Thursday, March 28, 2024

Interview with rebellious electronic music producer Corvad

Recently signing with Soma Records, music producer Corvad blurs lines between electronic sub-genres. His previous EP release with dark electro collaborator Namesis World On Fire via Soma Records saw the traditionally techno orientated music producer push his boundaries with soundwaves. The results are an epic three-track EP that follows the narrative of the world going mad now more than ever. This EP is just a taste of the endless possibilities of Corvad’s talent. The producer has also launched his imprint Cosmism Records with his latest EP Circle which was released this past Friday.

We chatted with the multi-talented music producer Corvad.

Looking back, what were some of your earliest entries into music appreciation? And music production?

I have been in love with music since my childhood and even sang in a children’s choir for several years. It all started with music videos that were played on TV before the new episodes of Transformers and Voltron. Later when I was thirteen, I opened the world of electronic music and deep-dived into it. In high school, I became a sound technician/DJ at my school where I started to organize my first disco. These parties looked more like underground raves. We played tons of drum ’n bass, Russian hard bass (Russian type of hard house), hard trance and were banned after a couple of years because it was completely out of control. I recently watched videos from fifteen years ago filmed at these parties and I was shocked because now this is absolutely impossible in schools.

At the same time, I decided to pursue music production. I always knew that to be a simple DJ is not enough for me, because music production gives unlimited opportunities for self-expression, which I always needed.

What inspired you to start making the electronic music that you are now?

I came to the point where I am now quiet by accident. It all started in 2014 when my partner from my previous mainstream bass music project betrayed me. We were preparing a landmark remix which I have been striving towards for a long time, it was for legendary BT, which was to be released on Armada Music. And this dude decided to release this remix on his own behalf, removing me from the project. Luckily justice prevailed and he did not succeed. That situation pushed me to search for a new sound and create a new project, radically different from what I was doing before. And during these seven years, I came to a sound that I like to make and listen to. This sound characterizes me very clearly and I fully enjoy the creative freedom that it gives me. This is an example of the fact that even the most unpleasant situations in life can lead to better things if you go your own way and do not give up.

What key pieces of gear/software are you using to define your sound?

My studio consists of only digital gear; some simple midi controllers, I use FL Studio and Ableton for production and many classic VSTs like Sylenth1, Massive and Diva. Nowadays there are a lot of new super clean synths like Serum, but I don’t like them, because I prefer some dust and old school dirtiness in the sound. For mixing and mastering, I use V-Moda M-100 AIRA headphones which I got after winning The Subs remix competition. My main acoustic is JBL monitors.

Has your arsenal of equipment changed much since you first started?

Oh yes, I started from Genius computer speakers for 10€ with a standard PC sound card. The sound was disgusting, but I was not noticing it at that time. My first DAW was eJay House, a super simple program for teenagers which gave you the opportunity to put bricks of loops from its library together. So it was like a constructor of prefabricated parts. But my first real DAW was FL Studio and it still is.

Which three albums or artists would you say have influenced your sound in a big way?

I think it is similar for the biggest part of all electronic music producers – The Prodigy’s  The Fat Of The Land, plus I would name SebastiAn’s Total and Gesaffelstein’s Aleph.

Any new or upcoming artists on your radar?

They are not new at all but I discovered them not too long ago with their new releases: Ital Tek, Throwing Snow,  Zamilska, TSVI and my friend Namesis. Plus I’m in love with Asian wave of music with the producers like Tzusing, Osheyack and Nahash. Also, Sophie was a great discovery for me a few years ago as well. Her loss is a great tragedy.

What inspires you outside of music?

There are a lot of things that inspire me in a good and bad way. In a good way – it’s architecture, nature, travel, art and good quality films. All that gives my brain energy and new ideas for realization. In a bad way – It is all that craziness, injustice and lawlessness that is happening in my country in all spheres of life in the last 10 years. I think my music becomes more and more dark and powerful as a response to what is happening around me.

What do you want to accomplish with your music?

I want to completely move away from the canons of sound and find something unique and recognizable, to which I am gradually moving.

What, in your opinion would be the perfect genre fusion?

I think the mixture of Big Beat and modern Electro would sound absolutely mad, I already experimented with these genres in my new track ‘Take Me’. You will have a chance to check the result in the Circle EP which will be available from the 3rd of September.

What can we expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or releases in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?

This year is full of releases from me but the main releases are coming this Fall, they start with the Circle EP. It is the first extract from my upcoming album which is coming in November, so stay tuned as it’s going to be something hard and sexy. Also, we are preparing a new collab track to be released on deadmau5’s mau5trap label.

Famous last words?

There will come soft rain.

World On Fire’ featured on the Spotify playlist EXPERIMENTAL_GRØUND

Follow Corvad:

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Soundcloud

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