Han Luis Cera (Mutant-Thoughts)

 

Mutant-Thoughts is an experimental alternative synth-rock band formed by Han Luis Cera (vocals and synths), Joshua Lennox-Hilton (bass and backing vocals) and Tom Pearmain (drums), with an electronic, eclectic, eerie vibe, and strong rhythms, as well as beautiful melodies. On a constant search for new sounds, grooves, harmonies and textures, Mutant-Thoughts have worked really hard on building original and interesting sound. Using the Poly Evolver and Tempest, together with bass and drums, this band is able to transform our surroundings into a completely new reality which is perceived with detail in the music. They released their first album with electronic versions of what they do live, and now they are releasing their first studio EP on the 7th of September in the UK and will be released on BandCamp.

We chatted with Han Luis Cera about how he’s using the Tempest. For more information about Han, please see the links below.

What made you choose the Tempest?

“The Tempest is an incredibly versatile machine. As what we play with the band, Mutant-Thoughts, has got quite an experimental vibe to it, I’m interested in a device that will give me a very wide range of possibilities, from subtle to very gritty, to a point in which the device will even surprise me with its capabilities whilst I’m designing sound or performing. And the Tempest does just that.”

How are you using it?

“I personally use the Tempest more as a very portable second synth, however, I do occasionally use it as a drum machine, having the Poly Evolver Keyboard as my main synth. The great advantage I’ve got with the Tempest, is all the possibilities it’s got for morphing sound live. That way the songs are not ever played twice the same way, because I get to improvise every time. I can get a warm analog sound on the Tempest, but also gives me the chance of morphing the sound to get all kinds of different results.

What’s one of your favorite things about it?

“Definitely its versatility. I can make my beats scream if I want them to, or I can just use it as a second keyboard. It is just a very practical addition to my set-up.”

What does it give you that other instruments don’t?

“A wide range of possibilities without much compromise. It is very important to me to check the durability of the instrument before I buy it. And by that I mean not only how sturdy the instrument is, or how well it’s been built, but also how easy it is to repair, and how helpful the  manufacturer will be if I have any problems with my instrument. For all of these reasons, not only the Tempest, but any DSI instrument is a very good purchase. I once dropped my Poly Evolver keyboard off a 1 meter high stage whilst leaning it against what I thought was a wall, but turned out to be a curtain with nothing behind it. It was very dark and I couldn’t see very well. I panicked and thought I had done very serious damage to my Poly Evolver. I tested it immediately and all I had to do was just tighten up the screw for the mod wheel. For that, and for all the amazing support I’ve got, I want to thank DSI and wish you an amazing 15th anniversary!”

Any interesting tricks or techniques you’d like to share?

“We have used in the past a Roland SPD-SX to trigger drum sounds from the Tempest, and I was still able to play other sounds from the Tempest, and/or morph the sounds that the drummer was playing live. I just divide his sounds from mine, by using Panels A and B, and then program whatever kind of morphing I want to apply to the sounds he’s playing.

LINKS
mutant-thoughts.com
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Bandcamp

 

 


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