Taking influence from synth-pop and old school synth-wave, Lehans is a musical project founded, recorded and produced by Cristobal García. The project has recently turned into a full live project, earning a place in the flourishing Chilean synth-pop scene. Cristobal took the time to discuss how he puts together tracks, the meaning behind his songs and his upcoming plans to release an EP.
Cristobal is from Viña del Mar (Vineyard of the Sea), located on central Chile’s Pacific coast. He has been playing at Santiago for more than 9 months as a DJ and a live set. Under the Lehand moniker, his first tracks started to emerge anonymously on 2012 through Soundcloud, becoming noticeable for unique uses of synchronized arpeggios and fancy pads. His music coincides with the up-and-coming synth-pop scene that has been building up in recent years.
Cristobal said most bands in the area prefer to stay in regular Latin American rhythms and the music he makes runs counter to tradition.
“It’s not bad for me, I grew up with that, but my interest runs on the other hand,” Cristobal said. “I’m thinking of traveling out of Chile but not for now. The show must be perfect and I’m always working hard on that.”
Lehans released a track titled “Years We’ve Brought” that revolves around the trip that people have when finishing a relationship of love.
“It’s about the expectations that we lost in time, like many other things we pass in life but always keeping good memories and good teachings of ourselves,” Cristobal said. “The lyrics say ‘In this place I fall, waking alone,’ which can be us, in death. And also ‘Live together, die alone’ like a drama series says. You know, life is a fast trip.”
When it comes to putting together a track, Cristobal likes to take his time and not make music in a hurry. He said he likes to be in charge of his music and therefore he always ends up working alone. He does not want to have a record label to have too much input into the way he sounds.
Cristobal has learned that producing a style of music that is not in tune with the surrounding Latin culture could provide a challenge, but he is set to accomplish this task despite the naysayers and negative critics.
“For every younger DJ and producer, if you have an interest in mixing different style of music and style, production is the most important thing to know about creating music,” Cristobal said. “In this way, there are no right things. Your influences can be what you listened to as a kid or the latest thing that you listened. With critics, most music critics have no idea what to do with art. Some people can’t understand art. You know, first they will hate you. Do not hold this crap. Just pass and move on!”
Cristobal is looking forward to releasing his first EP as Lehans featuring five songs. He said he will keep polishing the sounds until the result is enough to surprise his listeners. He is also going to film the single’s music video.
To keep up to date with Lehans, follow his fanpage on Facebook. Friends of Lehans include Barresto, Milan, and Lumpen & The Happy Pills.
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