Discover Music Artists and their background on Nagamag!

Son of Zev Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Features, Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Breakbeat, electro, Experimental Electronica, Interview, Interview (osf), Son of Zev, Techno|

Son of Zev
Interview

Nagamag:
Which are the genres that describe your music style better?

Son of Zev:
Techno, Breakbeat, Electro, Experimental Electronica. I'm a very wide listener of all styles of music. There are many influences that get pulled into my production.

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Son of Zev:
I've been involved with music since I was about 8. I struggled to settle on an instrument till I was 11 which was piano/keyboards. My school actually had synthesizer lessons and my classes were on an Alpha Juno.. That was in about 1987. I had no idea that I was playing on one of the original machines that could make the classic "hoover" rave sound..
My first experience trying to program my own synth (a DX27) was trying to make Hammond and Rhodes sounds out of it.. I was jamming blues with mates at the time as a teenager.
In 1994, after being self professed "anti sequencer" I found myself in the rave scene and loving some of the more underground sounds I was hearing (Melbourne was/is very Detroit influenced). By 1995 I was playing around with synths for synths sake, and occasionally playing as a regular guest of Melbourne clan analog band "Signal To Noise"
In early 1998 I played my first gig as Son of Zev at the iconic Punters Club, a venue I'd literally seen hundreds of bands and a handful of electronic acts. I played for half an hour, slotted into the very start of the gig. I was home. Andrez Bergen of IF? Records was apologetic for the early start and short time slot and low fee... I didn't care.
I went on to play at least 100 more shows (I lost count somewhere along the way) between 1998 and 2001, many of them with If? Records. I kept playing semi-regularly through till 1998.
Although I could put together a great live set, I was never very good at finishing tunes. Something I've since learned is most likely a product of my (very) late diagnosed ADHD..
After some big life changes, in about 2016 I set up a new studio and have released a couple of EP's and the odd single... WIth my recent diagnosis and some therapy on the horizon, I'm hoping I can channel my energies better and release a lot more music.

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Son of Zev:
While not my first connection, I can remember 2 very pivotal moments..
Somewhere around 1994 I saw Jammin' Unit play a live set at Club Filter in Melbourne. It's where I truly understood that electronic music could have be very live and organic. Seeing someone working their gear like that, clearly arranging and manipulating what was going on broke my perception of a person pressing play on a computer sequencer with nothing to do.
The second pivotal moment was dancing front and centre to Thomas P Heckmann playing live and changing what he was doing according to the crowd reactions and realising I really wanted to be on the other side playing my music and being at one with the crowd like that.

Nagamag:
Do you have any new music coming out?

Son of Zev:
I have 2 releases coming in the near future. Both 2 track singles.
The first "Escaped From the Vault" is a couple of tracks I found while digging through some old boxes. Backups of a demo that really hold up today. They are of a more strictly Techno sound, dark and hard, but with a lot of rhythmic exploration. It's due out on the 27th of August on Slice Records.
The second is a collaboration with Arcane Trickster. We've remixed each other's work, these should also be out later this year on Slice Records.
Aside from those, I've been in the studio a lot, and I expect that by next year there should be some more music ready for release.

Nagamag:
You mentioned that you used to play a lot of live sets, do you still do that, and are there any gigs coming up?

Son of Zev:
Absolutely, I love playing live and still like to perform a few times a year.
Lockdowns permitting I am playing at Red Betty in Brunswick on the 14th of August for a Live Electronic Musicians of Melbourne Showcase gig.
I'm also playing on the 3rd of September at Acid Slice Presents 303 909 .. At Bar 303, Northcote.. (expect Acid)

Nagamag:
Many artists listen to genres that they are not producing music for. Which track is your favorite that is NOT similar to yours?

Son of Zev:
Jimmy Smith "Root Down"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which is the track from a similar artist you admire?

