IN CONVERSATION WITH PARALLELLE

interview by THORE DAMWERTH
photography by GILBERTO MENESES

Two paths, one starting note. Parallelle’s name borrows from music theory, but the idea extends far beyond structure. It is a philosophy that defines their sound, their collaboration, and their way of moving through culture. “We are merging electronic with the soulful escapism grit,” the duo explains. A statement that encapsulates their dialogue between analogue warmth and modern rhythm. Rooted in jazz, soul, and funk, and shaped by electronic music’s forward pull, Parallelle crafts a language where genres evolve side by side, never competing, always conversing.

Their new LP, 11th Avenue, released on their own imprint FOLDER, draws inspiration from the after-hours intimacy of 1980s New York jazz lounges. Spaces where music breathed, imperfections lingered, and emotion led the way. Built on live instrumentation, field recordings, and an analogue-first approach, the record feels both nostalgic and immediate: groovy beats, soulful vocals, and improvised saxophone and trumpet lines woven into a refined house and techno framework. FOLDER, conceived as a home for this ethos, reflects Parallelle’s dedication to archiving sound with intention. Music made to be kept, revisited, and felt.

In this conversation, Parallelle reflect on brotherhood, improvisation, collaboration, and the beauty of parallel lines that never touch yet move forward together – toward the next avenue.

Congratulations on your new LP, 11th Avenue! “We are merging electronic with soulful escapism grit,” you said. How did this fusion become the emotional and sonic foundation of the project? 

When we speak about soulful escapism, we mean the music that raised us: Jazz, Soul, Funk. Since childhood, our home has been filled with Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, George Duke… These were our first cassettes, our first CDs, even the first piano and sax scores we tried to play. 

This album is simply the meeting point between those roots and a modern electronic language. It’s our past walking hand-in-hand with our future. And in that meeting, it feels like we finally found our true signature. 

The record draws inspiration from 1980s New York jazz lounges, a time and place full of improvisation and freedom. What drew you to that era, and how did you translate its essence into an electronic framework? 

For us, music is a living organism, constantly changing, constantly adapting. That sense of freedom defined the jazz lounges of the 80s, and it guides us today. We also grew up studying jazz, so improvisation became part of our instinct. Translating that spirit into electronic music felt natural: a dialogue between spontaneity and structure. 

Collaboration seems to be the heartbeat of 11th Avenue, from Dino Lenny to Sarah Bassett and Dani Batisdas. How do you curate your collaborators, and what qualities make a collaboration Parallelle-worthy? 

We choose collaborators who carry both talent and authenticity, “la crème de la crème”, as we say in French. You instantly feel when someone shares your energy. Everyone on this album brought a genuine aura, a sense of clarity and joy. They knew exactly what they were adding, and they added it with heart. 

The artwork and aesthetics, developed with Sarah Bassett, form a cinematic world around the album. How important is visual storytelling in communicating your sound? 

Today, the visual identity of an album is almost as essential as the music itself. We filmed videos with DoP Jose Orpinelli for nearly every track and shot multiple photoshoots to give each song a face, a story, a moment. Thanks to Sarah Bassett’s direction, everything was envisioned long before the release. It created a world where the visuals and the music  breathe the same air.

You’ve played stages like Tomorrowland and Coachella, but your upcoming 11th Avenue tour combines intimate listening sessions with hybrid DJ sets. How does performing in smaller, emotionally charged spaces reshape your connection with the  audience? 

Our intimate live sessions place us at the centre of the room, facing each other, surrounded by the crowd. It creates an electric circle, a place where improvisation, vulnerability, and connection flow freely. We can add layers, remove everything, talk, respond to the room’s energy. We love the big stages, of course, but this format is more personal. It feels like  sharing a secret.  

Your Lisbon-based label, FOLDER, feels like a love letter to analogue culture and musical community. How did the concept of FOLDER come to life, and what kind of  artists or stories do you want to archive within it? 

Our other label, Klassified, grew very broad and versatile. So, we created FOLDER to refocus on soulful, story-driven music made for dancing. FOLDER is our way of honouring analogue culture again: pressing vinyl, using real synths, embracing machines with imperfections and soul. 

The mission is simple: release timeless house and soul-infused electronic music, discover the next great musicians, and make people feel something.  

The capsule collaboration with Ciaran translates your music into tangible form –  clothing, texture, style. How do you see fashion as part of your storytelling? 

Fashion is part of the visual language of music. Meeting Ciaran through friends was a gift,  the brand puts quality at the heart of everything. The T-shirts, the overshirts… the fabrics are thick, soft, qualitative embroideries, beautifully crafted. Their attention to detail mirrors the philosophy of the album. Wearing something is also a way of expressing a rhythm, a way of  carrying the music long after it stops playing. 

The name Parallelle speaks to harmony and divergence, two paths evolving from one note. How does that metaphor reflect your relationship as brothers, creators, and  performers? 

Parallels are fascinating: two lines that never touch, yet travel in the same direction. They can be different colours, different widths, but always aligned. That is our relationship. We each keep our independence, our skills, our strengths, our worlds, yet our direction is shared. It makes the journey richer, and the destination clearer. 

Looking ahead, what does the next avenue after 11th Avenue look like? Is there a new chapter already forming in your creative horizon? 

Always! We’re already working on new EPs and on the next Parallelle album. Maybe the 22nd Avenue this time!