Marta Vega on the case for playing slower
A long conversation with the Nitsa co-resident about tempo, patience and why 122 BPM is harder than 138.
Marta Vega has held the other half of the Nitsa residency for two years. We sat in the empty club on a Tuesday and argued about tempo for ninety minutes.
On the pressure to go faster
"Every year the festival sets get faster and every year the club sets that people actually remember get slower. Those two facts are related and nobody wants to say it out loud."
On what slow demands
"At 138 the tempo carries you. At 122 there is space between every kick and you have to put something in it or the room notices. Slow is not relaxing to play. It is the most exposed you can be."
Fast hides mistakes. Slow puts them on a plinth.
On the residency
"Playing the same room every month for two years does something no touring schedule can. You stop programming for a crowd and start programming for a building."