Sergio Levels Adds His Signature Techno Flavour to the Number Line's 'Fever Dream'

Remixing another artist's track can be a challenge, but when Sergio Levels set out to put his spin on "Fever Dream," the new track from Toronto pop-synth band The Number Line, he had a unique advantage. "I had worked with Piper Davis' vocal stems before while teaching at Beat Drop," he explains, referring to the Calgary production and DJ school where he used to teach classes in Ableton Live. "Having used them as examples in part of the course curriculum, I was used to working with her voice, which is so unique. There's this degree of movement to her voice that is so distinctive. It has this quality to it that, to me, feels like it sits somewhere between vocal and synth. While I don't work a lot with vocals, I do work with synth sounds a lot, so in that way it was just a really interesting creative dynamic."

On the original mix, the echoing vocals of Davis add R&B undertones to The Number Line's signature, dreamy brand of pared-down percussion and synthy melodies. Sergio's remix—which we are premiering today on THUMP—is part of the larger remix EP put forth by Calgary-based Substation Recordings, whom Sergio has worked with in the past and considers part of his hometown foundation. "I really respect what Substation is doing out there," says Sergio. "It's about putting energy and love into the local music community and it's really something the city can be proud of. They really give local up-and-coming producers and artists a great platform to showcase their talents."

In addition to Sergio's offering, the EP features remixes from Rusty Meeks, Neighbour, and Isis Graham, who all offer a unique spin on the original mix. Rusty Meeks' take is a melodic, bassy version that puts Davis' vocals at center stage; Isis Graham's is a deep house vibe with punchy bass and snappy snares; and Neighbour flavours his with tropical tastes in the form of organs and shaker-driven percussion. The latter two will join Sergio next week as part of the lineup for the much-anticipated festival Bass Coast, taking place July 10 to 13 in Merritt, BC.

Bass Coast is a festival that Sergio has been part of for the past few years and he has nothing but positive things to say about the event that has quickly become one of the premiere electronic festivals in Canada's West. "I'm really excited for Bass Coast. There's such a huge amount of talent on every stage; the music is really just so well done." This year will be all the sweeter for Sergio, as it represents his first trip back to the West since relocating to Toronto in February. "The scene out there is so tightly knit," he says of the West. "For me it's just going to be so exciting to get together with the crew and hear what everyone has been up to and to see what progression has been made. The community at Bass Coast is really what it's all about and the music is so top notch that it just adds to the whole environment and experience, for both the artists and attendees."

Attendees at this year's Bass Coast can look forward to a live set from Sergio of all his original material. He's trying to prepare a bit more than he did for last year's festival, which was his first time ever attempting to perform a live set and which he admits he pulled off last minute. "I didn't even really have time to do a proper, good trial run," he laughs. "I was working on it, and then I got super busy with other tasks, as often happens in life. And all of a sudden I was like, 'Holy crap, it's next week.'" However, you would never have been able to tell, as his set was one of the festivals' most well received. Max Ulis even said it was his favourite of the whole event.

While he is forever humble, Sergio admits that such praises are obviously nice to receive. "When someone like Max that you respect so much tells you that you did something well, it's so nice. I work closely with people like that and have built these good working relationships and friendships with, so they can be honest with me. Others might be less inclined to give constructive criticism and would maybe just tell you it was amazing when it wasn't, you know?"

Since moving to Toronto, Sergio has been keeping busy working on production and connecting with some of Eastern Canada's biggest in techno and house. While leaving an established community and a massive group of friends and supporters back in Calgary wasn't easy, he's enjoying a new challenge and the growth as an artist that has come with it. "Being out here in the East has really changed my vision," he says. "Process-wise, it's been an incredible learning experience. I have less distractions and have had the opportunity to get into the studio with some crazy talented folks out here. I've been in five beautiful spaces that are full of all kinds of toys and wires and seeing my peers working with this equipment, it's a whole new world of techno music. And then being able to take those experiences and apply it to my own process—it's really opening up new horizons. I have a newfound zest and excitement about what's possible."

Yet, Sergio remains close to the scene back home and is happy to have projects like the Fever Dream EP to keep creative connections alive and well. "It's really nice to know that I can always work on projects like these with friends like Substation," he says. "No matter where I live, I know I'll always have the creative and talented community back West. It's a real treasure that I'm super proud to be part of."

Sergio will perform at a yet-to-be-disclosed location on August 15 with Prison Garde and on August 29 at Wrongbar in Toronto. More information can be found at sergiolevels.com closer to the dates.

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