Inside The Rift

Hailing from London, England and producing under the moniker of Thesis is electronic musician, Matt Anderson. Specializing in atmospheric Drum & Bass, Thesis is doing a fantastic job of infusing an older flavor into a genre that has opted to imbue a more contemporary pop sound. His most recent EP “The Bridge” features an impressive vocal display from Canadian songstress, Anastasia on the titular track. 

Describing himself as a perfectionist, Thesis is more concerned with putting out quality tracks that remain true to himself and his particular sound, as opposed to releasing tracks for the sake of quantity. While he has yet to release to a full length LP, his current EP releases are robust and should excite bass enthusiasts everywhere. I reached out to this talent and was pleased when he agreed to be interviewed for Inside the Rift.

Prox: Tell us a bit more about yourself. Where did you grow up and how has that environment influenced you along your journey?

Thesis: I was born in London but grew up in a small countryside village near Cambridge in the UK. Growing up in a relatively natural environment helped me in many ways in terms of reflection and contemplation with life, along with having a solid friendship group since early childhood. Having said that, village life can also have it’s boring, dull, and depressive aspects to it at times, and that was certainly what I found while growing up! These days I travel abroad quite a lot, and I would say that with music this is where a big part of my influences and inspirations come from.

Prox: How did you get into production? Were you always involved with music in your youth?

Thesis: Yes, music was a huge part of my youth and saved my life in many ways. I started playing guitar when I was about 15 years old, and I was really into 80’s Classic Rock in particular at that age. A few years later, a friend of mine got some turntables and started mixing liquid D&B – this was when my ears first really caught on to this genre (around 2005). Going to Fabric with a group of friends that year got me even more hooked, and soon enough I had bought my own turntables and started collecting and mixing vinyl. My friend who had started DJ’ing urged me to get a copy of FL Studio to start making my own tunes, so I did, and basically just made a load of ‘noise’ to begin with, messing around and experimenting. He was writing Jungle at the time, and I was inspired by his tracks, as they were deep and intelligent. However, D&B was the genre I still felt the strongest connection with in electronic music, and so, I always had that in mind when starting new projects. Since then I’ve used various different DAWs – Reason, Cubase, and now Logic (since 2009).

Prox: Who were some of your biggest influences (artistic, musical, philosophical, etc) growing up?

Thesis: I was really into Rap as a young teenager – Eminem was by far my favourite artist in the early 2000s. The music he was putting out around that time was about real life, things people could actually relate to, and it helped me to understand some of the darker emotions associated with my own struggles growing up. Listening to his tracks helped me to channel some of my own anger and frustrations with life in this society as a young person.

Guns N’ Roses were another huge influence on me as a teen (the band from the late 80’s-early 90’s era, not the one of today!). That band alone, and Slash in particular, inspired me to learn electric guitar. I was also greatly influenced by System Of A Down, and still am to this day.

In terms of electronic musical influences – Faithless, The Prodigy, Logistics, Noisia, and Bonobo have all had massive impacts on me over the years.

Prox: Were you always into the more atmospheric stylings or is this a recent development? 

Thesis: I’ve always had atmospheric elements in my music to one degree or another. I’ve always loved both the liquid and atmospheric subgenres in D&B, and I’ve always considered my sound to be a modernized fusion of the two, with my own twist. For example, the ethereal sound in a lot of my music is something I’ve been working on developing in recent years – creating my own, unique soundscapes and atmospheres. It’s all experimentation and I’m always finding new methods and approaches to development, usually through trial and error. I’m not a technical wizard at all when it comes to production skills – my knowledge is pretty basic compared to a lot of other producers out there.

Prox: Was DnB the first genre you were interested in producing? Thesis: Yes, although the very first two tracks I ever produced were underground Dubstep – so underground in fact, that only about half a dozen people ever heard them (probably because they were that terrible, haha).

Prox: Why did you choose Thesis as your production moniker?

Thesis: It’s my own take or perspective on things represented through sound – through music. My philosophies of life are unique but hypothetical, just like everyone else’s are. Ultimately, they can’t be proven to anyone, academically or otherwise. We all have our own unique perspectives on ourselves, on the world, and on life itself. I’m just documenting and sharing mine in this way.

Prox: You mentioned during our emails that you travel quite a bit. What are some of your favorite places to visit? Are you ever homesick?

Thesis: Travel is something that I need in order to stay sane in many ways, at least, that’s how it has felt for the past few years in particular. It’s something about movement, new experiences, meeting new people – talking with ‘strangers’, that kind of thing. Going into the unknown, I guess. It helps me to both trust in life more and to evolve. That’s what travel is to me and why I love it. I’ve been to many places in Europe, and some countries outside of it, but my two favourite countries so far would have to be Portugal and Denmark. In fact, I just got back from Portugal recently after a month’s hiking trip out there in the Algarve, which was pretty amazing. I don’t ever miss the UK when I’m traveling or working abroad. I mean, I have family here, but I never really feel ‘homesick’ these days. I used to, back when I first started high school, but that’s a long time ago now. I think the more you discover the home within yourself, the less you identify with the idea of ‘home’ being a specific place in the world.

Prox: What are some of the challenges that accompany producing on the road? Is it difficult to come up with ideas?

Thesis: Time and space are the two biggest challenges in producing while traveling – usually there’s a lot going on in daily life, a lot more than when you’re not on the road and have a more solid routine with work, etc (sometimes I miss that!). Environments change constantly, as well as the people you’re with, and sometimes I find it difficult to conserve and channel my energy into one thing. Having said that, I still find time here and there when I can be on my own and get focused on creating, and ideas tend to flow as easily as I allow them. That’s something I’m still working on – being calm, grounded and in a state of receptivity… It’s the key! ;) Equipment-wise, I use a very basic setup – a Macbook (with Logic 8), a pair of Sennheiser HD-25 II headphones and occasionally a mouse and/or midi keyboard, but more recently I’ve gotten used to using my Macbook keyboard as a midi controlled in Logic. Keeping things light and simple is the best way for me!

Prox: How close are we to seeing your first LP?

Thesis: In all honesty, not so close unfortunately, haha. As much as I would love to make an LP (and I would like to do this sometime in the future), making even just a simple 2-track EP can often take me a long time. I’m a slowcoach when it comes to production, and also a perfectionist. I don’t churn out release after release like some producers do. I take my time with every project, as I need to have things sounding right and well balanced. I won’t release my music until I’m 100% (or at least 95%) satisfied with the end result – both the mixdowns and masters are very important to me in how they sound. I guess at this point, I’m more focused on improving and developing my overall output sound than I am on how often I’m releasing material. With that said however, I do have some tracks forthcoming on two different labels – Advection Music and Scientific, so keep an eye out for those. Other than that, I’ve got various new material currently in the works, and will hopefully have a new EP out sometime in early 2016.

Prox: Your work with Anastasia is very impressive. Is it possible that we will see a full EP collaboration between you two?

Thesis: Thank you! That’s definitely a possibility. The second collab track we’ve done together, “The Bridge”, was just released in October on Influenza Media, and we’ve been getting some really great feedback on it from people. We’ve been speaking via email recently, and we’re hoping to get working on another collaboration again in early 2016. She is a great talent, and a real pleasure to work with. Like myself, she always puts 110% into a project, and I think that’s why we work so well together. We seem to have a very clear connection and understanding with each other musically when it comes to collaborating – there’s just a click in terms of what sounds right to us, etc. Having that as a foundation to work upon makes things a whole lot easier.

Prox: What are some of the greatest things you’ve learned on your musical journey up until this point? Do you have a defining moment?

Thesis: I suppose number one would be the importance of being true to what you’re passionate about creating, and not allowing anything to interfere with that. I’ve never really had any problems in that sense, with any creative ventures, but I know there’s a lot of producers out there who get swept away with ‘the scene’, particularly in the mainstream of D&B, and end up selling out their sound, with the intention of reaching a much larger audience through bigger labels, making more money, etc. I’m not interested in that and never have been to be honest. I would rather have a smaller, organic following of people who are genuinely interested in my music than a mass of followers who don’t really care deep down about the heart and soul of music (and there’s a lot of those people out there, unfortunately). If I do end up gaining a larger following in the coming years, then that’s cool, but I’m never going to seek it out.

Second greatest thing I’ve learned is the importance of working with people who have integrity if and when one chooses to release music via labels. Most of the music I’ve put out so far has been released via Soul Deep Recordings, a US-based label. Shouts out to Scott Allen (the guy who runs it)! He’s a very switched on dude who genuinely cares about the artists on his label – always giving them a fair deal where creative freedom and royalties are concerned. At least, that has been my experience working with the guy. I’ve heard some horror stories from him about his own experiences in the past with labels in D&B, being unfairly treated as an artist, etc. He said to me once that with his own label, part of the reason in setting it up was to completely respect and adhere to the rights of any given artist releasing music with them. I have a lot of respect for him in doing that – in being an example of how a label should be run. Defining moment so far would be… this moment right now, of course :)

Prox: Who are some your favorite contemporary artists from any genres?

Thesis:

Thievery Corporation – great band from the US, always love their stuff.

Bonobo – another favourite. Especially for melodic inspirations.

Malaky – this dude, in my opinion, is the best Liquid D&B producer out there at the moment, and an incredibly talented one at that. He’s still relatively up-and-coming in the scene right now, but he’s going to get a lot more recognition soon if he carries on with what he’s doing. To me, his sound is reminiscent of the old-skool liquid tunes that producers such as Logistics were putting out on Hospital in the mid-2000s, but with a more soulful, atmospheric and intelligent overall sound. It’s the kind of liquid sound I’ve always been looking for in tunes of that subgenre, and aside from what I’ve been producing and contributing myself in recent years, most of his work really epitomizes that sound – consistently. That’s why I love this guy’s music, and he’s one of the few producers in D&B whose material I really keep an ear out for these days.

Prox: Could you tell us about some of your favorite hobbies?

Thesis: Creating music, inspirational writing, drawing, gardening, hiking, cycling, breathing deeply. All of these I would consider to be my favourite hobbies - anything that helps me to let go and/or express myself, basically.

Prox: Tips for other artists?

Thesis: Always create from your heart, and have that as the core, non-negiotiable foundation of all your work.

Prox: Final thoughts?

Thesis: Illusion is in the head. Life is in the heart.

I’ve developed a bit of a fascination with the practice of bowdlerism after stumbling upon an edited movie quote compilation on Youtube. Bowdlerism (according to dictionary.Reference.com) is defined as “to expurgate by omitting or modifying parts considered vulgar”.

We have all had a run in with this practice and as a film dork, I remember outright refusing to watch the edited “Made for TV” versions because they compromise the artist’s vision. If everything on screen is there for a reason (or at least that's what every film school preaches), then by altering or flat out omitting lines and scenes from the finished product, you are trouncing an artist’s work; And that ain’t cool man.

To me though, Bowdlerism is much more hilarious because of the implications it has. In the United States, we will immediately edit out certain swear words, but consistently depict or imply extreme violence. Now as someone who often finds subtext to be more entertaining and full of humor itself, I think this is a comedy goldmine. Everyone has been annoyed by this practice because more often than not, it’s sloppy, lazy, and just downright gratuitous. Which is quite ironic considering that bowdlerism itself is about excision, not excess.

While people often point to “I’ve had with these monkey fighting snakes, on this Monday to Friday plane!” as the holy grail of neutered cinematic dialogue, my favorite comes by way of Bryan Singer’s crime movie masterpiece, The Usual Suspects. Let's take a look at the iconic lineup scene in all of it's unedited, unadulterated glory.

Epic right? Well let's take a look at that same scene, but this time, after a little... Tender loving care.

Right away, you'll notice the immediate drop in quality of the recording itself, and while we can't really blame the uploader (I mean why the "freak" would they have a DVD quality, edited for TV scene at their disposal?), this is the perfect representation of the new, post-bowdlerized product. The scene goes from characters portraying a bit of braggadocio by laughing at the futility of the lineup itself, to appearing as if the characters are amusing by the sheer ridiculousness of the "Fairy Godmother" line.

i've noticed in the vast majority of edited cinema, the films themselves often come off as parody or satire, because we have a line up full of men that we're supposed to believe are degenerate scumbags, spouting off dialogue like "gimme the frickin' keys you fairy godmother brotha bugga!".

Many of the films that are edited, shouldn't even be on TV in the first place. Take Scarface for instance, A bonafide classic about the meteoric raise of psychopathic drug lord, Tony Montana. Now apparently, the implications themselves are fine. The violence and drug use (or the implications of drug use) are acceptable but not the swear words that individuals of ill-repute often use to enhance their already colorful, slang infused lexicon. Now to be fair, the TV edit of Scarface is actually pretty tame on both fronts, but this is pretty gross in and of itself because it allows the film to shy away from the harsh realities of the illegal drug trade.

Then there are shows on Primetime television like The Walking Dead that are uncompromising in it's depiction of hyper-violence. This scene, happens all the way in Season Five so if you're still catching up, skip ahead. Let's just say i'd rather have my mouth washed out with soap a billion times as an alternative to what this person was on the receiving end of.

