Konacae Interview (Text)

Recently we conducted an interview with an up and coming artist in the electronic music scene, Konacae. Now we know what you're thinking, "OH NO ITS ANOTHER DUBSTEP ARTIST". Well you're wrong on that one. Konacae produces along the lines of house, electro, trance and other related EDM genres. We've been keeping an eye on how this guy has been doing and we are very impressed with the work he has done recently. We finally reached out to him for an interview and he gives us a look into how he began into music, his influences, processes, and a bit of information on his upcoming EP. When you get the chance, check this guy out.




How did you get started into producing and where did your artist name originate from?

How I got into producing is a story that spans a fair few months but I will try to condense the story a bit. I was never really a fan of electronic music before the age of 15. Actually I hadn't really heard any of it. I had always listened to old rock 'n' roll and (on occasion) a little bit of rap. Then, around the late winter of last year my friend, Ben, made me listen to the "Inspector Gadget (dubstep remix)" by Chrispy and I thought it was just the best song in the world. I still never really pursued listening to it, though. About a week later the same friend started playing more dubstep for me, namely "Kill Everybody (Bare Noize remix)" and that was when I fell in love. Truthfully, that song was what got me into dubstep. I began to devote hours of my day browsing YouTube, finding new artists that I hadn't heard and new songs to lose myself in. After a few months of that I was set on producing it. I found a website where you could take presets and mix them to create electronic songs, (that was how I made Bring in the Music, Spirits, and The Sixth Circle.) During this time my palate for electronic music was evolving quite rapidly. I was finding artists such as Zedd and Deadmau5 and extending my taste in styles and genres other than dubstep. As a Christmas present, a friend of the family gave me Ableton Live and a VST plug-in called Massive. That was when I got serious about producing music. I quickly found out that I really didn't want to produce dubstep, I was much more enthralled by the idea of house music and electro so I have slowly moved more and more toward progressive house style. Overall, though, I would not have started producing if it wasn't for my friend introducing me to dubstep.

The name Konacae truly means nothing. Well, it didn't when I started using it at least. I basically just needed a name that felt right to me. I chatted with some friends and we spent the better part of two days trying to come up with something. We eventually came up with Konacæ... It still didn't feel quite right so I tried changing it to Konacae and it just fit then. Now it's really a part of me as my real name. I've had people call me by it and I just respond. So it doesn't have a deep meaning of any kind but it has built an intense emotional one for me.

So you basically told us how you got into the electronic music scene, would you say those artists are the same ones that influence you as well or would you say that you have been influenced by more?

As far as my major influences go, it all depends on the genre you're talking about. My first influence (as in the artist that first made me want to produce) I would have to say Skrillex, without a shadow of a doubt. However, when you bring in the fact that I have been producing music for a little while now and have begun to find my sound I can say with the utmost certainty that Deadmau5 is (and has been) my largest inspiration as well as my biggest influence today. I find that I can lose myself in his music for hours on end and forget all my problems. Ultimately, that's what I hope my music is able to do for people one day. So, yes, the answer would have to be Deadmau5.

Can you tell us a little bit about where you live, as well as what sort of atmosphere there is around where you stay? 

I live in Vancouver, BC (yes, I'm Canadian and yes I say "eh" haha). The music scene is so varied that you can find pretty much anything. There is quite a large EDM (Electronic Dance Music) scene although with the exceptions of major concerts are all 19+ only. You can find anything from rock to blues to jazz here. 

So you say you listened to rock quite a bit (and I remember our conversations about some metal too), would you say that listening to these genres helped you become the artist you are today? Also, are you considered a die-hard EDM fan now? Considering it seems that you don't listen to rock too much nowadays (I'm guessing).

I loved the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Korn, Nine Inch Nails, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Deftones, Helmet, and plenty of others (too many to count). It absolutely made me the artist I am today!!! Without rock, I wouldn't have picked up playing guitar when I was 6, or the bass at 12! Not a doubt in my mind, my life would not be the same without rock influences early in my life.

Before I started listening to electronica I was a die-hard rock and metal fan! I mean I could listen to nothing else! When I fell in love with electronica, however, it got pushed to the side slightly. I am a total die-hard fan to tell the truth, but that doesn't stop the fact that I do really love rock 'n' roll and metal. I grew up on that stuff for god's sake! Also I just have to say that if the music is good, I will enjoy it. I take pride in having an open mind to any music as long as it's good!

