Four years ago when we were getting ready to start Layabozi, Mike said he will debut on Layabozi with his manifesto, he said I should write mine too, but I already had enough pressure on me to come out with a manifesto about music and what am I doing with Layabozi. Now it feels like the right time to do it. And the last weeks I’ve been thinking about our beginnings and our stories, and after four years with Layabozi, my guidelines in music and Layabozi are way more clear.

Here they are.

When I think about dying it worries me that I might not have music anymore. I’ve spent time thinking on ways to keep it with me after death.

Layabozi is created by smart people who consciously chose to work with art, and music specifically. There are few better ways to use our life.

We choose our challenges.

Loosing our motivation is not an option. That’s just simply death.

Boredom is the result of a dried imagination, we are certainly not dry.

Music is one of the best things in life, and one of the most beautiful things created by human kind.

To listen, first you have to shut up.

To listen is an art that coexist with music. And when you practice it, your imagination gets fertilized. So in case of boredom… listen for inspiration.

Music can’t be dead, the only thing that dies is the motivation of people that’s tired or bored, and their egos. So fuck “rock is dead”, “punk is dead”, “jazz is dead”, etc… they are all still happening and they will happen while there is people and an atmosphere to transmit the sounds. And by the way, fuck the ego’s that get on the way of evolution, conquest, and better music.

There is good music and bad music. Music that gets you in it, or not. And music that’s solid or not.

Music that is solid is music that is well built in accordance with its own meaning.

When there’s no technique there’s no art. Technique alone is a whole art by itself. And technique is not only related to established structures, but also to style, consistency, and sense.

Music can change the life of people. Music can change the history of communities, and create revolutions too.

Music is part of celebration. And celebration is a sacred moment, it’s when people meet to enjoy together. That’s the total opposite of war and unhappiness. So when we promote music, we are also promoting the existence of a kind world.

We do constructive criticism. To master what we do we need feedback, and not only about what we do well, but what are doing wrong. Constructive criticism is always done from love.

I choose music based on its beauty, I question if the musician wants to create something beautiful or ugly, and whatever is the case, then the next things is to find out if I feel that the result is beautiful or not. Also I try to listen to the intentions of the musicians behind their music. I don’t know how I do that, but I do it, and it works.

Music has a magical factor too, the same one that can change the atmosphere of a party, or the mood of the listener.

DJs are music artists too! And instrumental musicians can learn some good things from DJs.

Music is an art, and it’s subjective, so when at Layabozi we say we don’t like something, we talk only about us, the whole world is welcome to disagree, and we’ll be always glad to talk about our different points of view. Music opens conversations.

Every submission of new music we get is carefully processed. I take the time to listen well because I respect the time and dedication that each artist has put on their work. And if I don’t like a band now, it does not mean that I won’t give them another chance later. We all can change.

To listen well it’s required a heart and a mind free of prejudices.

If everybody is not paying attention to the music played on the stage is not because the crowd is stupid, or disrespectful, or depth, but because what the music is saying is not interesting at all in that moment, so if the DJ or the band wants to be listened then that’s a moment to re consider communication.

This is the song that changed me, by the first guy I chose as a music hero. It’s about freedom and music, and it has everything to do with my way of thinking about music.