Watchlist Artist Pantelis L.

When Hit Talk combs our vast amount of Watchlist submissions, we choose the most promising musicians and producers: the ones that readers, talent scouts, and other artists need to watch out for. We only needed to hear Pantelis L’s demo to recognize the significant potential of this producer. Pantelis is Greek, living in Linne, France, and from there he works in a well-established studio programming music for television and cinema. Influenced from a very young age by the sounds of the classical piano and the charming lilt of the traditional Greek string instrument, the Bouzouki, he developed his musical sensibilities early in life. Now, he composes his own music in the style of his more contemporary influences: Alchemist, Dre and Timbaland, while drawing on the wisdom of the past. The results, as evidenced in tracks like Afthentia Emmoni, speak for themselves.

Representing Western Europe

I’m Greek and I live in Lille in northern France since I was a child, at the moment I work at the music production studio of Haris Berberian(www.harisberberian.com), and I often go to Paris in order to follow my studies. We frequently collaborate with singers, guitarists and other musicians. Personally, I work a lot. Sometimes online, with Greek and French artists like Afthentia, Kas, Blessed To, Sheylley, Pockman, Da Prince and some other great artists from France, UK, and Greece.

On Meshing Traditional Music, Modern Style, and Experimentation

I can listen to traditional music, but enjoy US Underground Rap. I have a soft spot for score music, classic music and choirs, especially when all instruments and sounds respond musically to each other. Thanks to my job, I work on a large range of musical styles. At the Berberian’s studio, we mostly focus on cinema and TV music, but sometimes we are lead to collaborate and do things with electro and Pop artists. Furthermore, our studio has also a Sound Design section, where I often find myself working, especially for TV projects. Personnaly, I’m a Rap/RnB producer. Sometimes, I just follow “Charts”, and sometimes I look for something different.

I let my creativity lead the way, with no restraint whatsoever. I piece together various sounds to seduce my ears, and to make me feel a new musical dimension. I just do what I feel in the moment; it opens windows to new ideas. Generally, I do not use samples, I’m not excluing it, but most of the time I compose with Logic Pro.

…Since my childhood, I had the fortune of being surrounded by all different sorts of music. I think that the listening to piano, to bouzouki and even byzantin chants, influenced me to do what I do now. However, my main influences, on the styles in which I work on, are producers like Sulee B Wax, Tefa & Masta, Eric K-Roz, Stoupe, Dj Premier, The Alchemist, Just Blaze, Timbaland, Scott Storch, Dr.Dre, classical composers like Chopin and Listz, film score composers like Enio Moricone, John Williams, Vangelis, Hans Zimmer, Klaus Badelt, Brian Tyler, Joe Hisaishi, Don Davis…

Then there’s my daily environment. I have the chance to meet people with impressive musical experience almost every day thanks to my job. Watching, listening, and reproducing those musicians has helped - and continues to help - me to improve my skills.

Deriving Inspiration abroad

Generally I consider myself a person who like’s to travel a lot and It’s open to all different sort of music genres. This helps me to look beyond what I know, and search for all kinds of inspiration.
At this moment, I’m following Sound Engineering studies in Paris. I’m always willing to learn and acquire more experience. I like to enlarge my musical culture through listening to concertos, watching theatre, travelling, meeting new people, and every single thing that can lead my projects. I really like to create sounds from scratch and sometimes to invent scenarios for my productions.

Presently, I’m preparing some uncommon music projects, with Greek and French artists, which will be out very soon, and I invite everyone to visit my myspace page, so you can listen and give me your impressions. Myspace: www.myspace.com/elemenbeats