Author: befree

By Damilola Grey

Dami: What was y’all first introduction to music?

JUKO: My dad got me into The Beatles when I was pretty young. That kind of stuck with me. I discovered Daft Punk when I was six and that kind of introduced me to electronic music. I started producing when I was 12 because I was super into Dubstep and old Monstercat music.

grape milk: Okay yeah so my first and most prominent experience with music was back when my dad would play an album of Andy Hunter’s “Life” on CD. I think I was about 3-4 years old at the earliest. That album’s old as hell so it kind of makes sense. I listened to it so many times and I mean I REALLY ate it up. Still inspires me in parts of my creation to this day.

Dami: What inspired y’all to start making music?

JUKO: I started DJing for fun, and I got lazy and started mashing up songs on GarageBand to play them in my sets. I didn’t understand how to actually mix songs. Eventually I started adding my own loops. Then I started making my own loops. Eventually, I got good at that, and I didn’t actually realize I was making music until later on.

grape milk: My piano teacher actually. I was in piano lessons from age 11 to age 12. Around the middle of that time, he showed me GarageBand on the Mac and I was completely hooked. I then quit piano lessons not too long after learning about music production. It was all I wanted to do from that point on.

Dami: How would y’all describe your sound/style of producing?

JUKO: I think the best way to describe my music is that it’s basically pop with detuned synthesizers. Maybe a little 60s-rock influence mixed in. Nothing more, nothing less. Every time I record something with Eli, I always find myself saying “let’s make a really bad Katy Perry song with high pitched vocals”. It never ends up that way. Or maybe it does.

grape milk: I would describe my sound as a “hyperpop-indie blend”. I try to be very raw and abrasive with my sounds, yet I always keep my chords melancholic. I also produce some Dubstep sub-genres on the side, and I think that factors in to my sound in some ways. In terms of Gabe’s and my music (as a duo), we sound cinematic and pulsing, with inspired sounds from techno, bass house, analog saws, and classic sounding pads, mixed with that hyperpop undertone we’ve started to take on recently. Its manifested itself in a super weird alternative pop sound that I personally love.

Dami: With all the various genres in music, what made y’all pick this electronic/ pop sound?

JUKO: I feel like every electronic artist reaches a point where they don’t know whether to go more towards the “bass/ EDM” route or the “melodic/ pop” route. Nowadays, we try not to think about it and do both, but in my case I wanted to make music that reflected what I listened to the most. I’ve been wanting to break away from that electronic label for so long but it gets difficult when everybody knows you for making electronic music. I can’t speak for Eli, but I’m pretty sure he loves making anything and everything. Dude’s crazy. He just loves producing.

grape milk: I have nothing to add to that.

Dami: What’s y’all creative process like?

JUKO: I almost only exclusively listen to albums. Every now and then, I’d listen to something good and get a burst of inspiration. When I attempt to actually make something- I usually only get to finishing a good drum track and giving up. The only time I feel like I can successfully create a song is when I can picture the whole song in my head before making it. That goes for the structure, the atmosphere, and melodies. My best work comes from those moments where I’m inspired, but I’m not set out to mimic an album I just listened to. In terms of me and Eli, our process is a hit-or-miss. Sometimes our chemistry is just too good where we just have fun and make really bad music, then sometimes those jokes turn into real songs. It’s interesting because we never know what’ll end up finished or what’ll never see the light of day. Also, basic chord progressions are key. The most overused, catchy, and annoying chord progressions turn our songs into beautiful, pop garbage.

grape milk: My creative process is very “on the fly”, like a “don’t blink or you just might miss it” kind of thing. I am very drum oriented and spend a lot of time in making that groove unique and smacking. I really think drums stand out in my production a lot, though they’re usually the second thing for me to lay down in a project. I’ll always write chords when I’m starting something new. In terms of my workflow, I act so much on my impulses that I think it makes me an acquired taste for collaborations. Gabe is one of those people that has always been able to work with and that’s why I think we make an awesome duo. When we work together also, we won’t shy away from anything comedic. Quite a few of our collaborative works are sparked from an improvisational, witty place, and it flows from our fingertips so well. We work really fast I think.

Dami: Who are your biggest musical inspirations?