My point being, that scene happened... But Bruce Willis is immediately roped in during Die Hard 2 when he delivers his iconic line, "Yippie Kay-Yay Motherfucker!"

All i'm saying is that I want a little consistency. Where are our heads as a nation if we believe it's apropos to butcher dialogue because of a few swear words, but allow the individual delivering said dialogue to be covered in blood?

In Showgirls, a now universally panned work about the comeuppance of a stage-worker, they inserted digital bras (I would link it, but the clip was taken down from Youtube) during the nude dancing scenes. It just says a lot about our country when breasts and foul language are swiftly kiboshed, but dismemberment and other forms of violence are sometimes completely unaltered.

England’s brilliant Omni Music label (helmed by producer Eschaton) is quickly tearing up the underground Drum n Bass scene with it’s quality releases. Eschaton has successfully managed to group together up and coming talents like The Drumkilla (check out his interview here), Kasious, and Mutants. As well as some heavy hitting legends like Pete Rann, Voyager, LM1, and one of my personal favorites, Aural Imbalance. By seamlessly amalgamating old and new, Omni has become something to behold for listeners who prefer the more classic atmospheric stylings, as opposed to the contemporary Pop based DnB structure.

Founded in 2011, the label and it’s owner has put out numerous tracks, EPs, LPs, and even some physical vinyl releases from artists who reside all over the world.

I discovered Eschaton’s solo work through the brilliant Drum & Space compilations some time a few years ago, but had no idea that he was at the helm of such a brilliant label. I was able to speak with him about what it takes to start a label, acquire some tips for aspiring businessmen, and he was even kind enough to provide an epic Mega-Mix for the site (please listen above).

Who were some of your favorite musicians growing up? Were you only a fan of electronica or were you influenced by other genres as well?

Being a child of the 80’s I was subjected to a host of different genres. I always enjoyed Electro and some Synth Pop and Nu-beat, but as I was so young I listened to all sorts of music from Rock to Depeche Mode to Jean-Michel Jarre. It wasn't until the late 80's that Acid-House started to explode and I got a taste for that, so I started avidly listening to any radio show I could. That music blew my mind and sounded so different, so unlike anything I'd heard. It's then I started making an effort to hear things and hearing all the music that led up to that. I heard the Acid from Chicago and the techno from Detroit and there was no way back.

Growing up I wouldn't say I had any favourite musicians that stood out above others as there was so much to hear and so many different styles. I wasn't a fan of just electronic music as a youngster, but that certainly came along and shook me to my senses. After that and through the 90's, my main passion was electronic music. I still listened to other styles, from early stargazing and psychedelic guitar music to earlier classic artists from the 60's onwards, but electronic music was at the forefront for me as it was new, exciting and ever-evolving.

Barely a month went by without hearing something new that hadn't been done before. The music started to split from Acid House/Rave to Hardcore, Techno, House, Ambient (etc, etc) and it just kept going. Even now there are so many releases that I missed in one particular genre that it's still a great and eye-opening listening experience searching back through artists back catalogues.

Prox: Why did you choose Eschaton as your production moniker?

Eschaton: I’ve always been into more shamanic/spiritual ways of thinking and Eschaton relates heavily to shamanic principles and how the whole of history is drawn forward to the ‘last thing’ (derived from the ancient Greek word ‘éskhatos’).

Consciousness being drawn towards a final unity. It embodies everything we as conscious creatures contain and that is the essence of my music and Omni Music, to reflect all; the yin and the yang, the light and the dark, the totality of moods and sounds. You probably wish you’d never asked me that now, ha ha.

Prox: What was the DnB scene like in the 90s (tonally, popularity, radio play) in England as opposed to now? Did you ever get the chance to see any of the DnB superstars like LTJ Bukem, Goldie, or Photek perform?

Eschaton: The early 90’s when the music transformed from rave/techno and breakbeat into Jungle/drum and bass was a time like no other. It constantly reinvented itself and evolved from 1993 to 1997 with barely a second to sit back and think about what was going on. One reason I think it has stood the test of time, is that there is so much to go back to and re-visit. It was an incredible time for creativity and without the luxury of the internet to constantly feed you new music, the only way you’d hear anything new was at the raves and clubs, the radio stations or by visiting your local record shop. It was much more satisfying when you stumbled upon a track you’d heard a DJ play months before in a record shop, it was a buzz moment and that seems to be missing a tad now. It was all new and exciting then and you really had to work hard to hear the music you wanted to hear.

The scene has become much more fragmented, with sub-genres here and there, so it’s very different from how it was back then. With the resurgence of the older break-driven sounds, plus the constant stretching of technological capabilities, it’s rediscovered the excitement and there are some great club nights springing up in each locality to cater to that, which is great.

I have seen LTJ Bukem and Goldie perform back in the 90’s, but to be honest, back then it wasn’t just about those superstars, it included the other long standing DJ’s such as Fabio, Grooverider, Randall, DJ SS, Tango, Ratty and so on. They were what you went to see as they had the tunes which wouldn’t see the light of day for months, and there was always something new to hear. In 1991 and 1992 I enjoyed local DJ's as much, attending local nights was as eye-opening as anything, and of course the local underground radio station (in my case it was 'Rave FM' followed by 'Touch FM').

Prox: Many of your song titles reference spiritual, scientific, and psychedelic concepts. Is it safe to assume that you have a vested interest in these fields? Have you experimented with any mind-altering substances and if so, how have they contributed to your artistry and philosophy?

Eschaton: I've always had an interest in paranormal subjects due to a number of personal incidents that happened to me growing up. So from that I have been naturally curious about how these things fit into science's view of the universe and wanted to understand them. Having a keen interest in those fields developed more and more as I got older and as I read more and more material about Eastern philosophy, Quantum physics, astronomy, and shamanism. There were of course a few psychedelic experiences along the way and they helped me make sense of some things and have increased my understanding.

The ideas creep into my music quite heavily as it's an inspiration that has taken root in my subconscious. I think those ideas contributed to my compositions by making me decide to approach tracks from a different angle and try and consider putting something different in that maybe hasn't been done before. There's a kind of unwritten rule in this music that it has to be done a certain way, and sometimes I just think, 'well stuff that, I'm going to do this for a change'.

Prox: Omni is quickly amassing a catalogue of heavy hitting newcomers and even some legends like Aural Imbalance, Voyager, LM1, and Pete Rann. How does it feel to have such an incredible mix of old and new?

Eschaton: I feel quite humbled to be able to release such great music from people such as Voyager and DJ Trax, etc,  that I grew up listening to. It’s one of those things that you don't notice until you suddenly sit back and think about it and you kind of wonder how you managed it, ha ha ha. But it's great to be able to do it, I just wish I'd done it sooner. It's also a great feeling to give new artists their first chance in getting their incredible music heard, I am lucky to have been contacted by so many talented people and I hope that they continue to push forward with the music they love.

Prox: The label has maintained a sound that was much more prominent in the 90s and early 00s. Why did you opt to gear the label towards more atmospheric, jungle oriented elements as opposed to contemporary Drum n Bass/Dance stylings?

Eschaton: Well I guess because to me that's the timeless sound of DnB and what really took it to the next level. It's a style that has infinite forms of expression and there are artists still creating new forms, so really, why ignore it? That's really what the label was set up for, to allow those great artists who would otherwise be overlooked to have some exposure, and also bring back some of the classic artists that helped shape the sound of timeless DnB. I'm also a big fan of some experimental DnB, where the artists go that little bit further and twist their sounds into something entirely different, but still with that nod to the timeless sound. I've always loved breaks and breakbeats and it's refreshing to hear them being used in new ways instead of just a rolling 2 step pattern of monotony. I'd like to think that overall Omni kind of bridges that gap between contemporary and classic styles, with releases that incorporate both.

Prox: What are your hopes for the label? Where we would you like to see the label in five years?

Eschaton: Someone asked me that question a year after I had set the label up and I can't remember my response but it would probably be different from the one I'm going to give now. I think Omni has achieved a lot since it's inception in early 2011 (almost 5 years ago in fact!), we've had 4 vinyl releases with some incredible artists on them, numerous CD releases, and amassed a huge catalogue of EP's and LP's. I'm not sure what else I can wish for really. I've started branching out into other styles that I love on the Ohm Series, so I'd like to see that get as successful as the main part of the label. In 5 years, I'd probably like to see the label increase it's fan base as it's really the fans that make it what it is, and I'd like to see our music in different areas around the globe that have not been touched by this music. Music is the medium that can unite, which in this time of seemingly increased turmoil is needed more than ever. With the increase of media coverage of bad events and paranoia comes the need to unite and transcend the problems. If we can all find a common denominator such as music and let that break down barriers between people, countries, and continents, then half the battle is won and we'll see the world and each other for what it is; beautiful and all connected as one. If Omni can reach out through the fog of ignorance and touch more people over the next 5 years, then I think that's a job well done.

Prox: You have released a sizable amount of tracks and full length LPs. Is it difficult to put out so many tracks on a consistent basis?

Eschaton: Personally it's not difficult as I'm extremely organized, which is a skill I had to have as a manager. I'm always working at least 3 months ahead of myself. It takes a lot of dedication and thought to put so much out and multi-tasking is paramount. I often find myself doing 5 things at once. I could be uploading a release to the distributor while creating artwork for a release that's coming out in 2 months time, while rendering down the masters of a release that's 3 months in the future. So organization is the key, and sticking to the goals you make. Most Omni artists will tell you I've hassled them at some point to finish something, ha ha. I like to keep it all ticking over smoothly so I'm quite persistent, probably to the point of being annoying for some.

But I do it to keep the flow of the music being released as I know the fans are always wanting to hear more. The only difficulty I could foresee with putting out so many tracks, although this is yet to happen, is finding tracks of the right quality. Like I said, that hasn't happened yet, and I can't see it happening any time soon as I continue to get some great dubs and demos through, and when I hit a dry spell I just hassle some artists :P

I want to keep Omni at the forefront of the DnB scene. Even though we pale in comparison to labels such as Metalheadz, Hospital, Fokuz and so on and so forth, Omni Music has something new to give to the scene and the quality will always be as high as any major-league label.

Prox: Could you give us a few pointers on making DnB? What are some of the essentials for making atmospheric tracks?

Eschaton: I guess every artist approaches things in their own way. I think first and foremost you need to have a passion for it and an ear for melody. It helps if you're musically proficient as well, that way you can entice the best of whatever you play. Another thing is that you still have to be inventive. You can't just stick an ambient pad in behind a sub bass and beat and expect it to sound good.

However, I think the most important thing (whether it's atmospheric, jungle, drumfunk or whatever) is to make the style your own, don't try to emulate other artists. Define your own distinctive take on the music as that is what you'll be remembered for, not sounding like a copy and paste robot. 

So, have a passion and feel free to make the sound your own. Listen to what others do, check their mixdowns and see how they match to your own, but be original and love what you do and let the ideas flow. If you're dedicated enough and believe in yourself, the results will happen.

Prox: What are some tips you have for people who would like to start a label? Tell us about how much work goes on behind the scenes. How much have you learned about yourself and the industry throughout this entire process?

There's a tremendous amount of work really. The number one thing is that you have to be organized. Having worked in an office as a manager for 20+ years, I could transfer those skills into running a label, so it's about being organized and staying on top things. It's good to give yourself deadlines too or things just lapse.

In terms of the work, it involves sourcing tracks and artists, being in continual communication with artists (well as much as possible, it's hard when I've got 50 or so artists on the label), organizing artwork, mastering, and liaising with the distributor. On top of that there is promotion (posting on social media, Facebook, forums, etc), plus guest mixes, and organizing promo packs for DJ's. Then there's the accounting side of things, collecting royalties, working out artist's shares, and paying them. There is of course the ball ache of putting in a tax return too, which is a heck of a lot of work for such a small label, but unfortunately it has to be done.

So it's very time-consuming, and in all honesty can at times be frustrating, but the reward is getting the incredible music out there for all to hear and to be able to give something back to the artists for their hard work, is great.

Prox: What are some of your favorite tracks and releases from your catalogue?

Eschaton: That's a difficult question as obviously I like everything I release and it's hard to single out anything in particular. If I was to try and think of some off the top of my head though I'd say anything from Jiva, Drumkilla, Cryogenics and Parhelia, the recent vinyl releases that featured Future Engineers, Justice, Voyager, Aural Imbalance and others; Mine and Enjoy's 'Symbiosis LP' still sounds layered and intricate every time I listen to it (sometimes you get that lost in the production when making it so you don't appreciate what you've done). I'd certainly also say mono_sono – Staggered is always a firm favourite as well. There's such a lot of material and I think it depends on my specific state of mind as to what I prefer on what day to be honest. The forthcoming EP by Optimystic is pretty fine, with some exquisite attention to detail. Tomorrow you could ask me the same question and I'll give you a completely different answer :)

Prox: What are some of your favorite hobbies? What can we usually find you doing on a typical Friday night?

Eschaton: Apart from music my hobbies include Traveling, Hiking, Kick & Thai boxing and martial arts, going to the gym, jogging, cycling, astronomy, reading copious amounts of history, philosophy, paranormal case studies, and physics. And of course I like a good movie (or a bad movie according to my wife).

