Yvnalesca is one of the most hyped producers to come out of New Zealand in recent times. His ability to craft tracks and put on a live set to such a high quality has seen him open for some of the biggest acts within the scene. Most notably the likes of Stones Throw’s Jonwayne and one half of TNGHT’s Lunice. Below we discuss the recent change of name, his influences and future projects!
• So you used to perform under St Eden, what prompted the change to Yvnalesca and how do you think the transition went?
I changed mostly because of people making comparisons to Mt Eden fucking Dubstep, it got old real quick. Also, Christchurch is small enough so when I went to parties and things and introduced myself as Eden people would make the connection and start giving me awkward compliments. The transition to Yvna has been Ok, on one hand I liked starting fresh with new music and aesthetics, but on the other I kinda miss all those Soundcloud followers and plays. But I did it once I can do it again for sure. It’s also funny hearing radio Dj’s trying pronounce Yvnalesca. Guess they never played FFX.
• You recently performed a show in Wellington with Kerosene Comic Book. What’s your association with those guys and what do you think about how they’re effecting the New Zealand music scene?
Yeah man it was tight, everyone was on such a good wavelength that night. I think I’m the newest memeber of the group? Kcb is fam though, I wanted to to join because I had already met most of those guys through playing shows in Auckland and Wellington. It’s a group with crazy different styles but I think a similar outlook to doing this music thing. You gotta surround yourself with people that can inspire you, and it’s cool to be apart of. I’m not sure if the Kcb thing is effecting the scene, but like, creating it’s own little corner to play in, which is awesome - I’d rather stay on the fringes.
Your track for The 420 Tape was a lot more Dubstep sounding than most of your other shuffly 2step tracks. Do you think this is a sound you’ll pursue more later?
Maybe, who knows, I love both Dubstep and Garage, I don’t think they’re worlds apart. With that track I wanted to make a club tune, I had the live setting in mind when I sat down to make it. It needed to be really simple and driving, bass driven. I refrained from putting vocals all over like I normally would so it was just pulse. I guess it was pretty Dubstepish, honestly I was trying to make a tune like those James Blake tunes on R&S or Hessle Audio. I try to make shuffles because I love that sound, the groove and the swing. If you get it right it’s mesmerizing, you can hang your entire tune off it. Like, Nova by Burial and Four Tet is my favorite track of all time, the drums in that are the greatest drums I’ve ever heard. There’s not even a snare, but the hats can carry everything so well you don’t need it. I wanna make sophisticated tunes like that, with wicked shuffles but also at the same time simple dance tunes are fun too, I guess I wanna explore the spectrum.
• What was your thought process/musical influence around your new EP Dead Bored? Can we hope for a full length any time soon?
Dead Bored was optimistic sounding, like making the most out of a shitty situation, being inside watching the rain. I wanted it too be sexy though, I have been listening to a lot of house music. I’m into Dusky, Shadow Child, Quentin Harris, stuff like that and of course UK Garage - Zed Bias, Groove Chronicles, EL-B, MJ Cole. I don’t think there’s a day where I don’t listen to Burial or Four Tet. It was about making something really minimal, with lots of space between the elements. I wanted everything to be clean, clear and simple, kinda like a Jamie XX or Koreless tune, Drums, chords and sub. I always use vocal cuts because it gives you something to sing along too. Even though the words are diced up theres still tons of feeling in them, they really complete a tune. I was also trying to create atmosphere without piling on the rain.mp3s and vinyl crackle.wavs, I had been listening to Zomby’s Dedication a heap which is really slick and erie without hiding everything in reverb or ‘organic’ sounds - my next songs are going to be dark like his, night time tunes. The songs on Dead Bored were from an album I got half way through making before I got so sick of the tracks I was just going to scrap the whole thing. In the end I decided to pick the best ones and put them out as an EP and I’m glad I did. I’ll get back to work on a new project when I get a break from school, but I couldn’t say if it’ll be a full length or not, I don’t have any grand scheme at the moment.
• You also create visual art right? Do you think you approach this medium in a similar way as making music?
I suppose so, I’m all over the show with both, way too many ideas that I try to get into focus. Design is easier for me though, I’ve always done it - always been good at it, music is a new endeavour and very difficult for me. My family is artistic not musical, everyone can draw but no one plays an instrument or anything like that. Music can be quite visual for me, dreaming up movies scenes or things like that. Y’know like how each city has a sound and you can imagine yourself there when you listen to certain tunes. I’m obsessed with the London sound and the Bristol sound, I’m really attached to those places and I’ve never fucking been there.
