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Lemon Icing by @oxynucid is part of WINTER WINDS vol. 3. WINTER WINDS vol. 3 is SVNSET WAVES’ third annual winter compilation album. Featuring 20 tracks from artists all across the globe, WINTER WINDS sets out to capture the feeling of the cold rushing in and out of our lives.

Hi, my name is Dom and I make melodic techno/electro music as Oxynucid. I have been performing and recording with this pseudonym for a decade. I have a release coming soon on Maltese label Wirebox and some very diverse remixes for Berlin label, Ultrabold.

Also, ambient/drone music as Yorkshire Modular Society for the last year with a weekly show on FutureMusic.FM. I have a multi CD box set coming soon for Recycled Plastics.

What are your inspiration sources?

Moods? Meals? I am writing a lot more ambient/drone music than I ever used to. I think I am getting more comfortable making music for just me or my family nowadays. Although I do still like making acid bangers.

Tell us something about your workflow.

Two years ago, I made the jump from mainly software production, with bits and bobs of hardware plugged in, to a full on modular set up. Been slowly building it up over this time. So now the iMac, running Logic, is used only to record. No overdubbing or multitracking. So, now, my workflow is spending a few hours working up a fresh patch on the modular, and then pressing record.

How would creative rituals benefit your workflow?

The modular itself is now my creative ritual. I received Oblique Strategies as my Father’s Day present this year, so I am looking forward to making use of it.

How do you get in the zone?

It used to be weed, whereas now I feel excited and inspired to sit in front of a bunch of knobs, flashing lights and cables.

How do you start a track?

I like the clean slate of an un patched modular system. It’s exciting to think that at the starting point it is nothing, and very soon it will start to become something.

Do you have a special template?

I have 3 different Eurorack cases now. One, which I consider to be my ‘live’ case which consists of 2 x 104hp rows with 1u at the top. And another two which I consider to be my ‘studio’ cases; 3 x 84hp and the second being 2 x 84hp.

I tend to focus more on which modules are in the live case, so you could consider that to be a template.

Top row: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/338676

Bottom row: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/408298

These racks are in a constant state of change while I experiment with ideas for the live case, hence the gaps.

Live case: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/676616]

What do you put on the master channel?

Nowadays nothing. But in the past maybe a little compression.

How do you arrange and finish a track?

With an ambient/drone track, there will usually be no arranging after the recording. Whereas if I am working on a dance track, I will try and arrange live/on the fly.

How do you deal with unfinished projects?

Maybe revisit them after some years and change all the sounds. Either that or ignore them forever, there is a reason why it is unfinished.

How do you store and organize your projects?

I am trying to be better at this. Previously I would name the track something it meant at the time of recording, and then probably change it again once I uploaded it to SoundCloud or a label. This is devastating when trying to go back and bounce wavs for releases several years later as I must try and work out what track is what!

How do you take care of studio ergonomics?

I am in the process right now of creating a new studio space for me. I intend to keep all the hardware in front of me, and the computer as far away as possible, so I can just get stuck in.

Tell us something about your daily routine, how is your day structured, how do you make room for creativity?

My hours at work are 8am-530pm so not a great deal of time during the week, and even more difficult now I have an infant son. But like everything else in life, you just find time. I still find time to game, so I can still find time to make music.

Share a quick producing tip.

I find that once I hit record, don’t touch any knobs or repatch anything.

Oh, and RED STRIPE DOWN! When you are installing modules into a system, the power at the back MUST be red stripe down. Otherwise you kill a very expensive module. Best not to learn the hard way.

Share a link to an interesting website (doesn’t have to be music related).

https://www.modulargrid.net/

List ten sounds you are hearing right this moment : )

1.       Footsteps

2.       Air conditioning

3.       My heavy breathing

4.       Distant voices

5.       Doors closing

6.       Vehicles reversing

7.       People coughing

8.       Vehicles beeping

9.       Mice scrolling

10.     Phones ringing

Midnight Star - Midas Touch (Hell Interface Remix)

Microlith - Bouncy Castle [Central Processing Unit]

Roel Funcken - Drogan (Lusine rmx) [Touched Music]

Supersentient Intelligence Construct - Geotic Ritual [ [d]-tached ]

Jonny Greenwood - Dark Streets [Invada]

Autechre - dummy casual pt2 [Warp Records]

Azealia Banks - Yung Rapunxel [Prospect Park]

Machine Drum - Sacred Frequency [Planet Mu]

Drew Lustman - Time Machine [Planet Mu]

Jonny L - Hurt You So [Tuch Wood Records]

Rufige Kru- Menace [Reinforced Records]

Konx-Om-Pax - Cascada [Planet Mu]

Orbital - Tiny Foldable Cities [ACP Recordings]

Two Lone Swordsmen - You Are… [Warp Records]

Ital - Boi [Planet Mu]

Orbital -Impact (The Earth Is Burning) [Internal]

Oxynucid - Orbular [Recycled Plastics]

Boards Of Canada - Music Is Math [Warp Records]

Africa Hitech - Our Luv [Warp Records]

Soosh - The Way You [Error Broadcast]

Decepticon Bootleg Machine - Orbit 162 [Jus’ Like Music Records]

Karsten Pflum - Information And Indication [Touched Music]

Plaid - Held [Warp Records]

Bjork - Possibly Maybe (Lucy Remix) [One Little Indian]