Normally Friday night is the night I chill out, as I'm worn out from the week’s shenanigans! A good night to recharge your batteries, have a little lie-in on a Saturday and then you're ready for anything again :)

Prox: Final thoughts?

Eschaton: Well I'd probably finish by giving everyone who has supported Omni Music a huge thank you, as we can't do this without you. It's a lot of hard work for everyone involved and we hope our fans appreciate that. Also all the DJ's who have played and supported Omni, huge thank you and respects to all of you.

I'll end with a thank you to every artist on the label and I urge your readers to check out any music they put out as it's always of the highest calibre. I'll be careful not to miss anyone ;)

Massive respects to: Fushara, Shebuzzz, Roo Stercogburn, Macc, Parallel, Greenleaf, Infest, Quasi, Fada, Shadow Boxerz, Enjoy, Ursa, Wilsh, Jiva, Cycom, Nic TVG, Relapse, Cavernous Space/Made in Russia, Indidjinous, CJ Weaver, Stunna, Pete Rann, Ricky Force, Jason Os (Daat), Hidden Life, Zengineers, Sprinter, Sumone, Neil S, Madcap, Reborn, Maff, Marvel Cinema, Icewind, mono_sono, Phasix, Physikal, Noble Sense, PILA, Okee, St Kaaz, Paluca, Scale, T.G.M, Fishy, Parhelia, Acid Lab, Paztech, Sky Residents, Asymmetric/Limit, Audapta, Abstract Drumz, Foci's Left, Justice, Metro, Goreteks, Nemanoe, S Kid, Aural Imbalance, Sub, Tidal, Dwarde, Tim Reaper, Oscillist, Arabaraq, Zebedee, Hansollo, K-Chaos + Luster Lamps, Cryogenics, Borja, Booca, Subfilter, Bass'Flo, Voyager, DJ Trax, dgoHn, DJ Senator, Storehouse, Drummotive, Leonux, Kappadee, Deep Stealth, Perceiver, Rehabilitation Units, Simon Bean, Beckett, J Digital, NSF Sick and Destroy, Wavkiller, Stranjah, ICO, Two Ghosts, Drumloop 808, Sativa and Destroy 2K, Phuture T, Modul8 and Sickhead, Speak, Audioholic, Ziyal, Fr.om, Christian Bokhove, Hidden Sound, Brijawi, Meanone, J-Breaks, Flow Steremov, LM1, Theory, Dissident, Subdata, Synth-Tesia, Mental Duo, Jaskin, Brad Impact, Echo Echo, Rainforest, Peron, OTM, NSF Bad Answer, DSP, Mendelayev, NSF Different thoughts, Jnr Bryson, Moreno, Anonymi, Derek Carr, Paul Addie, Kasious, Reximus, Mutants, Martianman, Fruktumungus, Drama, Jamie Simmonds, Mental Forces, The Drumkilla, Total Sceptic, Daniel Knoxville, Pageant, The Dicemen, Becki Biggins, Future Engineers, and Terminus....phew...

I've prepared a mix to say a final farewell where I decided to take things in unusual directions and feature a host of rarely mixed or heard older tracks of what to me, is timeless and experimental Drum and Bass, including some artists you'd never associate with making Drum and Bass. It also features a great selection of so far unreleased tracks from Cavernous Space, who has always been an artist I admire and I feel deserves much more exposure.

I wanted to create a whole new universe with this mix, so sit back and drift to 3 hours of epic timeless beats, and unusually for my mixes, there's not 1 Omni Music track included, so you should check them out yourselves on our Bandcamp page ;)

Hailing from Austin, Texas we have Shane O’Madden, an acclaimed electronic producer that has performed at huge concerts like Coachella and Lightning in a Bottle. Trained as a classical violinist, his pieces are often infused with an orchestral ambience. All of his releases have been met with acclaim and he is currently working on his next project “Decadence”. While his older work possesses a more Eastern chill-out flavor, his newer works are tinged with “Psybient Glichiness” and dubstep influences. He has been producing since the 90s and being able to tour with heavyweights like Shpongle, Thievery Corporation, and Bassnectar are a testament to his skill.

His two releases Worlds Within and Sound Sutras remain amongst my favorites and are a must for anyone interested in deep, danceable chill-out. It brings me great pleasure to bring you an interviewed with the seasoned veteran, Govinda.

 Prox: Let’s begin by hearing a bit about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you been producing music?

Govinda: I am from Austin, TX. Most people think I’m Indian but that is the actor Govinda. I started producing electronic music in the late 90’s after I heard Portishead's “Dummy”. Before that, I studied music composition at the University of Texas and wrote orchestra and symphony music. 

Prox: What initially drew you to Electronic music as opposed to continuing down the road of classical compositions?

Govinda: I fell in love with beats and ambient textures. I love the way electronic music focuses on the sound architecture and frequency separation. I think it’s as important as the content itself.

Prox: Why did you choose Govinda as your production moniker? Are you a practicing Buddhist or interested in any other Eastern dogma?

Govinda: I attended a spiritual growth workshop in Vancouver, BC where I had an awakening. As thirty people were chanting “Hare Govinda”, I had an epiphany that I was supposed to make music to elevate consciousness. I used the name that we were chanting from then on.  

Prox: Who are some of your musical and artistic inspirations?

Govinda: I am loving all of the Psy-Dub, Psybient and Glitch coming out now like Eurythmy, Tipper, Sixis, etc and I also love classics like Tango, Indian, Middle Eastern, and Classical. 

Prox: Take us all the back to 2004 and 2007 for Worlds Within and Sound Sutras. What was going on during your life at the time and what were the circumstances surrounding each release?

Govinda: I was with a label that was selling chill-out music. I was also making music for video games and raising a family. My life was light and airy then. 

Prox: What’s tour life like? How does it feel to able to travel to so many places around the world because of music? Does “being there on business” take away from the grandeur of any particular location?

Govinda: I love my job! I don’t get to stick around too often after the show but I do enjoy traveling and exploring different people and cuisines. 

Prox: You have performed at some pretty big festivals like Coachella and Lightning in a Bottle. How does it feel to have your music embraced by so many people from all over the world?

Govinda: It’s amazing. I absolutely love being able to touch so many people around the world. I love playing festivals but prefer to stay away from them after the shows. It gets a little crazy. 

Prox: Up until to this point, what has had the biggest influence on your life and music from an artistic perspective? 

Govinda: The thing that keeps me going is the opportunity to touch people’s lives with my art. There is nothing like seeing everyone dance ecstatically with that huge blissful smile!

Prox: Have you ever experimented with psychedelics substances? If so, what would you say are some of the inherent values of these sacraments?

Govinda: Of course I have. I have seen many esoteric openings in the matrix of art and life through these medicines. It’s allowed me to feel on different dimensions and create music that spans many planes of consciousness. I am very careful to only use these substances sparingly as I know they only provide openings and it’s up to us to walk through the doorways in our natural state. 

Prox: What can your fans expect from the upcoming release Decadence? Will it harken back to the sounds of Worlds Within or Sound Sutras?

Govinda: I know I have taken a lot longer to release this one. I have been working to create a new sound again. More of the same vibe mixed with some of the old. Much more violin and Psybient Glitchiness. 

Prox: What are some of your favorite hobbies?

Govinda: Traveling, cooking, skiing, architecture and design.

Prox: Tips for new producers?

Govinda: Always be true to what comes out of you. Many try to make music in certain genres but I feel like that limits your true expression. 

Prox: Final thoughts?

Govinda: Love life.

Hip-Hop producer Freddie Joachim (JO-AH-KIM) hails from San Diego, California and has been involved in music for over twenty years by way of DJing and instrumental production. I was initially introduced to his music a few years back after hearing his fantastic track “Ride” on Pandora. Diving deeper into his discography, it was easy to hear his affinity for Old School Hip-Hop, Jazz, and Soul; And his tracks are obligatory for fans of those genres or listeners interested in mellow, neck snapping beats.

With productions featuring distorted synths coupled with relaxing guitar variations, Freddie has a signature sound that most instrumental aficionados can instantly recognize. Tightly mixed, old school boom bap sequences perfectly accompany soulful collaborations with wonderful vocalists like Lauren Santiago and Carlitta Durand, and has allowed him to carve out a spot in the expansive producer driven hip-hop scene. As a result of this, he has been able to work with companies with like NBC, Nike, and the superstar MC, Joey Bada$$.

In this interview, we learn more about his background, musical inspirations, and some of his dream collaborations.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from, how did you initially get into music, and how long have you been producing?

I'm from San Diego, CA. I was born in the early 80's and listened to a lot of hip hop in my early youth, then I started DJing in the mid 90's when i was teenager, which lead into recording and producing music since around 2000.

Who are some of your biggest inspirations? Is there anyone or anything outside of music that has impacted your work? 

Pete Rock, DJ Premier, J Dilla, Hi-Tek, DJ Khalil, Spinna, DJ Cam, and more. I think traveling, meeting people, and understanding the world has helped shape my music.

Midway was an expertly crafted and massive release. What was your mindset going into it and is there any particular reason that there were so many tracks released for that project?

Midway is a collection of tracks I produced in 2009/2010. I just wanted to show my range as a hip hop/soul producer. It was the start of Mellow Orange, so I wanted to release something pretty substantial.

Could you describe your sonic and tonal evolution from Midway to Fiberglass Kisses?

Midway was a collection of different styles of beats, while Fiberglass Kisses had a central theme. I think during the time in between those two albums, there was a shift in music in general, with a lot of producers and artists touching into the more electronic and synth heavy vibe. I myself took some influence from that, which you can hear in Fiberglass Kisses. But ultimately, I want to continue to produce music that I enjoy making, and that's jazzy, soulful music.

Some of your productions have a very islandesque (almost Hawaiian) feel to them. What inspired this sound? Do you travel to these kinds of climates often?

I'm a pretty easy going person, so my music is a reflection of that. I grew up listening to a lot of jazz and soul driven hip hop, so that's what I initially wanted to create, and it's a sound that a lot of listeners would identify to me.  

Which of your albums would you say is your favorite? Can you give us some of your favorite tracks?

I really liked working on Midway because it was all me. I had just come off of producing a couple albums featuring other artists, and it was an exhausting and sometimes stressful process. When I produce albums where it's only me involved, it's a lot easier on me. My favorite track on that album is "Ride"

How does it feel to be working with budding hip-hop stars like Joey Bada$$ as well as big name brands like NBC and Nike? How cathartic or gratifying is it to receive such acclaim for the collaborations?

I have to treat everything as a great opportunity, and I've been blessed to be able to work with great artists, and companies.  Sometimes things will just fall into my lap, while others, I have to find ways to make it happen, but either/or, it's a great feeling.

Is it possible that we could get a full mixtape or EP collaboration with Joey?

Ha. Probably Not. That would be dope, but we're both busy with our own things, Joey especially.

Are there any other rappers that you would be honored to work with?

Pretty much any of the rappers I grew up listening to: ATCQ, KRS-One, Mos Def, Common, and I really want to work with Talib Kweli. He's one of the first big rappers I want to work with.

How important was Mellow Orange in promoting your music?

Before Mellow Orange, I was just releasing music with other labels and artists, and whoever approached me. But Mellow Orange is all us (me, Yusai, and QSTN). We're in control of the music, the design, the distribution,  promotion, etc.  I didn't belong to a team before, but now it's like, "cool. i'm releasing music with my friends. the way we want"

Who are some contemporary producers that you enjoy?

I enjoy a handful of new producers. Right now i'm listening to Theory Hazit, Tall Black Guy, Brenk Sinatra, Moods, Hazel, Nehzuil, and a handful of others.

How close are we to the next album?

Not sure. Honestly, i'm not super focused. My mind is everywhere right now. However, I am working on new stuff, and I want my next album to be a representation of myself and where I am currently, and not recycled tracks of my old stuff.

What are some of your favorite hobbies?

I'm a fairly normal dude so I like a lot of movies, sports, and technology.  Right now I'm a gym rat, so I go everyday, and i read a lot on workouts and nutrition. Other than that, I really enjoy traveling to new places, and spending time with my girlfriend.

Tips for upcoming artists?

It's cliche, but work hard and stay humble. I guess you just gotta remain patient, but work toward goals regardless of the size. It's easy to get discouraged at times, especially when a lot of other artists are killing it, but use that as motivation. It's not about being better than other people, but to better yourself. Learn from other people, learn from mistakes, study other music, take criticism to better yourself and your art. Also, invest in what you believe in. Meaning, if you really want to pursue music, take the extra steps to learn all you can about it, like going to school, or taking music or instrument courses, and investing your own money in projects and releasing them, instead of wasting money on other junk.

Final thoughts?

Big thanks to everyone supporting mine and Mellow Orange's music.  Drink plenty of water and eat your vegetables. 

So after a fairly enlightening conversation with a friend, I got a better understanding of what the inherent issues are with our current form of government and why change is meager at best and more often than not, nonexistent. For whatever reason, humanity has opted to turn to corporate hatchet-men labeled as politicians for leadership and guidance. This faith based system that we have is just as, if not more broken than many of the religious institutions that have been ruthlessly parodied in 21st century America.

