Episode 529 - Andrew Lozano @andrew.lozano

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

Andrew Lozano reveals his secret studio weapon and how a painted Barry White record creates his signature vinyl crackle.

The episode begins with host Poe welcoming Andrew Lozano, noting his Lucha Libre mask and elaborate home studio setup. Lozano shares his background, born and raised in San Jose before moving to Sacramento 18 years ago. His musical journey started in grade school when a teacher noticed him singing, leading to participation in a co-ed singing group. He played bass in a rock band called Roach during high school. As an adult, he toured for ten years with a house music band called Unique, which had a track featured on the EA Sports FIFA 2006 video game. Lozano discusses his diverse musical influences, ranging from Santana and Prince to Red Hot Chili Peppers and conscious hip-hop. He describes his current production setup, emphasizing Apple products, Logic Pro, Slate Digital headphones, and specific mixing techniques. His creative process involves sampling sounds from everyday life, like TV shows, and experimenting aggressively with effects. Lozano explains the concept of lo-fi music as degraded tape or vinyl sounds but positions himself as an experimental artist. He walks through his technical process for building a track from scratch, highlighting tools like Valhalla Shimmer and side-chain compression. The inspiration for his album 'Conceptualize' came during the 2020 pandemic, California wildfires, and a personal heatwave, leading to songs written quickly, like 'Honey'. He collaborated with artist Roe Jules, whose work inspired his album's production. Lozano critiques the saturation of EDM and mumble rap, advocating for live instrumentation and the resurgence of bands. He announces his next album, 'High Tide', with an ocean-themed concept. The episode concludes with Lozano sharing advice for new producers to finish their music and stay humble, along with shoutouts to his family and supporters.

As heard by us

Andrew Lozano turns a studio chat into a practical talk about sound, place, and making beats.

Andrew Lozano's studio setting, with a Lucha Libre mask visible in the background, keeps the focus on place and process. The conversation stays rooted in his Bay Area background, his view of lo-fi as a degraded cassette-tape sound rather than a shortcut, and his practical aim…

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Why you'd press play

If you want Bay Area studio talk and sound-shaping talk, press play.

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