Son of Zev:
Joey Beltram Forklift (Luke Slater's remix)

Discover & Listen to Son of Zev

Son of Zev on Spotify

Son of Zev's Signature Track

Son of Zev on Social Media

sonofzev

Carlos Maya Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Features, Interviews, Neoclassical Features, Neoclassical Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Carlos Maya, Emotional, Interview, Interview (osf), Neoclassical|

Carlos Maya
Interview

Nagamag:
Which are the genres that describe your music style better?

Carlos Maya:
I'm perfectly OK with this "Neoclassical" term to refer music that has a strong emotional focus, as I pretend to do that, to communicate and to express these "emotional ideas" and perspectives that cannot be expressed with words.

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Carlos Maya:
I've studied music at the Conservatory of Music of the National University of Colombia. I studied classical music, academic music, composition and music theory. But my interest in music was raised from a very young age, with the music instruction of my father who is a Sax player. Regardless my academic music background I was always interested in genres that are more connected to people than the strictly academic music, hence this neoclassical piano project, I also have great love for the keyboards and synthesizers, and absolutely for the Rock music. I also have a progressive rock project called Cadius in which I am its main composer.

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Carlos Maya:
My first connection of love with music was when I was very young... I think 6 maybe 7 years old... My father used to play in his turntable classical music and progressive rock music, music from Bach, Mozart, but also Rick Wakeman, Yes and that kind of stuff... I remember that Bach music touched me very deeply, I was really moved in my heart while listen to this second movement of the Harpsichord Italian concerto, touched to the point of tears, and I was like 7 or 8 years old, right then I decided that I wanted to be a pianist.

Nagamag:
What do you want to achieve with your music?

Carlos Maya:
I try to do my best to make beautiful music, I deeply feel that the purpose of each one of us, as human beings, is to bring beauty to this life, the beauty is an ideal from "higher states" and we bring these "higher states" to this world, and when we commit to this purpose I think we make the world a little better.

Nagamag:
What are your next steps in your career?

Carlos Maya:
I am working to put one of my songs as a soundtrack in a movie or a documentary. That would be awesome!

Nagamag:
Many artists listen to genres that they are not producing music for. Which track is your favorite that is NOT similar to yours?

Carlos Maya:
Meshuggah "Clockworks"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which is the track from a similar artist you admire?

Carlos Maya:
Michael Nyman The heart asks pleasure first

Discover & Listen to Carlos Maya

Carlos Maya on Spotify

Carlos Maya's Signature Track

Carlos Maya on Social Media

carlosmayaofficial

carlosmayapiano

Carlos Maya's Website

smarturl.it/TheReturn.CarlosMaya

Vincent Liou Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Features, Interviews, Pop Features, Pop Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Indie Pop, Interview, Interview (osf), Vincent Liou|

Vincent Liou
Interview

Nagamag:
Which are the genres that describe your music style better?

Vincent Liou:
Indie pop

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Vincent Liou:
I started piano when I was young and then played bass and clarinet for a few years. I loved making huge chords on the piano. I joined a band (Crash Coordinates) in high school and played minimal keys – I was basically the hype man. I wrote my first song in college in 2010 where I (low-key) ripped off Owl City’s ‘”Fireflies.” I wrote four EPs and recorded with Bob Hoag during that time. After graduating from PA school in Massachusetts, I moved back to Arizona to live with my momma (school is expensive you know!). After I came back, I met a girl who was cool, but she broke my heart – she was dating someone else at the same time we were together. My most recent ‘Big Surf’ EP are the songs that came out of that experience.

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Vincent Liou:
I was lucky enough to have parents that liked good music. My dad would play John Denver and my mom played The Eagles. From there I started discovering new artists that really helped color my world. The artists that really showed me that music was freedom are many but Primus, The Locust, Minus the Bear, really solidified my belief.

Nagamag:
Many artists listen to genres that they are not producing music for. Which track is your favorite that is NOT similar to yours?

Vincent Liou:
Whitney Houston "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which is the track from a similar artist you admire?