I believe I've seen you mention your EP on Twitter here and there. Can you tell us what you have planned for it? Any sort of track details and the name of it? Also what kind of experience are you wanting for the listener?

My EP! That's a complicated subject ha-ha. It isn't exactly in the planning stages (I mean, I have started it) but there is no title and no song names as of right now. Names, titles and such probably won't come out until later on in the production of it. I was leaning toward progressive house across the board, but now I'm re thinking my strategy. I'm going to try and use the first song to pull you into the music and envelop you, then build up the songs in intensity until you can't help but dance! I think I'm going to alternate genres throughout the EP, I might even try my hand at a little dubstep, (if it comes out really well,) but for the most part I will be keeping it within the dance/trance/house genres.

So as you're writing/composing these songs, what can you tell us about the process you take when creating these? Every artist has their own way of doing things for sure.

Hahaha there's such a thing as a process?! I kid, of course, but in all seriousness I don't have much of one. I'll fool around with different synths and sounds, making different bass lines, drum lines, etc. until I make something that gives me a bit of a vision of what could become of it, almost like an epiphany. From there I will really just let it flow. Sometimes I start with a bass line and add drums to that, then build from there, sometimes I'll start with a synth and build off that, it all depends on the song. Maybe I should have more of a process but to me music is more so a living thing, much like a person or animal, and it needs to be set free in order to truly flourish, so I feel no need for creating a process in making it.

When are you hoping to release this EP? From above you mentioned you've already started on it, so it seems like it'll be done in no time! Are you also planning on releasing a full-length album at some point?

Well there is the plan for the release of my EP and that is scheduled for this summer. Hopefully it is released sometime in August. I am hoping that will spread my music more and gain me a larger fan base. Afterwards I will be working on a full-length album, but will probably release a couple singles in between the EP and album.

Would you be up for collaborating with artists? Seems to be quite the new thing going on lately and a lot of good (and sometimes not so good) hits come off of such works. 

That's a tough one to answer. Personally, I don't enjoy collaborations all that much. I love working on my own, in solitude. If I was going to collaborate, it would have to be sitting inside a studio with someone, not sending synth files back and forth. If it was an amateur artist I would say Sam Mordach (Denali Expedition) or Tayzorz. As for a professional, I would say either Feed Me or Deadmau5.

So our final question to you, what would you say might be your ultimate dream? And say for some reason it doesn't come true, do you have any sort of back-up plans in case things just don't work out? 

My dream is to produce electronica. Simple as that. But I would be an idiot to not have anything as a back-up. If I can't make it big producing (which just hurts me to think of) I plan to take business classes and open a recording studio in order to help other people make their dreams come true. My true dream career, however, is to produce music for the rest of my life, and eventually open a record label to sign amateur artists. I spend hours every week looking for brilliant amateur artists and there are so many out there that have yet to be recognized. I want to be have the power/pull to sign them and give them the career they deserve as well as to get their music into the world. Hey, I know how happy I would be if my music went worldwide, I would love to help someone with that one day.

So there you have it, I hope you all enjoyed the interview with our friend Konacae. Check out his music and we'll keep you posted on details about his newest EP! We're gonna try to get something exclusive from him to put on our site, so we hope you guys check here often in regards to the release. We would like to thank Konacae for giving us the opportunity to talk to him and getting to know a bit more about him. Check out the links below to get even more connected with him too!

Konacae Links:


SOUNDCLOUD
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
REVERBNATION

Album Review: Half the Sky by YOG - 9/10

     YOG is a grind/hardcore combination based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. They were mainly influenced by bands like Sick of it All, Disrupt, and Napalm Death in their early days but have since added in more of the modern hardcore scene, which include influences from Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch, Pig Destroyer, Converge and many others. After the release of their first album, Years of Nowhere, YOG performed with bands Today is the Day, Genghis Tron, Gojira, Knut, Burnt By the Sun, and others of the like, destroying stage after stage in each performance. Their recent work, Half the Sky, looks to continue their success and lifetime, mixing up many different elements together into an album that shouldn't disappoint. If you like math metal, grind, or hardcore, you will definitely hear the great effort put into this 28 minute (approximately) opus.

