Interview

White Visitation

Nicolas Guerrero’s productions tend to draw all the energy from a room, turning it into a vacuum void of time and space. Under his White Visitation moniker, the Mexico City native crafts soft-spoken electronica that often flirts with the dark, and banging corners of house music. After a batch of limited tapes that were sold – and quickly sold out – through the highly acclaimed RVNG Intl. label, his new 12” has just surfaced. We thought it was about time to get to know Nico, so we talked about anonymity, wraiths, the art of thieving.

Interview by Sander van Dalsum, photos shot by PaseaPerros and WV in Mexico City

“An author I like used to say that when he was really into his writing, he would feel like his ass lifted from the chair. I think we all try to get there”

There isn’t much to be found on your music, Nico. Do you like to maintain your anonymity?

Not really. I never really thought about it before I started seeing ‘anonymous producer’ in the press. I guess that largely has to do with not living anywhere where most media outlets are based. It does add up to me being anonymous, but it wasn’t intentional.

It’s kind of hard not to be anonymous in Mexico City, with such an enormous population.

Before the tapes happened I was pretty much isolated music-wise. Only a few of my mates here listen to this music, and I was kind of frustrated about not really having anyone to show the stuff to.

I’ve got to ask: what is a White Visitation? 

It’s a bit of a geeky thing. It’s really just a Google search away; it’s from a Pynchon book. It’ll sound a lot sillier than it already is if I try to explain it myself. Let’s say it seems badass to me to be visited by a white wraith, without spoiling the book any further.

Your music has that organic quality to it – it sounds very much in touch with nature.

It does? That is a first! How so?

Maybe because of the trip-inducing length of the songs, or because it evokes some kind of a mythical, ancient American vibe, or it could also be because you’re from Mexico and I’m from the Netherlands?

Yeah, I was going to say that, haha. But the ancient part is cool. The record’s called Ancestors so that much was intentional.

Your music is slowly getting clubbier with every release. Are you in touch with nature as much as you are with clubs?

I really hope it is, more and more. I’m trying to really make it a lot more functional. I think this 12″ is a little better in that sense. And regarding nature; not really. It is sort of weird, or noteworthy that the dubby stuff gets associated so frequently with nature. Mexico City is mostly very gray and drab.

So, let’s talk a little about Ancestors. You said the title has something to do with ancient?

Well, in some way. Not necessarily ancient, but previous to you.

Are we talking Spanish history? Or maybe Aztecs?

Only in the broader sense. What I really was thinking about were my musical ancestors, like DJ Shadow and Theo Parrish, and how they in turn had their own ancestors in what they were doing – and so on forever really. I’m really into reference, and reference is very immediate when sampling is central to what you do. Everything I have ever done is thieved from somewhere else.

We’ve got a saying for that here, something about effectively copying stuff instead of poorly designing concepts. I won’t translate it literally.

Totally, I’m not sure I even believe in originality at all.

Your music is really suitable for zoning out. Is that how you often end up in your studio?

I try to. An author I like used to say that when he was really into his writing, he would feel like his ass lifted from the chair. I think we all try to get there.

What enables you to do so?

I find that I make stuff I like when I switch the space I work in. Like territory I’ve just moved in or places that I’m only in for a bit. And really just having a long stretch of time available, like really get in there. I’m basically just avoiding routine.

White Visitation’s Mexico City Recommendations:

• Ñaka Ñaka – “May have heard of him before, hazy music to get lost in and great dude. Opal Tapes baby too.”

http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1048333416/size=medium/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/t=1/transparent=true/

• SieteCatorce / Den5hion – “Undisputed current ruler of the tropical/electronic sound, probing the darker common grounds between 2-step/garage, cumbia and drone. It works.”