Interview: D.Matthews Discusses His Latest Single/Video "My Race"

When you were just starting out as a music creator, who were some of your artistic influences, and when did you know for certain that you had the talent to take your musical aspirations to the next level?

Definitely Patoranking/Fela Kuti/Wizkid/Burna Boy.

I knew I had it in me from a very tender age. It just was not marinated and over the years I have done that and still doing.

Congratulations on the release of your new single "My Race", as well as its live music video. Tell us about your creative process for the development of the song in terms of the theme and message. Also, who produced it?

I had the song right there in my head . I think I flew over to New Zealand discreetly for a couple of things and hit up one of my producers that I need to get a studio session in. Got on the mic and the rest was history.

But prior to that, EARDRUMZ, my producer. I told him I needed a calm & chill vibe and I think we went back & forth once or twice and the vibe just felt right.

We're blown away by the "My Race" music video; it really gave us a taste of what a live show of yours would look like. Why did you decide to film an acoustic version of the song with a backing band?

It felt right in my gut. It had to be done. You definitely know where something had to be done. Yeah. That feeling. That backing band you saw there are my team right there.

Is "My Race" a part of an upcoming EP or album you're working on? If so, what can you tell us about it? If not, what's next for you musically?

No. Just another phenomenal piece of art. There’s definitely more work in stock. But I will keep that for another day. The fans will understand.

How would you compare the Afrobeats music scenes in Australia vs New Zealand? Would you say that the audiences you perform for are receptive to Afrobeats compared to the R&B or pop sounds that they are used to?

Well, over the past 6 years, things have changed in my musical career and in general with the music scene. Personally. Its been more of me trying to put on a shoe that can fit as per my music style etc. At the time in New Zealand, more people were receptive towards afrobeats as it was a majority lover than Pop. I did not perform much of a pop style 6 years ago. But Afrobeats was a number 1 “go to” for most people.

Stream and Share “My Race”

Connect with D.Matthews: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

Interview: Emzeezy Talks About His Newly Released EP "WHERE I'M AT"

“I wanted to focus on the introspection, which has always been a part of my music, while still keeping the lyrical aspect alive which includes the various punchlines and flows.”

— Emzeezy

How did you get started as a music creator, and who have been some of your influences in terms of producers and artists?

Well it kind of came gradually. When I was about 11 or 12, I started getting into hip-hop, listening to a lot of old school and early 2000s hip-hop on YouTube. This included artists such as Lil Wayne, Eminem, 50 Cent, Tupac etc. You know, all the usual suspects. As I got older I started getting into newer stuff and into alternative hip-hop.

At about 14 I started writing raps, I was listening to hip-hop basically 24/7. I wasn't thinking of ever really making songs, It was just sort of something that I enjoyed doing. I mention it all the time, writing songs always felt very therapeutic for me and it still does. Not long after, I started recording music and releasing it on Soundcloud and YouTube. I started out rapping on free beats and doing remixes. At the time, I didn't even think about making beats because, to be honest, I was rapping because I loved doing it. It was only a couple of years ago when I really started getting good at producing, mixing, mastering etc. I guess that's where I kind of began "doing it seriously" haha.

In terms of influences, there's a lot. I listen to all kinds of different genres. Some of my main influences would be The Notorious BIG, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, MF DOOM, Jay-Z, Three 6 Mafia, 50 Cent, Madlib, Kanye. Again, I listen to a lot of music, so don't take this as a top 10 or anything like that.

Congratulations on the completion and release of your new EP, "WHERE I'M AT". Tell us about your creative process as a rapper and producer for its three tracks.

Thank you! Well, with this EP, I wouldn't say I had an exact idea of what it should be or what it would sound like when I started making it. However, in the process of making it, I realised that most of the songs didn't really tackle how I was feeling at the time. It felt like I was avoiding something. And after a while, I kind of just decided to say to myself "Hey, let me make a shorter project where I can express exactly how I'm feeling right now". This is where the title track "Where I'm At" came from.

I didn't want to sugar-coat anything, whether I was expressing how I felt about myself or how I felt about other things, like the creative process and how for a while, I felt a bit bored and maybe even uninspired or discouraged with how everything was going. I took the same approach when making the other two songs on the project. I wanted to focus on the introspection, which has always been a part of my music, while still keeping the lyrical aspect alive which includes the various punchlines and flows.

How would you say that your latest EP differs conceptually and musically from your first, "EMPTY"?

I think they're similar in many ways but the main difference, in my opinion, was the fact that I took the more introspective approach on "WHERE I'M AT". I think "EMPTY" has that aspect to it as well but most of the focus on that project was on being lyrical and just making dope tracks.

Tell us about the hip-hop music scene in Bosnia and Herzegovina; is it easy to build a fanbase there and are there a lot of venues to perform?

Well the hip-hop scene here is pretty interesting to say the least. To elaborate, hip-hop as a genre isn't the most popular genre in Bosnia and Herzegovina but it is still popular, particularly amongst my generation and younger people in general. However, there aren't really many venues to perform at, especially when you're just starting out so I would say that it's a challenge to grow a fanbase.

With 2024 winding down, what are some of your goals musically for the next year?

My main goal is to try and release more music consistently in 2025. That's always the main goal, to release as much quality as possible. However, I don't think I'm fully done with 2024 just yet. I might drop a few more songs before the year ends, fingers crossed.

Stream and Share “WHERE I’M AT” on Spotify

Connect with Emzeezy: Instagram

Interview: JSDavani Talks About His "The Melancholiac II" Album

“Creativity is organic and feeds off everything. I think being open-minded helps clear out any blockages to free up inspired thoughts.”

— JSDavani

Congratulations on the completion and release of your album "The Melancholiac II". Tell us about your creative process for the development of the songs.

Thanks for the compliments! This project was really organic and developed really quickly, in the aftermath of 2 previous projects. In Oct. 2023, a close friend had died near the completion of an album, FTCHRS, that ended up being dedicated to him. It also prompted me to immediately begin, complete, and release a project for my father (while he is still alive). That project, “Son of Man of Chair”, was completed in Feb. 2024.

After all of that, I was emotionally spent but still had some ‘leftover’ tracks and ideas that I continued to work on. I ended up a bit more depressed than I’d realized and ended up using this album to work thru a lot of different issues. “The Melancholiac II” definitely follows a similar progression that ran parallel in its’ own ways.

How long did it take for you to complete?

I worked on this project obsessively last spring, from March-May 2024.

Would you say that there is an overall theme or concept to the album? Also, what does the title represent?

The theme of the album deals with mental health issues, most notably depression/anxiety and substance abuse/addiction, all of which, I’ve experienced in my own life.

While working on this album, I experienced depression/anxiety, as well as the daily triggers an addict may experience. Instead of reacting in my life, I reacted on them vicariously thru the character I created, the Melancholiac. That became a cathartic and novel experience for me. The title is definitive, a Melancholiac being someone who is chronically depressed/melancholy. The II is an homage of sorts to Dean Blunt’s, the Narcissist II, an all-time favorite of mine.

The story here is that someone is bummed out/depressed. It doesn’t get better so they relapse/choose to use. The character goes thru all the motions- and emotions- the rush, the guilt, the denial, etc. before waking up/realizing they should do better. The story ends on an ambiguously positive note. That’s how recovery and mental health often is. Ambiguously tho Absolutely certain that Relapse doesn’t have to be the end.

If "The Melancholiac II" was to be the soundtrack to any movie, which one would you pick, and why?

