LAMP Weekly Mix #136 feat. Emes
LAMP Weekly Mix #136 feat. Emes
MR PUZL: First off. Welcome to our mix series! What have you got in store for us this week?Emes: Thanks for having me! It's been a while since I have played out a full set. I think the last time was out in the desert with LAMP. In this mix I wanted to showcase just a lot of tracks I am having a fun time listening to. A little Tech House, Some darker techno, a little minimal, and some more ethnically inspired stuff as well.MP: You're a man of many talents and I'm not quite sure if you even manage to sleep. What is it about being a 'jack of all trades' that motivates you to invest time in so many exciting opportunities?Emes: I've always been an adapting type of person. When I put my mind towards some lofty goal, I break down what necessary things I need to learn to make that happen, and put any free time I have into learning those things. The reality about being a jack of all trades and a freelancer for that fact is that you need to be able to pick up random work as you go and for me being able to work in a lot of different industries just makes it easier to survive, and just overall increases my usefulness to other people. I used to have a job where there was only one end goal and it was very depressing. Now, I have 6 and being able to tackle all kinds of different goals and manage all their timelines are really what keep me motivated.MP: You've been apart of the Buygore family for over a year now. They have helped to manifest and drive the electronic music scene across multiple creative mediums beyond the music they release. What have you enjoyed most about being apart of this environment?Emes: The people are what make Buygore so amazing. It's such a small team of dedicated individuals that really care about the success of the each other and the music. Interns don't stay interns for long, and there are not 40 people in a fancy office ignoring each other for most of the day. These types of collaborative environments are really what make things thrive; being able to bounce ideas off of each other, to talk freely without judgement, help each other out beyond your job roles... Those are the things I enjoy the most.MP: A&R is demanding and rewarding. Being at the cutting edge of music trends is exciting and daunting as standards, and the technology that supplements them, continue improve exponentially. How has your perception of the industry changed through the lens of your role at Buygore?Emes: Honestly, I don't think it has changed all that much. What I realize now more than ever is just how much some labels get flooded with music, and good music at that. There are only so many weeks in a year to put things out on a steady schedule that gives them time to breathe and sink into the community. You'll find that many people who are doing A&R type work all have similar opinions about many different genres of music, and people are not just guessing at what sounds and styles are emerging anymore.MP: What are some common misconceptions that new members of the label's staff encounter on their first days? How can those who are looking for those coveted internships and jobs improve their chances of getting hired at a label such as Buygore?Emes: A question I get asked a lot by non-music industry people is if Borgore runs the label and is running around with a bottle of Jaeger all the time in the office, and the answer is no. Luckily new people at Buygore are never really all that confused, mostly because they know the people and what they are getting into from day one, and those people are the ones that stick around and get stuff done. Getting into a label like Buygore takes a lot of different things. You have to be willing to grind. Get out there and meet people, make connections, and start to understand the industry from the top down. Get out to parties with Buygore artists, learn the ins and outs of where the industry is headed and present that in a resume/cover letter that lets people know you are not just a fresh out of college kid looking for a resume mark before you move onto something else.Always keep an eye out on social media for job/intern postings, love dubstep & all music for that matter, and just: apply, apply, apply. Any one will tell you that your best way into any job is to have an "in", to know the right people, and that's 100% correct. So get out there and meet people.MP: At the end of your interview with Raver Rafting you made a really important statement, "Never forget about the people who helped you get where you are. Never." It reminded me of a similar (albeit more direct and foreboding) quote from a book written by Cro-Mags lead signer, Johnny Bloodclot, "Musicians are assholes waiting to happen. Fame is fleeting. Remember where you came from." The intrinsic theme revolves around staying humble and true to oneself. How