Vincent Liou:
Bonnie Raitt "I Can't Make You Love Me"

Discover & Listen to Vincent Liou

Vincent Liou on Spotify

Vincent Liou's Signature Track

Vincent Liou on Social Media

vincentfliou

SAAH Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Features, Interviews, Neoclassical Features, Neoclassical Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Contemporary Classical, Interview, Interview (osf), Modern Classical, Neoclassical, Piano, Saah|

SAAH
Interview

Nagamag:
Which are the genres that describe your music style better?

SAAH:
Neoclassical, contemporary classical, modern classical piano,

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

SAAH:
I was given an old piano at the age of nine. i immediately fell in love with that instrument(i actually wanted a flute, but I didn´t get one)
since then I loved to improvise and create little melodies.
i also had piano lessons for some years, but I always preferred to play by ear.
that´s why I decided not to study at the music university.
i played in bands and the last years I´ve been composing for theatres and I´ve been creating solo piano pieces in my tiny homestudio. Last year I won the European song writing award in the category: music for motion pictures. since then I´ve been releasing heartfelt solo piano songs. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to do what I love and to share my music with everybody who wants to listen.

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

SAAH:
I guess it was when i first heard some Tory Amos songs (i fell in love with her way to play the piano) and later i really loved the Keith Jarrett´s Köln concert (i was so impressed by the spirit and vibes of his free and harmonic improvising )

Nagamag:
do you have any plans for the near future?

SAAH:
Yes, I have :)
I always desired to play outside in nature or in other special places with my stage piano.
...so I had a stunning handmade piano shell built by a very talented man and now (about 2 weeks ago) a wonderful painter completed this work with a very special and beautiful painting on the cover of the shell, that means a lot to me.
So from now on I will also share some little video clips from outside, playing on Juna (that´s my pianos name;) - it means the desired..... I am over the moon excited about that.

Nagamag:
Many artists listen to genres that they are not producing music for. Which track is your favorite that is NOT similar to yours?

SAAH:
INCUBUS "Wish you were here"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which is the track from a similar artist you admire?

SAAH:
Franco Roberts (He has a different piano sound, I really like his work) "axolotl"

Discover & Listen to SAAH

SAAH on Spotify

SAAH's Signature Track

SAAH on Social Media

SAAHmusik

saahmusic

SAAH's Website

www.saah.at

Banco de Gaia Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Electronica Features, Electronica Interviews, Features, Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Ambient, Banco de Gaia, Dub, Electronica, global, Interview, Interview (osf), Techno, Trance, World dance|

Banco de Gaia
Interview

Photo by Cezary Biernat | www.notatourist.co.uk

Nagamag:
Which are the genres that describe your music style better?

Banco de Gaia:
World dance, global, ambient, trance, techno, dub

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Banco de Gaia:
I started out playing drums in rock bands then moved on to guitar. In the 80's I was playing jazz and listening to world music then discovered acid house and became immersed in electronic dance music. Since 1989 I've been writing, recording and performing as Banco de Gaia and I'm not sure if I'll ever stop!

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Banco de Gaia:
I saw Hawkwind performing Silver Machine on TV when I was 6 or 7. Lots of strobes and smoke and a man with long hair, I thought 'that's what I want to do'.

Nagamag:
Why is world music so imprtant to you?

Banco de Gaia:
I love combining sounds from different countries and cultures, it constantly amazes me that music from wildly different places can share the same basic heart. Music really is a universal language.

Nagamag:
What have you been working on recently?

Banco de Gaia:
I just released a two-track single 'Pirates and Princes' as part of New York Times reporter Ian Urbina's 'Outlaw Ocean' project. He has been travelling the seas documenting what goes on out in international waters where no laws apply. It's pretty grim at times but it's important to spotlight the crimes that are going on out there, and incorporating his reporting into music has been a fascinating mission.