While making it I thought about somehow creating a movie off the audio.. so this question totally reinforces that idea! Most movies about depression/addiction end dramatically with suicide/overdose. This movie would have to end on that ambiguously positive note with the character going to therapy and a methadone clinic, both of which still face an issue of stigma in society.

How did you get started creating music and what instruments do you play currently?

I used to play trombone in middle school band, and guitar in 8th grade. I learned all the other instruments in high school and got into experimental/noise scenes in college. I’ve continued building on things and embraced synthesizers and digital tools more recently, and to help create all these projects/stories.

What are some things/people/places that inspire you to create new art, whether it be music, or multimedia, and do you ever get "writer's block"? If so, how do you overcome it?

Creativity is organic and feeds off everything. I think being open-minded helps clear out any blockages to free up inspired thoughts. It also helps to have a variety of projects. I currently have 5 or 6 different projects lined up for release, as soon as this month (B.A.&the.G.S), a local arts exhibit in a few months with some experimental photography, and numerous projects throughout next year. OH and as of now, the Melancholiac II, the film, release date TBA (lol).

Tell us what made your friend Supreet Singh the perfect compliment to two of the album's tracks, " "a darker place" and "The Bottom :escape extinction".

My friend Supreet, I’ve known since high school. We went thru lots of times: the good, bad, and ugly. He’s someone I talk to often still after all of that and he’s also a poet/writer. He’s contributed some spoken word pieces to a handful of tracks. His contribution to “a darker place” is obscured but noted. “The bottom:escape extinction” came about organically and accidentally. I had changed the ending of the album after turning a corner/feeling better myself. We had recorded another version of that track well over a year ago, when I stumbled on it and it fit perfectly with the theme. We will continue to collaborate on future projects. Maybe he would even play the lead in the film version of the Melancholiac II.

Stream and Share “The Melancholiac II” on Spotify

Read our review of “The Melancholiac II” HERE

Connect with JSDavani: Spotify | Soundcloud

Interview: Rich Vysion Discusses His Uplifting New Track "Save Me"

“I hope that through the music, they can find a sense of understanding and comfort, and maybe even a bit of hope”

— Rich Vysion

Congratulations on the release of your new song "Save Me"; it's a very uplifting track. What initially inspired you to write the lyrics and how did you connect with its producer, Miranda Glory?

Thank you very much for your kind words. This song was written during the height of the 2020 global pandemic, a period marked by severe personal challenges, including deep depression and suicidal thoughts. At that time, I found myself revisiting past criticisms of my music and personal self, which exacerbated my mental health struggles. Rather than releasing these negative influences, I allowed them to weigh heavily on me, leading to a significant decline in my well-being.

In my search for relief, I tried various quick fixes such as motivational videos, affirmations, and journaling, but none provided the comfort I needed. I felt a profound sense of emptiness and struggled with self-worth. This period of intense emotional difficulty made me realize that external solutions were not the answer; instead, I discovered that the strength to overcome these challenges came from within myself.

I connected with the producer through a songwriting class I attended virtually.

Can we expect the "Save Me" song to be featured on an upcoming EP or album?

“Save Me” felt like a strong standalone single, but I'm definitely open to including it in a future project. If I come up with a theme or concept for an EP that fits its vibe or message, it could really enhance the whole project.

You've mentioned that you have not always been a conscious rap artist; what motivated you to switch up the style of music that you create?

I started out as a braggadocious rapper because I was emulating what I was listening to and what was being pushed in the media. I was chasing trends, especially when gangsta rap was popular, and I thought that being cocky would validate my music. But after getting tough criticism from friends, I realized I wasn’t being true to myself. It took a lot of self-reflection to understand that, at my core, I’m actually a sensitive and vulnerable person.

One day, I decided to just be myself because wearing a mask was making me depressed. It felt pointless to make music if I couldn’t be authentic. The cocky persona wasn’t resonating with me or with others, and I realized that to truly connect with people and embrace my authenticity, I had to be unapologetically myself. Now, my music is connecting on a deeper level and even making a positive impact on lives, which I’m grateful for.

Why is it important for you to create songs like "Save Me", "I Will Not Commit Suicide" and "I'm Meant For More", and who would you say is the ideal listener for music like it?

Making songs like "I Will Not Commit Suicide," "Save Me," and "I'm Meant for More" really matters to me because I know how tough it can be to struggle with self-worth—I’ve been there myself. Music has this amazing way of reaching people and making them feel understood. I want these songs to connect with others who might be going through similar feelings and let them know they’re not alone. It’s about sharing a message of hope and support, and hopefully making a difference for someone who needs it.

The ideal listener for these songs would be someone who is struggling with self-worth issues or dealing with depression. I hope that through the music, they can find a sense of understanding and comfort, and maybe even a bit of hope. These songs are meant to reach out to those who need it most and offer a reminder that they’re not alone in their struggles.

You're not just a talented artist, but an author as well. Tell us about your ebook "From Victim to Victor: Transforming Trauma Into Triumph".

Thank you for your kind words. This book dives into the struggles of mental health and the journey to discovering self-worth. I explore how many mental health issues often come from feeling low about oneself.

The title, "Victim to Victor: Transforming Trauma Into Triumph” is all about moving from feeling defeated in tough times to reclaiming my power and self-worth. It’s so important to open up to others and use the resources available for support. As someone who has faced suicidal thoughts, my goal is to connect with those going through similar struggles and highlight how crucial it is to recognize your own value and strength.

My own experiences with mental abuse drive me to help others find their own path to empowerment. Through self-discovery and embracing my potential, I hope this book inspires others to step into their purpose and become the best version of themselves.

With "Save Me" now released, what’s next for you musically?

My goal is to release a new single every month while also working on another EP. I’m excited to keep the music coming and create something that resonates with people, especially those who struggle with mental health. My desire is to offer support and connection to those going through tough times.

Stream and Share “Save Me” on Soundcloud

Connect with Rich Vysion: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Interview: møhx Talks About His Konn-Produced New Single "I'm Sorry, You Know"

“It’s a good feeling when someone believes in you, even if it’s your built in fan...”

— møhx

Congratulations on the release of your new song "I'm Sorry, You Know"; describe your creative process for its development and how you initially connected with its producer, Konn.

Thank you! This song was honestly so easy and flew out of me pretty quickly. I started this song late at night when I was just feeling a rush of emotions and I was by my piano. I remember recording a whole voice memo of the song as a ballad and sent it to my mom the next morning. She told me that it was a really special song and for some reason that sentiment stayed with me throughout the whole process.

It’s a good feeling when someone believes in you, even if it’s your built in fan. I made a demo for the song that was almost in the rock genre but felt like it was missing something. So I sent it to my friend Adrian, who produced my song butterflies with me, and he recommended me over to Konn. Within a few days, Konn had an idea for the drop that essentially changed the whole feeling behind the song in the best way possible. From there it was just back and forth versions and adding on little details until we felt like the song was perfect.

What does your stage name "møhx" represent?

I never really know how to answer this question because there was no logic behind this decision. I remember being in the back of an auditorium after my concert band performed awfully at one of our middle school concerts.

I was on my phone searching up cool things to do with my name and there was a very rough translation of my name in Mongolian that I think was close to the word mohx and I guess I wanted to be edgy or something so I added the ø to it.

Tell us about some of the artists and/or producers that sparked your interest in music creation, and did you have a favorite song or genre to listen to growing up?