• What was your creative intentions for the track were releasing?
I made that in my room in the middle of the night, I just used my laptop speakers so I the levels are fucked. I didn’t have any intentions really.. it made itself. I like how dark it turned out though, and the vocals singing these really longing lyrics - ‘I don’t want to be alone, don’t you leave me lone’. II’d call it a break up song, like you’re mad at someone for leaving and ruining you. I’m sorry about the end, it’s abrupt. I don’t have the file anymore, I can’t change it. I quite like the unexpectedness of it.
Auckland based Cashmere has managed to release a wide variety of tracks with only one year of production experience! Ranging from hyped remixes to some of the coldest head nodding beats, this young producers talent is obvious. Oddplastics.com was lucky enough to grab a exclusive unreleased track by him and also have a small chat about his plans for the future and his relationship with global label Forward Thinking Sounds.
• Were do you see yourself in three years musically?
If I’m still doing this in three years, I like to think that I’d be making some decent money off my music. Also, I’d like to be a lot more technical about my production.
• What release of yours are you most satisfied with?
The release I am most satisfied with would probably be DxllaBinBeats Vol. 1. I would love to do more stuff like that in the future.
• Your part of forward thinking sounds right? Whats that about?
Forward Thinking Sounds is a Knoxville based record label. It’s full of amazing artists from around the world and I’m really proud to be a part of it. Expect big things from us in the future!
• Would you call yourself an artist?
I don’t really agree with the term ‘artist’, anyone can call themselves that nowadays. You could throw some dog-shit at a blank canvas and someone would still buy it. Some people might call me that though.
I think it’s great how much recognition trap music is getting thanks to Harlem Shake. Unfortunately, I don’t think it sets the best example for the genre and perhaps one of Baauer’s other tracks would have been better. I feel like since Harlem Shake took off, a lot more of these shitty generic laser trap tracks have been popping up.
• Define what making it would be too you?
Hahaha, if I ever did ‘make it’ I don’t think I would realise it. It would be nice to make a living off music though…
• Thanks for the exclusive :)
No problem :) Can I give some shoutouts?
• Awesome! For sure.
Yay! I’d like to give a shoutout to /r/trap, gLAdiator (we’re even now!), the whole Forward Thinking Sounds crew, and all the friends that I don’t have!
Who would of guessed that a random add on last.fm would lead me to be in contact with and further more releasing a track by Splash Club 7! Splash is a producer who likes to keep his real identity secret. For all i know he lives somewhere in the pacific ocean where he composes some of the coolest tunes out. Dipping between the classifications of Vaporwave and Seapunk, he has made a name for himself in his given genres. Enough reason to showcase him on the blog. Check out the interview and the exclusive track below :)
•Define Seapunk for us?
This is quite a tricky question, because I wasn’t a part of the original Seapunk movement and everyone seems to have varying opinions about Seapunk. Basically it started as an internet-born joke that started from a tweet by LIL INTERNET which caught on and gained an audience, and I guess the music and art style has changed and adapted as different people have made Seapunk inspired art and music. That’s why I love it so much, because the sound varies from artist to artist.
•When do you feel a track is fully complete?
When I feel that I can’t add anything more to the song, and when I’m happy with how it sounds. I’ll listen to it multiple times and upload it (if I still like how it sounds), although I wish I had spent more time on most of my earlier tracks, which I kinda rushed a bit. I’m releasing my next EP with Crystal Magic Records so I’ve had a lot more time to pick up on things (because it won’t be released for about a month).
•Thoughts on the electronic scene in New Zealand?
I really like the New Zealand artists that I‘ve discovered from soundcloud and bandcamp. Three of the songs in the Seapunk compilation were made by New Zealand artists ($noregazZzm, Fauxhound and ༺kariiiba༻) and I’ve discovered many great electronic artists from New Zealanders since then too. I would like to see more NZ electronic artists get some attention because there’s some great stuff out there, and I think the internet really helps these artists attract a larger audience.
• You released “Now that’s what i call Seapunk” right? Tell us what you were fundraising for?
At first it was supposed to be a free compilation to create a starting point for people that want to listen to Seapunk music but don’t know where to start, it was also a good way of promoting the seapunk artists and getting a wider audience. Because Bandcamp only allows 200 free downloads per month (and it automatically adds a price to the album when this limit is reached), I decided to donate any money payed to help save the ocean (because seapunk is all about the ocean and it’s a good cause). The money went to the Dolphin sector of seashepherd.org
• Does the original club 7 have any influence on you other then the name?
Not really, other than being positive, happy and kind of cheesy.