     Half the Sky starts out with "Needle in Black", and its introduction contains that of which you wouldn't hear on a lot of albums in the hardcore and grind genres. "Need in Black" contains a light melody that seems to be intended to throw you off (like it did to me). However this soon changes when the melody suddenly becomes rough and jumps into a frenzy of screams and pure, rough and wild rhythms. The track features a nice gritty guitar, which also flies all over the place as if in a high speed chase. Fading out in a recurring rhythm, "92%" soon follows with a similar mixture as before, but in a faster tempo. Now I'm not too experienced with the genre expressed in this album, but I do like the raw, bestial riffs, as well as the small yet complex rhythms that find their place in the most random spots. Short and sweet, "Solar Nature" finds itself setting in your ear buds. YOG decides to experiment with a few random inserts of melodies that again, throw me off in a different direction for a brief moment before being brought back into an assault of the hardcore vocals and grind rhythms. I come to believe that YOG is defined within the math metal genre because of these random insertions. "Calculate the Plan and Escape" is another short track, and somewhat of a favorite because it adds a bit more elegance to everything. "Fist Fuck On the Way Home" describes the basic concept of the track, continuously bludgeoning you to death, until it ends about a minute later. Ending the first half of the album, "I Shall Scream a Beginning" is an instant favorite with its ferocity and composition. Although it does take a while to get into the album, at this point I find this record addicting and fun to listen to. YOG impresses me with their ability to infuse so much into their music and being able to keep it listenable.

     "Plastic Child" starts off the last half, much like an intro with its short play time, and leads itself into "Ugly Liars Behind Baby Masks". In some parts of the song, you almost feel like their is some sort of doom metal influence (mostly with the low, simple, and dark riffs) which really changes things up yet again. The constant use of variety astounds me as I keep listening further into Half the Sky. "Adam Wanted to Stay the Only One", "Breaking The Spell" and "Stones" easily equate to less then five minutes worth of audio, but they are still a vital part of the complete puzzle. Each depicting its own self within the album, and taking on the form of the grind genre well. "Stones" leads into "We Need Your Opinion (Just in Order to Ignore It)" with screeching feedback slowly draining out, leading into the last effort by the band. The simple rhythms contain that dark feeling you feel from "Ugly Liars Behind Baby Masks", and evolve over time as it goes on. It instantly becomes my favorite track because of this element, and I find it to end the album in the perfect fashion. 

     Overall, I love this album more and more every time I listen to it. Combining elements of intricate compositions as well as the in-your-face and kick-in-the-teeth moments, Half the Sky keeps your ears on their toes. As I have said above, if you're a fan of grind, hardcore, and some of that good ole math metal, you'll definitely have a good time listening to this. Not one song sounds the same as another, and although the album is short, its replay value is pretty high. Check these guys out when you get the chance, I'm sure you'll find them making even better music in the years to come. 

Rating: 9/10
Release Date: December 16, 2011
Production: Recorded Jérôme Pellegrini at studio du Terrier. Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Studio. 
Website: http://www.yogrind.com
                http://www.divisionrecords.com


Track Listing:


1. Needle In Black
2. 92%
3. Solar Nature
4. Calculate the Plan and Escape
5. Fist Fuck On the Way Home
6. I Shall Scream A Beginning
7. Plastic Child
8. Ugly Liars Behind Baby Masks
9. Adam Wanted to Stay the Only One
10. Breaking the Spell
11. Stones
12. We Need Your Opinion (Just in Order to Ignore It)

Lineup:


Yonni Chapatte - Vocals
Marc Brusatin - Guitar
Emmanuel Devaud - Bass
Fabien Bedoy - Drums, Guitar

Album Review: Valentine and Other Stories of Hope by Frostbite - 8/10

     Hailing from Atlanta, GA, Christopher Lee (a.k.a. the man behind Frostbite) isn't a stranger to the gothic rock/industrial movement that has swept over the past years. The album Valentine and Other Stories of Hope is a work that began a few years ago and recently released to the masses in the form of a full length album. Containing dark lyrics, instrumentals, and a few more surprises, Valentine and Other Stories of Hope surpasses my initial expectations. This work successfully establishes itself as a somewhat progressive journey through the genre of industrial music. A few surprises spring out, as well as off-the-wall twists and turns, that will keep you listening all the way through intently.

     Starting off with some cold dark ominous sounds, Valentine and Other Stories of Hope gives off that dark and sinister impression from the get go. After a shiver down your spine subsides, "But For the Beating" slowly builds up with some nice low end riffs and the accompaniment of gritty vocals. So far so good in the intrigued department, as I'm a sucker for bands that put a decent amount of work into their introductions of albums. "My Darkest Dream" kicks off, bringing in more of that rock vibe. As the vocals enter, I'm liking the dark, growly vocals, which you find dominating the industrial scene. Further into the song, Frostbite pumps out some high end clean vocals, providing quite the surprise with the sudden shift in change from the darkened vocals earlier demonstrated. "My Darkest Dream" slows down near the last third, helping to mix up the repetitive instrumentals.

