In the world of music production, it’s easy to chase perfection, the cleanest take, the catchiest hook, the tightest mix. But for Brazilian producer Janluska, the magic lives somewhere else. If you listen closely, you’ll hear it in the messy parts: a feedback loop that turns into a solo, a jam session that becomes a chart-topping groove, a “weird” sound that makes a record unforgettable.
This article dives deeper into the lessons Janluska shared in his Off the Record episode and shines light on extra insights that didn’t make the final cut. Whether you’re a bedroom producer, a session musician, or just someone who loves to break the mold, let this be your permission slip to get weird, get lost, and trust that something good will come out of the chaos.
Why “Weird” Might Be Your Best Take Yet
Janluska lives by one rule: if someone calls his music “weird,” that’s the biggest compliment you can give him. For him, weird means new. It means you’re pushing past the obvious and landing somewhere nobody’s been before.
“The best thing you can say to me is: ‘Yeah, the music sounds weird.’ Weird is good, weird is new, weird is different.”
This mindset runs through his work with artists like Marina Sena, Anavitória, and Terno Rei, all of whom came to him when they wanted to break free from what they’d done before. In a world where trends reward what’s safe, Janluska’s approach is a quiet rebellion: trust the accidents, keep the edges rough, and remember that imperfection is what makes a song feel real.
Sometimes that weirdness is pure luck. In his Off the Record episode, he talks about working on Anavitória’s Esquinas and chasing a guitar solo that just wouldn’t land. After a break, they came back to find the guitar feeding back into the monitors, picking up radio fuzz, and building a wall of noise. That “mistake” turned into the perfect solo. Imperfection wins every time.
Jam Sessions: Finding Gold in the Mess
One of the biggest threads in Janluska’s process is his love for raw, live energy. He’s all about pulling artists out of the studio and into immersive spaces — like the farmhouse retreat that shaped Marina Sena’s Coisas Naturais. "We did an immersive retreat with her band. Everyone went to this farmhouse, and we just started playing... We flipped all of that on its head — replaced drums with beats, chopped up harmonies."
For Janluska, jam sessions aren’t just warm-ups; they’re the real research. Every stray chord, offbeat percussion hit, or half-finished riff could become the track’s heartbeat. The trick? Don’t control it too early.
He records everything, then digs through the chaos later to find the spark. It’s about trusting your ears to catch what feels alive. For any producer, it’s a reminder: your best ideas might show up when you stop forcing them and just let the room breathe.
How to Find Your Album’s True Sound
If you work with Janluska, get ready to spend time exploring the sound palette; the unique set of textures, timbres, and colors that will define the project. He doesn’t just layer sounds for the sake of it. He asks: What feels true for this artist, at this moment in their journey?
“What I really enjoy is discovering the sound. Doing the research for the album, finding the sonic identity together, figuring out what the sound palette is going to be for that project.”
That mindset keeps him from falling into a one-size-fits-all trap. You can hear it in how he blends organic and electronic elements, taking a trumpet riff from a jam session and twisting it until it sounds like a whole new instrument, or flipping a live drum groove into a beat that feels like it came from another planet.
This level of detail takes time, curiosity, and trust. But it’s what gives every record its own fingerprint, something that couldn’t exist without the people in the room and the imperfections they chose to keep.
Why More Ears Make Better Records
Another thing Janluska swears by: don’t go it alone. He’ll tell you that the best moments in the studio come when ideas bounce around freely, from the artist to the producer to the musicians and back again.
“I love working with other producers, collaborating with multiple hands on a project, hearing everyone’s ideas, and thinking together.”
Collaboration keeps you from getting stuck in your own head. It breaks the cycle of old habits and familiar sounds when everyone feels safe enough to toss out an idea, even the weird ones. That’s when the magic shows up.
Think about the genre-blending, boundary-pushing records shaping Brazilian music today. Many were born from exactly this kind of creative back-and-forth. It’s proof that “your” sound doesn’t have to mean doing it all yourself. Sometimes your best idea is waiting in someone else’s brain.
Albums Are Built Before They’re Recorded
Before a single note is played, Janluska is already deep in the process. For him, making an album starts with exploration, collaboration, and sound research. It’s not just about getting in the studio, it’s about finding the right people and building the sonic DNA of a project from the ground up. “We find things together, come up with ideas together, listen to music together and exchange. Making an album is really about that.”
He treats early conversations with artists as a critical part of the process. What are they listening to? Where are they emotionally? What kinds of stories do they want to tell?
“I like it when the references are really different, when someone’s listening to something I don’t know, and vice versa. That’s when the project starts to get interesting.”
The result? A collaborative environment where sonic direction isn’t imposed, it’s discovered. Janluska’s process doesn’t just produce songs. It builds a world.
Creativity Is Just Good Decision-Making
Despite his experimental edge, Janluska doesn’t believe creativity is some mystical force. In fact, he thinks that idea holds artists back. For him, creativity is more pragmatic; it’s about being present, evaluating options, and making smart decisions with your collaborators. “You could have a million ideas, but you choose one to run with. Or pick up someone else’s. The most interesting ones are the ideas that circulate through the group.”
In the studio, that means embracing the role of a creative facilitator, someone who guides the direction without dictating it, listens more than they speak, and knows when to zoom out. “Producing music isn’t just a musical challenge. It’s also a logical one.”
In a way, this mindset gives permission to let go of the pressure to always be inspired. You don’t need a lightning bolt moment, you need clarity, curiosity, and a willingness to choose.
Limitations Make the Sound
Janluska’s not precious about gear. Some of his favorite productions started not in million-dollar studios, but on hotel beds or airport benches, with nothing but a laptop and a keyboard. “I spend a lot of time producing just on my laptop. I had to produce in airports and hotels. So I learned to use the keyboard, program chords, and build from there.”
Rather than seeing limitations as obstacles, he sees them as creative constraints. Fewer options force sharper decisions. You’re not overwhelmed by endless plugins, you’re focused on the moment. “When you have too many doors open you can’t make a decision… it’s not a big blank slate, but it can be very scary too.”
This mindset extends to his larger philosophy: don’t let the tools define the process, let the process define the tools. It’s not about having more. It’s about knowing how to use what you’ve got.
Final Takeaway: Trust the Weirdness
Janluska’s story reminds us that your best work rarely comes from following the blueprint exactly. Instead, it lives in the moments when you trust your ears, chase the weird, and stay curious about where your mistakes might lead you.
So the next time you find yourself scrapping a rough idea because it sounds “wrong,” pause. Save it. Play it back tomorrow. Bring a bandmate in to listen. And remember: “weird” might be the best thing someone can say about your music.
Catch the rest of Janluska’s conversation in Off the Record, only on the Moises YouTube channel.