JUKO: grape milk is definitely at the top of my list. I’m a fan first, then a friend. Dayglow, The 1975, Porter Robinson, and Madeon as well, but as of late Mac Miller has been influencing a lot of my work. I also listen to The Beatles way too much.

grape milk: My top inspirations are JUKO, Skrillex, Moody Good, dltzk, Alexander Panos, Ryan Leahan, and underscores.

Dami: How do y’all balance school and music?

JUKO: I don’t. It’s a problem. When I’m focused on school, I get so fucking upset to the point where I just can’t create anything. When I’m focused on music, I feel like I can’t think about anything other than whatever I’m working on. I have a real issue with balancing things like that. There are days where I stay up so late to work on a track, and I find myself missing my alarm or something like that. It gets frustrating after a while. My grades are terrible and I’m pretty ashamed of it but hey, the music’s fun.

grape milk: I recently finished school for the meantime, so I actually have a TON of free time to work on anything I want. When I used to be in school though, I would prioritize my art over my studies. I just felt I couldn’t really survive without making music, but that I could always cram my assignments last minute. I didn’t get very good grades lol.

Dami: What has been the most memorable thing y’all have experienced as artists?

JUKO: When people started to notice the little Easter eggs I drop in my own music. I reference so much of my work within my work- to the point where it starts to tell a story. That goes for most things I’ve released as a solo artist. It took so long for that to actually happen, for someone to comment “hey I get that!!! That was from this or that song”. But it did, and it makes me so happy.

grape milk: I have two answers. One was when I met Gabe for the first time. We created so much and bonded like I’ve never bonded before. It was a really cool experience. I could say the same thing that about the second time we hung out at the end of 2020. My other memorable moment was the online listening party for my second album release. The album was called “Seen before Heard”, and it’s my most destiny-shaping project ever. A lot of things came from that, and a lot of folks appreciated what it stood for.

Dami: What’s the most stressful thing y’all have experienced as artists or that you are still experiencing?

JUKO: Imposter syndrome. It sucks, and hearing Porter Robinson talk about it it hit me on a spiritual level. It’s something that I realized all artists experience at one point- and I never thought it’d happen to me until it did.

grape milk: Scheduling my releases! I swear it gets really frustrating to organize what music is gonna come next. I sometimes wish it were acceptable in the community to post songs day after day, but that’s just not realistic in the music business. Again, I love my impulses when I create.

Dami: Y’all just dropped a new single called “ILYx3”. Can you tell us more about it?

JUKO: ILYx3 was so much fun to make. I had that annoying “I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU” melody stuck in my head at work- and I recorded a voice memo. I didn’t listen back to it months later, and I told Eli about it and we just spent a night making it. We wanted to make a classic dance song resembling something we would’ve done with our old project “MALIBU”. It’s a song about contradicting yourself. Everything that’s said in the lyrics is immediately followed up with the opposite of what’s said. I wanted to make something that nobody could ever get out of their head, something that’s stitched to someone’s brain until the end of time- or until it drives them to insanity. But then again, it’s not that deep.

Dami: What’s next for y’all after ILYx3?

JUKO: We’re putting out an EP soon, with ILYx3 on it. It’s a weird one. I’m working on a solo EP that’s hopefully going to be out by the
summer.

grape milk: My next album! It’s got a lot of cool hyperpop inspired stuff and I really want to push it out at some point this spring 2022. I and Gabe are also working on our next EP to follow “FIELD TRIP”.

Dami: What are y’all hoping to achieve by the end of the year?

JUKO: I’ve been wanting to move down to Austin to pursue music for a long time. Maybe this’ll be my year, who knows?

grape milk: Honestly, I would like to see my SoundCloud page hit 10, 000 followers. It’s maybe a little optimistic, but aside from that, I don’t see the use in making any goals for labels I’d like to see myself on or anything like that. Really just the SoundCloud stat of 10k would be fun.

Listen to ILYx3 here now

By Jacob Ezra

New Jersey artist Ethan Ross has shared a new banger called “SINISTER”, assisted by Drunk Girl. Fresh off the heels of his recent single “NEVER BREAK”, Ross continues his hot streak, providing an equally powerful cut that blends genres in an exciting fashion. Here, a metallic, imposing beat from Drunk Girl centred around adrenaline-fuelled synths and heavy drums provides a solid foundation for Ross’ engaging vocals. Melding nicely with the raw, energizing production, Ross’ verses and chorus are cohesive and memorable. Overall, the aptly-titled “SINISTER” is a track that is going to be in our rotation for a long time, with its catchy yet untraditional sonics and thrilling energy.