The candidates (as glossy, genuine, and forward thinking as they may seem) are not the issue, it’s the system that produces them. A system that by many accounts, is not for the betterment of our society and acts as a sort of checks and balances on the very progress many voters are seeking to obtain. It’s very, very easy to become enraptured with the quixotic (and sexy) promises of a corporate figurehead, but that’s all they are, promises. Promises to get un and under-informed individuals to rush out in droves to vote because they finally found a candidate with a catchy enough slogan. The voters themselves, who are in most cases well-meaning, honest individuals, don’t understand that by voting, you give your approval of the current system. Ignore the candidates for a second and focus on the structures that allow them to come into power in the first place. A system flooded with propaganda, corporate pandering, and elitist circle jerking that encourages narcissistic and psychopathic individuals (who have built a foundation on half-truths and flat out lies) to come into office and “change” things. Bureaucracy, in my opinion, slows down progress and by white knighting and expecting another party to initiate change in your country’s progression, you externalize and limit your own power.

“Well Prox, how is doing nothing better?”. Simple, because if you do not vote, you do not sanction the behaviors of these individuals and you most certainly do not give your consent. Our consent is worth the billions of dollars that is spent on lobbying and promotion because without our consent, they can’t keep up the illusion of democracy in this country. We live in a plutocratic republic that has been pawned off as a bipartisan democracy. John Trudell had a brilliant talk about romanticizing civil disobedience and the idea that protest has to be performed with garish picket signs and equally catchy anti-voting puns. Sure there are some who prefer to make their voice heard via long winded diatribes, signs, and t-shirts, but the idea that protest has to be approached in this manner is completely incorrect. We often gripe about how poor the education system is in the country, but we encourage and expect individuals that are a byproduct of that very same system, to go out and make a decision that will supposedly restructure the foundation of the country. Individuals who are fresh out the academic pressure cooker but are deemed too emotionally and biologically immature to even have a drink to celebrate such “an important milestone in the progress of American society” have the ability to impose their political ideologies (ideologies that are by and large regurgitations of whitewashed or factually void opinions from parents and other “leaders”) on the cultural strata. The idea that informed individuals can be undercut by people who suddenly believe they’re experts on politics because they watched a few debates and wore a few buttons supporting a particular candidate around election time, is nauseating.

Germany’s Uwe Zahn (aka Arovane) has been experimenting with sounds since the late-seventies and has been noted as a fairly influential contributor to the German Industrial and IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) scene. He has been one of my favorite producers and i’ve been a fan since I initially got into production years ago. I still regularly listen to tracks like “Torn”. 

Much of his work is infused with digital pops, clicks, eerie but spacious synths, and other interesting “metallic” sounds. While the majority of his work is stellar (which is why he has become a legend of sorts in the IDM scene) his two releases “Tides” and “Lilies” are absolutely gorgeous. They are quite the departure from many of his works up until that point, but they are exceptional nonetheless. 

Featuring washing waves and other ambient nature sounds, “Tides” is an excellent downtempo (almost ambient post-rock) release that invokes introspective walks on the beach or resting underneath a clear night’s sky. “Deauville” and the titular track “Tides” are two standouts and often bring back memories of where I was in my life when I first discovered him.“Lilies” is infused with a Japanese flare and is more uptempo, but manages to be eerie and intrusive in spots. It is still one of my favorite albums from top to bottom and it easily falls into the category of “press play”. You’d be hard pressed to find a bad track on this release from a technical standpoint. It, along with “Tides”, are two of the greatest downtempo releases of all time in my opinion and both feature the now iconic harpsichord that his listeners have come to love.

After the release of “Lilies” in 2004 however, he took a hiatus, which during that time, we (the fans) believed was finite. Many fans were saddened by this, and even though I discovered his work midway through his leave, I was still disheartened by the very real possibility that he may not return. Thankfully, we were wrong and in 2013 he came back with the release “Ve Palor” on n5MD. This release harkens back to the original, industrial sound of his previous works “Atol Scrap” and “Icol Diston” (which are also great. Buy them). He is fresh off the release of “-In Between-“ an ambient release with Hior Chronik. In this interview, I ask about some of his influences and what triggered his desire to take such a long sabbatical.

 Prox: Let’s hear a bit about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you been making music?

Arovane: I was born in Hameln, Niedersachsen, Germany and grew up in the Weserbergland area. I remember my first experiments with a cassette recorder and handmade instruments in my parents house back at the end of the seventies and early eighties.

Prox: How did you come up with the name Arovane and what does it mean?

Arovane: It doesn't mean anything. It just sounds good to my ears. I like to play with words for track/ sound names.

Prox: What initially drew you to the IDM and Industrial sound? Who were some artists that influenced this?

Arovane: I love to listen to the radio. Back in the eighties you could listen to a lot of interesting radio formats that played music from The Residends, SPK, Eno, Joy Division, and Zappa. I heard the sampled and sequenced sounds from The Art of Noise and they created a bridge between the chart Pop and Experimental Electronic music. IDM (a music industry term) was born much later.

I'm influenced by a wide range of Electronic music from Klaus Schulze's early albums, SPK's industrial noises, Eno's ambient music, balinese music, minimal music, experimental music, classical music. I like polyrhythmic patterns like in ancient african music as well. There are no specific artists that influenced my style of music.

Prox: What are some of your favorite albums? Do you enjoy other genres?

Arovane: Currently i'm listening to Tatsuro Kojima, Miguel Isaza, Porya Hatami, Darren McClure. Ambient-experimental-minimal music which is completely under the radar.

Prox: What was the cause of your long hiatus? Did you feel as if you had said everything you had to say musically or was it more personal?

Arovane: I wanted to do something different. I sold some of my studio equipment, studied to receive my driver’s license and bought a motorbike. There is much more I want to say musically and I never stopped producing music. I think my life is too short to create all the musical things I have in mind.

Prox: What did you do in your time away? Did you find a completely different career?

Arovane: I travelled a lot, met beautiful people and organized my life.

Prox: What caused you to return to music? Did you miss the fan reception and camaraderie or was it something else entirely? 

Arovane: Back in 2013 it was a good time for me to “come back“ and release new music. I started my own shop on Bandcamp. It was very nice to see that my fans were quite happy to hear new tracks and sounds on Soundcloud.

Prox: “Tides” and “Lilies” are very, very impressive albums in my opinion. Both of them are certainly eerie at times, but hauntingly beautiful. Where would you say you were at emotionally during the production of these two albums? Why did you move away from the more industrial sound that was seen in your previous releases?

Arovane: Thanks a lot for your compliment. I had a very clear idea of “Tides” and the follow up “Lillies" and what they should sound like. Emotionally, I was very happy at that time as I had just come back from Japan. I wrote “Lilies” after I returned. “Tides” was influenced from a trip to France. I do not want to commit myself to a particular music style. 

Prox: Is it possible that fans will get sequels or spiritual successors to “Tides” and “Lilies”?

Arovane: I had the idea to record an orchestrated version of “Tides”. Maybe in the future?

Prox: What are some of your favorite albums and tracks from your catalogue? I’d have to say Lilies is my favorite album while Torn, Tides, and Revart AMX are my favorite tracks.

Arovane: My current fave is “-In Between-“ released on ASIP but usually I don’t like to listen to my old stuff.

Prox: Currently, what are some sounds and textures you are experimenting with?

Arovane: Currently i'm working on collaborations with Porya Hatami, Darren McClure and Takeshi Nishimoto. I finished a solo album for http://eter-lab.net/en/. It's minimal-drone-experimental music. 

Prox: How much do you think your work has evolved since returning?

Arovane: My work has continuously evolved. As a sound designer and musician, I worked for companies like Ableton, Twisted Tools, Soundmorph to mention a few. I'm a sound researcher and I think you will hear it in my current productions.

Prox: What are some of your favorite hobbies outside of music? Are you into tech?

Arovane: I love to ride my motorbike but most of the time I am producing music. I try to keep up to date with the technical developments by reading blogs and talking with colleagues.

Prox: Could you give some tips to new producers?

Arovane: Follow your own way. Don't care about what the other people say but listen to the criticism of your close music-friends.

Prox: Final thoughts?

Arovane: Make sound, make music.

Digital artist Eugenia Loli hails from Greece and currently resides in California. After dabbling in a few fields (Nursing, Computer Programming, Filmmaking) she ultimately has decided to use her skills as an animator to produce wonderful, mind-bending collages. I loved her work so much that I even decided to use her piece "No More Galaxies for Today, Timmy!" as the cover art for my first release "Promenade Through the 4th Dimension". 

In this brief interview, I ask Eugenia about how she handles the reception she has received as of late and she gives some tips for other artists out there.

Prox: How does a piece typically begin for you? What are some of the emotions that you usually experience before, during, and after it's conception. Where does the inspiration come from? Eugenia: I don't have emotions about it, I just have a need and a drive to make a collage. I wake up, and I must do a collage. It's almost mechanical for me. I must do it, because when it's complete, it offers me a pleasure similar to when you complete a Tetris level. Prox: Your work seems to have been embraced wholeheartedly by the internet. Numerous cultures (Psychedelic, Marijuana, Artistic, etc) have shared and celebrated your pieces. How does such warm reception make you feel as an artist? Eugenia: I would not be doing art if people didn't react to my work. I don't see the point of doing things without sharing them and enjoying them together. So I'm very grateful that people seem to like my work. Sometimes, it feels that this is the only real connection I have with the world: my work. Prox: What are some favorites from your catalogue? Is there one creation that you hold near and dear to your heart. What's the story behind it? Eugenia: "Three Minutes to Nirvana" is my best and deepest work of all. I don't think that I will ever do something as deep, because simply, I have nothing more to say. That artwork says it all, in terms of what I want to say.

Here's the explanation for it: http://cargocollective.com/eugenialoli/Three-Minutes-to-Nirvana Prox: What are some tips you'd give to aspiring artists? Eugenia: If they want to make art they want, they should. If they want to make money off their art, they need to incorporate "pop" elements. That doesn't necessarily mean that they need to sell out, but they'd definitely need to make changes if they're after wide acceptance. Also, they need to be very strong about marketing their work online, using the right tags, links, description etc.

Androcell is the Psy-Dub project of Tyler Smith, a fellow midwestern that has relocated to Colorado. He has been producing music for almost two decades now and it definitely shows in the quality of his releases. Much of his music is laced with expansive synth textures that call to mind beautiful (and psychedelic) asiatic pilgrimages. “Seahorse Dreams” is the first track I can recall listening to (I discovered it on an ambient playlist) and thought it was an absolutely stellar piece of music. With organic sounds, lush and hypnotic vocals, and crystal clear mixing, it was very easy to become enraptured with this outstanding track and I decided to explore more of his storied catalogue. After listening to the trippy and relaxing “Efflorescence” (featuring perhaps his most famous track “Neurosomatic Circuit” and one of my personal favorites, “Atmos-Spheres") I discovered the stunning “Entheomythic”, which features gorgeous cover art and deep, complex, multi-layered productions. I’ve found that the rhythms, vocals (which seem to be in a mostly Indian or Arabic dialect), and polyrhythmic percussions tend to lend themselves quite nicely to my own “special pilgrimages” if you know what I mean.

His releases are certainly unique and while there are other Psy-Dub producers, his productions have a uniqueness and clarity that arguably place him at the head of his class. His most recent release “Imbue” has received wonderful reception from fans and critics alike and it appears that he quickly becoming THE Psy-Dub producer. 

Prox: Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up, how long have you been producing, and what got you into music?

AC: My name is Tyler Smith and I have been producing music as Androcell since 2003.  I was born and raised on the central Great Plains of the Midwest of the United States (where the fields seemingly never end). I started down a path of seriously decoding how to make electronic music in 1996 at age 17. Curiosity would have to be the core motivation that pulled me into making this type of music having come from a mainly conventional music background. The more amazing electronic music I discovered and would listen to throughout the 90’s into the early 00’s, the more I became hungry to figure out how it was being done. 

Prox: Androcell is an awesome production name! What’s the story behind it?

AC: Androcell is a term I picked up from a visionary rocket-propulsion engineer named Krafft Arnold Ehricke. He describes the theoretical object in his essay “Extraterrestrial Imperative”, referring to it as “a new beginning” for humankind. He believed that human creativity had no limits. Since I was at a musical crossroads in 2003 and needing a name for my then newly beginning psychedelic downtempo project, his term “Androcell” indicated to me a notion of the creative human spirit having no limits and obviously represented a technological protection of the creative human in the pursuit of going beyond currently perceived limits. This was grand inspiration being that I felt I always wanted to make electronic, technological music that could possibly help safely dissolve limitations and boundaries of human hearts, minds, and nervous systems. I realized if I chose this name it would help to reinforce an aspiration of continuously pushing to improve upon my own limits as an electronic music producer. 

Prox: Did you get into Psy-Dub/Psyambient by way of other artists that inspired you from the genre? Did you begin your musical career in a different genre and end up here?