I think I have an unhealthy obsession with Chelsea Cutler’s music. Raw honesty in songwriting is something that I strive for and I think that’s such a cool thing that she’s able to emulate with every song.

Aside from that, I grew up listening to Bollywood music so I try to draw inspiration from that in any capacity I can.

How would you say that you have grown artistically since you released your debut EP "glimpses" in 2021?

“Glimpses” was such a special project to me because I spent so much time on it. It was a project that I produced and wrote nearly every song. I remember going over every detail and trying to connect every song to last.

One of my favorite songs on that project is called “Paper Planes” which was such a fun and weird song to make. It didn’t follow the same four measure-four chord format that a lot of my songs did so it felt like I was pushing my boundaries in making music that I thought just sounded good.

But since then, I have been collaborating with a bunch of producers and mixing engineers that have been pushing me to make music that I have always wanted to make. I think that it’s helped making the music a lot more rewarding.

What do you think has been your biggest musical accomplishment since you started making songs in your bedroom at the age of 14?

Signing to Chapter Eight was such a cool experience and that led “imyt” to be my best performing song which was cool. But I think, internally, putting out my song, “The Longing”, has been one of my biggest music accomplishments thus far. That song felt like my rawest vocal performance.

My best friend, Mayzie, has always told me to put out the songs that I wasn’t confident in but with that one, we both kind of agreed. That was a validation that was so satisfying and it felt like a sign that the song was really something special.

Can we expect a music video for "I'm Sorry, You Know"? If not, do you have another song ready to be unveiled next?

I don’t think I’ll be doing a music video for this song because I feel like the visualization for it is really unique to the listener. But I do have another song coming out soon-ish that I think is the best of my artistry.

I have always wanted to dive into the feelings of nostalgia because it’s something that I have carried with me for so long moving around so much in my childhood. That’s something I’m really excited to explore with my music moving forward.

Connect with møhx: Instagram | X | TikTok

Interview: Odd One Out Talks About Her Newly Released Third EP, "Alone"

“Whenever there’s a group of people, I’m usually the one that doesn’t fit in. But I always found comfort in music...”

— Odd One Out

What does the name "Odd One Out" represent to you as an artist?

Throughout my whole life, I have always felt like the odd one out. At home, at school, everywhere. Whenever there's a group of people, I'm usually the one that doesn't fit in. But I always found comfort in music, and being a fan of bands and going to gigs, I finally felt like I belonged. This is why music has become such a big part of my life.

This is one of the reasons I called myself Odd One Out, another reason is that in the music industry, you have to stand out, so it's good to go against the grain and not conform or be a sheep. It's a double entendre I suppose.

Congratulations on the completion and release of your new EP, entitled "Alone"; tell us about your creative process for the development of the five songs, especially the one in Korean.

Thank you very much! I have thousands of notes on my phone, most of them are poems or just sentences which I put into my phone when I feel the need to. When I begin a new EP, I think of what I want the theme to be, then I will search for that word in my notes and gather all of the notes that mention the theme.

For the EP 'Alone' I had about 14 notes to begin with and whittled them down to 5 songs which represent the different ways someone can feel alone. Alone in the way they think, alone physically, alone because nobody seems to want them, but the ending song "Always With You" repeats "I am not alone." This conclusion to the EP emphasises that nobody is ever truly alone.

The Korean song 여기서 밤새 (Here All Night) was originally written in English and is about how I spend most nights alone, staring at the clock and waiting for it to be morning again. I have been learning Korean since I became a fan of the K-Pop band BTS in 2020. So I translated the song into Korean and moved a few bits around so it rhymed when sung in Korean. I am really proud of this one.

Your music has been described as "Spectral Pop"; what does that mean?

When my music was first described as this I actually didn't know what it meant myself! When I searched what the word "Spectral" means I found out it meant "spooky" and "ethereal". My friends have said that my music has a unique sound to it, so I guess that unique sound is a scary ethereal one.

How would you say that the "Alone" EP differs from your prior two EPs, "Eyes", and "Dreams"?

I think (and hope) that my production skills have improved significantly since my first EP "Eyes". Practice makes perfect and whilst making each EP I have learned thousands of things that I didn't know before.

I have also become a lot more confident with my own singing voice, whereas in the previous EP's I tried to hide behind effects a lot.

With "Alone" now released, what are some of your goals musically for the rest of 2024?

I really want to put myself out there more. I am a very reserved person, so the thought of doing a gig terrifies me, but also I really want to perform in front of people. So hopefully by the end of this year, I will have come out of my shell and performed in front of people for the first time.

Stream and Share “Alone” on: Spotify | Bandcamp | Soundcloud

Connect with Odd One Out”: Instagram | Spotify

Interview: Bria Cheri Discusses Her Single "On 2 the Next" and Upcoming Album

“As a young woman I’ve had my fair share of dating experiences. Through those times, I’ve come to the realization that you must keep optimistic and believe you will connect with the right person when the time is right.”

— Bria Cheri

Congratulations on the release of your new single "On 2 the Next"; tell us about your creative process for writing the song and how you connected with producer William Lockwood.

Thank you! The concept of the song stemmed from how difficult dating in this generation has become. Everyone has their own expectations, intentions, and most times it never amounts to anything substantial. So, I wrote this song for people who don’t just want to accept settling for someone they don’t feel is for them just for the sake of being in a relationship. Go on to the next person until you find the best person for you.

I connected with William through my uncle, who has been in the industry for quite some time. He introduced me to him and from there, I gave him ideas of specific music I was looking to make, and he started sending me beats. When I heard the beat for “On 2 The Next” I was blown away with how unique it was. I knew I had to write on that track.

Would you say that "On 2 the Next" is based on a personal experience?

Yes, it is. As a young woman I’ve had my fair share of dating experiences. Through those times, I’ve come to the realization that you must keep optimistic and believe you will connect with the right person when the time is right. So, I drew from my emotions I went through when making this song.

Will "On 2 the Next" be featured on an upcoming EP or album? If so, what can you tell us about the project?

It will be featured on my upcoming debut album. I’m currently in the process of recording the project as we speak. With this project, I want to bring an element of fun back to R&B and give people a view into my world.

You've mentioned that your musical influences include Aaliyah and Chaka Khan; what about them has inspired your artistically?

Aaliyah was and still is my favorite artist to this day. She was the one that inspired me to pursue music growing up. Aaliyah had a clear vision for herself artistically and wasn’t afraid to take chances. I remember seeing her on TV being in awe of her work. She had the full package and exuded confidence, was cool and did so with grace. It’s similar to how I approach my life in and outside of music.

Chaka Khan is another artist I fell in love with as a child while listening to her music with my Nana. I loved how Chaka utilized her voice to emote through the soulful tracks she was on. That alone inspires me to dig deep and pull those emotions out when singing.

You’re not just a music creator, but an actress and dancer as well. Tell us about these ventures and how you manage to juggle everything.

Well, the dancing is incorporated into music videos or live performances. The acting aspect is another part of what I aspire to do as I evolve in the industry. I’ve done a few features in smaller productions for independent films, but I would love to one day have more opportunities to grow as an actress.

Time management is important, and I pace myself to focus on one thing at a time.

Stream and Share “On 2 the Next” on Bandcamp

Connect with Bria Cheri: Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | TikTok | Spotify | YouTube

Interview: Jaehyun Kim of Orey Eyed Talks About His New EP "The Last Flight to You"

“With these influences and also the need to share my feelings through sounds, Orey Eyed started out as my latest attempt at sharing my creations with the world.”