Listen to “SINISTER” now:

By Jacob Ezra

Vancouver, Canada artist B00sted and Mission, Canada artist KNOWN. have connected on a fresh new single called “Close To Me”. The artists, who collaborated previously on B00sted.’s 2019 banger “High Up”, share a natural chemistry conducive to both traditional hip-hop cuts and more melodic offerings. Here, they provide atmospheric, wistful vocals over top of a dream-like instrumental. Underscored by drifting synths and bright, memorable guitars, their vocals sound highly evocative, drawing the listener into the song’s atmosphere. Starting 2022 off on a high note, “Close To Me” marks an exciting start to the new year for these young artists.

Stream “Close To Me” now:

Written by Jacob Ezra

Abdulixlah and Kingjp have come through with a fresh new single “lights go out”, providing bright, uplifting vibes that are much needed in these times. Containing a nostalgic, dream-like beat centred around textured, organic sounding samples and warm, syrupy bass, “lights go out” is an immersive offering that drew us in immediately. Moreover, Abdulixlah’s smooth, emotive vocals and introspective lyrics are beautifully crafted and evocative. Brand new to the music scene, hopefully more is soon to come from him soon, as he shows potential on this offering.

Listen to “lights go out” now:

By Damilola Grey

Dami: What was your first introduction to hip hop?

Nomad No Home: My first real introduction to hip hop was an encounter I had back at the music summer program I had where they had a studio and I automatically felt connected and wanted to hear, and to be around music more.

Dami: What inspired you to start rapping?

Nomad No Home: I had been making beats since 2016. I was freestyling and my friends really seemed to like the freestyles so I started writing. I bought all my studio equipment around my 17 th birthday and my career really took off right from there.

Dami: Can you tell us a bit more about that?

Nomad No Home: Okay. As I had mentioned, I started making beats back in 2016 when I would get any chance out with my friends, or just with people in general. I would either have my music on my phone or with me on a USB and I would have people play it when they are in their cars, or speakers and it grew from there. In 2018 I started freestyling, just joking with my friends, not taking anything serious, but all three of the people who were watching me rap could see that I was not just saying regular rap rhymes. I would throw punchlines and references in freestyles like it was scripted, and my friends would flip. My first song “Atlantis” premiered on December 12th, 2020, and I just took each experience as a new encounter. I took what I knew and I implemented that, ran with it, and enhanced it to where I am at today.

Dami: Who are your biggest musical inspirations?

Nomad No Home: J Cole (even though I haven’t made a track like him yet) and Logic most definitely. My other inspirations are Dreamville, Yvngxchris, Lil Baby, Wvstend, and Lil Uzi Vert.

Dami: How would you describe your style of music?

Nomad No Home: I would describe it as lyrical but also fun at the same time. A lot of these songs were produced by Wvstend and myself. Stretching different timings into these beats to get your head bop the whole time is the best I could describe it. Most of these beats alone could put you in a trance, but on top of that I add my vocals and
together it’s a masterpiece like no other.

Dami: Where do you grab inspiration from when making music?

Nomad No Home: To tell the truth, I play it by the ear on every song. I’ll rap about whatever is going on with my life, and also tell a few stories along the way. I want my music to sound unique like all other artists but also, to be a vibe as well. Like I said before, to fill all the vibes. Being versatile for all my fans.

Dami: What has been the most stressful part of being an artist?

Nomad No Home: Marketing for sure, but it’s the whole concept of making everything on the song. Then the other part of being an independent artist, which is the books and BMI registration, and making sure there are clean versions and lyrics on songs. Trying to make sure all my ends are secured is a tough process.

Dami: What has been the most memorable part of being an artist so
far?

Nomad No Home: My shows, even though they are small right now. I filled the vibe in every room I have been in, no matter the size, and I believe a part of my versatility is I could perform at open mics, and karaoke nights, or places with a piano since I play that instrument. But also the 6th of January 2022 was really memorable. I did 24 hours in my studio making and mixing this EP.

Dami: Can you tell us more on this EP you’re working on?

