Interview with Fede Spamer

Known for his genre-blending sets and sharp production instincts, we had the opportunity to talk to Federico Spamer, better known as Fede Spamer, during Amsterdam Dance Event.

Emerging from Buenos Aires’ vibrant underground scene, Fede has built a reputation for crafting deep, melodic journeys that move effortlessly between emotion and energy. Between the packed clubs and spontaneous after-hours, we talked about the evolution of his sound, how his background influenced his production, and the creative mindset that keeps him pushing boundaries in a scene that thrives on reinvention.

Hi, how are you enjoying your time at ADE?

"Happy to be here at ADE! It's so, so good. Amsterdam is such a nice city, there's so much history. Music is everywhere, basically. It surprised me. First time here and I would come every year."

Coming from Buenos Aires and with a classical music background, how did your journey into electronic production and DJing begin?

"I started playing piano when I was around 4/5, then started taking music lessons, like really every week, basically until I was 18 from eight years old. Then in the middle, I stopped a little bit. I started business marketing and worked a little bit. Just three years, I think. And I decided that's not for me. And like remembered music is what you're most passionate about since you were little, you get it more studying. So I realised, wait, I should do that. And then I discovered electronic music, because I always listened to mostly pop/electronic pop when growing up, that was my favourite genre.  And yeah, I said, okay, that's the way I should go. And I really like DJing. I really love producing. I can't do anything else if I'm not doing that. So nowadays, I get bored if I'm not doing music basically."

You mentioned electronic pop. Which artists inspired you to start producing? 

"In the pop world, I think it would be Lady Gaga. Her electronic albums are my favourites, but I used to listen to a lot of her instrumentals, just because it's I think something different than other music, there is out there. And Zedd, because one of her albums, it has some tracks produced by Zedd. I think musically and music production wise, that would be my favourite album."

Your EP 'Love  Mission' and recent single 'Silence' both highlight a rich blend of texture, rhythm and emotion — how would you describe your signature sound?

"I think my music is, first of all, it's a blend of Tech House and Techno, my two favourite subgenres in the electronic music world. It could be like melodic house also, you could call it, but it tends to be more techno than house. So yeah, that would be it. And cinematic, emotional. I hope people feel something with my music. I don't want to make music just to make music. I want to send a message, however I can and like make people feel from the melodies, the chords I use. I always think about that at first before I started any track. And if I don't connect with it, I just scrap it and do something new. So that would be my signature sound."

What would you say was a breaking point for you, creatively? Was there a track, a moment, or an experience that shifted your direction?

"There’s loads through the years. I think I decided to start making more tech house because that was my favourite genre, like if I went out to clubs, that would be my favourite at the time in Argentina, like melodic techno started getting noticed with Afterlife. That was just a few years ago and it's kind of recent. But I think Opus by Eric Prydz, was because it's not just a track to be played at nightclubs. It's a track also to be listened to, and it doesn't have any vocals. It starts very low and then explodes at the end and it even goes up in BPM. So I think that also made me think, oh, you can do so much more. You don't have to stay on the grid. Like you can be more creative in the electronic music world. So I think that changed a lot how I thought about electronic music and that made me go towards more of a melodic kind of side of it. And with that, I got more into melodic techno.I  think what's so great about dance music is that people are open, it's super free creatively. It's very experimental and you don't know if it's going to hit. And at the same time, you want to make music that people will listen to. I learned I could do more, you know, singable tracks. That's what I like to do also because I like tracks like that. So yeah, I'm in that process and that would be my main objective with music - singable music, danceable music, listening on your own, listening at a club, at a big electronic party or anything like that, yeah."

What does being at ADE represent for you at this stage of your career?

"It's the hub of electronic music worldwide basically and I've met so many DJs, at my stage, at a more upper stage, lower stage, music engineers, sound engineers, mixing engineers. I'm working with an agency, MCPR, so I've met them, I've met' Matt Caldwell, which he's the CEO of the agency. So I've just been with him right now at a meeting. But yeah, that was cool because I feel like from now it's going to be more upwards than before."

While you’re here in Amsterdam, have you discovered any artists, labels, or sounds that are inspiring you or making you rethink anything for your next project?

"Well, I've met a lot of DJs and new artists, so I've been inspired by them. Not like mainstream or I haven't had much time to actually go to parties because I've been networking and all of that. I would think more my inspiration comes from meeting people like at the same stage I am, like listening to their music, inspiring me that way. Meeting DJs and producers from other places in the world because in Argentina, there's not a hub, really."

In the ever-changing landscape of electronic music, what trends excite you most and which ones do you think are perhaps over-done or risk diluting what makes the underground special?

"I think what a trend I like, getting more into mainstream EDM is like darker tones, like more techno. I'm more techno than house. Like faster BPMs because I'm leaning more into that, like faster BPMs. I feel my sound goes better with that. And then like trends that I think overused - I hear a lot of the same, like sometimes there's people using royalty free vocals and I tend to hear too much sometimes, or like sometimes even well-known tracks from big artists and you go to multiple shows and everyone's playing tracks with the same well-known vocals or like reworks of the tracks and sometimes, in my opinion, they're not that good, but it's just because the general public like them. I don't want to hear all the same vocals again. I use royalty free vocals because I'm just starting out to connect with possibilities for people to do vocals, like more made for the track."

Are there any upcoming projects that you’re really excited about and want to tell us about? 

"Well, there's a lot in my head, if that happens, that would be another thing, but I have lots of tracks already finished and I'm already planning the next release in a month, something like that. Faster BPMs, more techno than house, not so melodic house - but always with a message and always trying to make people feel something with the instrumental part. Like if you take out the vocals, I want people to feel something just for the music."