Written and published by X
The DMV is home to so many powerful, creative, and young artists. The music industry has been booming as far as artistry and production goes. As the music industry continues to evolve, artists have many decisions to make about the way they put out music. One thing I can certainly say, as a listener, is that I love when artists put out an EP. I like the idea of a puzzle in music. All of the pieces tie one another together, and you get something beautiful out of it. Today, I’d like to introduce Samuel David, an artist who has explored a variety of genres in electronic music. Today, I’ll be talking about his EP, his process of making music, his inspirations and more.
The idea of sticking to one genre isn’t for everyone. One might say that sticking to one, and only one, could help with the flow of consistency, but I’d beg to differ. I think toying around with different genres can give you a sense of creativity and a more “hybrid” kind of approach. In fact, I think taking this approach is a better route. Keeping an open mind to exploring different genres isn’t anything out of the ordinary-if anything it’s natural. As I mentioned, Samuel David has explored just about every genre of electronic music. However, in the last few years, he’s been exploring mostly house music, future bass, and dubstep. “Over time my music production has evolved to fit the sound I curate with my live sets and making songs that fit that vibe while maintaining my artistic vision has been my main goal with production.” Samuel conveyed.
Has music always been a part of your life?
“Music has always been a part of my life, and since a young age have aspired of doing big things in the scene. I started playing instruments in 5th grade, and since then music in all forms has been a huge outlet for me to escape and feel like my most authentic self.”
So, what does your music making process look like?
“Working a full-time job while producing has provided a huge opportunity for me to streamline my production process, and a track usually takes a few sessions to get to a rough master. The first session I’ll lay out drum/bass/melody patterns and roughly arrange them into a song structure. Session two is all about fine tuning those sounds and adding in more intricate details to keep the track interesting. Session three I do a rough mixdown, add more effects, and give the track a rough master to refer to before releasing.”
What makes you unique from other artists?
“I feel my sound selection in my music is different than a lot of what’s being played out. I’ve never really been on board with writing super aggressive tracks, and I think having a driving energetic sound that doesn’t try to be so “hard” is really over-due in the scene.”
I listened to your new EP, “Apollyon” and really enjoyed it! Can you tell us about the inspiration behind it? What was your favorite song off this EP?
“I’m a really big nerd. I’ve always been into a really spacey/futuristic aesthetic, and I think the EP really captures that. I really like writing club music that still feels like it has some level of depth to it, and I feel like the melodic breaks and slower cuts on the record really translate that. I never really make music to tell a specific story, my vision is to capture an image or main idea in every track that guides the direction I take it in. I feel like this leaves me a lot of creative freedom in writing tracks because they aren’t always tied to a specific format. As for my favorite track off the EP, it’s 'Dibella'.” He conveyed.
I feel as if this can be a hidden rule for art in general. Just like tattoos or paintings, not everything needs a story behind it, especially if it’s good quality. When I initially asked Samuel what the inspiration was, I think I was kind of looking for a story, because in my head, I had a story laid out in my head of what I personally thought it was going to be about. But that’s the beauty of music, you can capture it in your own way and make up your own story as you listen along. Samuel’s music made me step outside my own reality, and by that, I mean it definitely had a futuristic vibe to it, like he said. Just as I thought it couldn’t get any better, it started picking up to a higher energy, club like beat. It was so great to listen to, and outstanding quality! I’m very impressed with each song of this EP.
What venues have you played at? Do you have any favorites?
“I’ve played at the IX Art Park in Charlottesville, the Canal Club (Richmond), Golden Pony & Dukes (Harrisonburg), and a few smaller festivals. I think the festival shows are usually the most fun as a whole event, however playing at the IX was really unforgettable with all of the art installations tied into the venue. It really made for a sweet vibe and was a really inspiring experience.”
What artists inspire you the most?
“I got into EDM when I was 11, and when I first started producing was heavily inspired by the Skrillex/Zeds Dead dubstep sound, and even in my non-dubstep productions really look up to artists like that for their song-writing and producing techniques. I’ve seen Skrillex live twice, most recently at Echostage (2019) which was unforgettable to say the least.”
What advice do you have for other upcoming artists?
“What I’m finding most helpful right now is focusing on staying balanced, and not letting parts of your life define you. It’s hard to build a music career when you’re dealing with another job, school, family, goals outside music, etc. I think keeping perspective of everything is really important for having a healthy relationship with your creative pursuits and having a healthy balance in life.” Said Samuel.
This is some great advice. Balance is key, and without it, consistency isn’t realistic. In order to stay consistent with music, you need to take break, focus on other areas of your life, and like Samuel said, keep that healthy balance in your life. The worst thing you can do with your journey in making music is overwork yourself. That’s when the creativity burns out and you get low on fuel. It truly is a necessity to take breaks and just let yourself breathe. I can see in Samuel’s music that he took his time on his music. You can always tell when an artist pays attention to detail and quality. It takes time to do these things, so I’m not surprised with this answer!
If you could say something to those who listen to/have listened to your music, what would it be?
“I’m really grateful for everyone taking the time to listen to my music. There’s something really special about being able to bring people together to share an experience, and it means a lot to have my art involved in that experience.
I really enjoyed listening, and I’m sure all of you will too. Not only was his EP legendary, but the rest of his music was also amazing to listen to as well. If you’re looking for house, dubstep, or future bass, don’t forget to keep up with Samuel David and check out the links below. He’s definitely someone to look out for and I can’t wait to see what’s next for him!
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/im-samueldavid
Comentarios