il:lo is the rising electronic music duo made up of Dejan Dejado and Andreas Schütz, known for high-quality cinematic sounds that never forget their real ingredient: human emotion. In this interview, they get real about their debut album ‘Lucent,’ out October 16 via Nettwerk Music Group. Here’s the scoop!
1. First of all, congratulations on your debut album! How does it feel knowing ‘Lucent’ is finally about to be released after all these years?
Thank you so much! It’s incredibly exciting to finally be able to release this album. We started working on it two years ago, and it has been a journey of experimentation.
During that time, we created many different tracks, and in the end, we chose the 12 songs that made the most sense to us, which allowed us to tell a story, a journey through different emotions and an evolution of feelings.
2. Why was it important for you to explore the emotional pressure of modern life in this material?
It was important for us because this pressure is not only part of our daily lives, but also comes from a broader sense of the world we live in. We are going through a time where everything seems more unstable, faster, and sometimes even absurd.
Amid the environmental crisis, social and political tensions, and the sense that some spaces of freedom, especially freedom of expression, are becoming more fragile, there is a lot of uncertainty around us.
We wanted to explore how these realities affect our inner world: our fears, our doubts, the feeling of helplessness, but also our ability to search for light, hope, and meaning despite everything. For us, the album is an emotional journey through this era, a way to question the world around us while telling a deeply human story.
3. How does “Besides Everything” fit into the story of ‘Lucent’?
“Besides Everything” is a turning point in the story of Lucent. It’s the moment when fear and hope stop being opposites and begin to coexist. The song is about transforming pressure and uncertainty into something creative and liberating.
It represents the idea that, even in the middle of chaos, there is still movement, hope, and possibility.
4. What made Dawa Salfati the right choice for “Besides Everything”?
Dawa was the obvious choice for this song because her voice carries exactly the emotion we wanted to express. There is something very sincere and vulnerable in her performance, but also a sense of strength and light.
“Besides Everything” is about finding space and hope after a period of tension, and her voice naturally brings a sense of calm, openness, and release that the song needed.
5. As a duo, how do you usually build a track? Do you start with melodies, rhythms, textures, or experiment until something clicks?
There are no predefined roles in our duo. We both write and produce, and we can create a track on our own, but the essence of our music really comes from the way we confront and transform each other’s ideas.
Usually, one of us will start something, then we exchange Ableton sessions and keep reshaping, adding, removing, and transforming elements. It’s almost like making a remix of a remix of a remix until we reach something that feels completely new.
The final track is always something that neither of us could have created alone; it comes from the dialogue between our two worlds and from finding a place where we both connect with the music.
6. Your music has this cinematic quality that invites listeners to slow down. Do you picture scenes or landscapes while producing?
Dejan: Yes, landscapes and traveling have always been a big source of inspiration for us. We remember that, at the very beginning of the project, one of our motivations was to create music that people would enjoy listening to on a train or in a car, while watching landscapes passing by through the window.
Andreas: I think this idea is still something that drives us deep down. Personally, I don’t usually start composing with a specific landscape or scene in mind. I think these images and experiences probably influence me more subconsciously. They are somewhere in the background, shaping the music’s atmosphere and emotions without being a direct reference.
7. What are some of your go-to instruments, plugins, or studio tricks for creating cinematic sounds? Do you plan to explore new styles in the future?
We spend a lot of time searching for samples, and interestingly, not necessarily from electronic music. For us, it’s more about finding a certain color or texture from the very beginning and then letting ourselves be surprised by adding elements that might not seem like they belong there at first, Jazz samples, brass instruments, Brazilian percussion, and many other unexpected sounds.
When it comes to instruments and plugins, we definitely have some go-to tools. We often use the Monark, which is an emulation of the Minimoog, the Diva, the Take 5, and the Minilogue XD, which we also use in our live setup. But in the end, it’s always more about the feeling and the atmosphere a sound creates rather than the specific tool itself.
For the future, we’re always interested in exploring new territories and experimenting with new influences. The idea is to keep discovering new ways to create emotions through sound.
8. After working with labels like Anjunadeep, Future Classic, Deutsche Grammophon, and now Nettwerk Music Group, what’s one thing you’ve learned as artists?
One of the most important things we’ve learned is how essential creative freedom is. Luckily, this has always been the case for us from the very beginning; we’ve always been able to develop our music while staying true to our own vision.
Even when working with labels that have a strong identity and a recognizable sound, we believe it’s important not to try to fit into a specific format. The most interesting and unique artists are the ones who trust their own direction and bring something personal to the table. Staying authentic is what makes the difference.
9. When people listen to ‘Lucent’ from beginning to end, what emotions do you hope they walk away with?
We don’t really have control over the emotions people will feel when they listen to ‘Lucent,’ and that’s something we find beautiful about music. Everyone brings their own story and experiences into it.
But if the album can simply make people feel something, then that already means a lot to us. Ideally, we hope it can bring a sense of calm, comfort, and a moment of escape, a space where people can slow down and reconnect with themselves.
10. What’s next for il:lo? Any tour plans, live shows, or collaborations in the works?
We’re currently working on many things. We are planning some European dates for the beginning of next year with a new live setup, including a vocalist joining us on stage, which is something we’re really excited about.
For what comes next, it’s still a little early to say, but we’re definitely open to new collaborations and exploring new ways of playing and showing our music.
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Hi, I’m Erick Ycaza — a music blogger with a BA in Advertising & Graphic Design. I created this blog to keep you updated with daily music news. Surprisingly, I’ve been writing about music since 2007. If you’re an artist and would like to be featured, feel free to reach out: info@electrowow.net
