From a very young age, Francisco Aires Pereira already shared a connection with music, influenced by his mother's collection of classical music CDs, at the age of 7 he sat in front of the stereo with headphones listening to Mozart and Beethoven. But it was only later, at the age of 13, under the influence of his cousin Gonçalo Maria, who owned a complete DJ setup with a mixing table and turntable, that he became “completely absorbed”. It was at that time that music truly became part of his everyday.
What are your biggest musical influences?
This question is complicated, because I feel like I have many musical influences and at different times. When I started experiencing music on a daily basis I was very absorbed in house music and listened to very few things other than House, my “heroes” were the great House and Garage House DJs - Frankie Knuckles, Masters at Work, Mousse T, Boris Dlugosch , Grant Nelson, Francois Kevorkian, CJ Mackintosh, Joey Negro, Daft Punk among others. Outside of House, my biggest initial influence was undoubtedly the band Jamiroquai, I listened to the album Traveling Without Moving many times, it was perhaps my awakening to the “groove”. A few years later other organic music influences emerged - Minnie Riperton, Patrice Rushen, George Benson, Roy Ayers, Incognito, among others. I also had a certain awakening to Rock, at a time when I was starting to launch myself as a DJ at private events, influenced by certain mutual guests who ended up becoming my friends. I had a year super emerged in Rock music, generally more Indie Rock, I loved listening to Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks, Mando Diao, Franz Ferdinand and also at that time I explored Pink Floyd (first albums) and The Doors in depth, which despite not listening to so much today, I feel some influence on me, especially from Pink Floyd, nowadays I feel very connected to more introspective (travel) music, definitely because of Pink Floyd's first albums. In the current panorama there are so many artists and musicians and such vast access to all the music of the most important decades that it is difficult to name all the one's who influence me, there are so many. (laughter)
What has been your favorite gig to date?
I don't know if I have just one, maybe a few favorites:
The Maracujália Parties, I've played at a few (including Casa da Música), are always very different from my usual gigs and with a full house, I liked every single one I played at, they were always special. 
The Calypso Parties in general too, especially the first ones, when they were still “House Parties” but there was one in specific that really impacted me, which was a Calypso partnership with Goat Community in which I closed the track in a mountain top setting, it was incredible , I received high energy from the audience, it was an incredible moment of liberation.
At Base, where I'm resident at, there were also some magical nights, especially when some post-pandemic normality resumed, people were eager to party, there were some moments that looked like “Boiler Room”, everyone vibing so hard around me.
The Cumbia Ritual Parties at Espaço Compasso. They were one of the most beautiful and authentic experiences I've had, an authentic ritual with a bonfire and a short introductory speech, an audience intimately connected with the music and the nature surrounding us. It was where I was able to give greater scope to my explorations of more ethnic and organic music under the alter-ego of Shrumate.
The Círculo and Cru Parties, which unfortunately no longer exist and despite having been organised by different people, were held at the same timing and with some common audience and with some parallel musical ideas, I really enjoyed the DJ sets I did at these parties, which The audience was very connected to the music and everything seemed magical at that time.
Top 3 favorite songs on your personal playlist right now.
Another difficult question because it's a matter of moments and naming just 3 is unfair (laughs). But these 3 are songs that I've heard countless times and can hear many more.
1. Gene Harris - LosAlamitosLatinfunklovesong
2. Zero7 feat Jose Gonzalez - Today
3. Donny Hathaway - Valdez in the Country
What was the most out-of-the-box request you’ve ever received from the public?
I've already received some, I don't know if I can consider any of them really out of the box, I would say inappropriate or out of context. It's very common in the DJ sets I do at Base, where the style of music is very unique and not mainstream/commercial, for people to come up to me and tell me that their friend or brother/sister is having a birthday and ask for a birthday song or a mainstream song, nothing related to what is going on at the moment. Unfortunately this has happened many times. (laughter)
Do you have a project you want to share?
Yes! Every week I record a radio program “Pérola Negra Rádio” with great music connoisseurs and also DJs - Nuno Di Rosso, EARL, Bruma, Helena Guedes, Tomás Lobo and Paulo Cunha Martins - where we share music from all corners of the world and from different decades. It airs every Sunday on Rádio Oxigénio (in Lisbon), on RUM (Rádio Universitária do Minho) and on Rádio Nova in Porto. Recently as a Dad, I haven't been able to dedicate much time to production and so my alter-egos and label are a bit quiet but soon you will certainly be able to hear good things in the names “LSK (Lazy Spoiled Kid)”, “Shrumate” and “Undergarden ” .
We challenged Francisco to create a playlist to be your soundtrack this summer. “After Hours” offers an engaging and energetic musical selection, giving you a build up for the unforgettable summer nights to come. – "After Hours" now available on Spotify , listen here .