Nagamag:
Many artists listen to genres that they are not producing music for. Which track is your favorite that is NOT similar to yours?

Banco de Gaia:
Yes "Going For The One"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which is the track from a similar artist you admire?

Banco de Gaia:
William Orbit "Water from a Vine Leaf"

Discover & Listen to Banco de Gaia

Banco de Gaia on Spotify

Banco de Gaia's Signature Track

Banco de Gaia on Social Media

@bancodegaia

Banco de Gaia's Website

www.banco.co.uk

Mazoulew Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Electronica Features, Electronica Interviews, Features, Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Ambient, Dance, Downtempo, Electronica, Hip Hop, Interview, Interview (osf), Mazoulew|

Mazoulew
Interview

Nagamag:
Which are the genres that describe your music style better?

Mazoulew:
My music has always floated across a few genres, I never really considered myself a 'Hip Hop' or 'Dance' producer for example as I found the idea of limiting yourself to a certain style or tempo of music rather limiting and constraining for creativity. My new record covers quite a lot of ground from downtempo/electronica all the way through to ambient/neo-classical works. I guess at the end of the day, I write what I feel at that specific moment and the result can be a lot of different feelings and emotions being conveyed.

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Mazoulew:
When I first got into music I was involved in the Hip Hop/ Drum and bass world, I used to collaborate with literally hundres of different artists and bands. I spent a lot of time engineering and co writing works for people before I really started to focus on my solo material

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Mazoulew:
I remember when I must have been no more then 10 years old, standing in a charity shop with two casettes in my hand
It was something like Now 50 I think and in the other hand 'The Score' by the fugees. I didnt know anything about either record but I bought 'the score' for something crazy like £1.5 and that was it for me, I played that tape over and over till it wore out and snapped. I obviously went and bought another copy on CD after that but yeah that record changed my life really and opened my mind to different a different sound and different ideas.

Nagamag:
Can you tell us a little bit more about the 'Movements EP'

Mazoulew:
So yeah, this record is quite special to me as I really felt like I had the possibility to focus myself and refine a lot of ideas that I had been thinking about in recent years. I wanted, as I say to cover a lot of ground and explore ideas that I am not really hearing other people put together at the moment. I wanted to show there is a way you can combine such moods as cinmeatic, orchestral arrangments with dance floor electronica. It could be very easy to make a project like this and for each of the individual tracks to sound disconnected from one another. The challenge is to imprint enough of your sonic character and style into the sound to give continuity across the tracks regardless of what genre/style they are written in

Nagamag:
Many artists listen to genres that they are not producing music for. Which track is your favorite that is NOT similar to yours?

Mazoulew:
Burial "Ghost Hardware"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which is the track from a similar artist you admire?

Mazoulew:
Rival Consoles "Recovery"

Discover & Listen to Mazoulew

Mazoulew on Spotify

Mazoulew's Signature Track

Mazoulew on Social Media

mazoulew

Blooy Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Electronica Features, Electronica Interviews, Features, Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Blooy, Chillout, dreamy, Electronica, hip-hop beats, Instrumental, Interview, Interview (osf), Lofi, Melancholic, Soundscapes|

Blooy
Interview

Nagamag:
Which are the genres that describe your music style better?

Blooy:
Blooy's sound is its own unique flavor of chillout that’s fueled by dreamy electronics, lo-fi hip-hop beats, drama-filled instrumentation and melancholic soundscapes.

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Blooy:
In the nineties I was inspired by the emerging trend of house music and started working together with producer and composer Dorian Broekhuyse, with whom I collaborated on several dance projects.
In the beginning of this millennium our musical style evolved to chillout music. Dorian and I launched our nu-classical project “Bardo State” in 2008, especially known from the internationally acclaimed song “Sospiro” (album “Mariposa”). Several Bardo State songs were licensed to well-known samplers such as Buddha-Bar and Supperclub. The track "Kosovo" was the soundtrack of the Hollywood film Jekyll and Hyde.