would you feel that this applies to your own career? Without sounding too cliché, how do you encourage the artists that you manage to embody that sensibility?Emes: At least in my experience, there are always stepping stones to success. Very pivotal moments where someone crosses your path and takes you to the next level. Those people should never be left unanswered, or in need if you can do something about it. Christina Boemio got me in the door, and I'd take a bullet for her. Michael Abernathy (A&R Buygore) reinvigorated my multimedia design freelancing, and Steven Pahel gave me the opportunity to be at Buygore, which has lead to countless experiences and contacts that have become invaluable, and to an extent, is the only reason I'm still able to survive in Los Angeles.For my artists, I don't have to encourage them to embody this, they already know. I wouldn't be working with people who didn't have a similar mindset. I am a huge advocate for paying it forward in careers, and I know that if become a stepping stone for them, and they too will become a stepping stone for someone else in the future.MP: Speaking of yet another job you hold, artist management, how do you balance your time tending to your artists needs while also exploring your own creative endeavors?Emes: I put my artist's first 100% of the time. And often, exploring my own endeavors is simply strategy for opening up more opportunities for them. Sometimes it's easy to maintain that balance and creative itch by just doing it with my artists. I'll make album covers, promo videos, tour flyers, and all that just to save on budget and to continue to garnish respect in that field. When it comes to making music and DJ'ing, I think it's important to understand the underlying aspects of production and performance to truly give people a real opinion on things, and not just something surface. My life is kind of strange where there are all these corners of a polygon and all the lines draw in between them where almost anything I do usually has some mutual benefit to another aspect of my life.MP: You've released a diverse collection of music that traverses a variety of styles and genres. As you continue to explore and find sounds that suit you, where would you currently say your production tastes lie?Emes: Since i've started producing I told myself that I would just explore and learn. I never had any grand ideas of becoming a big DJ or producer, just to understand the technical aspects and have fun with it. Originally I had this 3 track rule where I would make 3 tracks of a general style and move on to a new one, i've kind of stuck to it, just haven't really released most of it. What i've come to learn is that a lot of the music I have been making in 2016 has an ethnic flair to it, and I dig that.MP: With your last release 'Huwasi' we heard a darker timbre coming from your compositions. What sparked your interest in creating something like this versus some of your previous work?Emes: I went and saw Maceo Plex at Exchange LA and in some ways it changed how I produce forever. Huwasi really came from an exercise in sound design and an attempt at making Techno, which I had not done before. Turning small brass hits into large rumbling horns, constantly changing automation with the main synths, and just overall setting a mood with music was an important part of the exercise. I wanted to make a 4am groover that brought you back to life and gave you chills on the dance floor.MP: Let's get down to the important stuff. Favorite MMO? Favorite non-MMO RPG?Emes: Haha, well let's start by prefacing that I wish there was a good MMO out there now, but sadly those days are long gone. I would say overall World of Warcraft was my favorite MMO because of experiences, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes second because the game was just so damn good and ahead of its time, thanks for fucking that up SOE. Favorite non-MMO RPG would have to go to Xenogears, Final Fantasy 8, and TES: Oblivion in that order.MP: If someone was visiting you in LA for a few days and get a feel for our nightlife scene where would you take them?Emes: I guess it would be less of where, and more of what. SPACE YACHT, Brownies and Lemonade, Pluggedin, Degrade.LA, Free Grilled Cheese, Mixmag Lab, IHeartComix after hours, Purple 33, LAMP events, the options are really endless.
Tracklist
1. ATFC - The Drum2. Bruno Furlan - Hollow3. Jaded - 4000Hz (Purple Pelican Extended Club Mix)4. Moonbootica - On The Corner (FormatB Remix)5. Elomak - Womack Anthem6. Ascendants - ID7. With You. - No Resistance (Beating Heart)8. Pirupa - Bless The Rain9. M.A.X - Londawi10. Durante - Goddess11. Tinlicker - Needle12. Alex Kenji & Luca Guerrieri - Dakar13. Spirit Catcher - Blast From The Past14. Adrian Hour - Hear What They Hear15. Patrick Topping - BrayedListen to more from Emes below: