For those who aren’t familiar with your journey, how did you get into producing and an MC / vocalist?‍

I started producing when I was 17/18 because I was bored and wanted to make something, just very normal hip hop beats. I’ve written little bits here and there throughout my whole life but I started really trying and connecting them to my productions after I played my first instrumental live show stood behind a desk, I was really bored and I could tell the crowd was too, so I decided I needed to do something to make the live show more engaging. I just got on the mic and screamed random stuff till I had enough lyrics for a few tracks.

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Your latest mixtape Vanity Project featured some of the most exciting contemporary electronic artists including Space Afrika, Mun Sing, Aya and Slikback & Nick Leon amongst other talented producers. How did you balance remaining true to your artist vision and collaborating with the differing sounds and approaches?

I let the beats dictate where the vocals were supposed to go, because I had very little control over the instrumentals, I had to follow their lead. It was a case of trying a lot of stuff out, writing a lot and holding on tight once I had an idea that I was kinda happy with. 

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Collaboration is an integral part of your creative process, how do you approach working with other producers and vocalists?

I most often don’t, at least not in the same room, often it’s a case of hiding away in my own space till I’ve got something to show or send back. I need to feel very comfortable with someone to make music with them in the room

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Your lyrics speak to your identity and the world around you. I found this especially true on Are U Connected, what have been your main influences over the last few years?

Mostly other writers, fiction, non fiction, rap, listening more to the positive internal voices than the negative ones; Paul Preciado, Venkatesh Rao, Billy Woods, Rainy Miller, sharing ideas with my partner, listening to my friends talk in the smoking area.

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When creating your live performances, how do you translate your sound from in the box to the stage?

Honestly I’m way more of the mind of reacting and being in the room, that emotionality and connection is what people will remember over a crispy mixdown.

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When looking back at MOOK released on TT till now, how has your sound changed and developed?

I’m better now! Both emotionally and at producing, now I think I use less destructive techniques with my samples. I’m a lot less process driven often and the direction I want things to go in has crystallised a little.

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I’ve noticed a strong visual identity with you as a musician, how does your artistic output influence your music?

I’m not sure, I’d like it to all feel cohesive but honestly the music comes first, sometimes I have very vague images in mind when producing and conceiving projects, colour schemes, textures.

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Talk us through the track you last [cmd] ‘S’d ? ([ctrl] ‘S’ to PC users)?

A track I first made like 3 years ago, I have a fantasy of finishing every track I start, so I’ve been going through old tracks and seeing if I can fit them into my current template, it’s called Angelz. It’s basically a collection of tropes I was into 3-4 years ago, triplet drums, actress’ sidechain ghost kicks, Decon vocal sampling.

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What can the CDR audiences expect from your time with us?

Some jokes, lots of conceptual stuff about production and writing, very little useful technical talk, I can’t teach you what compression is sorry.

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And finally, for those just getting to grips with producing and keen to get their Works In Progress out there, what advice do you have for them?

Finish stuff, put stuff down, release stuff, you’ll learn more from finishing and not being so precious about everything than you will from endlessly tweaking the same song. I feel like you learn the most right at the start and right at the end of making something, keep starting and finishing.

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