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Blooy:
I'm the son of Jan Wijn, a famous Dutch concert pianist. Raised on musical influences such as Chopin, Ravel and Saint-Saëns, I became interested in experimental jazz throughout my teenage years and I started playing drums. In my late teens, I also started singing and playing keyboard in the new wave band The Primrose Path. The often dark and gloomy sound of new wave music has continued to inspire me throughout my musical career.

Nagamag:
What exactly inspired you to start with Blooy?

Blooy:
I started working on my solo project “Blooy” during the Corona period. Inspired by the imperfection of lo-fi music, I combined chillout with jazz and classical influences, sometimes accompanied by spoken word. As the strongest form of art, I use Blooy’s music to express myself and always try to embellish my compositions with layers of heartfelt emotions.

Nagamag:
What are your musical plans for the future?

Blooy:
During 2021 I will be releasing my first two Blooy EP's on the label Sine Music and I'm planning to release my first album by the beginning of 2022.

Nagamag:
Many artists listen to genres that they are not producing music for. Which track is your favorite that is NOT similar to yours?

Blooy:
Thomas Newman "Revolutionary Road (End Title)"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which is the track from a similar artist you admire?

Blooy:
Kupla "Roots"

Discover & Listen to Blooy

Blooy on Spotify

Blooy's Signature Track

Blooy on Social Media

BlooyMusic

blooymusic

Blooy's Website

www.blooy.io

Stars and Rabbit Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Features, Interviews, Pop Features, Pop Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Alternative Pop/Folk, Interview, Interview (osf), Stars and Rabbit|

Stars and Rabbit
Interview

Photo by Robby Suharlim

Nagamag:
Which are the genres that describe your music style better?

Stars and Rabbit:
Alternative Pop/Folk

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Stars and Rabbit:
Didit: Experimenting the root
Elda: Self taught

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Stars and Rabbit:
Elda:
1. when i sing in harmony for a choir
2. when i found Jewel singing with her guitar
3. when i finally wrote a song of my own
Didit:
When first time heard some of The Beatles songs and want to be able play the song with guitar

Nagamag:
Many artists listen to genres that they are not producing music for. Which track is your favorite that is NOT similar to yours?

Stars and Rabbit:
Niki & The Dove "Coconut Kiss"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which is the track from a similar artist you admire?

Stars and Rabbit:
The Zombies "The Way I Feel Inside"

Discover & Listen to Stars and Rabbit

Stars and Rabbit on Spotify

Stars and Rabbit's Signature Track

Stars and Rabbit on Social Media

starsandrabbit

_starsandrabbit

Stars and Rabbit's Website

starsandrabbit.com

Kebu Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Electronica Features, Electronica Interviews, Features, Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Electronica, Instrumental, Interview, Interview (osf), Kebu, Melodic|

Kebu
Interview

Nagamag:
Which are the genres that describe your music style better?

Kebu:
I haven't found a single genre that would describe my music style, so I normally say "melodic instrumental synthesizer music, similar to that made in the 70's and 80's".

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Kebu:
Music was always only passionate hobby for me. I played some piano when I was a kid, but wasn't motivated to practice enough. It was first when I picked up the synthesizer in high school that I found my instrument. Since that, I played as a keyboardist in numerous hobby bands, and had small a bedroom studio as well. I worked as a project manager at a research center in Finland and have a PhD in energy engineering and environmental protection. So I always ended up being the project manager in the bands I played with as well. I started doing Youtube videos of me performing with various synths as synthesizer demonstration videos, but I used my own compositions. I quickly got a following and stopped playing in bands, as it was much more fun to do my own music and videos alone. Soon I had my first album out, and after my second album I quit my daytime job and started doing my music as a full-time job. Since then, I've given over a hundred concerts around Europe and right now I'm finalizing my third studio album "Urban Dreams", which will be out this autumn.