— Jaehyun Kim

Congratulations on the completion and release of your debut EP "The Last Flight to You". Tell us about your creative process for the project's development and what inspired you as you were working on its three tracks.

First of all, thank you, I'm glad to see all the positive responses to the EP! Initially all three songs were part of a bigger project, but the plan was still vague at the moment.

Writing new tracks and exploring sounds for this new project, I wanted to make a full length LP right from the start. But as I proceeded, the sound palette expanded and shifted so much that it didn't make sense to group all of the tracks into a singular album. So I made a list of early tracks and demos of mine, mostly heavy on synth-pop and dance music influence, and then released this EP as a result.

Inspirations for this EP came from everywhere: films I've watched, trip to Osaka back in 2017, relationship, etc. I think they all accumulated to a certain sonic atmosphere the EP has.

Were there additional songs that you recorded for the EP but decided not to include? If so, why?

There were alot of half-finished demos and ideas that I've worked on for this EP, but only three proper unreleased songs. One was called "Icarus", not included because it was more of an indie rock track than synth pop. Also it had quite explicit and private lyrics, and I wanted to keep it a secret song. Other ones were titled "If You're Scared" and "Long Hair", also didn't fit in the EP, but might rework and include them in the upcoming LP!

When initially did you start creating music, who influenced your artistry, and at what point did you decide to take it to the next level with the project Orey Eyed?

I played guitar in an after-school class in elementary, and also jammed with my best friend back then, Aaron, in his apartment. While I did try to write my own melody line or chord progression at the time, I didn't know how to produce properly until 2019.

Hearing Avicii on the radio was like a breath of fresh air for me, and the desire to recreate synth leads I've heard was the major drive for me when I started producing. My earliest tracks were made on a free online DAW, and were mostly just poorly executed attempts at copying progressive house tracks.

Later on I got into different genres, with my favorites being acts like Perfume Genius, Lala Lala, The 1975, Chairlift, Dominic Fike, Flume, Lucid Fall, etc. Basically just too many influences and too many favorite artists, so I can't really define my taste now, it's just a vague feeling. On top of all, being a big fan of Linkin Park since my cousin played Meteora on a car ride when I was younger, blending together genres - just like LP did - to create something engaging was my goal, too.

With these influences and also the need to share my feelings through sounds, Orey Eyed started out as my latest attempt at sharing my creations with the world. Yearning for a fresh start for the new year was also why this project was made.

What can you tell us about the full length album that you are working on? Do you have a working title for it?

Sure, the album is starting to take shape. I'm not sure if I want to reveal the working title yet, but it does have title and artwork ready for the sake of artistic concept.

The album will be released around this summer if everything goes as planned, and will include collaborations with other artist(s), too.

How would you describe the music scene in Yongin-si, especially for emerging artists and producers? Is there a community for music creators to connect with each other, meet new fans, and perform live?

Yongin-si isn't necessarily a vibrant city when it comes to the music scene, at least not in the genres I'm invested in. Seoul is nearby and definitely has a better scene, but I found it easier to find musical communities elsewhere in countries where the type of music I enjoy and make is bigger. However my music got influenced by some of my friends for sure. Some of them made mixtapes for me when I was younger, and I've briefly been part of a pop cover band in my highschool, too.

What are some of your goals musically for the remainder of 2024?

I would love to release the LP as planned. Might release it on vinyl too. Also playing live shows is on my list.

In general I would just love to create more, reach out to people from around the world, and see how it turns out to be!

Stream and Share “The Last Flight to You”: Spotify | Bandcamp

Connect with Orey Eyed: X | Instagram

Interview: Rainy Days Discuss Their New Music Video for "Sunspot Ghosts"

“The band name represents that sense of calm and sometimes peaceful melancholy that a rainy day brings.”

— Rainy Days

Congratulations on the release of the music video for "Sunspot Ghosts". Tell us about the band's creative process for the song's development.

Writing the song was super quick for us. Two of us sat down with a ukulele and were like “let’s make a Joji song” essentially. Added some bass synth, keys and guitar and it’s banging. I think we didn’t go too far off the mark!

Your Trystan Cruise directed music video is incredible. What inspired the clip's treatment?

We had this idea for a vampire getting hunted and the living with the guilt of what it takes for him to stay alive. It was a really fun, eerie and dark kind of piece to put together. A lot of it came along as we went.

How did the members of Rainy Days initially meet and then decide to form a band, and what does the band name represent?

Oh boy. Rainy Days originally formed online between me and Pedro, and Doogie. I was in PA and later NY, whereas Pedro lives in Portugal and Doogie was teaching English in Spain. We concocted some crazy good stuff and the foundation of Rainy Days. Now, we have a lot of vibrant jams coming from our NYC based crew.

The band name represents that sense of calm and sometimes peaceful melancholy that a rainy day brings. The steady beat of the drops, the spooky nights and gray skies.

Who are some of the band's musical influences and how would you say you differentiate yourself from other rock acts that have come from NYC?

Our influences include indie rock acts like Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes and Surf Curse, and also more alternative styles such as Deftones and Starset.

We stand out through the unique lyrics, bouncy drum beats and dreamy electronic elements.

Tell us about “ARCHVILLAIN”, the EP that the "Sunspot Ghosts" song is featured on.

It released on May 6th of 2023. From ethereal tracks “Youth, I’m Yours” and “Sunspot Ghosts” to more surfy tunes like the titular track “Archvillain”, our first EP is a blast of a time.

The release artwork is insane, too! It’s a Godzilla, Gundam, Yu-Gi-Oh! themed battle hand painted on canvas by artist Trystan Cruise.

Stream and Share “ARCHVILLAIN” EP on: Spotify

Connect with Rainy Days: Instagram | TikTok | Spotify | YouTube

Interview: Lucy Mayhem Talks About Her New Single/Video "Into Hell"

“I know I’m provocative in how I look, and how I write. That’s on purpose. At the end of the day, I want people to have the same experience I had/have with music.”

— Lucy Mayhem

Congratulations on the release of your new single/lyric video "Into Hell"; tell us about your and Jamie King's creative process for its development.

"Into Hell' came about fairly similar to any other song I've written. It was really me just personifying my depression, and my relationship with it after dealing with it for 8+ years now.

At this point in time, I've accepted that it's a thing I have. I'm probably always going to deal with it on some level. At the same time, I choose to no longer settle, and let it completely control my life and whether or not I truly live. That's why the song is kinda vengeful. It's also why I call the song my "villain origin story."

How Jamie and I's relationship works, I've always written, and recorded everything at home in my bedroom. Then, when I feel it's ready, I bring it all to him. At his studio I record vocals (he usually gives me harmony ideas because I can't think of good ones to save my life), I give him a few references sound wise for what I want the final mix to sound like, and then he does his magic. With Jamie, that part of the process is really pretty easy. I give him full credit for making my songs sound as high quality and good that they do.

Would you say that your environment in Winston-Salem has influenced your songwriting and the music that you create? Is there a vibrant rock music scene in that city?

I'm honestly still learning about the rock scene around Winston Salem/NC in general, but from my experience so far I've always been pleasantly surprised by it.

Specifically in Winston, it's definitely small from my knowledge; however, the bands and musicians I've discovered and/or interacted with in / around Winston have all been super friendly, kind, supportive people.

