Great to have you on Xttrawave. Please, introduce yourself.
I am an electronic music solo artist and producer based out of Houston, TX. I was born in the former Soviet Union to a family of musicians. My mother, a classically trained pianist and my father, who had global fame as a pop star for the band “Yalla”, exposed me to the music scene early in life. As a young boy, I often spent time in the studio with professional musicians watching them record and perform music. Years later, in my teens, I started experimenting with sound design and music production. Since then and for the last 20 years I’ve been producing electronic music, recording other artists and working with sound design.
What got you into music and made you realize that it was your chosen path?
My parents were a huge influence, but ultimately, I believe it comes from within. Something in my heart and soul draws me to creating sound. My favorite part about the creative process is putting different sounds together and making something new and magical.
Tell us about your new music? And what’s the story behind it?
When I finished my first album I realized I needed to up my game with my production skills. I started experimenting with sounds and new mixing techniques. The result was multiple amazing tracks that I fell in love with. So, Voila! here they are! “Sound, SpaceTime” – There are a total of 7 tracks in this record; 5 Instrumentals and 2 tracks with Vocals. JJ, my beautiful daughter, sings the vocals for “Not as fun.”
What makes your music unique? How would you describe it?
The music is new, but familiar. It brings you back to your favorite sounds and introduces new melodies. There’s something for everyone: EDM, Chill, SynthPop, and Groove. I like to focus on the quality of the sound and the overall feel of the music. These songs sound great with good speakers or headphones. There are a lot of intricate parts to the production that you want to hear to get the full experience.
Who are your biggest musical influences? And any particular artist/band you would like to collaborate with in the future?
This album is inspired by artists like Daft Punk, M83, Royksopp and The Weeknd. Genres represented include SynthPop, Chillout, EDM, Chillwave and Downtempo. In the future, if I had a magic wand, I would love to collaborate with the guys from M83.
Which is the best moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?
I am most proud of my collaborations with my mom and dad. There was a time when we wrote music as a family and produced a song called “Be OK” which got a lot of popularity in its time. The song came with a video that was streamed thousands of times and to this day, people ask me about it and at times play it in their homes.
How do you balance your music with other obligations – family, friends or work?
I think of my music career as an escape and therapy. It takes me out of the daily stresses of life and work. Making music helps me find peace and calms my soul. It also enhances all the other parts of my life in so many ways including having many relationships with people who are also into music and can relate to the process.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?
Seek out mentors and collaborators. It helps to connect with other musicians when you are learning something new and trying something new. Also – Books and youtube are your best friend when it comes to sound design. There are so many amazing content creators that can help you in a big way.
If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?
You are always in my thoughts when creating music. I always think about what my fans like to hear? Does this sound boring to the listener? How can I make this a pleasurable experience to the listener? These are just some of the questions circulating in my head.
What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?
Once the pandemic gets under control and we are able to meet people safely, I would love to tour and put on a couple of shows. I am also working on a few collaborations with other artists and definitely going to work on a new album. I think I’ll release a few singles along the way too. 🙂
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