Meet New Indie-Electronic Duo MANAWARI

Los Angeles-based duo MANAWARI stopped by to give a glimpse into their story, what inspires them, and what’s to come.

For cousins Christian Costales and Robert Matthew Herrera, music has always been at the heart of their identities. Growing up, their family set the foundation for their passion for music. Through shared experiences of learning instruments and finding common ground in artists they loved, Costales and Herrera knew their dynamic was something special. Drawing on inspiration from both Indie and electronic music, they created MANAWARI.

MANAWARI’s style infuses their inspirations and defies genres, while still retaining the heart of electronic music production and performance. They regularly incorporate live instrumentation, drum pads, and synth controllers in their live sets. Recently, the duo made their introduction to the world with their first single “333” released on February 22. A second single “Apophenia” is due out May 27.

With such a bright future ahead, there’s no telling what MANAWARI will do. What we can tell is that their thoughtfulness woven into their craft will shine and carry them far. MANAWARI swung by to tell us more about themselves and gift us with an exclusive mix.

The world of MANAWARI is new, mysterious, and open to those who wish to follow their dreams and hearts with us. This mix embodies our sound and is an extension of our purpose. It features all the unreleased music we are planning to release soon. Thank you for listening and being part of our journey!
MANAWARI

Press play on MANAWARI’s guest mix below, pre-save their upcoming single “Apophenia,” and read on to learn more about the duo.

Stream EDMID Guest Mix 325 || MANAWARI on SoundCloud:

This project is relatively new, what is the MANAWARI origin story? What was the catalyst for the two of you to come together?

We are cousins and grew up in a family that was very musically inclined. Being surrounded by music our entire lives, we developed a bond over the years through our same taste in music, and a passion for playing a variety of instruments. We started the idea of creating music together, jamming out in 2011 in our garage, but it wasn’t until 2016 that this idea started to manifest into what it is today. We started with the alias “Yūgen” but decided that it was time to put that project behind us and create MANAWARI.

You make a nod to your heritage with your name. How does the phrase “Hiraya Manawari” inspire you? How does this inspiration translate into your music?

Hiraya Manawari means “the fruit of one’s dreams, wishes, and aspirations”. The reason why this saying resonates with us is because of our family’s continued support of our passions, and that we will continue to follow our hearts in making music. Our music is an extension of who we are and the journey we have in this life. To us; music is magic, flow state, therapy, and an outlet for us to put our emotions out into the world.

What individual tastes, skills, or musical inspirations do you bring to MANAWARI?

We grew up listening to disco and funk from our family, but it all started from our profound love for indie music with artists such as, Toro Y Moi, Phoenix, Passion Pit, Two Door Cinema Club, MGMT, and a producer that goes by the name of Shook. These influences paved the path to our style of Indie Electronic production.

Your single “333” was released on 2/22/22, what significance does numerology have to you?

MANAWARI practices faith and spirituality. Our music is made with the utmost intent. Just like everything this universe has to offer, our intentions in our music serve our purpose.

The track goes through seven distinct movements, can you walk us through these and the narrative they create for listeners?

We created “333” back in 2019. During this time, both of us were going through tough breakups, which spun in a whirlpool of emotions. Each movement sonically describes the seven stages of grief, which are desperate for answers, denial, bargaining, relapse, anger, acceptance, and redirected hope.

As rising artists, what are some of the hurdles you’ve faced and how have you overcome them?

The hurdles that we have faced were finding our direction and what we as artists could bring to the table of EDM. Through our journey of finding out what MANAWARI’s identity was, we flourished through battling the balance of work, life, and passion. We feel that every artist out there is surviving the mundane life and struggles with these tribulations. What helped us grow was the constant reminder that everything happens with divine timing and trusting in the “now” will always center us for what’s to come. If you believe your music will resonate, it may and will.

What was your thought process in creating this mix?

This mix is a representation of MANAWARI’s life’s work. We’ve been making music for about six years. We wanted to treat our listeners to what is to come and convey the MANAWARI sound. The mix was created with most of our unreleased tunes. We believe it is a perfect way to experience the energy we showcase live.

Finally, looking toward the future, what goals do you have for this project for the rest of 2022 and beyond?

Our goals are to continue to evolve as artists and develop our community. We wouldn’t be here today without the support of our family, friends, and fans so continuing to build MANAWARI’s world with everyone is a central mission for our future. For the remainder of 2022, we’re stoked to share that our debut EP is carefully being crafted at this time and we can’t wait to share more soon. For now, we can say that you can expect the follow-up single to “Apophenia” by the end of Summer.

Thank you EDM Identity for giving us a voice on your platform. We are beyond grateful for the opportunity and experience you have given us.