Multimedia artist birthed in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Gama extracts sensations out of environments, in order to create dream-like sound anecdotes. Ambiguous puzzles between organic native and ethereal abstract, brings the non-binary to a singular perspective, hazes one’s sense of duality.

Based between Berlin, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and touring normally in the past years, Gama has become a present figure in Voodoohop and Alternative electronic music and has brought their projects to a diversity of occasions from big festivals to cultural centres and street parties.

Looking back, what were some of your earliest entries into music appreciation? And music production?

I can look back into my childhood when my family would play for me the Brazilian group “palavra Encantada” which incorporate concrete sounds to the children music. This affective memory probably led me to a special curiosity when studying musique concrete and deep listening later in art school – I did make music since my early teenage years, but it was only there where I slowly started putting together my musical influences to an exploration of sonorities applied and/or combined to Brazilian rhythms.

Take us through your songwriting process. Are there any particular steps you take when putting music together?

As nomad producer, I try to let the environment around influence me on what I am doing, and I like starting everything from scratch. I usually go around to gather materials, extract sonorities from them and then build a sound palette to make lots of loops with those, usually rhythmical first. The melodic and harmonic process is more varied though. I usually get musical and lyrics ideas when I go for walk-in silence, it is common that I get this imaginary loops playing over and over in my head until I make a recording or write it down.

What gets your creative juices flowing?

Silence and I must say spiritual experiences

As a musician, it becomes apparent that there is a huge difference between the art and the business. Is there anything about the music scene that you would personally change?

I think not only music business but all business should be more of the decentralized worldwide network.

Studio work and music creation or performing and interacting with a live audience, which do you prefer?

I have no preference but at the moment with tours and shows cancelled or postponed makes me miss a lot performing live

What is the most memorable response you have had to your music?

Both the feedback of energy at festivals, and the attentive silence at art spaces are very special – a memorable moment for me was in Nomade Festival in Chile that besides from the insane crowd there was a paradisiac sunrise at a beach in the south of Chile. 

What’s on your current playlist?

Besides from brand new releases from M.rux, Àiyé and Lyra Pramuk – this show on St. Petersburg’s radio TESTFM is still updated.

Miru Mae ni Tobe – Nobuyasu Okabayashi
O abismo – Kupa Lua & Teta Lirica Lyric Tits
The Hole in the Landscape – Tsembla
Touba / 塔婆 – Meitei / 冥丁
Aos Si – Eva Bowan
Punkie Night – Carl Turney & Brian Campbell
Pa ra da – Juliana R.
Äimän Tähkä – Kemialliset Ystävät
Peace – Valesuchi
Rolo Compressor – Cassius A.
Everything Else Has Failed (Time for LOVE_) – Luïza Luz
Rot – D Shutt
SLEEPY CLOWN REGGAE – DANG OLSEN DREAM TAPE
blue sky an’ calm – x.y.r.

Breakdown the news for us: what can we expect from you in the near future?

I made lot of music in the past two years which I need to put out – I have another record coming maybe yet this year on the Germany Label YNFND. A VR video clip for “canto da desbinarização” which was delayed cause of the lockdown. Soon as the outbreak ends Im launching new band show for my album with ÀIYÉ and Cassius A. with the visuals of VJ Suave.

Follow Numa Gama online: 

Website | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram | Soundcloud