I don't know if the environment has impacted my songwriting, but that being said, I've definitely been inspired and motivated by the few interactions I've had with other musicians around the area. I think it being kinda small, relatively speaking, really just makes it so everyone is trying to pick each other up and help one another succeed, which is nice.

How would you describe your upcoming EP of the same name, which drops on August 9th? Is there an overarching theme or concept for the project?

Sonically, I'd say the EP very much sounds like a Lucy Mayhem EP, just taken to the next level. It's guitar driven of course, heavy while still having light elements, darker then anything I've done before, energetic yet has it's more stripped down moments, and overall sad and angry.

Lyrically, it kinda comes across as a breakup EP because a majority of it lyrically I'm talking about my relationship with my brain. It goes through all those emotions from heartbreak, to desperate, to lost, etc.

I think thematically, "Into Hell" EP is really the start of Lucy Mayhem's story. (My story.) I've always had this idea that, as much as I write about things I'm going through mentally, I want there to be some sort of overarching theme and storyline sonically, lyrically, and imagery wise with it. To me, this EP is the start of that storyline and theme. That's why it's so theatrical and symbolic. That's also why it's so dark, heavy, gothic, etc.

I'm not literally going "Into Hell", nor have I met the devil. But mentally, I've been put through hell, figured out more about my brain which can be dark and a bit conniving, similar to the devil.

Will "Save Me" also be a featured track on the EP? Also, how many songs were recorded for the project, and were there any that did not make the cut?

Yes, "Save Me" will be on the EP! The way my whole process is, I probably wrote around 40ish songs for the EP. Of that, I go back and choose which ones I think have something to them, and that I truly like.

My only concern is liking what I put out, so I'm pretty picky. I recorded 7-8 songs, and of those 1-2 were scratched either because they didn't end up working out once I started recording, or because I felt thematically they could go towards future projects. The final EP ended up being 6 songs.

When someone listens to "Into Hell" or watches the lyric video for the first time, what do you want them to take away from the experience?

Really, and this applies to anything I make, I hope they take away whatever they need from it. If nothing else, I hope it makes them feel something, good, bad, whatever. It's no secret my image and my music go hand in hand. I know I'm provocative in how I look, and how I write. That's on purpose. At the end of the day, I want people to have the same experience I had/have with music. If one person can listen to my music and feel understood, supported, helped, and/or inspired by it that's really all I can ask for.

Connect with Lucy Mayhem: Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok

Interview: REPTIEL Discuss Their Newly Released Fifth Album "Down Below World"

“Ritual musick recognizes music as a type of magick, something that is willed into existence from places deep inside our minds or souls (or maybe even beyond) that we would otherwise not have access to.”

— REPTIEL

Congratulations to the band on the completion and release of your fifth album "Down Below World"; describe for us your creative process for the development of its 14 tracks, and whether there were songs that were recorded that did not make the final tracklist.

Thanks. It was a long time coming and it’s very satisfying to have it finally finished and out in the world. There is never really a defined creative process for us other than going into our rehearsal space and allowing the songs, sounds and stories to come about via jamming, singing, chanting, imagining and vibrating. Somehow the songs, story ideas and lyrics emerge this way. Sometimes ideas or tunes get stuck in our heads and one of us will work out the lyrics at home or bring back to the rehearsal space a part of a song, a new riff or a plot twist. Or sometimes we will collaborate on lyrics or the story over email or text. But the bulk of the 14 tracks were composed together in the rehearsal space.

And no, there were no songs recorded that did no make the final tracklist.

"Down Below World" is the third in your series that began with "Hobbitozz … A Land That Never Was" and then "The Planet of Progkp"; was it difficult to pick up where you left off in 2018, when you started writing for this project?

No, because we already had written the first song, “A Really Deep Groove (Aleph to Bet),” which describes the main characters in the Temple of the Avian Aliens after the ceremony in which Sine becomes Aleph Adept, which takes place at the end of the previous album, The Planet of Progkp. “A Really Deep Groove” is about an earthquake that strikes the temple and splits it in half, and Sine and the Spirit Usher fall into the deep groove/crevasse that opens up. So we knew the story would be continuing inside the planet.

We also had written the first part of the second song, “It’s an Alternate World,” which is a reference to the song “It’s a World” on The Planet of Progkp album. So everything just flowed from there.

How did you come up with the overall story for Sine and his transgalactic guide the Spirit Usher back in 2015, and have there been any other SciFi/Fantasy, Psychedelic Prog Rock projects that have inspired your work?

Really, the whole thing was inspired by the made-up word Hobbitozz (which reminds me of the first line of Genesis, “In the beginning was the Word”), which came from a discussion in our rehearsal space about Black Sabbath, The Lord of the Rings and a hobbit version of Ozzy Osbourne.

The word Hobbitozz had a magical effect on us. It seemed we had discovered the name of a fantasy world or distant planet. Then the characters came to us: Forest Boy, the Woodland Witch, JackOh the Green, the Druid of the Wood, etc. The songs and story soon followed, continuing for three albums so far. It is unclear when the story and the songs will cease to reveal themselves to us.

Aside from the above mentioned inspirations, some others during that time were Patrick Rothfus’ books in The Kingkiller Chronicle, David Lindsay’s classic science fiction novel A Voyage to Arcturus, and Jon Anderson’s LP Olias of Sunhillow. Aside from Jon Anderson’s masterpiece, I would cite Warp Riders by The Sword, which is more metal than psych/prog, but its SciFi/Fantasy concept and Dan McPharlin’s amazing artwork have long inspired me.

Tell us about the incredible accompanying album artwork that is featured on the Libretto page, and how did you connect with the artists who provided their illustrations?

Thank you for noticing the artwork and asking about it and for referring to it as incredible. I also think it’s incredible. I’d also like to point out that in addition to the artwork on the CD digipak and the accompanying libretto booklet, there is web page that includes more artwork for all the songs on the Down Below World album (cubby.net/ccr/dbw). I’ve done this for each of the albums in the Hobbitozz/Progkp/Down Below series: ask artists to illustrate a song or songs from the album. This time around the artists are all people I’ve collaborated with in the past. A few of them (Doug, Rani, Tristy, Chris and Cyane) have been collaborating with us since before REPTIEL, when we were all part of the Cubby art collective here in San Francisco. Doug, Rani, Daniela, Anselm and Cye have contributed artwork to all three of the Hobbitozz/Progkp/Down Below albums. Dru, who did the cover, is the newest collaborator, but he also did the cover art for our Cubby Preachers 6 project (released two years ago on Cubby Control Records).

I love these artists, because not only are they very talented and create unique work, but they do it for the love of creating art. The way it works is I provide them with the lyrics and the storyline, provide them with unmastered versions of the songs, ask them to pick a song (or songs) that they’d like to illustrate, and leave it up to them to interpret in their own way. They never cease to amaze me.

With "Down Below World" now released, what's next musically for the band?

We actually have a sort of punk rock/post-punk side project we’re preparing to record. We’re not sure yet what we’re going to call it, but look out for it on Cubby Control Records in the next year.

As for REPTIEL, we have composed a prequel to the Hobbitozz/Progkp/Down Below series of albums called The Broadcaster, which is about a band that starts receiving strange radio signals through its amplifiers in their rehearsal space from an entity called The Broad caster, who is perhaps from another dimension, or from across space and time, and who provides instructions to the band to write songs about a distant world in order to save that world from destruction. But there are forces that don’t want the band to achieve its goal.

We haven’t yet begun recording the songs, but plan to resume rehearsing them soon and preparing them to record soon.