AC: I stumbled upon the Blueroom Released music label by happenstance. This allowed for the discovery of a band called The Infinity Project and their “Mystical Experiences” album from 1995 that included some early audio wizardry of the legendary Simon Posford. This album was a serious trip for me back then and made me feel compelled to hopefully someday make similar music that I could alter my own and other people’s consciousness and nervous systems with. Experiencing the highly influential album “Are You Shpongled?” on Twisted Records brought my attention to an evolved sense of this after it was released in 1998. There was a song named “Avalon” in 1997 by a French band called Spectral that has a particular feeling and was a big inspiration as well. Over the years, many astounding electronic artists from a very wide range of genres and styles would inadvertently tutor me each time I bought and listened to their work.

It was evident that there was a growing discography of psychedelic electronic music already being produced just waiting to be finally discovered in a record store or online. I primarily wrote psytrance early on under the moniker Prabhamandala because in youth I fed a lot on that kind of musical energy. Androcell started at age 24 after extensive experiences with many musical experiments and I started to get a better handle on what I was doing both production-wise and engineering-wise. 

Prox: Who are some artists that you would say had the most profound impact on your work? Are they exclusively musical or have other mediums influenced you as well?

AC: I would say that a lineage of European electronic music has mainly inspired me. If you listen closely back through the musical history, it seems you can kind of connect some of the dots of who influenced who, here and there, going back over many years. I am really influenced more so by the emotional content of my life experience and perception in general and try to take cues from my own nervous system as much as possible. What I create to come from the speakers has to make me feel something in particular in hopes that it will make others feel that same something. Even if a tune only translates to just simply feeling good, it is that feeling that is of upmost importance to me. It can be an arduous but extremely rewarding process of concocting something that not just sounds good, but incites a certain vibe or feeling when played back.

Prox: Currently, who are some of your favorites? Who are some artists that you enjoy outside of Psy-Dub/Psyambient?

AC: Unfortunately, I don’t make enough time for a lot of casual listening these days so it is hard for me to play favorites. Globular and Spatialize are a couple artists from the U.K. doing nice work, though. Anything by Seb Taylor of Hibernation and Kaya Project is worth listening into. Hopefully, Third Ear Audio will release another album at some point. Also, Shanti Planti Records has a lot of interesting artists doing some quality work, like Akasha Project or Quanta, for instance. All types of sonic goodness can be discovered at their respective Bandcamp pages. 

Prox: Entheomythic is my favorite release from your catalogue. Where were you at mentally and emotionally when you began working on it? How did you settle on the beautiful cover art and title?

AC: I was in a very transitional phase in my life having relocated into city life in Colorado after six inspirational years of previously living in more rural northern Arizona. The high desert region with scatterings of sweet smelling Ponderosa pine forests became very special to me and I had some nice places I could easily go hang out to get away or catch an inspiring sunset whenever the impulse struck. In Colorado, my wife Alicia and I began to share one vehicle and I ended up becoming a bit cut off from accessing unrestricted nature as easily as where we had lived previously. So, it became absolutely necessary to escape into my imagination through sound creation and an assortment of different emotions and feelings came through into various musical forms during this period.

The title and cover concept were based on my imagination and interpretation of an ancient moon goddess or night sorceress performing a magical rite. I wanted to convey a strong sense of feminine power balanced with benevolence.  Extensive durations of contemplation eventually led me to forge the words “entheo” meaning God or Goddess and “mythic” meaning of myth or imagination. I then tried to personally create cover artwork that would live up to this conceptualization.  

Prox: A vast majority of your tracks are extremely complex, featuring many different layers of synths, polyrhythmic drums, an array of effects, and vocal samples. Is it difficult to compose such intricate tracks or has it become second nature at this point?

AC: After have written numerous tracks for many years I can say that making a “good” tune has not become any easier or comes about any faster. With every song created there are bursts, blocks, and breakthroughs.

Prox: What is your favorite song and album from your discography? Which project was the most personal for you?

AC: I have had a lot of good moments over the years watching audiences get deep into the song “Neurosomatic Circuit” from the “Efflorescence” album released in 2006. The combination of the soundscape with the hypnotic tone of Robert Anton Wilson’s voice seems to have made for an admirable tune. Producing the fourth Androcell album “Imbue” released in 2014 has definitely been the most personal for me. My friend, Jack Shure, had offered to paint the album cover and the artwork he exclusively created is very personal and extremely meaningful to me as well.

Prox: How does it feel to receive so much critical acclaim for your latest album, Imbue?

AC: It feels amazing to see many people accept it as a whole after I felt like Entheomythic was kind of a failure as an album for many fans.

Prox: Much of your work has a very asiatic soundscape. Has any particular Eastern doctrine or dogma shaped your own personal philosophy?

AC: I try not to subscribe to any doctrine or dogma. It is not the agnostic way. Such musical scales and sounds can often induce a very pleasant, exotic feeling for me. I simply follow the feeling.

Prox: Have you ever experimented with psychedelic drugs? If so, which ones and how much would you say they’ve impacted your life and work? AC: No, but they surely have experimented with me. :)

Prox: Where are some of your favorite places to perform live sets? What’s the energy of the venue like?

AC: I like performing anywhere that a crowd of human beings decide to come together collectively like one pulsing organism, radiating respect and a sense of community for each other through demonstrations of smiles, hugs, or any other gesture of camaraderie, and most importantly losing themselves in the music through their dance. The energy feels that of a unifying respect and hopefully appreciation for each other together in sharing this strange and wonderful experience we call life. 

Prox: What are some of your favorite hobbies? What other field could you see yourself working in?

AC: I really enjoy snowboarding during the season when I can afford it. I love becoming one in the flow with the mountain. In the past, I did professional graphic design and commissioned digital artwork for some record labels so it would be super sweet to potentially create graphics for a snowboard company. Prox: Ultimately, what do you wish to say with your music?

AC: Now feel this. :)

Prox: Tips for new artists?

AC: Trust your ears and the rest will follow. 

Prox: Final thoughts?

AC: 5 new songs are in the slow cooker and to be released as the “Creatures” EP in late 2015, possibly early 2016.  www.androcell.com

As we get older our musical and artistic tastes become more refined. I got really, really into ambient music in my mid-teens after stumbling into producer Jonson’s criminally underrated space ambient masterpiece “Mindlook”. Before then, I had only experienced the genre through Science Fiction movies and the occasional background piece in guided meditation videos. I found it to be quite relaxing and it introduced a bit of variety into my usual rotation. During that time, I was obsessed with underground and instrumental Hip-Hop, Jazz, Downtempo, and some other electronic offshoots like Trip-Hop and Acid Jazz; So it felt good to lay down and essentially be swallowed up by these expansive dronescapes. As time went on, I found myself delving deeper and deeper into the genre and before I knew it, I had arrived at the work of Thom Brennan, one of the pioneers of the minimal ambient movement of the 1980s.

Thom quickly became one of my favorites as his style was expansive, full, and engaging but left plenty of space for introspection or work. It was very easy to lay down and be wherever that particular piece took place and it had a certain intrusiveness to it that I appreciated. It was much more than background noise and I was really smitten with those kind of productions during that time. I have always been a fan of songs or albums that accurately represent their titles, so when I heard “Beneath Clouds” a beautifully produced, asian inspired long player, I felt just that, beneath clouds. I combed through his work and felt connected to it spiritually. I found that many of his pieces are oddly therapeutic.

It wasn’t until last year that I discovered his most recent album “Stories From the Forest” and it quickly became one of my favorites. It could quite possibly be my most played album from start to finish. I went camping in the Upper Peninsula here in Michigan last summer and listened to it in it’s entirety every night on my way to sleep as a way to mesh with the earthly landscapes of Greater Michigan. Masterfully produced, real, and slightly haunting, this album perfectly encapsulates the dark, lush, Michigan wilderness at night. A wilderness that in many respects, draws comparisons to Thom’s current stomping grounds in Washington.

After listening to most of his extensive catalogue that spans the greater part of two decades, he has gone on to become my favorite ambient producer and it brings me nothing but pleasure to have the opportunity to speak with such a renown talent.

Prox: Could you give us a bit of insight into who you are? Where are you from, how long have you been producing and what are some of your hobbies outside of making music?

Thom: I purchased my first synthesizer around 1980 or so. I was in College in Los Angeles at the time and my musical interests had started several years earlier when I heard an avant-garde composer Morton Subotnik. I liked the “tone” of electronic instruments and the wave forms were pure, simple, and clear; Until the synthesist morphs them into shape. He described his music as sound sculptures, and it was a perfect description. I was also interested in minimalist music like Terry Riley and Phillip Glass. Riley used an electric organ and tape loop system (before anyone else thought of it) to play live and create hypnotic evolving patterns of notes, over which he would freely improvise. From there, I found the more ”rock” oriented electronic bands of the mid 70s that were happening in Europe like Tangerine Dream, Heldon, Popol Vuh, and Klaus Schulze among others. Ultimately, it lead to the completion of my first album in 1986, which was titled “Mountains”. Initially, it was released only as a self-funded cassette tape. Steve Roach around that time was working on his album “Structures from Silence” if I recall correctly, and he really acted as a guide and mentor on “Mountains” from start to finish, including the mastering. This was a challenge for him because it had all been recorded live to a cassette deck. I travelled a bit growing up and as a kid I spent time living on the island of Okinawa in the late 60s, and later in Tucson, Arizona. Both places I think, developed my love for landscapes and nature, and that is often the inspiration for my music. I spent many years in Los Angeles. I lived there for the entirety of the 1980s then I moved to San Francisco for most of the 1990s, and i’ve been in the Seattle area since 2000.

Prox: What software and hardware are you using?

Thom: I don’t use any software, only hardware synthesizers. I started with an old electric organ and a small modular Roland System 100 in early 1980s. Over the years I have favored a number of instruments from Oberheim, Yamaha, Korg, and Roland. I have used workstations as my main instrument and controller since around 1992. Currently, I am using a Yamaha Motif workstation, and a Roland V-Synth set up which consists of a V-Synth GT keyboard linked with a V-Synth XT module.  The main instrument I’m focused on right now is the V-Synth GT keyboard and the V-synth XT expander module. I’ve had them for several years but mainly used them as background instruments in my mixes. It has become my primary keyboard as of late. It’s a great synthesizer- one of the best I have used, and with the GT Keyboard controlling the XT module, it’s a fairly engaging performance tool and sound design kit. Between the keyboard and the expander unit, I have 3 synthesizer engines, 2 polyphonic pattern sequencers, and 3 step modulators that can be routed to any parameter, and a host of other processors and effects. it also does sampling but I have no interest in that aspect. I am using it for it’s synthesizer engine which uses virtual analog and a simple form of FM synthesis. The last CD “Stories from the Forest” was the Motif and heavy on the V-synth GT.

Prox: Who were some of your musical influences growing up? Are there any contemporary ambient artists that you’re a fan of?

Thom: I mentioned some of my earliest influences but I also liked early Pink Floyd, Tangerine Dream and Edgar Froese. His album “Epsilon in Malaysian Pale” is one of my favorites of all time. Tangerine Dream’s “Rubycon” also. Both are from the mid-70s and are great examples of what was a very new sound in music at that time. There was a German band, Popol Vuh, that I really liked as well. In particular, a 20 minute track called “Vuh” from their album “In Den Garten Pharaoh” released in the early 70s, but its still around today. It was a sustained 20 minutes of cathedral pipe organ chords and an array of eastern percussion. That track will always be with me, and was an influence on my album “Satori”.

I also listened to Vangelis (who I think may be the greatest solo keyboardist of all time), Brian Eno, and Harold Budd. The list is probably endless with names I have forgotten. The band Hammock is a favorite today, which can be best described as “ambient shoegaze”. That’s a recent trend in “ambient” that I listen to. I think it’s sometimes called Post rock, but there is an ambient influenced wing growing out of that genre. Sigur Ros is a favorite and kind of falls into that territory. I like everything I have heard from Iceland! 

I’m also listening to Richard Skelton. He is an English musician who is very much inspired by the moors of England. He creates really haunting and atmospheric music using violin, and loops. I came across his music recently and was addicted immediately. Plus, he has a lot of releases out from his own label. Also, a friend of mine Micah Wolfe from New Zealand, who sometimes goes by the artist name of Stray Theories. He has a number of self-produced albums available and has tracks at Bandcamp available. He is a favorite.

Prox: Did you experiment with other genres before settling on ambient?

Thom: No, I never thought about a style. I just do what comes naturally. I still don’t really classify it within a style. I don’t know what it would be called. The name “Ambient” was hi-jacked years ago from the work Brian Eno was doing and he created the idea of ambient music with albums like “Music for Airports”, and the “Apollo Soundtracks”. It was textural audio intended to be in the background as part of an environment. I’m not sure if most of my music falls into that category. Rather than being in the background, it’s generally intended to be front and center.

Prox: Much of your work has a meditative quality to it. Extremely atmospheric and deep tracks that are perfect for rumination, meditation or writing. Do you design the tracks with these activities in mind or do you just play? Thom: No, I never give any thought to what the listener may use the music for. Although a landscape or a “Place” may have inspired the music, I am usually immersed in the audio textures while recording and not really thinking about anything else. It’s largely improvised so my focus is all on the activity at hand. Since the inspirations are often from landscapes, or nature, I think that helps a lot in creating the “atmospheric” or “meditative” aspects. Most of the music I listen to tends to be, to varying degrees, introspective. Sometimes meditative, but certainly most tends to be calming in some way, so it would be natural for me to express that in my own works.

