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Image via Feral on Soundcloud/Jonathan Zawada
Daily Discovery is a feature that will highlight a new or recently discovered artist that we’re excited about. See the rest of our Daily Discoveries here.
Fantastic electronic music off all styles is coming at us from all directions at the moment. Whether its Loom’s ghostly take on grime from England, global collective Flow-Fi, or New York’s own Sweater Beats, just a cursory survey of Soundcloud (or the pages of P&P) shows just what an exciting time it is. Here’s another name to add to the list of producers you should b paying attention to: Feral.
The New York-based producer started making waves at the end of 2013 with the Haymaker EP, specifically the pummeling title track and the sub-testing “Rollercoaster,” and now he’s back with a new release. “Paradiso” and “Go” (buy on iTunes here) are two more impressive tracks that see Feral masterfully balancing atmospheric moments that make you feel as if floating with hard-hitting moments that pull you back down to earth and are built to be heard in clubs. It’s difficult to master this sort of balance and make tunes this dynamic, but Feral pulls it off with aplomb. We can’t wait to hear what else he’s got in store for us.
Check out the dedicated website here and read our interview with the talented producer below.
Can you give us a bit of background on who Feral is and how long you’ve been producing and writing music?
I’ve been making music just for myself for several years, but have really only been pursuing it with the intention of someone else hearing it over the last year and a half. I started just by making little mixtapes to listen to in the car. Then I started cutting out pieces of songs I didn’t like, making my own little edits, which led to me doing bootlegs of my favorite tracks and eventually writing my own songs. For me the process of making the thing is always more interesting than sharing it, so the fact that I’m even being interviewed is encouraging.
You released the Haymaker EP last year, and now this two track single—what’s next for Feral? Would you like to write an album or do you prefer the EP/single format?
I’m really interested in having some sort of narrative, so as long as you’re able to catch a vibe it doesn’t really matter how long or short the release is. That said, I’m definitely interested in doing something a bit longer format. You aren’t a real director until you do a feature.
You have the quote from The Divine Comedy on your website, specifically from Dante’s travels into heaven/paradise, and one track is called “Paradiso” – what’s the link between the music and the Divine Comedy?
The tracks were heavily inspired by Gustave Doré’s work on The Divine Comedy, and I really wanted to make something with that same feeling of ascension. After the tracks were finished I asked one of my favorite artists, Jonathan Zawada, to listen to the tracks and give his take on Doré’s Paradiso. The result is pretty amazing, I’m obsessed with that image.
Is “Paradiso / Go” being released through any label?
I felt like this story was my own, so I ended up releasing it myself. I’ve had some interesting folks make contact recently though, so we’ll see what happens next.
Do you have specific goals or aims for your music and where you want to go with it?
My main objective is to make something that lasts. A lot of stuff out there sounds like it wants to sound like something, and I think in thirty years that’s something you’ll look back on and be embarrassed about. As to where I want to go with it, really anywhere it takes me. I think a year or two ago if you asked me the same question I’d say my dream is to hear my tracks on Rinse or Radio 1, which I’ve been lucky enough to have happen, so if I were to get specific now I feel like I’d just be limiting myself.
What, where, or who would you say are the main influences on your sound?
I’m always listening to something new, so I definitely borrow and steal from everywhere I can. I haven’t heard anything I’ve really loved in a while, so at times I feel like the stuff I’m making is the only thing I really feel any satisfaction listening to. I 100% don’t think I’m the best out there doing it, but I very rarely hear a song go exactly where I want it to. Luckily or unluckily that pushes me to keep making more.