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Kebu:
I was always amazed by the synthesizer music I grew up with in the eighties. The sounds were so otherworldly and bigger than life, but the music itself was also interesting. And at that time, it was something new, and optimistic - the future seemed full of amazing opportunities.

Nagamag:
On your concerts, you perform with a very large synthesizer setup. How do you manage it? Do you rent part of your gear and how do you manage to perform at festivals?

Kebu:
My synthesizer setup is a very integral part of my performance. We have a big van full of equipment that we set up for each concerts, and it takes us 4 hours to set everything up. People always think I look so happy and enthusiastic on stage, but that comes partly from the joy when all the equipment is working as it should! But it does impose some restrictions. For instance, we have to travel by road and sea, and performing at festivals is really difficult, since I need so much time to set everything up. I have considered a smaller, flight-friendly keyboard rig, but so far I haven't gotten around to make one, because it would take a lot of time for me to prepare a new rig. My current set has slowly evolved during a time span of ten years, and there's a lot of mixing automation going on, since I don't use backing tracks - the music you hear on stage is generated by the synths. Also, I wouldn't feel comfortable relying on rented synths. It would take too long time to transfer all my setting to the synths and ensure that everything is working as it should, so I prefer using my own synths. But there are many countries where I haven't been able to perform do these restrictions, so I will probably have to make a flight-friendly rig eventually.

Nagamag:
What can we expect from your upcoming album, "Urban Dreams"?

Kebu:
My upcoming album is about dreams - both day dreams and night-time dreams. So the songs tend to be on the slower side and I've many of them have a dreamy quality about them. For this album I generated about a hundred ideas - from single riffs to almost complete songs - and chose the ones that suited the theme of the album. But I might have generated a bit too many ideas for the album, because I really struggled with turning them into full songs. And while I was working on them I came up with sections that turned into new songs. And all of a sudden I realized I had 75 minutes of music, divided into 20 tracks. I thought about splitting it up into two albums, but I felt that these songs were related and belonged on the same album.

Nagamag:
Many artists listen to genres that they are not producing music for. Which track is your favorite that is NOT similar to yours?

Kebu:
Peter Gabriel "In Your Eyes"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which is the track from a similar artist you admire?

Kebu:
Madis Carrying the Fire

Discover & Listen to Kebu

Kebu on Spotify

Kebu's Signature Track

Kebu on Social Media

kebunator

Kebu's Website

www.kebu.fi/

Dede K Interview on Nagamag

Categories: Features, Interviews, Pop Features, Pop Interviews, The Latest|Tags: Afrobeat, afrohipop, Afropop, Dancehall, Dede K, Interview, Interview (osf), Pop, Reggae|

Dede K
Interview

Nagamag:
Which are the genres that describe your music style better?

Dede K:
Afrobeat, Afropop, pop, afrohipop, reggae, dancehall

Nagamag:
Few words about your musical background and career?

Dede K:
Started music as Lil Bideo back in 2009 (while I was still in college). Had to drop music for some years to finish up my Bs.c education. In 2017, I returned to the musical world with a new stage name (Dede K aka De King Vibez). Music has always be part of me and I don’t see myself doing something else whilst I’m steady discovering new vibe.

Nagamag:
Do you remember your first connection of love to music that was the right impact to be a music artist now?

Dede K:
Not sure.. grew up listening to legends and tbh, I’m not sure when I actually had interest in music but I do remember when it was time for me to record my first track in 2009

Nagamag:
How would you describe the music that you typically create?

Dede K:
I’m a storyteller and my music cuts across many genres. Rhythm, Melodic & lyric-intensive. Every song is a story or a poem told through music.. even in my party songs, I still fix in some meaningful words

Nagamag:
Many artists listen to genres that they are not producing music for. Which track is your favorite that is NOT similar to yours?

Dede K:
Young M.a. "Kween"

Nagamag:
Of Course Nagamag would love to listen also which is the track from a similar artist you admire?

Dede K:
Bella Shurmda "World"