A fixture of the NYC scene since the late 1980s, Candelario first made his name as a producer and remixer alongside Arthur Baker at Cutting Records, working with artists like Grace Jones and New Order before establishing his own labels and projects, including Swing 52 and 2nd Colour Entertainment. His music has since appeared on Yoshitoshi, King Street Sounds, and Ultra Records, earning a lasting reputation for its rhythm-driven grooves and emotional depth.
Following recent releases that reaffirm his ear for classic, floor-focused house, his new single Take Me Higher – released under his Urban Strutters alias – sees Candelario reconnect with his roots while keeping one eye firmly on the future. Out on the UK label Tesser Music, the track is a reminder of what he does best, uniting warmth, soul and dancefloor precision in a way that never goes out of style.
What made this the right moment to return to the Urban Strutters alias, and what does it still represent for you?
I have many aliases and they all represent different journeys I may go through. The Urban Strutters to me is more of an untamed unpolished approach to certain music productions. It’s my alter ego to music that I just want to make because it represents a feeling that inspired me when I was just starting out.
The vocal from Masi sits right at the heart of the track. How did that collaboration come together, and what were you both aiming to capture?
Masi is a very strong song writer. She will approach the project from a completely different perspective. We will sit and go back and forth with melodies until we feel we have found the right one to deliver the message we envision. In the long run what we aim for is to make music that will last through time.
The bassline carries a lot of movement without feeling heavy. What were you chasing in terms of tone and groove?
Well I grew up listening to a lot of funk and disco…. And in all those productions the bassline was the key component, it set the vibe to the whole production. So I’m always interested in making productions that can get that point across. If you have great drums and a good bassline then everything else will be an added plus.
The strings feel spacious and emotive rather than purely decorative. Can you talk about how you approach arranging and layering them?
A big part of my upbringing and inspiration were tunes from the 70’s which were heavily driven by their string section…. So I look for sounds that will get me as close to the real thing as I can and I try to mimic those 70’s productions…. As for the technique, it comes down to basic feeling… I know what I want and I’ll spend hours if need be till I achieve it
You came up in a studio culture rooted in clubs, dancers, and physical rhythm. How does that early environment still inform the way you build a track today?
I think that because of growing up in an analog studio environment and watching the greats achieve what they were striving for. That has given me great insight on how to approach recording today… Back then there was a certain order in recording and mixing…. So I apply that same science in my productions just as if I was recording and mixing on an analog console. But all and all my goal is to capture an audience and have them express themselves freely while experiencing my music.
When you’re working on a mix, what’s your process for balancing warmth and clarity, especially on a track with a lot of live-feeling elements?
I approach all my mixes the same way…. I’ll spend hours on the instrumental. I will balance out the drums and bassline first… Then little by little I start introducing all the other instruments until I feel they compliment each other. Making sure everything has its place and every part is expressed. I will only then add the vocals when I feel the track is driving entirely on its own….
You’ve released across many labels over the years. What kind of identity are you shaping with Tesser Music, and where does this release sit within that vision?
My styles in production vary… which I’m not too sure that in today’s market it’s necessarily considered to be a good thing… This release is part of just that. One of my many styles…So Tesser Music was formed to release productions in its rawest form. A place I can be unapologetic with whatever I feel is good and want to release….. A platform that if given a chance will feature my many sides and styles.
You’ve always made music that feels grounded in soul and emotion rather than trend. How do you stay connected to that instinct as the wider scene shifts?
I try to take the best of what I think is good out there today and present it back to them with my own twist… I can’t just make something just because that’s what is trendy now….It has to mean something to me. I have to have a connection with it and that connection will always bring me back to my roots which are in funk and soul.
Urban Strutters – Take Me Higher is out now on Tesser Music