Between loss, light and movement.
We talk with Jeffrey Paradise about the origin of “Otherside”his most recent song that emerges after the fire in his studio at the beginning of 2025 and the news of the death of three acquaintances. He also shares with us his experiences about working in different parts of the world, the search for a rhythm in constant movement, his desire to continue expanding the sound of Poolside without losing its nostalgic essence and the warmth on the part of Mexican fans.
GO!: In the last few days you released your most recent song, “Otherside” which was born in a very difficult time, losing your studio in a fire and finding out that three friends had died while flying to London. How did you transform that strong emotional blow into a bright and danceable song?
Q: Well, I just started working on music. That was the feeling I had when I walked into the studio with my friends. Miracles and Thunder Jackson. I told them what was going on at the time, and we were all feeling that vibe and we put it into the music. I wish there was a way to explain it like a recipe, but really it was that when you work with really good artists and you have a clear theme, that's what comes out.
GO!: At Studio 13 and alongside Miracles as Thunder Jackson, the song took shape in a single day. What happened in that session for everything to fall into place so naturally?
Q: I think we were lucky. They were all very talented, but sometimes even if you have those people with experience and skills, it may not work out sometimes. There was just magic that day, honestly. The magic of music.
It's weird, because I know there are days when it takes you much longer to record a song, considering all the production, mixing and all the processes. So it's great that this song came out like this, finished in a single day.
GO!: Continuing with “Otherside”. This song reflects a kind of acceptance of loss from a calm, almost serene place. What did you discover about yourself by turning grief into music?
Q: I don't know if I discovered anything about myself, but I do think I discovered a feeling that I didn't understand. Like some friends died, but they weren't my closest friends, they were just acquaintances and I didn't know how to process it. So sometimes I like to make music about those feelings that you still don't understand about yourself. Like when you don't know what to do with what you're feeling, and you put it in the songs. Because I think that's the artist's job sometimes: to illuminate areas where maybe we don't see everything clearly.
GO!: Your music also plays a lot with reality: beats warm, paired with lyrics that touch on nostalgia, melancholy and uncertainty. How do you find the balance between light and shadow without falling into drama or superficiality?
Q: Good question, I think about that a lot. I think it's very easy to make music that's too obvious: “I'm sad, I'll make a sad song,” and it ends up sounding too obvious.
That degree of duality or conflict you speak of is because we rarely feel something totally simple or single-layered. What we feel is often complicated, so I try to put that in the music, something where you can say, “Oh, that's a happy song,” but then you listen and say, “Oh, maybe it's sad.” Maybe the music has a bit of a beach vibe. It's the first example that comes to mind.
GO!: Continuing with your feelings and after losing your studio after the fires, how did you rebuild your creative space, both physically and emotionally? Did your way of working or understanding what you want to express with Poolside change?
Q: Well, I don't have a new house yet. I'm still a bit of a nomad, I've been setting up small studios in hotel rooms, like express studios. I've also been creating a kind of temporary base in Lisbon, I wrote a lot of music there despite it being a bit noisy, but oh well.
In London I visited several professional studios to write. In addition to the fact that I have good light equipment: some monitors, some hardware and a good microphone. my engineer Matt and I work a lot together, and we have set up makeshift studios all over the world. And I think that making songs in these express studios forces you to know the space where you work better. It forces you to be creative anywhere.
GO!: Continuing with “Otherside”, this song is a bridge to a new stage of Poolside. What emotions, sounds or ideas are guiding you now? Are they perhaps the first foundations of a new body of work?
Q: I don't know if it represents a new stage, but I do have a new body of work that I've been working on since the fire. I wouldn't say that “Otherside” is emblematic of what is to come, but I always try to push myself to expand the sound of Poolside without ceasing to be faithful to the roots: nostalgia, danceable music but without touching on the HI-NRG. The vibe of Poolside is the same, but the sound palette can continue to expand.
GO!: In your lyrics there is a line that says: “We go on and on, never in sync”, which speaks of a life that is not always in sync. Did you feel out of rhythm during this period? What helped you find your groove again?
Q: Yes, that has perhaps been the biggest challenge of the year: the rhythm has been difficult to find, it has been very elusive. You are always moving, everything is changing. This year I have had 10 different homes and I have lived in many cities: San Diego, Marin County, San Francisco, among many more.
I don't know what has helped me find a rhythm, but even without it, I have found moments of flow from time to time. That has been one of the most difficult aspects of the year: not having rhythm. And I don't mean days to rest, but taking time to inspire and move forward.
GO!: Your discography goes from chill to indie pop, disco and some dance music. How do you build your setlists that connects all those states of mind without losing emotional coherence?
Q: I think the songs maintain emotional coherence, but there are very different vibes. For shows with a band it's easy: you have 90 minutes and you can create an arc that goes up and down.
For DJs it's more difficult, but what I do is react to the place, the sound, the people. I never plan a set. I know the music will be in a similar range, but the way you play it changes. Live and with a band it is easier to structure a story. In DJ Set mode it is more of a conversation with the audience and I always improvise, I never know what I am going to play from the beginning. It is surprising for the public, and that is exciting since anything can happen.
GO!: Speaking of the different stages of your music, here in Mexico you always present your new musical eras when an album comes out. How do you prepare to inhabit different versions of yourself? Performances, band shows, DJ sets, and more.
Q: It can be difficult. I don't know, you just need a minute in the backstage to prepare you. As I said moments ago, for DJ sets you respond to many variables. The sound system, the room, the response of the people and more. For live shows it's difficult because you expose yourself more and more to what you sing or play. You have to inhabit the energy, the feelings, even when you're singing very personal things. That's the difficult thing about being a singer: communicating with yourself, with your voice, your body, your emotions. So I have to give myself space, time alone, to open up and be ready, even the times I've played here.
GO!: And speaking of Mexico, you have always had a special connection. What do you find in Mexico that you don't find anywhere else in the world? What makes you come back every year or so frequently?
Q: Currently I have many friends here, many Mexican friends. The people are very warm, very friendly. There's a formality to being nice here, it's like a standard. Maybe you're used to it, but it's very nice. Then you can go out for ice cream, and sometimes people recognize you. It's usually nice, those who know me are fans, and I like to connect with them.
Overall, I love the vibe of Mexico: the passion, the humor, the friendliness, the warmth. It feels good to be here, that's why I come so much.
GO!: And of course, you have a lot of fans here who come to your shows and sets. But there are always those who listen to you for the first time. If someone is listening to Poolside for the first time, what song would you recommend as an entry point?
Q: Maybe “Around the Sun”. Yes, I think it would be a great option to start with.
GO!: And the last question: Describe Poolside in just three words.
Q: Daytime disco.
