In this interview, we chat with Gluten Free Beats about influences, his music, and his newest project.
Q&A, links, and a stream below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
In 2011 I went to All Good, which was a music festival in West Virginia. By this time the only producer I knew was Skrillex because I was thirteen and it was 2011. The artist slotted to play the last set on the last night of the festival was a producer called Pretty Lights whose music absolutely blew my mind. After I got home from the festival I went through his whole discography in a matter of days. I ended up gravitating more towards the downtempo, introspective tunes and I’ve followed that vein all the way to what I make and listen to today.
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
I grew up in a very musical household and I’ve loved music ever since I can remember. My parents took me and my siblings to music festivals and concerts as children. I’ve been playing guitar and drums since I was about ten years old and even before I really knew what production was I was recording little tracks on garageband through the laptop mic.
I began putting my music out around this time last year because I wanted constructive criticism to help myself improve. I started to gain a bit of an audience and it’s been picking up a bit from there.
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
I wouldn’t say they’ve really changed. I kind of hit my trajectory when I was around sixteen. Although I’ve explored lots of different music since that age most of the artists I really enjoy and listen to regularly have stayed the same.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
My goal at this point is just to keep honing my production skills. There’s not really a deeper concept or meaning behind what I’m currently releasing.
What was the last song you listened to?
Towers by Bonobo
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
Well I’ve never actually owned a record player or a vinyl copy of anything, but I love the warmth and the timbre that vinyl has. One of the things I try to accomplish in my music, which I’ve been executing much better lately is incorporating warm saturation and noisy atmospheres that add a vinyl flavor.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Definitely Soundcloud. I like the social media slant that allows artists to interact with fans and other artists to build communities.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
The internet makes it much easier in my experience since there isn’t really a local scene for the kind of music I make. But mostly the biggest challenge is staying persistent when sending out to blogs and other promotional platforms.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
Thanks for having me! I really appreciate the opportunity!