Back in 2009, as members of various Bay Area based bands, what led you to come together and form REPTIEL, and how would you describe the concept of "ritual musick" when creating new music?

Three of the members of REPTIEL (myself, Alec and Jason Y.) had been playing in The Druggles, so when our lead singer fled San Francisco in 2009 to live in an aluminum foil-lined cave in Saguaro National Park outside of Tucson (read more about that here: http://cubby.net/ccr/spacegodpills.html), The Druggles’ drummer also left the band. I had played in The Cubby Creatures with Jason G., and I knew he was no longer playing drums with Thee More Shallows, so I asked if he’d be interested in playing with myself, Alec and Jason Y. Alec suggested the name REPTIEL, which he saw in a dream, and here we are 5 albums later.

I alluded to our creative process, or the lack of a defined creative process, in the answer to the first question. But we do have means by which we stimulate creativeness, a process which we call “ritual musick.” The addition of the “k” in Crowleyian terms differentiates the practice from other types of music that are meant purely for entertainment.

Ritual musick recognizes music as a type of magick, something that is willed into existence from places deep inside our minds or souls (or maybe even beyond) that we would otherwise not have access to. I am not at liberty to convey the entirety of the rituals but I can say that they involve manipulating sound waves and vibrations; altering our minds in order to discover the stories imbedded in the substances we have ingested; finding ourselves in states of ecstasy or torment; chanting nonsense and singing in tongues; interpreting the visions received and converting them to music, sounds and lyrics that are able to be comprehended by other human minds.

Read our review of the “Down Below World” album HERE

Stream and Share “Down Below World” on Bandcamp

Connect with REPTIEL: Facebook

Interview: bleed moxie Talks About His Track "out on my own" and Upcoming Album "women's society"

“I get excited about things and have a really hard time being patient and taking my time with the creative process, but I’ve forced myself to do that with this album.”

— bleed moxie

Congratulations on the release of your new track "out on my own", which features fellow Denver based musicians Kate Fern and Sarah Hubbard. How did you connect with them initially and what made them the right fit for your song?

I've been working on my new album, "women's society", at CCM Studios in Denver with Engineer/Producer Hayden Hallatt. As we were crafting "out on my own", Hayden had the idea to bring a female vocalist to the track as a means of giving it some depth and adding some layers to the song. I absolutely agreed and Hayden contacted Kate, who's band May Be Fern is making big moves in the Denver scene recently, and she came in the studio and knocked it out of the park, so much so that we decided to feature her on several songs on the record. She's amazing.

Then, as we were in the final mix/master of the song, Hayden had another brilliant idea to add some live violin (as you can see, Hayden is a genius in the studio) and we got connected with Sarah. She came in, laid down some terrific violin for us, and the song really came together.

I love that it's such a collaborative piece of music featuring all Denver musicians, especially as someone new to the scene out here, it feels really great to make those connections with fellow musicians.

Tell us about your creative process for the development of the track from a lyricist's perspective and how you decided on the beat.

This new album mostly came together out of nowhere, I really wasn't expecting to write another solo record and honestly hadn't thought about making any new music, possibly ever again. But I came across some beats from a friend of mine who used to DJ for me back in the Twin Cities, DJ Hayes, who is now DJ'ing for Nur-D who's making a lot of noise in the scene. I started listening to some of Ryan's beats and started writing to one of those beats in particular, suddenly had a new song written and it really took off from there. I started scouring for beats, came across a bunch I really thought were dope from a lot of producers, and before I knew it I was fully writing my first solo rap record since 2015.

This particular beat for "out on my own" comes from Black Lions Beats and as soon as I heard it, the idea for an anthemic, emotional roller coaster of a breakup song came to me b/c that's how the beat felt as I listened to it, it almost forces you to feel the highest of highs and lows as you're moving through the beat, so the song topic came pretty naturally.

"out on my own" will be featured on your upcoming album "women's society". What can you tell us about the project and is there an overall theme or concept for it?

I've really taken my time with crafting "women's' society". Like I mentioned, I didn't have any plans to make new music at this point in my career, I have been focused on a lot of other things outside of music the last few years, so as this process came together, I've really wanted to take my time and enjoy it, be patient with it, and create the absolute best album of my career.

I get excited about things and have a really hard time being patient and taking my time with the creative process, but I've forced myself to do that with this album. And I really wanted to make a hip hop album, back to my roots and back to where it all began. A straight up rap record.

Now, the album definitely blends a lot of elements of pop throughout, that's just how it developed as I wrote and Hayden and I created in the studio, but at it's core, its a rap record with pretty dope ass lyrics and some killer beats. And the album touches on lots of themes that I experience at this point of my life (in my early 40s): aging, relationships, death, regret, optimism, pain, and ultimately, hope.

What does your name bleed moxie represent for you at this stage of your musical career?

The name bleed moxie came pretty naturally to me as I started writing this album. I put out music under the moniker of Moxie for over a decade, then retired that character as I moved into working on other projects. As I wrote this album, it felt like going back to the start of my career in many ways-- wanting to make a straight up hip hop album. It felt very nostalgic to me, like I was experiencing writing some of those first records of mine way back in the 2010s. So I wanted to bring pieces of the Moxie character with me but the full character no longer fits at this point in my life, he's slowly bled out of me over the years as I've gotten older. But I still have that moxie to my personality, it still oozes and bleeds out of me at times, so the character bleed moxie was born. An homage to my past and an encapsulation of the enigmatic parts to my being at this point in my life.

You now call Denver home; would you say that the city inspires the concepts that you write about and how would you compare the hip-hop scene there to Minneapolis/St. Paul?

Denver has been great for me. I moved here about a year and a half ago and it's definitely been an inspiring journey. The mountains, the landscapes, the activities, the energy and the people, moving to Denver has provided a lot of new perspectives on life and motivation to do lots of things. It's also been a straight up refresh and reset in relation to my love of music and creating that was necessary.

The music scene in the Twin Cities is amazing, especially the hip hop scene, but I had grown out of it in my ways. Moving to Denver has allowed me to start over, feel energized with a new scene and new people and new venues. I didn't dive into the scene right away when I moved here, I'm only now slowly starting to get myself in the mix, so I don't know a ton about the scene here yet but I've already met a lot of wonderful musicians.

The Twin Cities hip hop scene is legendary and established, I'm not sure that Denver has the same established scene yet, but that might also be b/c I haven't fully immersed myself yet.

I'm excited to get this album out, make some moves, and see what the full scope of the scene is here in Colorado. It's a new chapter for me, a new journey and it seems as if Colorado is the perfect location at this point in my career.

Watch the “out on my own” Lyric Video

Connect with bleed moxie on: Website | Instagram | X | Soundcloud

Interview: Mike Collins of Rooftop Screamers Discusses His Single/Video "Dead In The Water"

“ I do have a core group of musicians I like to work with that I know will always bring something fresh and exciting to the music. But I also like to branch out from that circle and reach out to musicians who’s work I admire.”

— Mike Collins, Rooftop Screamers

What is the origin of the Rooftop Screamers music project, and what does the name represent to you?

Rooftop Screamers is an outlet to write and record my own original music. I play in a few bands in the Portland (Oregon) area and do a fair amount of session/studio work as well. That keeps me pretty busy. But as a songwriter, I need a vehicle to express myself and Rooftop Screamers is that vehicle. Prior to Rooftop Screamers I was the drummer and predominant songwriter in the Power Pop band Throwback Suburbia. Once we disbanded in 2013, I had about a dozen or more songs I had written and instead of trying to form a new band to record and perform those songs, I decided instead to invite some of my favorite local musicians and singers to make guest appearances on the songs. I also tested my luck and reached out to some of my musical heroes and as luck would have it, I got positive feedback and several of them expressed interest in working together.

