HUGEL and BLOND:ISH Detail their Beatport Chart-Topping Track, “Tra Tra”

Vivie-Ann and Florent, congratulations on your first joint Beatport number 1 with “Tra Tra.” How are you?

HUGEL: Feeling super good! It is a beautiful way to end this amazing year.

BLOND:ISH: Buzzzzzzzing. Just got out of the Argentina x Netherlands game in Qatar, feeling in total vibesville right now! Tra tra.

Nfasis’ original version of the track was a big reggaeton hit that grew in popularity due to its inclusion in a Tiktok challenge. When and how did you become aware of the track and what made you want to add your own additional production to it?

HUGEL: I was living in Ibiza in Spain for three years, so I’m very familiar with reggaeton culture. I’m living now in Miami which is even more Spanish than Spain! And after the success of “Morenita” and “Aguila” people asked me what’s next with Latin House. So I decided to mix reggaeton with the kind of beats I play in my set.

How did the two of you meet and why did you want to team up for this track? Can you describe a bit the process of working together on this?

HUGEL: In the beginning, we met on Instagram because we liked each other’s music. This is why I did a remix of her track “Sete“. Then after that, it felt kind of natural to work on something together. I sent her the idea, and we just got back and forth on it until we were both happy with it. I work in Logic, and she works in Ableton, so it was a stem process, but we made it work. We played it in our sets the whole summer, and it was one of the most requested IDs.

Vivie-Ann, you’re living in Miami where Latin music has always been particularly strong. Do you see an increased interest in fusing Latin together with various house sounds?

BLOND:ISH: I mean it’s gotten out of hand, but that’s happening with everything and anything right now with technology when something works, the flood gates open, then people get enough of that certain sound, and new sounds are born out of people’s need for something fresh and trying new things. I’m just honestly grateful for this whole process. Being in Miami, I’m constantly exposed to Cuban, Dominican, and other Latin cultures, that I would never interact with or learn about if I wasn’t living there.

Florent, one thing that a lot of your recent productions seem to have in common is that you love to try out different rhythms and combine a variety of styles. What are some of the sounds you currently find most inspiring?

HUGEL: I always try new stuff. I’m very passionate about music production. This is how I stay excited about it. I think the last two years I really found a new fresh sound with all those Latin house beats. We can see it in the Beatport charts now with my tracks “Tra Tra”, “Marianela”, “Aguila”, “La Candela Viva”… I love mixing afro house and tech house together. It’s all about the drums. That tribal feeling is what makes the difference on the dancefloor when I perform.

At the end of “Tra Tra” Nfasi is hinting at more to come. Do you have plans to continue working together?

One word: Shakira. That’s all we’re gonna say for now 🙂