• Where would your music be without the internet you think?
I would be my only listener, in fact the whole seapunk style in my music wouldn’t exist without the internet and I wouldn’t have the majority of my sound samples either. Without the internet, Splash Club 7 wouldn’t exist. I feel so lucky that I have an internet connection.
•Thanks for this artists exclusive :)
Thank you for including me, this is the first blog Q&A I’ve ever done :)
Heres the first in the series of mixes featuring all New Zealand producers. These mixes plan to showcase the wide variety we have to offer within our small scene, and connect it through half an hour of non stop audio! I plan to air each mix on WonkPanthers RDU 98.5FM before releasing the with full track list on our sound cloud.
• Christoph El Truento - Mountains
http://cosmic-compositions.bandcamp.com/track/mountains
• Totems - Overcast (feat. Foxtrot)
http://totems.bandcamp.com/track/overcast-feat-foxtrot
• Cold Eyes - September: We’re Not (Remix)
http://coldeyes.bandcamp.com/track/were-not-cold-eyes-remix
• Doprah - Spirits
http://soundcloud.com/doprah/spirits-1
• Pip John - Oh Cam
http://soundcloud.com/pipjohn/oh-cam-tease
• Cold Eyes - We’re Not (Yvnalesca Remix)
http://coldeyes.bandcamp.com/track/were-not-yvnalesca-remix
• Race Banyon - Swords
http://racebanyon.bandcamp.com/track/swords
• Amin Payne - Pharoah Rays
http://cosmic-compositions.bandcamp.com/track/pharoah-rays
• Skymning - 3 in the Morning (ft. Athuzela Brown)
http://skymning.bandcamp.com/track/3-in-the-morning-ft-athuzela-brown
• Kakapo - Broken Emotion
http://cosmic-compositions.bandcamp.com/track/broken-emotion
• Race Banyon - Clique
http://racebanyon.bandcamp.com/track/clique
• Eske - Poems of fire
http://soundcloud.com/dreams-are/poems-of-fire
• Pip John - Farewell
Only a few weeks ago my ears were touched by the immersive landscapes of Enjoy., a 19 year old producer from England now residing in Wellington. Impressed from the first listen i was quick to ask for an artist profile. With a swift reply and a short discussion we planned on releasing his first orginal track, Let Her Know featuring Naked Bird (USA) as a Oddplastics exclusive. A short interview was exchanged over Facebook and this is the result. Enjoy!
• How did the non-physical contact between you and naked bird affect your composition?
I think the fact that we have never physically met made it somewhat harder to get the sound i wanted. But both Selena and Jeik had the same inspirations as i, so after Skype sessions and redoing the song multiple times i am incredibly pleased with the end result, and hope that one day i will meet both of them in person.
• Are there any certain rituals you go through before you are ready to create?
Normally i can’t set out days for which i produce, i am a perfectionist when it comes to my music so i wait until i have an idea not force one. Normally these ideas for my songs come while i’m listening to music or just playing around on the piano. I normally always produce in the early hours of the morning it seems to be the best time since there is no other distractions.
• Do you think your ethereal sound relates to you environment? Do you think you could create the same music if you didn’t live in New Zealand?
Yes and no, the sound i try contains a lot of natures sounds, or sounds that i have created hitting a rock against another rock or scraping wood against something. The waves, rain or wind lay the foundations of my songs. I can definitely say this is influenced by environment I live in. If i still lived in England then the sound i create would be very different i think.
• Are there any aspects outside of other artists music that you take inspiration from?
Like i mentioned in the previous question nature is a really big inspiration, a lot of the sounds i record from nature i could never make in the studio or on my Macbook. It is just such pure atmospheres, so perfect and serene. Also anything Oliver Sim says or does. I would follow that man to the end of the world!
• I feel like Enjoy. could be either a comment or a command. How do you feel about that?
Haha, it’s funny you would ask this, I get asked this a lot. It is definitely not a command, if you don’t “enjoy” my music i can totally understand it’s not for everyone. So i’m not commanding you to enjoy it. Making this music is something that i enjoy, something that i love, if other people enjoy my music i feel humbled, i really do.It just symbolizes what my music means to me. Enjoyment! That is a lot of enjoy’s haha.
• What attracts you most to creating music?
It’s my life, it sounds really cheesy but it is. To me nothing else matters as much, it’s the community, the people and the incredible musicians that i get to meet and play with. More then anything it’s a way to express myself, to communicate deep and meaningful emotions.
• Thank you for being our first artist insight :)
Thank you so much for the opportunity i am humbled!
