2. Tell us a bit about how you started producing and what are your main influences, music-wise. What else influences you in the arts or nature you’d love to mention?
I was struggling to find meaning in my life and hadn't finished discovering who I was. Being 25 and not having a lot going for me. I decided on a whim to quit my job, travel and experience a few music festivals in Europe. I didn't know what I was getting myself into or what to expect. But after seeing mind-blowing sets from my favourite artists. I was converted from a general electonic music listener into an obsessive techno lover. The experience was life-changing. Since then, I've always aspired to be a techno producer.
What influences me the most and what I try to capture in my music is raw human emotion. The deepest feelings that we can experience, like the euphoria of being with somebody you love or overcoming something painful in your life. Music can transcend words in expressing the human experience. Transmuting those emotions into something tangible gives me a huge adrenaline rush. We are all complicated beings, but what I find makes us relatable is how we experience these emotions and that we are capable of sharing them on the dancefloor.
3. ‘Shades Of Adversity’ is your debut release, tell us a bit about what inspired this EP?
Shades Of Adversity started off being experimental for me. I wasn't entirely sure what this ep would become in my eyes until I finished the final track "his embrace". Then I knew that it was about shedding an old persona and becoming someone new. Capturing the journey of evolving into something bigger and greater than who you were before. The tracks each hold significant meaning in the EP which resembles this journey. Such as Quake, the idea of something breaking down and being reborn into something new.
These tracks embody the sounds of how I envision my music being. Deep and hypnotic with a drive that keeps you hooked to see how it unravels. I want my listeners to be taken on a journey of themselves. Giving them something they have never heard before. Something that sounds captivatingly different but relatable. The overall theme is that we have all likely lived through similar experiences in our lives and re-exploring how you overcame them through sheer willpower and strength.
4. Are there any parties or specific persons that contributed to developing your sound
There are a few people that have really helped me, Sam Morgan. He brought my music production to the next level with his mentoring. He has such phenomenal knowledge of Ableton. I also need to give a shoutout to Eyes for Empties. Who taught me the ropes of music production when I first started. Having mentors in the early stages of my learning helped me become more than a bedroom producer.
5. What do you find most inspiring about the creative process of music production?
I love sound design and theme development. It's that uncertain part of producing music that I like the most. When you're attempting to turn experimental sounds that you've designed into a powerful loop. You're not entirely sure what sounds you'll end up with, but you keep trying. It feels like you're making something special from nothing. I want my music to pull the listener into a journey through dark pulsating drums and strong lead synthesizers. Creating sounds that are unheard of, that nobody has listened to before. Feels like the truest form of artistic expression. I'll work obsessively to get my sounds right. Once the sounds are arranged into a loop then the rest is easy. Because I know it'll make a kickass track!
6. (a) As you might know, Melbourne was once labelled as a techno city in the mid 90’s by visiting artists/dj’s. Do you think that this label stands today (b) What is your view of techno nowadays, Where do you see the genre is going? It has good events. But I believe that it is more catered towards music in general. People here love techno, we need to give them what they want with bigger techno festivals and promoting more local talent here. We need more warehouse parties and underground car park raves to live up to that name. I often think of where it all started, Detroit. Where they have some of the best underground events and artists. I think we need to spread more awareness of techno in this city and push away from commercial music. We need more underground labels repping our artists and throwing parties yearly. I've always loved the idea behind the Zurich Street Parade as it's an NFP event for everyone to attend. We should have lots of free techno events here in Melbourne like so many cities in Europe do.
7. Any plans on doing live shows with your production.
Producing and djing are the only things on my radar for now. Don't get me wrong, seeing artists like Planetary Assault Systems tearing dancefloors apart makes me think it should be on the cards at some point in my life.
8. When you’re not producing music what do you do?
I work in eCommerce and love the people I work with. The constantly changing digital landscape fascinates me. Especially consumer behaviour. Aside from that I love spending time with my family, we're passionate Greeks and are all very close. I spent a lot of time with my brother and sister as they are creatives as well. We get quite a lot of inspiration from one another and through each other's work. You could say we're a bunch of oddball creatives. But it feels so great to be supported as an artist by my family. Especially considering the conservative nature of my older family.
I also have a big head for going to festivals. Anywhere that techno plays, I'll drag my friends there to enjoy the music. Australia has a great festival scene, which is something I won't stop enjoying for quite a while.
9. List your favourite three techno tracks & why you like them
Love by Luke Slater - It's a timeless track and my favourite of all time. The keys, synth and vocal mix make this track purely blissful!
The Riddle by Rebekah - This track always finds its way into my sets. Dark, deep and speaks to you on many different levels. Rebekah will always be the Queen of techno in my eyes.
Rigid by Rosa Anschütz (Kobosil's remix) - This track resembles the best of two artists coming together to create a masterpiece. Kobosil's vicious drums and Rosa's phenomenal vocals compliment each other perfectly. It captures the true essence of German electronic music!
