Pintura was recently featured on Anjuna's Fan Club stream and performs at SummerEyes on Friday, July 3rd.
The conversation on American social injustice has caused ripples throughout America in recent weeks, but it’s also become a central topic across the globe. One person to witness this phenomenon firsthand is Asch Pintura, a New York-born DJ and producer currently studying at the University of West London.
"For quite some time, the death of George Floyd kept my brain in a complete fog,” Pintura told EDM.com. "[But] I've been very moved by the outrage that I've seen over here in the UK.”
Like she did during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pintura has experienced these issues entirely as an American living abroad. The sensation and call to action of protests related to Black Lives Matter in Europe, however, has helped her understand and cope with what is going on at home.
"It would be so easy for people over 2,000 miles away to just go about their business and let it be an American problem, but to see peaceful protests happening and loads of my London friends posting about it and standing in solidarity with Black Lives Matter means a lot.”
In addition to all these issues being at the forefront of her mind, Pinutra has been steadily cultivating her career and talent as a DJ. While she’s still in school for live sound production, Pintura has achieved acclaim with her own livestream and mix series, Pintura Radio. Her success and maturity as a mixer earned her enough notoriety in the UK trance and house scene that she eventually received a call from none other than the Anjuna label, who asked her to perform on their #AnjunaUnlocked Fan Club series.
"If I'm being completely honest, I had a lot of anxiety about playing on such a big platform," said Pintura of her biggest appearance to date. "Going from posting mixes for fun and having a student radio show, then suddenly being thrusted up to a platform that has 60K followers on their Twitch was jarring to say the least."
Despite the pressure, she says it was an overwhelmingly positive experience, with many fans taking to the live chat to compliment her style. "It really made me so happy to bring so many people together and just have a good time in the middle of all this madness going on in the world," she exulted. With an Anjuna co-sign under her belt, it would seem things are certainly on the come-up for the young artist.
This weekend, she’ll performing alongside acts such as Julian Gray, Justin Jay, and C.H.A.Y. at SummerEyes Digital Festival, a digital partnership between MP3DU Magazine and Unitea Music hosted by EDM.com. The event is raising money for Black Lives Matter, Campaign Zero, and Until Freedom with the hope to give fans a top notch bass, house, and trance music experience leading into the Fourth of July holiday.
On July 12th, Pintura will be doing a special two-hour livestream to celebrate the relaunch of her radio show under a new, yet-to-be-announced name. This Friday, however, you can catch her performance at SummerEyes Digital Festival at 1 PM EST (10AM PDT). You can RSVP here.
EDM.com: First off, let’s get to know you a bit. Where are you from? How’d you end up living in London?
Asch Pintura: I'm from New York state. Grew up like 40 minutes north of the city. I moved [to the UK] in September 2018 and attend the University of West London where I study Live Sound Production.
EDM.com: When did the Asch Pintura project start for you? Did you have a background in music beforehand?
Asch Pintura: I really started when I moved to London. I had the necessary gear when I lived in the states, but I tended to get frustrated and give up on trying to learn. I then joined the Radio Society at my university, where I was basically learning how to DJ as I went along. Needless to say my first mixes were god awful, but I loved it. I did a weekly show and it changed everything for me.
EDM.com: What got you started on this melodic, moving style of dance music?
Asch Pintura: I think everybody that raves sort of graduates through genres. Especially if your parents don't rave or you don't have someone experienced kind of showing you the ropes. So I was super into trance and then met some friends who introduced me to progressive and deep house. I found labels like Anjunadeep and the rest was history. I still love a wide range of genres but as far as what I like to play, deep, melodic house and techno move me the most. For me, I need melody and I need progression. The track needs to be emotional. Not necessarily melancholic, but go somewhere. The track itself needs to be a journey.
EDM.com: You’ve recently been featured on an Anjunabeats livestream. How did you start working with them? What kind of support have you received from that amazing community?
Asch Pintura: Yeah! Such an amazing experience. I mean I didn't really have any input in the matter, I just received an email one morning in regards to their new Fan Club segment where they select someone from their community to play. If I'm being completely honest, I had a lot of anxiety about playing on such a big platform. Going from posting mixes for fun and having a student radio show, then suddenly being thrusted up to a platform that has 60K followers on their Twitch was jarring to say the least.
My biggest worry was about someone possibly saying something not so nice in the chat, but every chance I got to check the Twitch chat there was nothing but love. It really made me so happy to bring so many people together and just have a good time in the middle of all this madness going on in the world.
EDM.com: I’ve seen your recent posts describing the different styles of electronic music you like to play. With original material still forthcoming, how would you describe the sound of the Asch Pintura project?
Asch Pintura: That's a funny question cause I seem to be figuring that out myself. I'm still in the very early stages of production with hopes of making some serious strides this summer now that my semester is done and I'm off for a couple months. I've had a couple of production modules and they've been so challenging, but the great thing about them is we can't use samples. The criteria is centered around creating your own samples and synth patches a lot of the time. So it's aided a lot in helping me have intention with developing my sound. I'm aiming for a melodic house [sound]. Think Einmusik, Volen Sentir, DSF. That would ideally be what I'd like my music to sound like.
EDM.com: Do you feel pressured receiving this much attention prior to an official release or is it motivating already having that support going in?
Asch Pintura: I don't feel any pressure at all. I'm in it for the long run. In everything I do my intention is to perfect my craft and produce quality so I'll get there when I get there. It is extremely motivating though having that support, but it's for exactly that reason that I want to make sure I take my time with the first track I choose to come out and promote as 'my first track.' Those listeners deserve it.
EDM.com: What are your thoughts on the livestream trend and what they've done for the electronic community?
Asch Pintura: The livestreams have been such a god send for me. I go out multiple times a month, so to have not been to a show since March and not have the live streams? I don't even want to think about that. I think they're great. Besides producing, this lockdown has given DJ's that tour regularly a great option to still connect with fans. It's given up and coming DJ's and grassroots promoters a great way to keep their name out there and reach even more people.
EDM.com: Lastly, what can fans expect from your SummerEyes set? Who else are you excited to see on the lineup?
Asch Pintura: I always try to make it a journey. So even though it's only 30 minutes, it was actually a fun little challenge to try and curate a set that starts in one place and goes somewhere far from that. I'm super excited about Julian Gray and Justin Jay! That’s awesome! I'm also really interested to just check out someone new as well. I'm excited for and about everyone!
FOLLOW ASCH PINTURA:
Facebook: facebook.com/aschpintura/
Instagram: instagram.com/asch.pintura
source https://edm.com/interviews/asch-pintura-interview
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