Prox: Has spiritualism or any other philosophy played a role in your style or decision to create ambient music over other genres? Thom: Not really. I’m a bit of a cynic when it comes to spiritualism or New Age notions of mysticism. I’m pretty grounded in science and nature. Music is nothing more than our strange and inexplicable attraction to sounds that are appealing to us. I guess the notion that we are a tiny part of the Universe becoming self-aware, a collection of atoms discovering all the nuances of existence – including music, is kind of mystical, but it’s really just nature on it’s grandest scale.

Prox: How different would you say ambient music is today as opposed to when you first began producing? Thom: The term ambient at that time was limited to a few genuinely ambient artists- Eno and Harold Budd come to mind. It was very quiet music. The electronic music I was listening to then was capable of being quite loud and at times aggressive. Tangerine Dream is remembered for the more mellow sound of their albums, but anyone who saw them live in the 1970s or 1980s didn’t leave the concert thinking of them as “ambient”.Today other styles have merged into the field creating a really endless range of genres, sub-genres and styles. It means the genre is healthy and growing.

Obviously the use of computers and software wasn’t an option in the early days. Part of the wonder at that time over electronic music was it being new, and the amazing modular synths of the time that people were using to create it. I still think that is more interesting than a computer screen but software has brought the cost down now allowing more people to do music of any kind, and that is a good thing. Hardware synthesizers have evolved a lot! I have instruments today that I could have barely dreamed of 25 years ago. It has made it easier to work from start to finish in a home studio and produce something that sounds professional. Then you have the internet, which did not exist then. It has made distribution of music a possibility that the individual musician barely had access to 25 years ago. Think for a moment and imagine a world that had no Google, Smart phones, iTunes, Amazon, or Spotify. It simply didn’t exist. You had to handwrite and mail letters. It was the Stone Age. Honestly, I don’t know how we survived back then!!!

Prox: Given the length of some of your tracks, how long does it usually take for you to make and mix a track?

Thom: Most of the time is spent in sound design before recording even begins. Once I have an “ensemble” of sounds (anywhere from 4 to 16), I start improvising and see where it leads. It’s a very unstructured process. I may record dozens of takes before I have material that I think is worth keeping. I have been editing on an Alesis Masterlink. The Masterlink records in 24 bit -48k audio and saves to a hard drive. From there, I can apply basic mastering effects. The mix is all done within the Motif workstation sequencer before being recorded.

The whole process can take some time, and result in many hours of recordings that won’t be used. It really depends on how the actual performance plays out and how well I capture the recording. The preliminary work, sound design and rehearsals may take days, or even weeks.  

Prox: I have a bit of a love affair with Seattle. I have never been to that side of country, but I want to move there from Michigan in a few years. Could you describe the culture or “flavor” of the Pacific Northwest? Does Seattle and the surrounding area have an influence on your music? Thom: The area definitely influences my music. The landscapes around Puget Sound are dense forests, rivers, mountains with snow covered peaks, temperate rainforests on the Pacific coast, and high desert east of the Cascade Mountains. It’s pretty diverse and it has been an inspiration on several albums. Puget Sound is an inland sea and it’s filled with islands. Many are easy to get to and finding a quiet beach to wander is easy, outside of the peak of summer tourists. Seattle is a hub of progressive and liberal ideas and culture, and is really a very beautiful city. I don’t spend much time in the city (the traffic is a nightmare) but there are great restaurants, lots of things to do, and it’s remarkably clean for a city of its size, especially compared to where I was before, in L.A. and San Francisco.

The northwest culture is mix of traditional influences, such as the fishing industry and Native American culture; And the modern influx of tech. Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing and Starbucks are all born and headquartered here. Starbucks evolved out of the Seattle “Café Culture” and neighborhood cafes were common in the city. You could sit and read next to a fireplace or chat with friends over espresso and I think the fact we tend to have a lot of gray damp weather, encouraged that. Most of them are fading away though now with a Starbucks on every street corner. There is still an espresso shop within walking distance anywhere in the city, or if you prefer- Marijuana stores are also pretty common, with it being legalized here recently. We have a lot of Native American Tribes in the area and aside from the upscale Casino Resorts, this adds a lot to the local culture outside of the urban areas. A few years ago, I was exploring the coast out on the northwest tip of the State which is part of the Makaw Tribe reservation lands. I happened to roll into their coastal fishing village during a summer festival serving up traditional fresh smoked salmon. That’s something I really like about this place. It’s a blend of the very old, and the very new in a landscape that is dynamic, and offers endless exploration. But like most of the Coastal cities, it’s getting very expensive here, especially in and near Seattle.

Prox: Stories from the Forest is my favorite from your catalogue and I almost always listen to in its entirety. What was the inspiration for this album? Was there any particular event or set of happen stances that led to the creation of this particular project? Thom: That was a long running project that changed direction at the last minute. I had completed a softer, more spacey version but it was not sitting well with me. I decided to re-record it with a completely different set of sounds. I went for more edge, distortion, and guitar type processors. The final result was a more aggressive sound and pace than the original. It fit better with the state of mind I was in at the time. There was no specific inspiration for this album. It evolved out of the sounds I was programming on the V-synth and Yamaha Motif. Usually, I build a group of sounds that I am going to use first, so I have an ensemble of “instruments”, then I improvise on ideas until something starts to lead somewhere.  The title references a “story” because the tracks are intended to be listened to together like chapters. This is why I tend to use many of the same “instrument” voices on each track, and the tracks don’t have separate titles. It’s just Parts 1-11. 

Prox: What is your favorite album from your catalogue and what were you trying to convey or tell the listeners on it? Thom: Possibly “Mist". I recorded that right after moving to Seattle and visiting the Olympic Rainforest. Having spent most of my life (since my early teens) in the Southwest that was a trip. If Elves were real, they would be there. I called it “The Moss Cathedrals” on one of my albums. On “Mist” I was doing my best to create a soundtrack for that forest. It’s not intended to be a literal picture, but just a state of mind. Ultimately, the forest was my inspiration, but it’s totally open to the listener to create whatever they want with it.

“Stories from the Forest” was my best from a technical standpoint I think. The recording is crystal clear and the individual instruments are clear and distinct in the mix. I was very happy with how that ended up from that standpoint. Since most of my work is largely live studio recordings to a digital stereo mix, getting a good mix at the start is really important as it’s hard to fix that afterwards. My first one, “Mountains” also remains one of my own favorites. That said, it’s easier for me to identify an album I hate… which is “Signals In Moonlight.” I wish I had never put it out. Aside from a few tracks, it was half baked.

Prox: Do you think it’s important for producers to understand the breath and scope of nature if they wish to create pieces in the same vein as yours?

Thom: No, I don’t think that’s required but I think it’s a healthy thing for all humans. We are not separate from nature. We are as much a part of the natural world as insects. I try to convey my own sense of wonder from nature, but someone else may try to express something else entirely. But by definition, ambient music should create “an ambience”, or an environment, or add character to an environment.

Prox: This question is a bit more esoteric, but what do you think of Cymatics and the healing capabilities of music? How cathartic of an experience is production for you? “River Flow” from the Tones EP has a particularly warming effect on me. Thom: “River Flow” is a favorite piece of mine, and I wish I had put it out on CD. I’m glad you like it. I’m not that familiar with Cymatics. I know it in reference to the organized patterns vibration can create in water for example. It seems to me, that like the concept of Emergence, in that it shows that there is an inherent “desire” for organization to resist chaos in the Universe. I don’t know if I believe music heals. But it can create a state of mind more conducive to healing.

Prox: What do you wish to say with your music?

Thom: I’m not really saying anything. I have no mission, no statement. I’m playing with sound, and hoping someone likes it. That’s all there is to it. Hopefully it serves as a soundtrack for the listener’s own imaginings.

Prox: Are there any plans for a new release? Thom: The last few years I slowed down a bit on output, but I am working on a couple of new projects, and i'm not sure which will be finished first or when. One is entirely done on the V-Synth GT and XT, and is a total throwback to the kind of live improvisational music I was doing in the mid-80s up to my first release “Mountains”. It has some similarity to that album. “Stories from the Forest” headed a bit in that direction but this has a more analog sound. Not entirely sure where it will lead. The other project is more “ambient- drone” in nature- maybe comparable to “Mist”, but neither are close to done yet though.

About a month ago I discovered the fantastic music of Russia’s Kirill Koloshnitsyn (aka The Drumkilla) after browsing through Omni Music’s Bandcamp page. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a huge Atmospheric Drum N Bass head. I absolutely adore it and much of the LTJ Bukem era stuff has had a big impact on my own musical tastes and productions. To me, it represents the perfect blend of chill but intrusive (and mostly danceable) beats for enjoying and potentially droning out to. After hearing The Drumkilla’s track “Planets Around” I decided that it would be a perfect track to use as the introduction theme for my Youtube channel (which will be coming as soon as I finish the damn thing. Adobe After Effects is unforgiving as hell) so I contacted him and he was more than happy to allow me to use it. Some time later, I contacted him again and asked if he would be interested in doing an interview for the site, and thankfully, I received the same response!

Right away, this guy lives up to his name. His drum sequencing is insane and it’s what really makes his work stand out for me. His “Breakbeats & Space EP” features beautifully mixed breaks, coupled with deep bass, and spacey synths. This stuff sounds like it was snatched straight out of a triple-A Science Fiction blockbuster. Absolutely wonderful productions that harken back to the old days of deep Jungle. So without further adieu, I am proud to present, The Drumkilla.

Prox: Tell us about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you been producing?

TD: Hello! My name is Kirill, I’m from the cold Russian town of Pechora, and I’ve been making music since 2009.

Prox: Is there a single song, album, or moment that inspired you to make music? 

TD: No, it was accidental. I just saw the video called“How to make trance music in FL Studio”, so I decided to try. I was 12 years old and it was just funny. I made a few tracks and showed them to my friends. They liked them and I remember that one of my friends used it as a ringtone on his phone. It’s an interesting irony: now I can make really cool tracks but nobody cares about it. Haha :D

Prox: What are some of your favorite tracks? Who are some of your favorite producers? Two criminally underrated pieces, Fairlight by Artemis and Back From Eternity by Alaska & Seba are what got me into DnB.

TD: I have a lot of favorite tracks, for example: “Kodiak” and “Sundog” from Alaska’s outstanding album “The Mesozoic Era”. This album is very inspiring to me. As for producers, I can’t choose my favorite because I like the whole drumfunk scene.

Prox: Your drum programming is insane. Could you walk us through what a typical sequencing session looks like for you? How long does it usually take?

TD: At first I choose the break, then I do some programming/chopping magic. Next part is an atmosphere: I trying to mix up some pads, making some textures from melodies. Then I do a bass line, add synths and some effects. It takes me anywhere from one day to an entire month, it depends on my laziness :D

Prox: What it is like to have the opportunity to release on a thriving label like Omni Music where so much new talent is emerging?

TD: I think that it’s cool. I really enjoyed working with Chris (Eschaton –owner of Omni Music), he was very responsive. I think that I will release something else on Omni soon.

Prox: Are you a space enthusiast? Why did you choose the title “Breakbeats & Space” for your release on Omni? Is it something you’re passionate about or did it just sound cool?

TD: I really like space! I’m reading news about actual space programs, about other planets, some hardware such as Curiosity rover and it’s very inspiring. I got into the space theme some years ago, and decided that I must do a fusion of ambient-jungle and drumfunk.

Prox: Are there any artists that you dream of collaborating with someday?

TD: Sure! Alaska/Paradox, Seba, DJ Trax, Fanu, Equinox, Nebula, Greenleaf, and more cool dudes.

Prox: Have you done any live sets yet? What’s the energy like?

TD: Unfortunately, the drumfunk scene is almost dead in Russia, that’s why I’ve never played anywhere. But now I’m living and studying in Saint Petersburg, and I hope that something will change. 

Prox: What are some other genres that you enjoy listening to?

TD: Funny fact, I’m making Drum & Bass but spend lots of time listening to some shoegaze, blackgaze, emo, screamo, post-black, atmospheric black, depressive black, doom and more. I’m a little bit tired of electronic music but I still love it.

Prox: Of everything that you produced so far under the Drumkilla moniker, what would you say is your favorite composition?

TD: I think that Earthrise and Event Horizon are the best tracks from my discography. 

Prox: What are some tips you’d give to someone like me who wants to get better at making deep, atmospheric DnB productions?

TD: Listen to more music, analyze it, try to do something similar, then try to do something different but still deep and atmospheric.

Prox: If you were given the opportunity to go to one other planet, which one and why?

TD: I prefer to stay here :) I love Earth. 

Prox: Do you think we’re alone in the universe?

TD: I think that we are not alone, but who knows how much time will pass before humanity can find someone else in our endless universe…

Prox: Final Thoughts?

TD: It was really nice to be interviewed, it’s the first time for me and I’m pretty excited. Thank you for paying attention to the music I make!