     "Valentine" continues the slower pace from the previous, with heavy low-end guitar play. Immediately you can see the close relationship of this track and the previous. The guitar solo later on from Dan Leeds aids indefinitely, adding that much needed variety a lot of albums tend to forget. After the dark and dreary subsides, "The Metro" enters in with some sort of out of tune piano introduction of sorts. Synths, some basic guitar accenting riffs, as well as a few ambient sounds added in, "The Metro" proves to hit as one of my favorites of the album. This might be because of the electronic music added in, or the album is doing itself justice by keeping me enthralled the entire listen. "Yet Another Stain" brings back the rock feel mostly with its instrumentation. What I like most about this track is that background guitar you can hear in various parts of the song. The drumming ends up being one of the main focuses, which isn't bad, but then again it does get somewhat repetitive for me. "Yet Another Stain" runs as the longest track and really doesn't feel like it is, which isn't bad. Any artist/band that can create something like that just impresses me to no end.

     "Deceit" shows more of the darker, heavier side, especially with the vocals. The main focus seems to be on the vocals in this track, with that ominous glow of instrumental accents and a steadfast rhythm of drums and guitar. Around the 3:45 mark, "Deceit" changes its direction with a more cool and smooth composition, the guitar taking the major role. The two elements represented so far in this track come together, as two dominating forces clash together fiercely even for a brief moment. "Deviant Rein" defines itself as more of a "ballad" and does so very well in this respect. Although the vocals are still somewhat rough, the contrast works well providing a different outlook than most other songs of the same nature. "Deviant Rein" builds up as time goes on. However, there isn't much of an explosion that occurs, it just abruptly ends. This characteristic, depending on the listener, can make or break this song for sure. "Hurt" introduces an acoustic tune that helps contrast the album even further. Frostbite definitely has it in the bag with this album when it comes to variety and its twists and turns. The track itself however, I'm not sure about. Sure I love acoustic, but I'm not sure if the tone is right for the album or not, as it doesn't add the same dark element as previous works. "... Of My Heart" acts as the closer of the album (minus the two bonus tracks), serving another ominous work to leave you reminiscent of the idea of Valentine and Other Stories of Hope.

     On an ending note, this album is solid from start to finish. Consistent for the most part, there are a few differing elements thrown into the mix to help throw off pace when things seem repetitive. The dark and ambient elements play an integral role as well, throwing the listener into a different state of mind when compared to other albums. Valentine and Other Stories of Hope contains many elements of the industrial genre, but I wouldn't say it is exactly true industrial in that sense. The acoustic track definitely stands out and causes that much needed stir, as well as the ballad-like tune. If you're looking for somewhat of a different kind of industrial album (more so progressive industrial or rock industrial), this album fits into that category. I'm hoping to hear more in the coming future, as Frostbite has something going for them. Once things get a bit more tight-knit and put more so into the right place, things will look up for this project indefinitely.


Rating: 8/10
Release Date: August 30, 2011
Website: http://frostbite.valentine.tv

Track Listing:


1. But For the Beating
2. My Darkest Dream
3. Valentine
4. The Metro
5. Yet Another Stain
6. Deceit
7. Deviant Rein
8. Hurt
9. ... Of My Heart
10. Howl (Bonus Track)
11. Veteran of the Psychic Wars (Bonus Track)

Lineup: 


Christopher Lee Compton - All Instrumentation, Vocals

Guest Musicians:
Dan Leeds - Guitar Solos on Deceit and Valentine
Tim Latham - Guitar Solos on Veteran of the Psychic Wars

Release: Tristam and Rogue's new EP - Catalyst

     Here's a new release from two great EDM artists that are slowly making their way up in the scene. They have released a 5 track EP and its available down below for download. Give them a like and some listens. Oh and did I mention the EP is free? SO JUMP ON IT!

