QWe saw in 2011 with you release on Nick Curly’s 8bit Label compilation major movement and influence in Europe and Internationally. Can you tell me how the track came about and how Nick Curly found you?
AWell I met Nick through my best friend Jonny Cruz. Jonny and I were roommates at Fullsail audio school, which is located in Orlando Florida, and we have stayed good friends since then. Jonny actually introduced Nick Curly to “Her Circus Mind” and the track ended up being signed. I have always admired Nick's music motif and sounds, and through Jonny and some mutual friends I was able to meet Nick Curly personally after he had showed interest in the track.
QWith Regards to your residencies you were this past summer a resident at Sankeys Ibiza. Please tell us about the experience and how did the island of Ibiza treat you this summer?
AIbiza is full of energy and appreciation for dance music...so naturally it was awesome! Being my first time on the island, it was love at first sight. Like the original Sankeys in Manchester, Sankeys Ibiza had an underground vibe, and a Top-notch sound system. The club was always packed early and provided me with exactly the type of atmosphere, that I could dream to be in... The structure of the club with its low ceilings and perfect acoustics make it an ideal place for playing and/or listening to music.
QYou have been known over the years before 2011 for many productions on many labels, can you explain the changes that we have seen... such a breakout internationally in your productions and labels such as 8-bit, Take Away Music and Doot Records where you have been providing your latest tracks?
AI have always studied and paid close attention to music that came from outside of America. After releasing my music for so long on Domestic record labels... I began to engage my music to overseas record labels and begin reaching and influencing new listeners. Doot records is an Italian record label owned by one of my long time favorite producers... Mowree. It has been a Joy to be in contact with Mowree and release music on his label. Take Away is an Israeli record label with more of my personal favorite producers. Elad Ohana, of take away music has also become a friend of mine and his advice and record label connections and knowledge. Through him I have been able to collaborate with other great labels and artists.
QHow do you prepare and create the motif and cadence that brings creations such as "Her Circus Mind", "Better Days", and "Tricked".
AThe dance music I make can come about in many ways. Many times I have a specific idea or vibe I want too capture. The start of this process usually begins with gathering up sounds and samples that fit the initial Idea or vibe for a track I'm about to make. There are also times when I just start messing around and end up with something cool. I love to work with midi because it keeps my options open. "Better Days" is a good example of this. I love to play keys and depending on the synth, or samples I'm triggering...I can go from the peer perception of evil, to uplifting or even funky just by changing the sounds being played back while using the same recorded midi pattern. In my own Circus mind, there is actually no one way I'm set in when it comes to making music...there are always ideas in my head filtrating, and most times its a matter of just getting them out before they are forgotten and or replaced by new ones.
QYou are a Native New Yorker and reside their off-season. How does the Music and culture compare to Ibiza and other places you tour around the world performing?
AI love New York because its culture is a mix of many cultures. I wouldn't trade being a New Yorker for anything. In terms of dance music...I know that the cracking down of the authorities on nightclubs in the city has prevented many dance music related events from occurring. This affected the "scene" in New York City in both good and bad ways. Thank god for parties by organizations such as "Black Market", "Teksupport", and "Resolute" because most times those are the only parties I can go to for good music. At the moment I don't think New York or anywhere in the states can be quite compared to Europe when it comes to electronic music events, and dance music culture. I only say this because electronic music still hasn't been 100% embraced here in the states as it has in Europe. In time I believe this will change though music innovation and better than good music.
QIn 2012 we have heard through the grapevine you have expected new music coming out and your are presently working with Monique Musique on releasing something new? Can you tell us?
ASpecial thanks to my friend Sebastian Oscilla introducing my music to Monique...I'm happy to say that soon I will be having my own Ep come out with them. It will Include 3 tracks. One of the tracks has vocals by Jonny Cruz. Monique Musique is a great label and I’m excited to release with them.
QYou also are not a producer of just dance music and you do scoring and composing for film and television. Are you working on a movie at present? Can you tell us about it?
ARight now I'm doing the score for an Italian film called "Journey of the Firefly" and soon will be doing the same for a horror film which Is in it's pre-production stage. I have always been into film and music for film. This platform allows me to go places with music that my dance stuff hasn't. I also enjoy the process of scoring for film. As a composer you are presented with images and your job is to tap into their vibe and help tell the story with audio. It also gives me the chance to write for live musicians...which I love.
Qhere does your diverse taste in music come from? Also what were some artists who influenced you as a producer and a dj?
AMy brother Ken, who is 10 years older than me, introduced me to music. His Limelight and palladium mix tapes put me on to dance music way before I probably should have been. lol The first music I remember taking a big interest in aside from his techno mix tapes came from "The Cure" and "Front 242"...then came "Enigma" and "Moby". On my own, I discovered a lot of Ethnic music...I have always been a sucker for foreign chants and earthy music. My father was a hippy and my mother was disco girl...this had me listening to everything from "The Doors" and "Jimmy Hendrix" to "Dianna Ross" and "Madonna". My uncle Louis was the one who introduced me to synthesizers and the art of djing. I remember him making mix tapes and re-enacting the cross fader movements on his little Gemini mixer to show me how he blended tracks together. While I'm not mentioning many other artists and styles of music that have made me who I am...simply because it would take way too long and the list would be even more all over the place lol... I don't want to not mention the 4 djs who I learned the most from. Sasha and Digweed, Carl Cox and Jonathan Peters... from these specific four I learned how to do more than just play songs while performing, and that ding is art.
QWhat does your actual production studio or DAW consists of? Way more than I need lol...so I’ll name what is most important to me
AHardware: 2 Genelec 8050A monitors 2 Yamaha NS-10M monitors Solid State Logic Superanalogue X-rack Motu 828 mk3 Mackie Big Knob Korg Triton Software: Logic Studio Ableton Soundtoys (all products) Softube (all products) Flux Transformer Waves Mercury Oligrac Chorus Fabfilter Volcano Omnisphere Xfer Nerve Rob Papen Albino Native instruments Kontakt & FM8 Arts Acoustic - Reverb I use those daily... I'm a computer music software junkie... so I have a ton of plugins and synths that aren't worth mentioning... to me at least.
Written by Corey Biggs