Some years back I was following the suggestions on iTunes from Hird’s “Moving On” album (if I remember correctly, it’s been so long now but i’m going to go with my gut here) and it lead me to the spacious, heavenly, electronic productions of Iceland’s Jonas Gudmundsson who produces under the moniker of Ruxpin. His release “Avalon” had a huge influence on my own musical tastes, my current productions, and it was actually one of the first digital albums i’ve ever purchased. I had a period where “9Mars”, “Lullaby” and probably my favorite from his entire catalogue, “Please Stay” were in constant rotation. What I noticed almost immediately about his productions was the dichotomy between the cold, fantasy like choirs and the static laden pops and glitches of traditional IDM or other left field sub-genres. During this time, I was still fairly new to electronica so it was usually either or for me. Either a track was an ambient piece designed to be more meditative and filmesque or it was experimental, danceable and full of bent circuits and static. This was long before I had discovered the works of the magnificent “Cendre” by Christian Fennesz and Ryuichi Sakamoto or the brilliant “Ravedeath 1972” by Tim Hecker. So I had never quite heard the two textures blended together so seamlessly and it was a refreshing take on electronic music for me. Boasting a robust catalogue and years of experience, I decided to reach out to him for an interview for Inside the Rift and thankfully, he was more than happy to entertain my questions and give me more insight on what makes him tick.

Prox: Tell us your story. Where did you grow up and how long have you been producing music?

Ruxpin: I grew up in the city of Kopavogur, the second largest city in Iceland. It's about a 10 minute walk from the capital. I first started dabbling in music when I was around 13 years old, I think. My two older brothers were always messing around with a sampler and an Atari computer and I gave it a try - and had so much fun with it that I still haven't stopped. When studying piano, there was a course in my music school which was called "Midi music". The teachers were Maggi Lego (GusGus & T-World) and Bix. There I got more and more involved with techno music and through that course I had my first release on a compilation at the age of 15. 

Prox: Who were some of your favorite musicians growing up and currently?

Ruxpin: In my teenage years I used to listen to a lot of FSOL (The Future Sounds of London), Bandulu and Orbital. There was the typical Underworld, Leftfield and The Prodigy as well. We caught MTV at my home and every weekend I was staying up late and ready with my VCR to record some goodies on The Chillout Zone. I discovered Ken Ishii and his "Jelly Tones" album and It influenced me quite a bit during these years. I also remember buying "I Care Because You Do" by Aphex Twin and thinking that this is something I've never heard before. It was weird, but strangely addictive. It's hard to point out which are my favorite musicians currently. I'm always interested what comes from Plaid, Julien Mier, Generate, Roel Funcken and Karsten Pflum. Lots of great stuff coming from Japan such as Ametsub, Daisuke Tanabe and Yosi Horikawa. Some good stuff coming from Iceland as well, such as from Möller Records and Raftonar Records. 

Prox: What equipment and software are you using at the moment?

Ruxpin: I hate discussions with other musicians about equipments and software. It doesn't really matter what is being used. Nobody cares. It's the end result that matters. 

Prox: Avalon is my favorite release from your entire catalogue. What was the creative process behind it? Did you go into it with a specific idea in mind or did it naturally take shape after completing a certain song?

Ruxpin: I did two albums at the same time: Avalon and Magrathea. The idea from the beginning was to create two separate worlds. One warm and organic (Avalon) while the other one would be cold and artificial (Magrathea). I would say that Avalon was my "love album", even up to the point of almost being a cliché. All the songs were composed with that in mind. There were talks about releasing it as a 2xCD, but Elektrolux found it better to detach them and have them separate, which in the hindsight was probably a better idea. 

Prox: Your music has a very interesting soundscape; Infusing digital, matrix-esque glitches with heavenly and expansive choirs and synths. How did you stumble into this particular style?

Ruxpin: I guess It just kind of happened. I always liked opposites in music. Without the ugliness there would be no beauty. The clean and straight up beautiful is uninteresting.

Prox: Iceland is a beautiful country stepped in rich and interesting Norse mythology. Does the Icelandic scenery and culture have an influence on your music?

Ruxpin: It probably does, subconsciously. The last two of my albums have, however, been made in Estonia where i'm currently living. 

Prox: What is your favorite song and album from your catalogue? Could you tell us why and the creative process was behind it?

Ruxpin: It’s not really my favorite, but It's quite close to my heart. It's "Requiem of the Metallic Heart" from the Elysium LP. My grandfather was a great musician who played for a symphonic orchestra. He had doubts about electronic music and that it would be unable to perform orchestral pieces in a way that it should be. To try prove him wrong I made an electronic version of Dies Irae by Mozart. He wasn't impressed by it. It was robotic and clumsy. First I was offended, but in hindsight I think he was correct. It taught me that making music to please others will always lead to disappointment. Music should be made for yourself, not others. 

My favorite album is always the last one I did. So for the time being it is "This Time We Go Together". When making the album I had two ravens always sitting together in a tree outside my window during mornings and nights. They went their separate ways each day, but ended always up side by side in the end of the day. The album is a story of them.  

Prox: You’ve been a musician for quite some time now, walk us through your evolution over the years. What was were some sounds that you favorited in the beginning as opposed to now?

Ruxpin: Hard to say. I guess little by little that I'm tidying things up. In the beginning I was very much into repetitive melodies surrounded by chaotic percussions, but I think I'm starting to minimize the chaos. 

Prox: What is the high point of your career so far? Have you had any surreal “look Mom!” or “Wow… I really did it.” moments?

Ruxpin: I’m just hoping that the high point of my career hasn't happened yet. I've experienced great things through music. I've travelled to amazing places and met so many amazing people. I hope to continue doing that. 

Prox: What are some of your favorite hobbies outside of music? If we showed up at your home on an average Saturday night, what would we find you doing?

Ruxpin: I’m a pretty normal guy, i guess. On an average Saturday night, I'd probably be putting my one year old son to sleep and afterward cleaning up in the apartment after that little tornado of a child. When I have spare time and lacking inspiration in music, I grab a book - mainly non-fiction. Reading fiction does occasionally happen though, mainly if its Haruki Murakami, Jose Saramago, Stefan Zweig, Eiríkur Örn Norðdahl or Mikhail Bulgakov. I do follow football a bit - mainly English or Icelandic, but my team in Iceland has been dreadful in recent years - so it's been mentally (and sometimes physically) hard to watch. 

Prox: If you weren’t producing music, what else could you see yourself doing?

Ruxpin: I graduated in history at University and work occasionally as an archivist and in archaeological excavations. So, I'd probably be somewhere involved even more in that area. 

Prox: If you could go back in time and tell yourself one thing that you know now about music (production, the industry, etc) what would it be?

Ruxpin: I’d probably tell myself to not take things too seriously production-wise. The music industry itself has changed so much since I first started that I doubt I could give any advice to young me about how to work it. I still don't know how the music industry really works. I guess I'm still learning every day new things about it. 

Prox: Advice for new musicians?

Ruxpin: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and don't follow the hype. 

Prox: Final thoughts?

Ruxpin: I’m currently working on a new album and it's pretty much ready. It's has actually been ready for a while, but I keep having issues letting it out of my hands. Hopefully I'll build up a courage to let go in the coming months. 

So after a bit of rumination i’ve decided to write a quick piece on endogenous neurochemicals. For anyone unfamiliar with the term, endogenous simply means “having an internal cause or origin” and a neurochemical is defined as “an organic molecule, such as serotonin, dopamine, or nerve growth factor, that participates in neural activity.” I was reading somewhere that a new chemical is produced in the body after ingesting Iboga. Out of curiousity, I did more research on the substance because I was only vaguely familiar with it at the time and needless to say, I had quite the epiphany.

Iboga (Tabernanthe iboga) is a psychedelic plant that is native to central Western Africa that has shown the ability to alleviate addiction in individuals that have alcohol, cocaine, or heroin dependency. Currently, the pharmacological options that we have to treat these addictions are limited and fairly ineffective. Ibogaine (one of the alkaloid structures in Iboga) has shown to have some effectiveness in helping sufferers kick their particular habit. One single session with the plant can remove all cravings for up to six months and multiple sessions with the substance can remove cravings for years. 

What’s extremely interesting about Iboga in particular is that it causes the production of a new chemical in the body called Noribogaine. This chemical is produced in the liver and has a slower half-life than traditional Ibogaine, therefore increasing and lengthening the effectiveness of the drug. The craziest part? Noribogaine went completely undiscovered until 1994 when a small team of researchers lead by Dr. Deborah Mash noticed the chemical on an autopsy report after one of the research subjects had died. The death is not believed to be attributable to the drug. In spite of it’s official discovery in the late 1800s and scientific research (while admittedly light) being performed on the substance since the 1960s, this new metabolite had invariably eluded scientists. 

So if Noribogaine helps users kick the habit, is it possible that other neurochemicals are being created after the use of other classical psychedelics? Studies have shown that LSD, Mushrooms, and other drugs from this class can completely eradicate alcohol dependency and depression after as little as one session; And when you factor in that the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous believed that LSD could cure alcoholism years before this data became more prevalent, we can begin to understand that we’ve created a bit of conundrum. Psilocybin has even shown the ability to grow brain cells after use which could prove to be invaluable for study on neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. I think it’s safe to assume that we, as a species, committed a massive oversight when we decided to place an embargo on these substances, effectively hindering research and making it difficult for scientists (or everyday users) to catalogue the long term efficacy of these medicines. Yes, I said it, medicines. I can personally vouch for LSD’s shocking potency as an anxiolytic, detoxifier and entheogen.

I was scrolling through Tumblr a few months ago and discovered the beautiful photography of Finnish artist, Mikko Lagerstedt. His work, while very interesting and unique, still manages to convey an absolutely breathtaking aesthetic. An aesthetic that is at times surreal and haunting, but all the while maintaining a certain kind of complacency; Perfectly depicting the mystical, almost zen-like stillness of things like solitude and the sweeping splendor of the Finnish countryside. His work, in my opinion, rivals that of top cinematographers and does an outstanding job of capturing the dichotomy between the vast expansive ether that is space and the subtle but grounded beauty of our own pale blue dot. Mikko was nice enough to do a print interview for Inside the Rift and discuss some of his inspirations, hobbies and offer a few tips to up and coming photographers. 

Prox: Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up and how long have you been working in photography?

Mikko: I was born in a small city called Kauhava in Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland. I moved to Kerava to study layout design in a school in Porvoo. It was something I thought I would be interested in and graduated with good grades, but I never thought it was the thing for me. I have photographed over six years and for the past two years, it has become my profession. 

Prox: How did you originally get into photography? What did you do before you decided that this was your passion?

Mikko: My first real encounter with my passion sparked when I was driving to my relative's cabin one rainy day when the sun was about to set. I saw this beautiful landscape filled with fog and sunlight, and at that moment, I made a decision to capture those wonderful sights. Somehow I knew this was the right medium for me. After years, I think I have found my style in photography. Before I ever started photography I was into graphic design and wanted to pursue a career in it. 

Prox: One very distinguishing feature that I noticed is that you are self-taught. Why did you decide to skip art school and teach yourself? What sort of resources did you use to learn how to do this?

Mikko: I first started in December 2008 and for the first couple of months, I tried to photograph everything. I never knew that photography would be anything other than a hobby. I wanted to create photographs, but had no idea as to what kind of pictures I wanted to capture. After the first six months, I looked back and tried to figure out what kind of photography inspired me the most. I loved atmospheric moments in dim light. After I learned my style, my approach to photography has moved toward the things that I find inspiring in a particular time or moment. I try to keep an open mind in photography; you never know where you might find inspiration.

Prox: What equipment and software are you using at the moment?

Mikko: My gear includes Nikon D810, D800, and various lenses. Mostly I use Nikon 14 – 24 mm f/2.8 and Nikon 16 – 35 mm f/4.0 VR lenses. I also have a Sirui Tripod and bunch of accessories I tend to carry with me in a Lowepro Pro Tactic 450 W camera bag. I have the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan, and mostly I use Lightroom to edit my photographs. Occasionally I also use Photoshop. 

Prox: How important is it to have adequate materials in your opinion? Do you feel that someone needs to have high-quality equipment to produce works like yours?

Mikko: Gear is important, but it’s not something you have to invest a lot of money in. When I first started, I was using equipment that was quite cheap, and I still think that with that gear I have captured some of my favorite photographs. 

Prox: Are most of your photographs taken on Finnish soil or do you travel to other countries from time to time? What is a country that you are excited to shoot in, in the future?

Mikko: Yes, most of my work is from Finland. I have traveled more recently, and I’m currently planning to move to southern France with my wife. I’m excited to start exploring the beautiful country of France once we get there. 

Prox: Who are some of your inspirations from photography and film?

Mikko: My main sources of inspiration come from nature, movies, and music. Whenever I feel uninspired, I try to go out to explore new places I haven't been to before. Even if I end up with no photographs I am satisfied with, at least I have spent time in nature and outside in the fresh air. I enjoy the work of Joel Tjintjelaar, Brooke Shaden, and David Baker. I love to watch series that are atmospheric and thrilling, such as The Killing and Breaking Bad.

Prox: Is there a reason that you choose to primarily shoot nature landscapes instead of say, cityscapes or any other subject(s)?

