São Paulo’s Giorgio Menegatti and Duda Piratininga come together on ‘Plot & Pace’, a five-track EP for Jardineira Records that captures more than two years of musical experimentation, collaboration and personal evolution. Moving between House, Breakbeat, Disco-informed grooves and contemporary electronic sounds, the release feels like a snapshot of two artists finding their shared language while bringing very different musical backgrounds into the room.

For Giorgio, whose roots stretch through Disco and House and who has spent more than a decade behind the decks, the project meets Duda’s background in MPB, Jazz and instrumental music. The result is an EP that moves from the reflective atmosphere of ‘What Love Looks Like’ through the melodic textures of ‘Piano Jam’ and the dancefloor energy of ‘WildFire’ and ‘Hit the Dancefloor,’ before closing with the atmospheric ‘Groovin Dreams.’

We caught up with Giorgio and Duda to talk about the long road to ‘Plot & Pace,’ finding chemistry in the studio, São Paulo’s constantly evolving electronic scene, their musical influences, and where they’re taking things next.

WWD: The EP has been more than two years in the making. What was the original idea behind ‘Plot & Pace,’ and how did that idea change as the project developed?

Actually, at the beginning, we didn’t really realize what we were building. We simply wanted to make music together, so we agreed that every Tuesday we would meet up to produce something in one of our home studios. Everything really started from the commitment we had to those weekly sessions.

The EP could easily have been finished much faster, but there were very few times when we worked on the tracks separately, and I think that ended up being a good thing. In between our studio sessions, we would go home, listen to new music, go out on the weekends, see a good DJ, discover a new reference, and we felt that all of that ended up enriching our songwriting and production process in a very natural way.

WWD: You both come from quite different musical backgrounds – Giorgio through Disco, House and DJ culture, and Duda through MPB, Jazz and instrumental music. Where did you find the strongest common ground when you started making music together?

We both went to college together, but back then I (Giorgio) was the only one working as a DJ and electronic music producer. I already knew about Duda’s musical abilities though… he’s an absolutely brilliant musician.

Then one day he became interested in the world of electronic music, so I recommended a few in-person and online courses and teachers to him. From there, we started exchanging ideas about electronic music, and when we set up our first studio session, everything just flowed naturally from the very beginning. It was really cool!

WWD: When two producers collaborate, there can sometimes be a battle for creative direction. How did you divide roles in the studio, and was there ever a moment where one of you completely changed the direction of a track?

Duda is a multi-instrumentalist with a strong knowledge of music theory, while I have a solid technical background in audio and I’m very comfortable working in Ableton. I think that combination makes our studio sessions really productive!

As for completely changing the direction of a track? Definitely! I think that happened with all five of them, haha.

We had one day a week to sit down and experiment in the studio, so what would be the point of getting too attached to a specific audio channel or idea instead of trying something new we had heard over the weekend that might work really well? We weren’t in a rush, and creatively, that helped us a lot.

WWD: ‘Piano Jam’ really highlights the instrumental and melodic side of the project, while tracks like ‘Hit the Dancefloor’ and ‘WildFire’ lean much more heavily into the club. Did you deliberately want the EP to move between different energies and tempos?

It was a conscious choice, because over the course of two years you don’t follow a completely linear path. These tracks reflect different moments and influences from a long creative journey, and you can hear that in the dynamics between the tracks as well as within each track itself.

WWD: Duda, moving from an instrumental background into electronic production is a fascinating transition. What has working with synths, drum machines and production software taught you that playing an instrument couldn’t – and vice versa?

My transition into electronic music happened naturally while we were making the EP. Coming from a background as an instrumentalist, especially piano, helped a lot with harmony, melodies and exploring different musical possibilities.

At the same time, working with electronic music taught me a lot about arrangement and how every element can completely change the dynamics of a track. I think the biggest lesson was learning to balance that creative freedom with knowing when to hold back, so every element has a real purpose in the music.

WWD: Giorgio, you’ve been deeply involved in São Paulo’s House and Disco community through Jardineira Records and The Boogie. How would you describe the city’s current electronic scene, and what makes São Paulo such an interesting place to develop this kind of music?

São Paulo is an incredibly vibrant and culturally rich city, and that really comes through in its electronic music scene as well. There are so many independent collectives and new projects emerging and doing great work, and it’s really exciting to see.

Because the city is so massive, there’s always room for something new, as long as it’s done with care and has a strong identity.

WWD: São Paulo has such a huge musical history, from MPB and Samba to Funk, Disco and experimental electronic music. Do you think the city itself finds its way into your productions, even when you’re not consciously trying to represent it?

I don’t think it’s something we consciously think about when we’re making music, but it definitely influences us. We were both born and raised in São Paulo and have lived here our whole lives, so we’re naturally immersed in the constant energy of a city that changes every day and never really stops.

WWD: What records, artists or sounds were particularly important during the two years you were working on ‘Plot & Pace?’ Were there any unexpected influences that found their way into the EP?

If we had to name the main one, it would definitely be “Bailando En El Mar” by Alberto Añon. It’s such a brilliant, immersive track, and hearing it was actually what inspired us to start the production routine that eventually led to the EP.

WWD: The title ‘Plot & Pace’ feels quite fitting for a project that evolved slowly over time. Has taking that long to finish an EP changed the way you both think about patience, experimentation and knowing when a track is actually finished?

Absolutely. It took us a long time to come up with the right name for the EP, but I think we ended up with one that really reflects the whole journey behind it. We’re both pretty calm and patient people, and that definitely helped us give the ideas enough time to grow naturally and become what they are now.

WWD: Now that ‘Plot & Pace’ is finally out in the world, what comes next for both of you – more collaborative projects, solo releases, new Jardineira activity, or perhaps taking this material into the club and playing it together?

For sure! We’ve already been playing the tracks out in clubs and the response has been really good. We’re also super happy with all the support and feedback we’ve been getting so far.

And honestly, there’s a lot more to come. More collabs, more releases on Jardineira, and more solo stuff from both of us too. We’re really excited to see where everything goes from here.

WWD: Sounds amazing! Thanks for the chat 🙂 

The ‘Plot & Pace’ EP is available here