Photos Vera Marmelo
Luis Antero is a portuguese sound artist and guitar player. He has a degree in artistic studies. Since 2008 he develops an ongoing project in collecting the immaterial sound heritage of the areas of Beira Serra and Serra da Estrela in Portugal, through field recordings that can be found at luisantero.yolasite.com and sonsdealvoco.yolasite.com.
Luis is the curator of the Green Field Recordings netlabel, an endeavor that is exclusively dedicated to publishing works based on field recordings, and of the radio show O Coleccionador de Sons, broadcast on Rádio Zero and Rádio Universidade de Coimbra from 2009 to 2013.
He is a guest artist in charge of recordings in the project Sons do Arco Ribeirinho Sul in the town of Barreiro, and the artistic director of the Sound archive of the historic center of Coimbra.
Luís Antero's latest project named Out Level consists of a laptop, electric prepared guitar or field recordings. Having had 17 releases in diverse netlabels around the world, it is a project composed of many sounds from one lonely man. Luís is originally from a small village at the foot of the Serra da Estrela Mountain range in Portugal where his musical influences fuse with his philosophical views as well as literary references.
To discover out Level is undoubtely an experience. More enjoyable for ones, less for otherones, all this sound universe touch us in the way as it interwines all a variety of aesthetic languages, that walk from a sight more close to indie and shoegazze, to all a universe of field recordings and idm, with a close contact to the new tendries of all the electronic music of germain alternative circuits [...]
Can you describe a sound experience that you believe contributed to you becoming a musician?
The first experience was the simple act of listening to music and have gotten this experience for such strong names like Bob Dylan or Jimi Hendrix.
What do you recall about your playing learning process?
I am self-taught and so my learning process is a daily and constant work in progress. Every day I try to learn a little bit more.
Tell me one musical work which has provoked a change in your music.
Weather Report, by Chris Watson.
What is your relationship with other disciplines such as painting, literature, dance, theater?
I am a big fan of beat literature with a special focus in the works of Kerouac, Burroughs and Ginsberg. Their works influence a lot of things i do. Photography also plays an important role on this.
Where are your roots? What are your secret influences?
I live in a rural area of central Portugal, so my roots are closely linked to cultural and social aspects in this type of context, always in constant connection and respect for nature.
What would you enjoy most in an art work?
Aesthetics and form, especially
If you could, what would you say to yourself 30 years ago, about your musical career?
I'll never be a guitar player and never do field recordings…
What quality do you most empatize with in a musician?
The aesthetic and artistic sincerity, like Vini Reilly, for exemple, one of my favourite musicians of all time.
Which living or dead artist would you like to collaborate with?
Vini Reilly, Keith Rowe, The Edge, Chris Watson, Fennesz, Dead Combo… a never ending list…
What is some valuable advice that someone has given to you in the past?
Be yourself.
What instruments and tools do you use?
For prepared guitar i use a small range of objects, my Sx broken guitar and my Vox Valvetronix amplifier. For field recordings i normally use the BP4029 AudioTechnica mic, connected to my digital recorder Roland R26.
What is the most recent musical experience that has attracted your attention?
Seeing Holly Herndon and Trans-Aeolian Transmission live, for example.
What projects are you working on now and what does the future hold?
Well, as my main artistic area, i have a lot of field recording projects to do, almost all connected to the rural context where I am inserted. As for prepared guitar, I use it in my blindfolded concerts, where i mix it with field recordings and soon will edit a new work with my solo project Out Level.
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