DOWNLOAD PART 1 HERE

DOWNLOAD PART 2 HERE

Album Review: Alpha-Beta by Krokmitën - 9/10

     Canada never ceases to amaze me with the musical talent. From Montreal, an experimental death metal band named Krokmiten rises from the ashes after being on hiatus from 1995 to 2005. Since coming back, they have been working on and released a project that spans over 46 minutes, and doesn't let up on the brutality, mystery, and experimentation. alpha-beta isn't just a collection of songs thrown together into an album, much like what many bands do nowadays. Instead it is more so an experience that you simply immerse your ears and emotion. Here is the review.

     alpha-beta is actually one of those albums that is either very easy or more difficult describe and review. Giving this album a few listens from front to back, I wasn't sure how to write everything down in a reviewing perspective. alpha-beta is just one of those albums that takes several listens, and once it finally clicks in your head, it all works together and doesn't disappoint. Death metal definitely plays a role through the entire album, utilizing low end, almost guttural side of the genre. Alongside the vocals you have yourself the fast-paced, energetic drums, you'd find yourself seeing in a lot of the more driven death metal bands. Krokmiten introduces more of an experimental element on top of all of this, which includes the use of the guitar as well as additions of differing audio clips and off the wall compositions.

     "The Reversed Speech" starts out the album in an almost passive-aggressive tone. Raw vocals and a driving rhythm push out a slow building intensity. The guitar stands out very well, accenting the rhythms when necessary. They also take up arms throughout the album, with well executed solos, that pop up every now and then. The tone plays a vital role, especially for my tastes. "Surrender" uses much of the same formula, feeding off of the momentum from the previous, except it acts more as a build up to the next track. "Panic Attack", which acts as a finale to the beginning of alpha-beta. "La Transformation"'s titled describes exactly what it is, the transformation into the next part of the story. The album progresses into the next phase, somewhat slowly. This may be one of the few flaws of the album, or one of its greatest attributes.

     "Cocktail of Blood" changes the pace of the album yet again. Briefly, introducing the idea from the beginning. The building up begins, straying from the simple aggression to a more complex brutal make up. "The Thirst" is a nice little instrumental that adds more to "Cocktail of Blood", acting mostly as an extension, but you can tell that it itself has its own theme. Intensity increases as "Locked in a Red Room" bellows from the speakers. So far into the album, I feel somewhat of a tie to the old school style of death metal. "Hidden Knowledge" changes this vibe however, showing influences more so of the experimental light. "Self Hypnosis" adds more to this, with the addition of augmented speaking, somewhat irregular instrumentals, and well placed ambient usage.

     Traversing over halfway through the album, especially in the first listen, you can't help but feel somewhat lost in the theme. Krokmiten still hasn't lost any sort of pace in the aggression category up to this point. "Maculate Conception" continues off, adding in a bit more of elegance, and what sounds like a well defined guitar solo. Further into this half, Krokmiten puts more experimentation into each piece. A very good example of this would be in the track titled "Nativus Malesuadus", which introduces instruments not heard before in the album. Ambient elements play a key factor in this piece, as well as in the next, "Contagium Famositas". alpha-beta increases the speed at which it goes forward, introducing more sporadic and the not-so-lengthy songs. Although I'm not a big fan of shorter length compositions, Krokmiten makes it so that you don't even notice, as these tracks melt into one another almost like a single track. You don't realize this is happening, however, until you're on to the final track, "Oroboros". "Oroboros" ranks as one of the best endings of a concept album. You can't help but get the feeling that you're being watched or something will just explode right out of the speakers.

     Overall... well, after listening to this piece of art, I really don't have any sort of negative comment. Although the beginning can be slightly repetitive, depending on what you're listening to, that soon fades away once the album kicks off. The work that these guys have put into this album is astounding. The last half of the album is by far my favorite, as it contains a lot more of my style, introducing that experimentation I long for in a lot of bands that define themselves as that genre. I find myself playing this album from time to time, more often then others even. However, the idea behind this work most likely won't hit some listeners, as it takes a full listen (and more) to really get the full emotion from it. So if you're into concept albums, give this a listen. You won't be disappointed.

Rating: 9/10

Release Date: August 2011

Recorded at SLA-M Studio. Mixed and Mastered by Expaz Miouzik. Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Interview: LINK HERE

Track Listing:

1. The Reversed Speech

2. Surrender

3. Geisteszustand

4. Panic Attack

5. La Transformation

6. Cocktail of Blood

7. The Thirst

8. Locked in the Red Room

9. Hidden Knowledge

10. Self-Hypnosis

11. Maculate Conception

12. Nativus Malesuadus

13. Contagium Famositas

14. La Thérapie

15. Epileptic Seizure

16. Corporeal Reanimation

17. Upheaval

18. Occam's Razor

19. Oroboros

Lineup:

Simlev - Guitar/Vocals
Dubg - Guitar
Mathz - Drums