Described by Resident Advisor as chameleonic, due to his diverse range and ability to conjure such unique sounds, experimental electronic artist Alexey Devyanin aka Pixelord will be presenting his IDM, future beats creation, “Human.exe” LP on the 23rd September via Hyperboloid Records.We caught up with Pixelord ahead of his album release.
Hi there, how are you and what are you up to today?
Hi, fine thanks. I’m about to make more new music and prepare a DJ set for Boiler Room Moscow pre-party.
To those not familiar with you, how would you describe your sound?
My sound is cybernetic, electronic, atmospheric and futuristic. My music is from the future, where humans live next to robots and they create art together. When I make my sound I get inspiration from most up to date music and something that sounds really new and unusual and pass it through myself to get my special sounding.
What are the 5 albums and artists that have influenced you the most?
Aphex Twin – I Care Because You Do
Biosphere – Substrata
Burial – Untrue
Harmonic313 – When Machines Exceed Human Intelligence
Machinedrum – Room(s)
What other artists do you really like at the moment and why?
I mostly listen to music from my friends. It’s Cadeu, Summer Of Haze, Koloah, El Ched, EPROM, Downstate, BSN Posse, FIsky, Raumskaya, 813, Trekkie Trax and others. We are in touch all the time, exchanging new tracks and releases, remixing each other’s work and collaborating. I also listen to random music that people send to me, lots of new young talents from nowhere. Sometimes I listen to big releases from labels I love and of course I keep tracking the new stuff.
What are your thoughts on the following genres?
Drum n Bass
I was into dnb in my childhood, Goldie is the best one for me, I like that he had proper albums with long intro, some vocalists and great melodies and dynamics. Not just club shit like other dnb artists. But these days I don’t know much about this side of the music.
Deep House
Deep house is boring but I have a side project called Computer Graphics, where I’m trying to make my own kind of house/ 4×4, with lo-fi sounds and retro synths. More like electro but it’s not deep house so I don’t know much about the genre. I guess they do pretty well and have millions of fans, mainstream biz.
Trap
Some of it was good when the thing started, but now it’s just mostly commercial boring copy and paste shit.
Classical
This is important, I don’t have a good education on classical music but I’ve heard some. I don’t really listen to it at home but I’ve been to a few classical concerts in some special venues that were great.
Braindance
It’s my territory since my childhood until today. Warp and Planet Mu Records influenced me big time. My brain is always in a dance mode, even when I sleep I can see music and I make perfect music in my dreams, but when I wake up I can’t re-record it unfortunately.
If we gave you the budget to put a line-up together for a mini fest, who would you book and where would you play?
I would play in Berlin because I think it’s one of the best places for music fans. I would make some eclectic festival with lots of experimental, ambient, braindance from the past, futuristic new music from all over the world, mainly that could be my friends and people I’m inspired by these days.
What are some of the key pieces of gear you use to write your tracks in the studio? Or do you prefer to use software and plug ins?
I use software and plug ins and midi controllers. I also got Novation Circuit recently, it’s a groove box machine you can use without computers and it’s fun to play with outside, it has batteries.
If you weren’t a musician what would you be?
I would invent robots and work with coding.
Do you enjoy playing to an audience or working in the studio?
I like both, depends on the situation and mood. Usually, I stay in my place and make music daily, I make art and videos as well but I love to travel. Not the travel process but to be in different new places and meet other people, play my stuff to them. I like playing in clubs and places where people know what’s up and who they came to see.
Has your arsenal of equipment changed much since you first started?
Yeah, I got more devices, midi controllers, and better computers.
Do you have any information regarding upcoming releases, projects, DJ mixes or collaborations in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?
Coming up DJ mix for Radar radio show with Otik, no date yet.
And then album time! I have some cool things coming up with it, you will see.
Pixelord will be playing at KOKO, London on the 8th October. Tickets here.