I've had the honor to work with some heroes, including: Cy Curnin (The Fixx), Tim Smith (Sheryl Crow, Noel Gallagher, Jellyfish), Earl Slick (John Lennon, David Bowie), David Paton (Pilot, Alan Parsons, Elton John), Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, R.E.M.), Mark Plati (Prince, David Bowie, The Cure), Dan Reed (as mentioned before) and local producers like Rob Daiker, Kevin Hahn and Gregg Williams, to name a few.

As far as the name goes, I think it conjurs up an image of getting something off your chest and that pretty much describes the therapeutic value of songwriting for me.

How do you go about deciding which artists and musicians you will work with creatively?

That's a good question. I do have a core group of musicians I like to work with that I know will always bring something fresh and exciting to the music. But I also like to branch out from that circle and reach out to musicians who's work I admire. Especially in the vocal department. I guess once the song is written and demoed (before taking it into a nice studio), I try to hear in my head what kind of voice would be the right fit.

Whether it's a man or woman, a clean voice or a more gravelly voice. It's like casting someone for a role. So far I've been very happy with each musician and singer that has leant their talents to this project.

How would you say that your surroundings in Portland impact and/or influence the music that you write and record?

Well, it rains here a lot and can get pretty dreary in the Fall/Winter seasons. So that lends itself to more inside activities and maybe a little bit of self reflection. I tend to be most productive during those seasons and write a lot more than say the Spring/Summer months. It's fun to tinker in the studio and be creative when you don't feel like you're missing out on much. And when the Spring/Summer rolls around, then you have material to take into the studio and start the process of releasing new music. It works for me!

Congratulations on the release of your new single "Dead In The Water"; tell us about your creative process for the song itself, and how you connected with featured artist Rob Daiker.

“Dead In The Water” was one of those songs that came fairly quick, and those are usually the best ones. When the song practically writes itself and all the components such as the chord structure, melody and lyrics are aligned.

This song is a bit more in the modern rock genre and less like the power pop stuff I typically write. Although there are certainly pop sensibilities in the song. I think I was listening to a fair amount of Porcupine Tree and Muse when I started working on the song and those influences crept in. Knowing that this particular song was a little bit darker than some others I have written, it made sense to me to reach out to my friend Rob Daiker. Rob's productions for other artists (Dan Reed Network, Royal Bliss, Loyal Order, etc.) as well as his own material have a bit more modern and darker pop/rock vibe to them. I knew “Dead In The Water” could benefit from his touch.

This is actually the third Rooftop Screamers song Rob has produced as well as sang and played the bulk of the instruments on. We have also played in Dan Reed's solo band together and I have played drums in Rob's band in the past. So, working together is comfortable and familiar. His work on “Dead In The Water” is no exception to his amazing artistry.

The "Dead In The Water" animated music video is incredible. How did you and the director devise the visual treatment and how long did it take for it to be completed?

The video was done by Daphne Ang at TCOMAS Studio. This is the second video she has done for me. The first being for the previous single: “Another Life”. I discovered her work last year and was blown away! Her videos are visually stunning and her vision was perfect for “Dead In The Water”.

I had some basic ideas of how the video should look, but she definitely ran with it and brought the song to life with her multimedia approach, using animation, stock footage and her imagination. The video ended up looking like a mini disaster movie with some dystopian undertones that serviced the song well.

With the "Dead In The Water" song and visuals now unveiled, what is next for you and Rooftop Screamers musically?

Next is getting back in the studio and recording new songs. I have about a dozen or so, but have narrowed it down to 4-5 that I want to record first. I'm really excited about the direction of a few of the songs. They represent a little bit of a departure from the previous, more pop based stuff. There's some Pink Floyd and more progressive rock vibes that I'm playing with.

In the meantime, I'll be releasing a five song EP that includes “Dead In The Water” alongside four previously released singles. Stay tuned!

Stream and Share “Dead In The Water”: Spotify | Bandcamp

Connect with Rooftop Screamers: Facebook

Interview: Alt Rock Artist Iddie Mo Talks About His Debut Single/Video "It's Chronic"

“...at our very first meeting I told Nol K that if he felt something didn’t work he shouldn’t hold back and tell me, also that if there was anything that he wanted to try out, experiment with, this is the opportunity and vice versa.”

— Iddie Mo

Congratulations on the completion and release of your debut single "It's Chronic"; tell us about your creative process for its development and what it was like working with its producer Nol K?

Thank you. I actually intended to write a happy song at first, but even before I started writing the lyrics, I had already been going through a state of depression for about 3 months.

It was an attempt to force myself to get out of the slump but eventually the pretense bothered me too much because my words felt disingenuous, so I scrapped most of it halfway and leaned into my feelings at the time.

This bittersweet track about hanging onto hope and getting over adversity called “Seize the day” turned into “It’s Chronic” a song pretty much about being aware of your depression and going through the motions while you wait for the darkness to pass.

Sounds cliché but “keeping it real” is important to me.

The demo I came up with had a more mellow vibe and bringing it to Nol K transformed the piece giving it more power whilst still maintaining a lot of my original demos’ integrity.

When it comes to the more technical process of making this song, I like to start with establishing the melody first, then it’s a back and forth against the lyrics. Once I feel like the main melody is decent, I lay down layers of different instruments, almost always starting with a basic piano track to get the right chords. Then I either play around with making patterns on my DAW or have the track on a loop while I vocalize accompaniments and try to translate them into instruments by ear. Sometimes occasionally looking at various tutorials online; to help polish my Frankenstein track.

See I had this long running fear that not knowing how to properly read notes and having limited music theory knowledge meant that I couldn’t be a songwriter; not that I didn’t try to learn in the past, but life kept getting in the way somehow.

At some point I decided to just jump into it and remind myself that there are a lot of successful artists out there who couldn’t either; not to compare myself to the Beatles, but even John Lennon admitted that none of them in the band could read music.

I was introduced to Nol K by Professor Alex Fischer of the Mahakarya Institute of Arts Asia (a.k.a. MIAA). Professor Alex Fischer was looking for an artist to collaborate with for one of his modules, to give his students the experience of working with a client to work on a music video.

He had shown Nol K (producer and front man of the indie band Hurricane Honey) my demo and he apparently loved it. Funny story, in return the professor showed me Hurricane Honey’s song “Through your mind” and I thought “Wow, these guys sound just like “I Mean The Snakes”” a band I was a fan of in high school, who I thought had disbanded and stopped making music- I was wrong. After I connected the dots that they were one and the same I became a blubbering idiot.

Now, whenever I work with someone, I have it in principal that they must enjoy what they’re doing. So at our very first meeting I told Nol K that if he felt something didn’t work he shouldn’t hold back and tell me, also that if there was anything that he wanted to try out, experiment with, this is the opportunity and vice versa.

We went back and forth experimenting with different sound fonts and effects I’ve heard used in other songs, adding harmonies on the spot. We’d add and take away things, for example an electronic glitch effect which I ultimately felt was too distracting; he even encouraged me to try doing some metal vocals that I didn’t think I could do until I just went for it in the recording studio.