Mikko: Nature has been a big part of my life, and I love to be out in nature. I feel more comfortable to take photographs of landscapes, but I have also occasionally captured city life. 

Prox: Much of your work is very ethereal; It’s almost mythic in structure and beauty. Why did you choose to go for a more magical aesthetic? 

Mikko: I’m not sure if I ever made a decision to choose a type of photography. I have always tried to listen myself and create work that inspires me. I want to be true to myself and never force myself to do one type of photography. 

Prox: How does inspiration work for you? Do you ever begin with a specific idea in mind or do you just cooperate with nature?

Mikko: Usually, the ideas come to me when I'm out shooting and experimenting. Sometimes I have a vision on how I would like to take a photograph and go with it, but most of the time I try to capture the emotion of a moment and place. I try not to overthink my process. 

Prox: Which piece is your favorite and what is the story behind it?

Mikko: Moody Water is one of my favorite shots. I was photographing in Tuusulanjärvi, Finland and saw this lonely fisherman alone in the mist covered water. The moment, timing and light was just perfect. The photograph drove me forward in photography. I also won second place in the Nikon Photo Contest with the picture. 

Prox: The “Alone” photo set is particularly somber and haunting. Is there a particular reason you decided to create this series?

Mikko: I never had the vision to create this series, however once I looked back at my work after a year, I saw a connection in it and wanted to create this kind of series. When I look back at the series, I feel that it was created from my sub-conscious because I lost my best friend when I turned 20. 

Prox: Are there any non-camera based art forms that have had an impact on your work?

Mikko: I still enjoy to watch graphic designers work, and it may have some impact on my work.

Prox: What are some of your favorite hobbies?

Mikko: Walking in nature with our dog is one of my favorite hobbies. I’m also very interested in health and self-improvement. I also enjoy cooking. 

Prox: What are some recommendations that you would give to beginners or photographers who haven’t quite broken through yet?

Mikko: Don’t get carried away with other photographers work, try to find your niche and interest in photography. Trying to copy someone popular, doesn’t give you your vision. Go out and experiment, eventually you will see a connection to your work. Then just pursue it!

Hello people! Today i’m bringing you an interview with a great Hip-Hop producer by the name of Breezewax. I’ve been listening to his music for quite some time now after discovering his work on youtube a few years ago. I found that I enjoyed the meditative hip-hop instrumentals that he was creating and it has been quite interesting to actually hear his music evolve over the years. Many of his pieces are almost like stories and reflections on places that he may have visited during that time. His Aeroporto project is infused with a lot of lush Brazilian flavor and features some wonderful samples that really capture the mood of the beautiful country.

At the time, I knew nothing about some of the small online music distributors like Bandcamp so not only did his music introduce me to this service, it really showed me how the online, self-made indie label/producer scene was really starting to explode. I love to see talented artists really spread their wings and have a place to showcase their talents. So i’m proud to be able to present an interview with England’s own, Breezewax.

Prox: For starters, tell us about yourself. Where are you from and how did you get into music    production?

Breezewax: I’m from England. I was primarily a guitarist and was in a few bands. I got into production really because I couldn’t find anyone at my university to form a band with who wanted to make the same kind of music as me at that point. I decided to give production a go so that I could be self-reliant. Once I got going it really opened up a new world for me – almost became my drug.

Prox: What is the significance of your production moniker?

Breezewax: There’s no deep and meaningful story behind this unfortunately! It was a play on the word ‘beeswax’. The sounds I was making when I began coming into my own were sort of easy and breezy, and having ‘wax’ in the name worked because I often sampled from vinyl. It just seemed to work.

Prox: What equipment and VSTs are you using?

Breezewax: It has changed over time. I have my guitars: one electric, one acoustic and a bass, a midi keyboard and Akai MPD as my studio setup, then I use FL Studio and often Ableton. I won’t give away the VSTs I use as I like to keep it unique.

Prox: Were you heavily influenced by Nujabes, Fat Jon, and the other Samurai Champloo production members?

Breezewax: I’ll be the first to admit that I wouldn’t even have gotten a copy of FL Studio if it wasn’t for Fat Jon and Nujabes. Their sound was exactly what I wanted to hear at that point in my life and I wanted to be able to give listeners the same kind of feeling and sentiment that their music gave me. It was great to be part of a community that was inspired by that movement but after a while I began to distance myself from it as it became very heavily saturated. While the music of Fat Jon and Nujabes was my catalyst for production, I have many, many influences and tastes and my own sound and my own stories to tell so there came a point where I wanted to stand alone and not be lumped into a cateogory of ‘Nujabes-like’ artists. 

Prox: Who are some of your other inspirations? Musically or otherwise.

Breezewax: There are many but if I had to name a few that have had a profound effect on me it would be Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, Silverchair, Red Hot Chili Peppers, A Tribe Called Quest and a lot of video game music/compositions.

Prox: What are some of your favorite genres outside of Hip-Hop?

Breezewax: Jazz, soul and RnB, alternative rock, funk, fusion, scores and symphonies, trip-hop and electronica… the list goes on and on.

Prox: My personal favorite from your catalogue is Bright Lights. Can we expect to see more Drum n Bass or Breakbeat from you in the future?

Breezewax: Never say never. I kind of just go with the flow and make things depending on what I’m feeling in the moment.

Prox: The music video for “We’ll See the World” is breathtaking. What was the inspiration for the song and how was the video produced?

Breezewax: Glad you like it – it’s one of my favourites too! I basically put that video together editing together other video clips to the song so I can’t claim much there. It’s essentially telling the story of the Native Sun album from which the track is from. I love to travel and was after a sound that crossed cultures and was reflective of the great things in our world that bind us.

Prox: Traveling seems to play a significant role in the flavor of your projects. They are almost like travelogues or a kind of musical diary. How important is seeing the world to you and where is your favorite place to travel? Dream destination?

Breezewax: That is often the case– probably most notably on the Aeroporto collection. So far Brazil and Japan have been my favourite places. I would like to go to visit African nations in the future as it’s my cultural motherland. I think that will be special when it happens.

Prox: Which song and album from your catalogue would you say are your favorites? What sort of memories do they invoke?

Breezewax: I have a few favourite tracks. Some of them might not necessarily be technically sound as they were early days material, like Winter Children and Sea of Stars, but they’re special to me because I remember where I was at and what I was feeling. Native Sun is my favourite solo release as so much work went into it and it was kind of the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Love Sounds Like, Luna and Luna II and Cascade Meditation off the top of my head are tracks that I really hold dear.

Prox: If you didn't produce music, what else would you be doing for a living?

Breezewax: To be honest music making is a hobby rather than my actual career. I’m just a guy who happens to love music and have just carried on making the songs I’d like to hear when I have the time to do so. That others have enjoyed it and been kind enough to support me is a bonus.

Prox: Favorite hobbies outside of music?

Breezewax: I read a lot and write fiction, I’m quite sporty and love being out on my bikes. I still rollerblade too!

Prox: What can we expect from your next album?

Breezewax: If it happens, just something very different again. It’s all about growing, evolving the sound and pushing yourself.

Prox: Final Thoughts?

Breezewax: Thanks again for reaching out and for listening to my music. I appreciate it.

The term Synchronicity was coined by famed psychiatrist Carl Jung and means “the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection”. The most famous examples of the phenomena is when you mysteriously think of someone, and then suddenly you receive a phone call or a visit from that person. Another interesting occurrence surrounding the circumstance can be found here. But this is simply a coincidence right? Surely YOU couldn’t be influencing reality. Well…

At some point, we have to say that something is strange when it comes to Synchronicity. There are some people that simply believe these are coincidences, and for some occurrences, this is an acceptable answer. If you’re talking about something that is a hot topic in the country at the time, say for instance, a popular celebrity, then it should come as no surprise when you run into someone who mentions this in casual conversation. But if you mention something that is not so common, say a relatively obscure musician or practice, and suddenly that musician or discipline pops up several times after you’ve mentioned them, things can get undoubtedly weird. For me the strangest ones come from Shamanism. I’ve have taken quite an interest in this practice over the past year or so and suddenly it’s popping up all the time.

I’ve had this happen to myself quite a few times but there was a massive uptick in these situations when I started to pay attention a little more. Patterns are everywhere, and it doesn’t take much to recognize them. Even with all of that said, what’s the point of Synchronicity? Events are popping up after I mention them sure but i’m not making money or manifesting that hot actress I want so who cares? Some shamanic cultures believe that Synchronicity is a surefire way to understand and recognize if you’re on the right track in your life. If you’re having more synchronous moments, you could be preparing to awaken your third eye or your desires are beginning to manifest. So synchronicity is just the powers that be informing you that the money and actresses are on the way if you continue down that current path. I’ve noticed that I have a lot more synchronicity when the following conditions are met:

1. I’m Happy.

If i’m happy, things seem to almost fall into my lap. Ideas will come to me for new pieces i’d like to add to the site, i’ll get a rush of inspiration for a song or character for a story, i’ll suddenly get responses to email inquiries I have made, and the patterns or events are like slow balls. It’s almost impossible to miss the patterns and catch them when they’re coming towards you. Let go of anyone or anything that disrupts your physical or mental health. If you feel someone is lying to you or bogging you down, take a break or, let them go entirely. You deserve better. Do what is necessary to make yourself happy.

2. I’m Stimulated.

When you expand your consciousness through whatever positive hobbies you have, then you allow more interesting things to happen to you. If I have been working on a project and having success (which ties into the first condition as well) then I notice that many more interesting opportunities and patterns arise within my life. This stimulation can come from many things but I notice that the most effective external ones come from documentaries, books and other forms of autodidactic learning. If i’m in a situation or conversation that I dislike, I feel a certain shift in mood that breeds pessimism. Try to find something that you enjoy doing, do it and avoid any conversations or situations that bring you down.

3. I’m Calm.

Last but certainly not least is how pressured or stressed I am at any particular time. When i’m amped up or lumpen, my thoughts become far too hectic or reptilian. It’s almost like trying to complete a puzzle with someone banging a pair cymbals behind your head. When I am relaxed, lucid, and willing to accept and listen to whatever advice the Universe gives me, things go a lot smoother and when things go smoothly, the patterns are much easier to see. I use “The Universe” as a placeholder but this is interchangeable. Listen to your heart, God, Source, Neil deGrasse Tyson, whoever or whatever does the best job at showing you the way along your journey. Trust the process and don’t obsess over the timing or outcome. Act as if you already have whatever it is you are attempting to bring into your life but don’t rigidly plan it out. Just work and put everything else into the back of your mind. It is imperative that you trust the process and believe you are worthy of the things you want. Even if you remove the mysticism and view this phenomena in a more pragmatic light, then simply think of it like this, you lose absolutely nothing by working towards your goals, taking calculated risks and trying to keep a naturally cheerful attitude.

Over the past few days the term “Empath” has been coming up in casual conversation, on my social media and i’ve even heard the term used in one of those “Deep Net Horror Stories” videos which has absolutely nothing to do with this kind of material in a direct sense. I figured that perhaps this is some form of synchronicity and that I should write a piece about it.

So for starters, what exactly is an Empath? An Empath is described as someone that has the ability to feel more deeply or profoundly than others. This “feeling” can be in the form of absorbing the energy of those around them or, possessing a much more powerful sense of intuition (often creeping into the realm of hypersensitivity, clairsentience and just plain weird) than the average person. You know that one friend that you have that is always “getting a bad feeling” or “picking up bad vibes”? There is a pretty good chance that he or she is an empath if they are usually accurate in their feelings. Paranoia and empathy could be viewed through a very similar lens if the observer isn’t able to distinguish between the two. Someone who is paranoid could simply have a “better safe than sorry mentality” but it rarely, if ever pans out. An empath on the other hand just seems to “know” that something is amiss. Twins and mothers often report knowing when something is wrong with their loved ones. In the famous case of the Jim Twins, they lived eerily similar lives despite being separated at birth.

The term has been mentioned for millennia in some form or another. From the Biblical “do unto others” trope to the more modern “walk in someone else’s shoes” analogy, we see that this is something has been hinted at and touched on by African and Native tribesmen, philosophers, and spiritualists for quite some time now. It seems however, that late nineteenth and early twentieth century psychologists may have played the biggest role in popularizing the phenomena. Dr. Carl Rogers was a huge influence in the advancement of understanding empathy by recognizing that this could be some sort of genuine psycho or parapsychological phenomenon. Or in more pragmatic terms, that the best way to truly understand someone, is to try and see things from their perspective. Merely listening to them when they require help is not enough for some people.

There are several sites that list the traits of these individuals and you can read here to see if you are one of these individuals. These types usually end up becoming some sort of healer, teacher or spiritualist. What’s so interesting about this phenomena is that it’s very hard to refute it, even on a more metaphysical level. Sure it is a necessary component of human survival and evolution to have instinctual fight or flight responses but why is that some of this people are much more in tune with their abilities? If we couldn’t use our triune abilities to sense danger, we wouldn’t have made it as far as we have as a species. Almost everyone has had a gut feeling about something and it turned out they were spot on. Similarly to how someone is just naturally gifted in mathematics, the empath is naturally gifted (or cursed depending on how you look at it) with enhanced intuition.