DHA FM Mix #450 by TERR

Terr is the exciting musical project of Daniela Caldellas, the Berlin-based DJ/producer and label owner, who grew up in Brazil’s Belo Horizonte.

After spending her earlier years playing guitar in several punk bands, she asked her friends to teach her the basics of “computer music” only to unearth an infatuation with electronic production at the age of 19. “Electronic music allowed me to bring to life the sounds that I had in my mind,” she says. “It has no boundaries; I could bring to life all that I could imagine.” She then spent the ensuing 12 months researching new techniques, becoming a “studio freak,” while investing in the necessary analog gear to realize these sonic ideas.

Terr was born in 2016 as Caldellas’ first solo project. Its name stems from the 1970’s film “Fantastic Planet”: Terr is the name of the main human character. The debut release, a three-track EP titled Burn the Past, landed on Scuba’s Hotflush Recordings, followed in early 2017 with Misantropicalia — which “extended Terr’s musical horizons,” Caldellas explains. More recently, she returned to the label with Midnight, a two-tracker featuring a remix by Tuff City Kids. Her sound blends techno, electro, and house with electro-futuristic textures and analog sounds: it’s the most exciting concoction around.

Recently, Caldellas has set up her own label Clash Lion, alongside Shall Ocin and Daniel Watts. The label broke through instantly with the first release seeing Maetrik’s resurgence in a number of years, aptly named the ‘Return EP’. Since then the label has seen numerous artists pass through the gates including ANNA, Shall Ocin and more.

In 2018 Caldellas released ‘Dust’ on Clash Lion with remixes from Curses, Cardopusher and fellow label founder, Daniel Watts. The same year also saw the release of two solid EP’s on both Permanent Vacation and Correspondant, respectively. All 3 EP’s have gained Caldellas recognition and support across the Electronic music spectrum, being played globally and constantly being charted by other artists driving the message that Terr is a name to be remembered.

With ‘Tale Of Devotion’, she had her sight set on Phantasy, says Daniela: “I have always been a fan of the label and of Erol. I really like the way the label is focused more on the artistic side of electronic music, with lots of freedom and different sides, that’s the kind of label and philosophy that attracts me and makes me want to work on something. When I had ‘Tale of Devotion’ ready I thought that Phantasy was perfect for it and at the same time they came to me, which was an amazing coincidence. It was one of those moments in life that everything falls into the right place.” As for the song, which sounds so effortless and also came equipped with a spectacular Prins Thomas remix, she now offers some insight: “I never think about “what to do” when I begin a track, I just do! In this case, I started jamming with a Moroder-like bassline and the vocals just came and were perfect for the instrumental. I made a demo of the basic ideas and then spent a lot of time on the violins, effects, lyrics, vocals. I like its energy, that 70/80 electro-disco feel but with a modern and romantic touch. The lyrics are obviously about devotion and redemption through love.”

Daniela is a committed producer, working tirelessly on music and often being inspired by a multitude of different eras and indeed genres. Her next releases will be another EP on Phantasy, called ‘Energy Sync‘ and a collab Aera, which will be released on Correspondant‘s 7th VA Compilation.

“I am working on different things at the moment, I think I would be too bored if I had to work on the same style over and over,” she smiles. “I am doing some stuff that’s more “epic” and dance-floor-oriented as well as some romantic breakbeat and reshaped electroclash. I am really excited about the new stuff.” As for her inspiration, she has “a huge myriad” of influences: from Nirvana to Vitalic through Disco, Philip Glass, The Knife, Leonard Cohen, Radiohead, techno, house, Brazilian popular music, movies, books and yes, good old-fashioned people. “I try to be as open as possible receiving energies and influences from the world.”

We’re happy to have TERR contributing to our series for the second time now, with her energetic 80’s inspired sound. You can not not love her. Enjoy!