Hozho Joins Forces with Mandragora and Black Hertz for ‘Ego (É Tudo Ou Nada)’
Having established a reputation as one of electronic music’s most unique and unforgettable artists since emerging onto the scene back in 2017, internationally renowned Portuguese DJ, producer and ‘Melodark’ pioneer Hozho now opens his 2024 release tally in style, with the announcement of his brand new single ‘Ego (É Tudo Ou Nada)’. Teaming up with long-time collaborator Black Hertz and fellow Brazilian Mandragora, the three artists now come together to unleash an extraordinary slice of underground dance music that captivates from the off.
Unequivocal in their collective commitment to creativity, Hozho, Black Hertz and Mandagora’s diverse musicality is evident from the outset, as they combine to deliver a high-octane, peak time cut that spans a plethora of influences, ranging from melodic techno, psytrance, minimal and everything in between.
Due for release on Friday, February 23, ‘Ego (É Tudo Ou Nada)’ presents as an immaculately refined, genre-defying cut that’s founded on crisp, hard-hitting percussion, ethereal melodies and acid-laced synth work, keeping the listener guessing at every turn. Speaking about the collaboration, Hozho commented:
“‘Ego’ from my Psyche EP with Black Hertz has been reinterpreted by Mandragora in the style that defines and characterizes him. What was supposed to be just a remix ended up becoming a kind of collaboration-come-mashup, completely changing the vibe of the original song but keeping the sonic elements that most characterize “Ego”, including the vocals. As they sayin Portuguese — É Tudo ou Nada (It’s all or nothing)”
Mandragora went on to say:
“When Hozho sent me the files I didn’t know what to do with them. My plan was to make a simple minimal beat, so I started working in my studio in France before travelling to Brazil. Once in Brazil, I had the opportunity of finishing the writing, recording, production and mixing at the legendary Alien Records studio in Curitiba – this allowed us to experiment with a more organic sound that helped us create a luxurious atmosphere, mixing the European winter with the Brazilian sun. When the song was finished I said to my colleague and owner of Alien Records, Tiago SENA, “realmente é tudo o nada, ficou tão diferente que não tenho ideia se o hozho vai curtir””
Joel Monteiro, popularly known as Hozho, is an electronic music producer and DJ from Portugal. With millions of streams across multiple platforms, he has achieved what few artists can: capture the world’s attention and build a huge fan base with his own unique signature sound. The moniker “Hozho” derives its origins from the Native American Navajo culture, specifically encapsulating the concept of living in harmony. In Navajo philosophy, “Hozho” represents a state of balance, beauty and order within the world, even amidst challenges. Hozho produces and performs Melodark, a distinctive musical genre initiated by his own creative vision. Grounded in minimal techno, Melodark encompasses melodic techno with an eclectic approach that interweaves various musical genres, spanning from classical to breakbeat. The genre further incorporates progressive, electro, and orchestral elements.
A frequent collaborator to Hozho, Black Hertz is a musical project that offers a unique expression through melancholic and introverted melodies. His productions have the power to capture the perception of the intangible and transform it into something tangible, creating a sound experience that releases the negative energies of the human being through the groove and the contagious swing of the dance.
Eduardo Neto – known by his alias Mandragora – is one of those artists that no longer needs an introduction. Taking centre stage in 2014 following the release of his album ‘Wild Wild West’, he is today one of the most popular artists on the international psytrance circuit as well as one of the biggest artists in Latin America. Much has been said about Mandragora’s mysterious music. Since he released his first track people have been mystified trying to define his sound, but as each track comes in a different style and speed, it makes pigeonholing his music a hard task.
