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INTERVIEW WITH ELECTRONICA OASIS

Each month we colloborate with Indaba Music to give one artist to be featured right here on Electronica Oasis. Our last winner was MetroGnome for his track ‘Screwed’

. Check out our exclusive interview, his track and more below.

Interview after the jump!

EO: How did you get into producing music?

MetroGnome: Music has always been my passion. Since the day I realized I had a sense of rhythm, I knew what I wanted to do in life. My old friend, Mukul, who is also a music producer, showed me one of his beats back in 2006 (I barely knew him back then). When I first heard it, I couldn’t believe that I personally knew someone who makes music. Which got me thinking, if HE can do it, so can I. So, I forced him to teach me the basics of it. Soon enough, I realized that it had already been too late for me to back out.

EO: You were born and raised in India, Can you tell us what the music scene is like there and how that influenced your music today?

MetroGnome: The music scene is as busy as you may think it is over here. The only difference is that there are a lot of live bands (rock, alternative/progressive, fusion, metal, death metal), rather than electronic artists and DJs. With music festivals like NH7, Fireflies, Submerge, SunBurn, Goa Trance etc., there’s a huge demand for underground electronic music in India as well.

EO: What is the club life there and how is it different than where you currently live (California)?

MetroGnome: To start with, California girls are HOT. Club life in Los Angeles is great. You can actually go and start a conversation with anyone at a bar or a night club. Except everything closes at 1:30am, which still confuses me. Is it just me, or is that the time when parties actually start?

In New Delhi, good bars close around 3:30am or 4am. You’ll mostly hear Electro or House music playing everywhere,or Bollywood, which is a lot of fun to dance to, especially at Indian weddings. Although, I wouldn’t want to go out partying with friends, and dance to Bollywood music.

EO:What equipment do you use to make music?

MetroGnome: I use Ableton Live to compose, edit, and mix. As far as hardware is concerned, I use the NI Maschine and a Yamaha MOX8 Synthesizer to produce the majority of my songs. People always ask me if I use the Maschine to make all my beats. I mostly use it to record the drums. And yes, I actually play them instead of using the sequencer with the exception of snare rolls and fills.

EO: How would you describe your sound?

MetroGnome: I don’t want to say that my sound is unique or that I have my own “signature” sound because I get inspired from a lot of different artists. There are bits and pieces of all those artists in my sound. I feel like that is something others have to decide for me. I do have this sound that goes, “Weeeeeooooooooooo” that I use in almost all of my songs. People who follow my music will know what I’m talking about.

Although… on hearing any of my tracks for the first time, a lot of people say, “This definitely sounds like a MetroGnome beat!”

EO: How do you think sites like Indaba have changed the way music is being produced?

MetroGnome: With the increasing number of musicians and electronic artists, it’s getting very difficult for them to make a sustainable career, especially in a short amount of time and Indaba gives way for many opportunities to help these artists establish themselves. You never know, the most talented artists are probably out there today, but can’t afford education. As a result, they can only market and promote their talent to a certain extent. With a site like Indaba in place, artists have a fighting chance to reach larger audiences and be heard by industry experts.

EO: Whats upcoming for Metro Gnome?

MetroGnome: I’m currently working on an original House track, which is a little different from my usual sound. There are also a few collaborations in the works that I can’t comment on right now. They will be coming out later this month. Stay tuned!