Nomad No Home: Yeah, it’s called L.I.F.T.W which stands for Love Is for the Weak. I was struggling trying to find songs that were good enough to publish for the past 5 months. Every time I find motivation to make a beat or a song, something comes up, and something has happened. It’s about love because the release date (Valentine’s Day) is a really good holiday to release music with that type of motive and since I made all these songs about love and the different views that I see about love, turns out to be for the weak. In reality, life just has a way of always getting that 1 up on you which is what the last song was for (“igetit!”). Each song paints a story and a world for you to vibe in, cry in, rage in, party to, whatever you want with it. It’s your world!

Dami: What’s your creative process like?

Nomad No Home: I either make the beat or I’ll collaborate with a producer to make the beat, and then I’ll either write to the song or start freestyling right then and there. I prefer writing my raps down so most times I’ll sit back and think about what to put down- then, once it’s down in the DAW- I mix, add effects, and save a hit!

Dami: What are your dream collaborations?

Nomad No Home: Yvngxchris. Even though we got a song, I want to make a hit in the studio with Yvngxchris. Another would be Tyler the Creator. I know my fans are going to be confused when this comes out but he literally creates his imagery and lyricism from the weirdest, funkiest beats, and blends it so well with his creative persona. I know if we were in a studio together, the vibe would be immaculate, and a lot of hits would be made.

Connect with Nomad No Home now: https://linktr.ee/NomadNoHome

By Damilola Grey

Terrence Leon is back with his first single of the year, titled “Etch a Sketch”. This marks his first release of 2022, and there was no better way to start it than with this track. The 3-minute song sees Terrence talk about love, and being in love with someone to the point where you would Etch a Sketch of their name on your heart (get a tattoo of their name). He doesn’t see anyone apart from his partner cause there’s simply no one like her. When I talked to Terrence about this track, he said it’s about “appreciating the magic in the moment”. Etch a Sketch is a track guaranteed to have anyone in their feelings due to Terrence Leon’s heavenly vocals, the amazing production, as well as the smooth feel of the track.

Stream “Etch a Sketch” below:

Bungalow Collect‘s Zay Suav has shared a new banger called “Chumps”. The New York artist has been on a prolific tear lately, releasing a strong series of singles including “Disconnected” and “One 4 Da Ages”. For his latest, he continues to deliver with an exciting cut that energizes the listener.

“Chumps” bristles with refreshing energy, containing a forward-thinking instrumental centred around spacey, layered synths and addictive percussion. Moreover, Suav’s vocals are characteristically sharply-crafted and catchy, with elegant melodies that drift over top of the beat with a certain effortlessness.

Listen to “Chumps” now:

Nashville artist Dear Me has shared a heartfelt new single called “I’m learning”. An evocative track that captures his personal, charmingly relatable style, this song conjures a wistful mood that drew us in immediately. Continuing the success of recent singles like “i wish this was still about you” and “Never the Same”, the poet and songwriter shines on this offering for his vivid songwriting and emotional depth.

“I’m learning” features a dream-like instrumental centred around reflective, earthy guitars and rich bass, and confessional vocals from Dear Me. With immersive instrumentation and movingly poetic writing, this track offers an emotionally layered listening experience that is highly relatable. Overall, the sentiment shared on this song is necessary for these times, with many people confused by our world right now and in the midst of searching for themselves.

Listen to “I’m learning” now:

Dear Me on social media: Spotify | Instagram | Twitter

Queens, New York rapper Jam Young and Denver producer Pike have shared a smoky new single called “Kick It Like That”. Here, Young delivers easy-going, memorable verses over top of a mesmerizing instrumental from Pike. As Young’s verses float smoothly, Pike lays down grand, warm horns anchored by organic sounding percussion. With a refreshing, relaxed vibe overall, “Kick It Like That” makes for a great soundtrack for reflecting upon one’s life and memories.

Listen to “Kick It Like That” now:

“Gone”, the latest collaboration from Norwegian artist Naits and German musician Jan Metternich, is an ethereal, refreshing offering that had us hooked from the get-go. With a sparkling instrumental centred around spacey, intriguing synths underscored by bouncy 808s and addictive percussion, “Gone” provides heavy replay value while simultaneously providing a fresh sound. Naits and Metternich’s vocals complement the instrumental and make the song more dynamic, with heartfelt melodies that imprint in the listener’s memory. A vivid offering from the two young artists, “Gone” will certainly remain in our rotation for the foreseeable future.

Stream “Gone” now: