The KEENE sound is clearly seductive and elegant, taking elements of deep, house and Techno genres. That unique brotherly complicity is poured into what they do, with their combined musical and technical talents eliminating their possible weaknesses. Both are perfectionists that have found their personal way of making music, a process that is as organic as it is electronic, and you just have to see the dancing throng while they DJ to understand it.
Besides managing Late Night Music’s roaster of shows in Panama, KEENE moved to Berlin to focus on their production. Currently settled in their studio and headquarters at the prestigious Riverside Studios in the heart of Berlin’s creative district, they started a Berlin-based label called Cacao Records. In 2018 they have embarked on a new journey dedicated to electronic music in a basement of an old building in Panama City’s old town.
We sit down with KEENE to learn more about their origins, the transition from Panama to Berlin, the new Cacao Records compilation ‘There’s Always Cacao in Exotic Places Vol.5’, the state of the music scene back home, and more.
Electronic Groove: Hi Kevin! Lloyd! Welcome! It’s a pleasure to have you here with us for a chat. How have you been doing? How are things in Berlin looking like at the moment? What is clubbing like right now?
KEENE: Hello guys, thanks for having us! All great here in Berlin. Summer is over, and the city is cooling down again. But we’ve got the great news that clubbing is possible again. Most nights that we’ve played or been at had this vibe of joy and excitement, which has been an amazing feeling.
Electronic Groove: So, we are a bit curious about your background…What was your upbringing like as brothers? Did you guys have a connection to music from a young age?
KEENE: Sure we had. The first ‘music project’ we had together was sitting during the afternoons in front of the radio, recording and making tapes from the music we liked. In our family, there was a lot of music listening. Even had DJ uncles in the family. Like, it’s very common in Panama, the selection was quite rich and eclectic. For example, our mom was into disco music, but also into Hispanic and classical. Our father was into Jamaican reggae and gospel. Our grandpa would listen to a lot of boleros, but was a huge fan of Glenn Miller’s repertoire. When Lloyd came back from studying in Argentina, Kevin was making electronic music parties with his friends, so it made a lot of sense to try doing something together.
Electronic Groove: When did you make the decision to make the move from Panama to Berlin? Did you already have any ties to the German city or were you going out on a limb?
KEENE: Our relationship with the city started in 2007, back when Lloyd had the opportunity to live there for a few months. But from 2012 we started visiting together during summer to meet friends and to learn, and absorb the most we could from the local scene. And it was in 2015 that we finally managed to completely move in. It was very clear to us that if we wanted to continue growing as artists, that was the right path. On a more personal level, Berlin has become our home.
Electronic Groove: When did Cacao Records come about? Congratulations on its 5th year anniversary! What does Cacao Records mean to you? What is its contribution to music?
KEENE: Thanks! We started Cacao Records 5 years ago with our brother and good friend Gonzo-Gonzo from Guatemala, who after two years fighting against cancer passed away by the end of last year. The main idea was to release dance floor-focused music from our perspective, since we consider ‘dancing’ a key aspect for every society. We also felt it was important to have a place where we could collaborate with fellow artists we admire and consider somehow like-minded. Today, the project has evolved into an important representation of our artistic expression, a place where we can freely express who we are, from where we come from, and where we want to go. Collaborating with like-minded artists we admire has now become a reality and hopefully, it can keep evolving throughout the next years.
“The main idea was to release dance floor-focused music from our perspective, since we consider ‘dancing’ a key aspect for every society”
Electronic Groove: Are there any plans to mark the occasion accordingly?
KEENE: We had our anniversary event in Berlin last Saturday, and it was amazing. Many friends joined and celebrated with us. It started during the afternoon at a Späti (a convenience store), and then moved to the Christa Kupfer club in Kreuzberg until the morning. We were lucky to have so many friends like Joyce Muniz, Black Loops, Elle B, or Diva Futura playing with us. We’ve also released the 5th edition of our ‘There’s Always Cacao in Exotic Places’ compilations that traditionally mark our anniversary each year. This time we had a beautiful one with music from Floyd Lavine, Kapibara, Arabic Piano remixed by Mickey Dastinz & Luis Kill, and one from us. We’re super happy to see that both commemorative projects have been so well received.
Electronic Groove: What is the workflow like in the studio for you guys? Do you have pre-determined roles, or do you go with whatever each one brings to the table that day?
KEENE: The usual process would be that Lloyd starts an idea, then we work polishing it together, and then Kevin takes care of finalizing it and the more serious production aspects of it.
Electronic Groove: And behind the decks? How do you flow? Do you guys have very different tastes?
KEENE: Yes, we definitely do. We play as a classic back-to-back, improvising on the vibes we get from the event.
Electronic Groove: If you had to describe your sound with colors, what would it look like?
KEENE: Definitely a combination of colors and temperatures. Even though we like to create contrasts during our sets and are constantly moving from one place to the other in search of dance floor emotions, we can certainly still say that it sits between warm colors.
“We had our anniversary event in Berlin last Saturday, and it was amazing. Many friends joined and celebrated with us”
Electronic Groove: What else can we expect from KEENE in the future? What new milestones are you looking forward to in the coming months?
KEENE: After managing to do our first events in Berlin, we would like to take the Cacao City events to as many places as possible. Also, continue making and releasing as much music as possible.
Electronic Groove: Thank you for your time guys! We wish you all the best for the future!
KEENE: Thank you for having us! Stay safe!
KEENE’s Cacao Records’ 5th Anniversary compilation ‘There’s Always Cacao In Exotic Places Vol. 5’ is out now. Stream and buy here.
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