On The Rise: The Many Layers of Sergio Levels

When talking to Sergio Levels about why he does what he does, his motivations are instantly clear: "I love to create." This multi-talented man from Calgary has been making waves locally for years as both a producer/DJ who plays host at a number of successful residencies, as well as a promoter and organizer of unique party concepts such as Dress Code, Shapes and Versions, among others. He's also a visual artist, whose gig posters stand out when plastered on city streets, becoming something of local legend for their unique aesthetic and bold geometric elements. He's fresh off a successful summer festival circuit and about to drop SLEP001, a self-released EP that we are previewing today exclusively on THUMP. We sat down with him to get his thoughts about his many talents, how they conflict with and compliment each other and challenges he faces in his pursuit of passion.

THUMP: The producer/DJ hybrid is common these days. How important do you think making your own music is to continued success and longevity in this field?
Sergio Levels: An interesting question and I think it really differs among artists. There are some that are able to completely sustain solely as a "DJ" or selector of music, but those are rare and not a growing breed. People's attention spans are diminishing and they need constant reminder that particular artists exist. Whether it's clever marketing or high volume output, you've gotta get them!

I really love to push my skill level forward. I can see myself making music and putting it out for a long time ahead. A recent conversation brought up an interesting point: fans need to trace your lineage and almost enjoy the ride of your come-up as an artist, therefore regular output is important for that connection to exist.

You played all original music on your festival circuit this summer. Was that a conscious decision, or did it just come about as a result of having a surplus of awesome tunes?
It was 100% a goal of mine. I had aimed to play somewhat of a live set last season but basically wasn't ready. I made a pretty consistent effort of preparing pieces from my collection of material for about five months leading up to the summer season, as well as acquiring a few pieces of outboard gear (mixer, effects etc.) and scheming about how exactly I woud build the infrastructure for the setup. I had roughly 16 tracks selected by go time and barely enough time to practice or even do a trial run. Luckily it all worked out and people had themselves a nice dance party! Now I'm hooked and putting a ton of energy into moving more and more in that direction.

Of your three main creative outlets (DJing, producing and visual arts), which more would you like to hone over the next few years?
Tough choice, I love all of them and in my practice they all go hand in hand. I had to get into visual creations as a means of promoting and it kind of stuck as a main channel for my energy. It's the easiest one to toss aside though. I've been craving some open-ended design time but just haven't had the slot to fit it into. I've been DJing for eight years now and it's still always dynamic and great for learning about club culture. Testing new material and sharing amazing new/old music with people will never get old. In the immediate future I'm going to be heavily focused on production, working on a few releases and fine-tuning my sound and technique. Dedicating time to the studio is really the only way to accomplish the goals I have and it's really quite exciting.

Do your different talents all serve a unique purpose when it comes to you feeling creatively challenged and fulfilled?
Some more than others. Mostly production: it's like having a relationship that I'm extremely addicted to; she's harsh and very particular, but treats me well when I give her enough time and push the right buttons. I'm almost always thinking about music or sounds or new techniques. So yes, when I neglect the studio, I get a bit frustrated to say the least. I'm pretty hard on myself in respect to growth, so if I don't put the time in I begin to go a bit crazy. I need/want to DJ fairly often as well. I love the technical side of DJing and moving people with loud audio frequencies,; it's another addiction. As I said, it's always dynamic and evolving and brings a social element to the game which is the opposite for the studio.

Do you have any other projects or collaborations you are currently working on that you would like to tell us about?
Besides SLEP001, I have a few four-track EP's coming up. I work on a ton of material, both full compositions as well as tools and audio bits that are useful to other producers on the global scale. All of which will slowly trickle out on those channels.

In conjunction with writing the EP, I've been testing a new audio/visual app for the past month or so. It's called Generate and is extremely addicting and fun to use. It's an iPhone based visual creator with a ton of power and happens to be right up my alley in respect to aesthetic and overall ability. To mark the first self release on my channels, I've spent some dedicated time into collecting pieces of visual manipulations that resonate with the theme of the EP.

What is the biggest challenge you face right now in growing as an artist?
Staying organized and focused. 100%. Distraction is an illness and there is a ton of shit going on that provokes that illness. Insecurities are almost always an issue with any artist or creator as well, so getting over personal conundrums gets worked into the mix. At the end of the day, life in its entirety is challenging but attitude is a major weapon in moving forward. Keep it in check and you're generally good. Easier said than done…

What do you want the world to think when they think "Sergio Levels"?
"Hey I can do that!" Far too often than not, people get caught up not chasing their dreams for one reason or another. It's a tough road with many challenges, but it's well worth it and I can tell you first hand that I don't have any sort of special magic that has given me the ability. Do what you love, work hard, be nice to people and follow your love/passion. I'm on my way but have a long way to go. Jump on the train!

SLEP001 will be available on Monday, September 15th: SergioLevels.com.

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