suara, Poker Flat, Unrilis, Octopus, KMS, Respekt, Odd Recordings, Codex, and Analytic Trail, which has earned him widespread respect in the industry. His music production has received support from renowned artists like Laurent Garnier, Richie Hawtin, and Enrico Sangiuliano. With his diverse range of styles, from dark and melodic soundscapes to compelling techno beats, Granha never fails to impress his listeners.
EG had the opportunity to catch up with Enai and David Granha to discuss their latest collaborative release titled ‘Treasures’. They shared insights into their creative process and provided a glimpse into their future projects.
EG: Hi Enai and David! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you right now?
Enai: Hey! The pleasure is mine, I’m good, now I’m in the studio (as always) finishing some projects.
David Granha: Hi, nice to meet you guys. I am doing well, recovering from a pain in my left ear, but still working on a new track in the studio to stay sharp.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the release of your new collaborative single ‘Treasures’! You must be very excited to finally share this one! What has the initial reception been like so far? Do you remember the first time you played this one live?
Enai: Thank you! Since I started making music, Siamese has been one of my goals, so I’m thrilled that the day finally arrived. The reception has been incredible. Adriatique played the track in their Cercle set last March, and they added the song name to the video so we have received a lot of messages asking for it.
David Granha: Thank you so much, yes, I am super happy and proud to share this one. Since the promo was out last week I didn’t have the chance to check the internet much to see if some DJs are playing it. What I am sure of though, is that many people were asking me about the track, so I think they are liking it.
EG: So, what can we expect to find on ‘Treasures’? Is there a concept or an emotional trigger to this one?
Enai: I would say that ‘Treasures’ is a special track, it is not designed to break the dance floor, and we did not do it with that intention. It’s a melancholic yet hopeful cut with a lot of energy in the drop. It is a song to close your eyes and let the music take you.
David Granha: Normally I don’t spend so much time thinking about a concept or staring through the window looking for external inspiration. I guess I usually do what I feel at a specific moment. In my case, I tried to find a good melody and an industrial drum section. Seems that at the end, the chord progression and the type of vocals drove us through a melancholic path.
EG: What was it like collaborating with each other and with singer/songwriter Vincent Brasse? What was the process for ‘Treasures’ like?
Enai: David shared an idea he had done with me and I loved it. He shared the project with me and we started working. David had known Vincent for years and we sent him the idea and in a few days, he sent us the vocal. The process was really fast, I think in a week we finished the track and we realized that Adriatique might like it, so we sent it directly.
David Granha: I have known Vincent since 2016 when I went to play in his home country, Mauritius. He played his tracks in the car and I instantly recognized his talent, that’s why we worked together in the past on a couple of tracks and in a band project. I knew he had to be the singer. Working with Enai was easy, we were pushing in the same direction the whole year, and when I sent him the initial project, it was very easy to finish it.
“Treasures is a song to close your eyes and let the music take you”
EG: ‘Treasures’ is out via Adriatique’s Siamese imprint as a part of its ‘Siamese Anthology VI’ compilation. What does it mean to you to have this one out via Siamese and see Adriatique playing it on their Cercle set at the Hatshepsut temple in Luxor, Egypt?
Enai: Over the years I grew up watching Cercle’s videos and streams, so to see our track playing there and then in such a special location is an honor.
David Granha: I was always thinking of doing a kind of weird track, and obviously Siamese was the first label on the radar. I have a deep respect for Adriatique’s work and their label, so when we had the “yes” it was amazing news. I am a big fan of Egyptian culture, especially their ancient architecture. I was at Hatshepsut temple a long time ago, and I was amazed by its beauty and history. Imagine my surprise when I was watching the Cercle show and our music was playing.
EG: In your opinion, what are some key aspects to consider when collaborating with other artists? What is a “successful” collaboration?
Enai: I think it has to flow. If I send an idea to another producer, in this case, David, and he likes it a lot and in two days he sends me back something good, that’s when things work well. It’s not always like that and sometimes the process can get a little stagnant. In that case, I think the best thing to do is to leave it for a while, let the song breathe and in 3 weeks or a month, come back to it.
David Granha: The most important thing is that you need to like their music. I like to work alone in the studio, but sometimes when you send progress of hours of work and they don’t like it, it could be very frustrating, that’s why it’s good to know the person. It’s normal to not finish collaborations, just like it’s normal not to finish every track I begin. So I would say that you should always send really good projects to other people.
EG: Right now, social media seems to be shaping careers in a way that the music, or the actual content can’t…What is your relationship with social media like? How do you navigate these murky waters?
Enai: I think social media have helped artists like me a lot, who from their room in a small town can get their music to the other side of the planet. But on the other hand, you have to be careful and sometimes not give it all the importance and not always be aware of the results you get there. And it’s not easy, there is a lot of social pressure and everything goes very fast.
David Granha: I don’t have a good relationship with social media. I am not a big fan of recording myself to create content or spending a lot of time posting, editing, counting likes, and that kind of stuff. The reality is that I have to do it by obligation because it is the new reality. But honestly, I prefer to be known because my music is good, and not because of other factors… Sadly nowadays it’s the opposite.
EG: Speaking about visual aspects…What do you think about the current trend that has seen these larger-than-life visuals take center stage? Are they overwhelming the musical aspect instead of just “enhancing” the musical experience? Are they the future of electronic music?
Enai: Obviously to my taste, they give added value to the show, there are great artists that can offer incredible experiences like Erik Prydz or Anyma, and many people go to their shows more for the visuals than for the music. Anyway, I think they can be perfectly separated, and you can enjoy a session in an underground club in Berlin just the same, better, or in a different way.
David Granha: I think it’s amazing, and I love it. In terms of spectacle, the experience, the combination with the sound… AI and modern technology are giving us the opportunity to enjoy these kinds of massive audiovisual shows. On the other hand, I also think that many people go to shows just to record with the phone, and as a clubber, DJ, and producer I can’t deny that music (why most of us are here) is sometimes relegated to a secondary level.
“‘I prefer to be known because my music is good, and not because of other factors”
EG: What are Enai’s future plans? And yours, David? Where can your fans catch you next? What new milestones are you looking forward to in 2023?
Enai: In my case, a remix for the Dutch producer Hollt will be released at the end of October via Simulate, Massano’s record label. I’m looking forward to this release. I also have several collaborations with David that I hope we can share soon.
David: I have a new gig with Enai next month in Morocco, and also I have a new EP coming via Renaissance Records.
EG: Thank you for your time! We’re excited to see what’s in store for you. Take care!
Enai & David: You´re welcome, see you soon guys.
Enai and David Granha’s ‘Treasures’ is now available on Adriatique’s Siamese imprint as part of the ‘Siamese Anthology VI’ compilation. Stream and download here.
Follow Enai: Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram | Facebook
Follow David Granha: Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram | Facebook