Working with Nol K is heaven, like I literally did not realize I could get so happy before, I’m not even exaggerating I cannot for the life of me remember a time I was that happy. People who say “you should never meet your heroes” have some pretty terrible heroes, ‘cause honestly, it’s like the more I got to know him the more I’m like “Yeah, this guy is Bruneian Keanu Reeves” and it’s not just me, it seems everyone who’s ever met him at least once only has good things to say about him.

Sorry for getting off on a tangent and gushing about Nol K, but seriously, meeting him in person only made me a bigger fan. Aaaand I know he’ll probably see this interview, but I’m pretty sure I’ve embarrassed myself enough getting all red and blubbering gibberish every time he complimented my singing.

You've also just released a very intense music video for "It's Chronic", directed by Minori Ramzi. What's your favorite memory of filming the clip and would you say that your treatment was fully visualized in the final product?

I’d say that it was almost completely different from my initial idea, though I did come into the project with an open mind and wanted to give Ramzi (along with the other students) the opportunity to express her own creativity.

My initial treatment had the music video be more like a twisted version of “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” but Ramzi pitched something more inspired by late 90’s goth and early 2000’s emo (citing Marilyn Manson and Panic at the disco to name a few). She appeared very enthusiastic about the idea and I just couldn’t say no.

Nothing major really comes to mind, but one of the dancers did get locked up in the toilets for a while (the door got jammed) and we had to pull them up from out of the cubicle, oh and my hair did get singed a bit during the scene where I was laying down surrounded by candles- thankfully no one got hurt 👍🏽

How would you describe the alt rock scene in Brunei Darussalam, and would you say that there is a huge audience for the genre?

I’d say that the scene is steadily rising in recognition. I hear about alt rock bands in our mainstream more now than I did, say 16 years ago, although you’d still have to seek them out yourself. Classic rock, rap and pop still dominate the airwaves.

Who have been some of your influences that inspired you artistically, especially early on when you began making music?

Being a lover of different types of music means that I have way too many influences and that makes it a little difficult to know where to begin.

I did have my start making background music for games, so it’d be safe to say that most of my early influences came from the soundtracks of some of my favorite games; music from composers like Nobuo Uematsu and Yoko Shimomura.

I had also been a fan of Indonesian singer Anggun Cipta Sasmi (Often referred to as just Anggun in the west) since a very early age- I don’t even remember how old I was when I first heard her music, I may have been a toddler. She used to be an absolute rocker at the start of her career but in 1997 came out with ‘Rose in the wind’ which was a fusion of several genres, pop, rock, traditional Indonesian folk, funk, etc. It could have been the catalyst for my love of fusion music.

There really are just too many influences, I’d like to honorably mention Philippe Jaroussky, Natalie Dessay, Jojo (Joanna Levesque), Kings of Convenience, Cannibal Corpse, Ella Fitzgerald, Mariah Carey, Bjork, to name a few. I should stop here or else this interview is never going to end if I don’t.

With 2023 winding down, what are some of your goals musically in 2024?

I am eager to release more music, I’m working on a couple of demos right now and plan on working with Nol K once again, hopefully for a whole EP. However I’d like to believe that my music taste is vast and I would really love to make music in a plethora of genres to reflect that.

Stream and Share “It’s Chronic” on: Spotify | Apple Music

Connect with Iddie Mo: TikTok | X | Instagram

Interview: Los Angeles Based RnB Artist/Producer Hermosa

“I feel that when you’re creating music, you’re telling a story, almost like something out of a book, but in a very melodic way...”

— Hermosa

Big congrats to you on the completion and release of your debut, 6-track EP "Chapter 23", which includes our featured song, "Searching". Tell us about your creative process for the development of the project, and how long it took to finish.

Creating “Searching” was really short and sweet. I think I finished it all the same day. I started the hook first and then worked my way around the song. I wasn’t expecting it to come out the way it did. I had a completely different direction for the song when I started it, sometimes you just have to let the music take over and see what comes of it.

Were there songs that you wrote or recorded for the EP that did not end up on the final tracklist? If so, why did they not make it?

I record as much as I can, but I barely scrap. “Chapter 23” is capturing a specific timeline of my life, and that’s what these songs were specifically for and about. They were handpicked.

What does the EP's title, "Chapter 23" represent and would you say that there is an overall theme or concept for the project?

I feel that when you’re creating music, you’re telling a story, almost like something out of a book, but in a very melodic way. That’s what I felt like this project was, a chapter in my life, so I named it, “Chapter 23”.

You're originally from Spartanburg, SC; is your music career what led you to move to Los Angeles?

I’ve always loved to travel and of course I’m traveling more often because of music, but I enjoy it. I love it.

As both a singer-songwriter and producer, do you solely create for yourself or do you write/produce for other artists as well?

I create my own music, and I help others with their creative process as well. I’ve always had a really good ear for music, so I enjoy collaborating and sharing my ideas with other artists.

With 2023 winding down, what are some of your goals musically for 2024?

I just want to continue to drop amazing music and stay consistent. I’ve got some great visuals that I’m working on that. I can’t wait for everyone to see.

Stream and Share “Chapter 23”

Connect with Hermosa: Website | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook

Interview: Experimental Electronic Music Producer Mikebøi Talks About His New EP "Human Nature"

“I think the main theme is the nature of the human being; at a certain point it’s in our nature to destroy, create and start again, always in constant evolution...”

— Mikebøi

Congratulations on the completion and release of your new EP "Human Nature"; tell us about your creative process for its development and how long it took for you to complete.

Thanks; first, the development of this EP comes completely from the feeling of growing up, evolving about my sound and about all my concept art.

I started creating these songs in 2018 and managed to finish 24 songs in total but I decided that making releases as EPs would be a better idea and I noticed there that these 6 songs had in common several factors like the smells, images and sensations I had when creating them, and that's how I chose these songs for the first EP.

Would you say that there is an overall theme for the EP's six songs? If so, how would you describe it?

I think the main theme is the nature of the human being; at a certain point it's in our nature to destroy, create and start again, always in constant evolution and that's what I wanted to do with the whole sound of the EP, so I think that's the fundamental base of “Human Nature”.

Your track with SRU, "Never Stay" is great; how did you two connect and what made SRU's vocals the perfect fit for the song?

It was a very similar process to all our projects together. sru starts a song idea and shows me and initially it sounded kind of sad to me so I start to connect with the feeling she left in it and this song has very strong feelings that we both can feel since we went through very similar things so I decided to change a little bit the feeling that I perceived as sad and try to add flowers to it.

Literally, my thought when re doing the instrumental was: I want it to sound like we are surrounded by flowers while sru narrates all this, and I think the result was great because sru did an impeccable job with her vocals, it was just like letting myself be carried away by a stream of water with her vocals there.

With "Human Nature" now released, what are some of your goals musically for the rest of the year?

My main goals now are to get the second EP out, which I still can't release the name and reach more audience that likes this kind of experimental music.

I would also like to start influencing people in my country with this style of music, so there is a lot of work to do yet.

How would you describe the electronic music scene in your city, and in Mexico overall for up and coming producers?

I really like the production in Mexico but I feel that people need to value more the art that exists to be able to move forward small projects with huge potential.

We also need many more exponents willing to open roads and doors more than just getting on the trend or popular music. There is a small niche of people who are doing very well and I believe that in the next few years Mexico will have great exponents in experimental electronic music also known as pc/music.

Stream and Share “Human Nature”

Connect with Mikebøi: Instagram