Q&A: Fives minutes with Kmyle
As a musician, France’s Kmyle is as much a technician as he is a producer. His incredible technical skillset and prowess with machinery is likely due to early roots in classical music, and this foundation would eventually ground the artist’s exploration into his obsession with the “repetitive rhythms of electronic music.” The music itself speaks toward this. Simultaneously sensitive and hyperactive, his productions display a range of dexterity in their distillation of raw techno with designed soundscapes and atmospherics, formulating the sort of euphoric melodic tech that stretches from the glacial to the luminous. While 2020 saw most of the world shutdown, for Kmyle the year was defined by new beginnings. Setting up his own label, the artist would release his debut EP Wasteland to widespread acclaim from peers like Amelie Lens and Ellen Allien. Now having released his third EP on the label, Time Odyssey, Kmyle seems increasingly poised to become one of the most exciting new talents in French electronic music. We caught up with him to find out more about his craft, and what goes into creating memorable and affecting dance music.
Hi Kmyle! Welcome to The Playground. Thank you for speaking with us.
Hello and thank you for the invitation!
Set the tone for us. Where did your journey with music start?
All this started a long time ago when I was a kid, at a classical music school. Then, very quickly I became intrigued by the repetitive rhythms of electronic music. I decided to try to understand how we could create these new electric sounds. A visceral need to express myself using these new sounds took me, like a drug .
Which comes first when you’re producing – the sound or the idea?
When I start new stuff, I try with an emotional feeling, because the music is my way of describing my thoughts, whether violent or joyful. From there, I often start with a rhythm, but sometimes I just turn on my modular system and start with a basic melody.
What techniques do you experiment with to get your original sound?
I’m passionate about sound design, and I try new mixing techniques and methods for making sounds. For example, this week I tried to record some strange sounds with a mic directly through my modular synth, turning the knobs to the extreme limit to create something new. After this step in my computer, I experiment with effects. I try to take unconventional paths and routes, it’s part of the creative process .
Take us through a day in the recording studio.
I usually get up around 9 and start the day by listening to a new promo I received while enjoying my coffee. Then I check my emails with the team. Also, I look at my musical notes that I wrote the day before in front of a science fiction film, and I start working on my music. Sometimes when I’m stuck in a loop, I do sound design creation sessions without a specific goal, to have synth material or experimental stuff. But over the day, I do a lot of separate actions like a studio ants ( hahah ), because our profession is multidisciplinary and I think and note a lot of things every time to try to move forward .
Take us through a day in the recording studio.
I usually get up around 9 a.m., and I start the day by listening to a new promo I received while enjoying my coffee. Then I check my emails with the team that takes care of me. Also, I look at my musical notes that I wrote the day before in front of a science fiction film, and I start working on my music. Sometimes when I’m stuck in a loop , I do Sound design creation sessions without a specific goal, to have synths material or experiment stuff. But over the day, I do a lot of separate actions like a studio ants, because our profession is multidisciplinary and I think and note a lot of things every time to try to move forward .
Take us through your collection of gear, tech or software that accompanies your creative expression.
I’m not a crazy synthesiser collector, a lot of hardware has gone through my life, but I try to keep what’s most useful to me. What I use daily are my Elektrons Analog Four, analog rhythm, Digitone, my modular system which evolves over time, as well as effects pedals like the Ensoniq DP4, well known to producers from the 90’s. All this goes into my Midas F32 console, and I get all the tracks directly into Ableton. Then, I mix it all in, and I just use processing plugins like Arturia FX, Soundtoys, waves, or even d16groups, but also obviously of all that Ableton proposes to us. If I need to create a particular sound off the machine, I most often use “Surge”, or “operator”.
Was there a specific moment in your life where you thought, “this is what I want to do”?
I have many memories that made me think that, but as far as I can remember, I was still very young and I went to see Extrawelt live. This unique moment of communion and the sensations perceived made me realise that I wanted to live this every second of my life .
What’s on your current playlist?
At this moment I’m more into minimalist and groovy things, like the artist Marcal, or Inland, or great classics like Luke Slater. But I limit myself to nothing because I quickly get tired of things musically, and for me the goal is to manage to create a story during the mix , like for example during long sets that I do at my after-party residence at Glazart Paris.
What should we be listening to right now?
Absolutely everything! At the moment there are so many new talents emerging in so many styles, but if I have to remember someone new from his days, the new Quelza, and Kashpitzky stuff is very fresh.
Breakdown the news for us: what can we expect from you this year?
I’m on a lot of projects at the same time. I’m preparing my next EPs on my own label, but also a remix for Extrawelt which should be released soon, and a new collaboration with Inigo Kennedy. Also, we’re going to release a new album with my friends from Mod4rn. Finally, I try to move forward and have fun and always continue to share moments with the public and my team. That’s all I aspire to.
Famous last words?
Music evolves quickly, social networks and our way of consuming this have taken a major turn, for all this I would say, as Oscar Wilde said, “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.”
Preview Time Odyssey below, and download the EP here.
Follow Kmyle
