Great to have you on Xttrawave. Please, introduce yourself.
Hello. I am Cody Lashley and I am a music producer from the northwestern US. I go by this name because I don’t prefer an alias. I chose to use my real name for authenticity sake and to make myself more approachable as an artist.
What got you into music and made you realize that it was your chosen path?
I grew up in a family of music fans. My father was into Juggalo and a lot of other hip-hop and my mother was into rock but generally enjoyed anything that had any sort of emotional influence. I never really heard her listen to any party music unless it was for someone else. I’ve never touched any musical instruments in my life. But after a messy divorce, I got into a destructive depression and sought music as a coping mechanism. I discovered EDM (via
Monstercat) and found a lot of solace in it so when I turned 12, I was given a (bought) copy of FL Studio and I took a musical journey of self-discovery, so to speak.
Tell us about your new music? And what’s the story behind it?
So this is a Future Garage track called “The Purge,” which can seem like a very misleading title and I did that on purpose. When most people hear that title, they think of the movies and as a result, expect something more sinister and heavy. I took the opposite route. This song is about running away from your past, hence the 2-step drums, ambient pads, and hollow, inaudible vocals.
What makes your music unique? How would you describe it?
I take a very simplistic, subdued, stream-of-consciousness approach to the garage sound. While I’m nowhere near the first person to do this, the fundamental principle of Future Garage is leaving a piece of yourself and your environment in each and every song. That being said, I like to be ambitious and get mysterious with my fans when it comes to the songs and how they’re released as well as how they’re connected.
Who are your biggest music influences? And any particular artist/band you would like to collaborate with in the future?
I’m influenced by a lot of music both inside and outside of my genre. But my biggest influences include Four Tet, Boards of Canada, Sorrow, Vacant, and the most prominent: Burial, who invented the genre through his iconic album, Untrue. That album and Burial’s entire discography is a giant, vibrant, emotional landscape onto a bleak, rugged campus. I would love to work with BRDGES as well as some artists on the Dark Heart & Hyperdub labels if the possibility ever comes up.
Which is the best moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?
I have recently found a group of artists and people in this independent media group called Flying Snow Machine. They’re really passionate artists and love what they do. For the first time in a while, I felt like I’ve definitely found a group of people I love talking to and nerding out about music and other things on the daily. I haven’t met anyone or been in anyplace that truly understood my vision as an artist and embraced that. Shoutout Ben Ohr and Clemens. Love those guys.
How do you balance your music with other obligations – family, friends or work?
I work 2 retail jobs outside of this music gig. I’m a live-in-the-now kind of guy so I plan as I go through the day and if I’m not suffering from any sort of burnout, I devote the free time to creative pursuits whether it is music or something else.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?
Reflect on who you are as a musician. Ask yourself the tough questions, “what makes you unique?” “What makes you different?” “How am I going to stand out in a vast ocean of copies?” I always ask those questions when I get sent music from other people because a majority of the time, it’s uninspired and doesn’t sound like themselves.
If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?
Thank you for listening to my music, interacting with me on Instagram, or just reading this interview. It means a lot in the long haul.
What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?
Who knows? Life is unpredictable and uncertain. My music reflects who I am and what I’m going through in that moment so I can’t say whether or not a project is in the works. But I can say that when I do work on the next thing, be sure to read the signs and analyze every detail you may find before release.