Written and published by X
Trap has acted as a gateway between hip-hop and electronic music for many people, myself included. The fusion of southern hip hop’s hard-hitting energy with the freedom of arrangement and expression of electronic music results in a sub-genre that acts as an entry point for many into EDM culture. Today I’ll be introducing Tony Kurani, who goes by the stage name Spritzur. Tony produces hybrid trap (hip hop, trap and dubstep), growing interested in these genres after seeing RL Grime for the first time at the Chasing Summer music festival in Edmonton, Canada. “I loved the way his set contained a nice blend of high energy hip hop followed by hard hitting drops, I knew that I wanted to make music like that. After getting home from that festival the first thing I did was download FL Studio and started learning. I started following the biggest trap labels and further defined my style to be a hybrid trap, inspired by artists such as GAWM, VRG and Boombox Cartel.”
Could you walk us through your music making process?
“My music making process actually starts with listening to tracks from my Soundcloud feed. This is my favorite way to find inspiration. Sometimes I’ll find an interesting drop structure and take that idea to my DAW where I’ll play around with it until I come up with something I like. From there, I start building the drop and trying to pick a theme that the intro/breaks will follow. Music production, to me, feels like a big puzzle, where the drop is the foundation or the edge pieces. Once it’s finished, I start building and adding pieces as I go along until I have a finished track. My favorite way of beating writer's block is actually a technique that my mentor, Haterade, taught me; it’s to have a timed challenge, so give yourself 20 minutes per section of the track and try to put down as much of the section as you can. This can help get ideas down quickly and overcome the trap of sitting at your computer spending hours trying to find a snare sample.”
Having producers walk me through their music making process is always my favorite part of the interview. It’s so interesting seeing everyone's unique process. So far, everyone's answer has been different! I also think it can be extremely helpful to read for those who aren’t sure where to start on their own journey, and having a friend and mentor to guide you is a step up. As artists, we need all the advice we can get. Having support and getting the right guidance is everything, especially in a shark tank like the music industry.
What has been the best venue to play at so far?
“The best venue I played at would have to be Palace Theater down in Calgary. This set specifically was important to me because I was booked to open for Sickick, and the booking agent had told me that I can play whatever I like, (sweet!) so I crafted my set to have some lighter dancier type trap beats and sprinkled some heavy feeler tracks into there to see how the crowd would react. The crowd loved the heavy drops, which allowed me to confidently play the hybrid trap tracks that I love and create myself. This set was my first out of town set and it was at the biggest venue in Calgary, but what made it so special was that it made me feel confident in the music that I produce. It further defined my sound as an artist and now people usually know what to expect when they come for a Spritzur set.”
“I think what sets me apart from other artists is my drive to continue learning. I could care less if an artist is “bigger” or “smaller” than me, I am always open to criticism and further developing myself as an artist."
One of my favorite things to do is arrive at an event in advance of my scheduled set time to listen and connect with some of the openers. There is something to learn from everyone, and I think that’s the beauty of being an artist, it's lifelong learning and growth.” Tony conveyed.
I couldn’t have said it any better. Art is a form of expressing yourself, but it’s also much more than that. Art also needs some type of structure, even if it’s chaotic art. Learning structure from others is a huge part of the process, and once you nail that down, then the creativity starts to flow. You seem like you’re surrounded by many like-minded people to draw inspiration from, and I love that you emphasize being open to criticism. People who will constructively point out your shortcomings are necessary to grow as an artist, and you need to be able to take it well when they do.
“I gain a lot of inspiration from my friends. I have had the privilege of meeting and collaborating with some of the artists I look up to. These artists have quickly become some of my closest friends and have taught me so much about the industry and how to improve my production. A lot of my own sound is a reflection of the techniques and sounds that they have helped me develop and create. Also, seeing my friends succeed, whether it is signing to a dream label or getting booked to play a massive festival makes me proud and inspired. I also obviously get inspiration from my mentor Haterade who taught me so much about producing when I first started and helped me build a solid foundation for music production. He continues to listen to all my tracks and gives me constructive feedback!”
Tony mentioned that in a few years he can see himself playing a large festival such as Lost Lands, hopefully on tour with friends. After listening to his music, I can definitely see that happening. If you’re planning on listening to Spritzur, expect some grimy, hard-hitting trap and bass. Absolutely addicting!
Who are some artists you’ve worked with? Do you have anything exciting coming up?
“Some artists I have worked with – Justtjokay (my new USA booking manager!), Kuhlosul, Jeffsua and Frankie Sinn. I have tracks in the works with PRZM, Zovah and Go Hard. I love collaborating with other artists, I think it’s one of the best ways to learn and improve your own production.- As for upcoming events and releases, I am opening for Slushii September 16, and there is a remix compilation we are running for my release on Hybrid Trap with Jeffsua (pandora’s box), the deadline is September 21 and we are expecting over 10 remixes to be released on Hybrid Trap as well. I also have an official remix for youtube star CoreySSG, the release details are coming soon! My track with Frankie Sinn is finished, we are waiting for labels to get back to us so we can find a home for it but it has already gained support from Excision and Space Yacht. Lastly, I am working hard with Jeffsua on our upcoming EP, we hope to have it wrapped up in the coming months.”
It seems like you have so much going for you. What has your greatest accomplishment been so far?
“My greatest accomplishment so far would be landing a release on Hybrid Trap. I used to listen to their music when I first started getting into music production, and I really looked up to those artists. I submitted my music to them so many times, and there was nothing more satisfying than finally getting the acceptance email. What's even crazier is that those artists who I used to listen to became some of my closest friends and collaborators. Crazy how life works sometimes. I am also proud that I got to play at Union Hall in Edmonton and Palace in Calgary, I used to visit these venues for shows and never did I think that I would be on those stages myself performing.”
Lastly, what’s your advice for upcoming artists?
“My advice would be to make music and perform for the enjoyment of it. Keep learning, keep collaborating and keep pushing yourself, but don’t expect a mainstage festival slot or a massive label release in your first month because that’s a common way for artists to get discouraged and quit. Like I said before, being a musician is a lifelong learning journey. You’re not behind, there is no timetable or schedule that any of us have to follow, enjoy the process and celebrate your homies and your own success. Also don’t be afraid to reach out to your favorite artists, chances are they’ll get back to you and you might make a new friend or mentor from it!”
Overall, I love the advice, I love the message, and I absolutely love the music. Tony makes trap and bass like no one else. If you’re looking to hear some of Spritzur’s music, click the links below and make sure to follow him on socials!