How did you get into electronic music?
I suppose Imogen Heap would have been the first electronic artist whose music really captured me. But at the time, I didn’t think of her as part of a greater electronic music scene, and so I didn’t explore it. I went to music school at the University of Miami from 2010-2013, when the electronic music scene was exploding in the US. My friends and I latched onto it all at the same time, living in the dance music hub of Miami, and we were passing around music so fast. Some of my first exposure to dance music was Savant, old-school Calvin Harris, Skrillex, and even some commercial stuff like Tommy Trash, Tiesto, etc. Over time, my tastes have changed, as does everyone’s, but I still have a soft spot for all of those first encounters in electronic music.
Who are your biggest influences?
I grew up listening to all kinds of music, and electronic music as a whole didn’t enter my life until I was 20. So some of my biggest foundational influences I would say are Jamie Cullum, Frank Sinatra, Imogen Heap, Reel Big Fish, and a bunch more I shouldn’t list right now. I think it’s a good thing to listen to a variety of music, because the most unique artists are really just mixing together all of their different influences. The more ingredients, the more flavor!
What inspired the art behind the EP?
The artwork idea stemmed from the song Falsework, the title track. Falsework is a real term which refers to the temporary support structures used in construction that are removed once the permanent support structures is in place. I thought that it metaphorically applied really well to life. There are stepping stones, times of growth, experiences that shape us, but in the end, not all of them need to be held onto. I liked the ideal of steel being used for the cover, running with the construction theme. I drew a mock-up long before the final EP was finished, maybe you can show it? Once the EP was finished, I looked for artists and found Anton Fadeev. I love his work, and I could imagine his colorful hand drawn style looking great with my inspiration. We went for more structure variations for the two singles covers, and I’m very happy with how cohesive they turned out!
Do you prefer EP's over singles?
I do prefer any kind of collective work over singles. When I listen to my favorite artists or if I’m diving into a new discography, I don’t listen to their singles, I listen to full albums. Albums allow artists to explore more musical possibilities, and it shows that they have a greater vision than just putting out singles that will perform well. Also, albums can have songs that you won’t warm up to for months, and that adds longevity. I know that that isn’t how the industry is anymore, and individual songs on albums perform worse than if they were released singularly. But at the end of the day, my favorite artists make albums, that’s all I can say. EPs are a nice compromise!
What other artists come close or fall into the niche category of dance you make?
This question is always hard because I can categorize my music in one of two ways: by the fact that I’m a producer/singer combo, or by the actual style of music I make. The former is a much easier way to categorize: Imogen Heap, Owl City, Calvin Harris (pre-203), and Grabbitz. But really, if you listen to any of their music, they all are quite different not only from mine, but from each others. I’ll leave that up to the listeners to decide what category I fall into.
What's planned for the rest of the year?
Just this past weekend I played my first show ever at 515 Alive Music Festival. I already have changes I want to make and lots of areas of improvement, but it was a great first step. I’m planning on taking a couple months now to get back to producing. I have several collaborations in progress, as well as a couple of my own. I don’t know how the release schedule will look just yet, but I’m planning on putting my nose back to the grind now that I have my show put together. I’d really like to start performing again this winter if possible, and put out a few more songs before the new year!
