Tag / musicians
Lofi Artist: Insight on RudeManners and his production.
Who is RudeManners? Why didn’t you ask sooner?
RudeManners is an upcoming musician who has recognition by others in the lo-fi community. RudeManners has worked with many of other lo-fi musicians and is a talented feature here on Loficulture. RudeManners sees the potential of the Lo-fi genre and continues to contribute the culture. RudeManners is also a talented graphic designer as seen on his instagram! We at Loficulture want to thank RudeManners for being a part of this interview.
Check out a playlist we made for our favorites from RudeManners! I’ll encourage viewers to listen to all of his music too.
RUDEMANNERS
RUDEMANNERS INTERVIEW
”
…
What is your full name?
Dalton Mannerud.
What do you do on any typical day?
Most days I just go to my retail job. I then almost always go straight home to start working on music or art. For my part-time job I do freelance graphic design for extra spending money.
How old were you when you found a passion for creating lo-fi beats? How did you find that out at that age?
Well I have been playing music my whole life since I was a young kid .I got my first drum set when I was around 6. I dabbled in guitar for a couple of years but never got fully into it. In high school I was apart of the school band and played the trumpet and saxophone. Once I got a little older I found my love for electronic music which led to my career in producing. I was around 14 when me and my buddy Dylan (also known as Too Ugly) got our first copies of FL Studio
Why did you decide to pursue your lo-fi music career?
Well I always wanted to create my own sound, and I think lo-fi is something I am able to build off of to help me reach a new sound.
How long does it take to make one of your tracks if you really focus?
Hmm, well most songs I can get done in under a day. If I’m feeling super creative and inspired I can get a whole song done in a couple of hours.
RudeMannerism Instagram Please contact RudeManners before any use of these images
When you collab with other artists, how do you tend to divide the workload? How do you handle musicians/artists when they tell you how to produce your music?
Usually we split it 50/50. If were working with samples, ill usually chop, add synths and add effects, while I let them do drums and anything else they want to add. I’ve never actually had someone tell me how to produce so I’m not sure how I would react haha
How many people ask you for your beats and to use them for raps, songs, and other forms of creativity?
Not too many actually, maybe a couple of people a month. Most people just use it without asking
RudeMannerism Instagram Please contact RudeManners before any use of these images
For people who want to use your music for their own (rapping over it, leasing it, etc) do you normally charge a flat rate? Does it depend on the artist and the project they’re looking to make?
This actually depends, and I’m not sure if this makes me sound like an ass but I usually only want to work with artists who i’m really into and dig their music. I don’t want to work with people who’s music I don’t really like. Sometimes I will charge for beat leases but that’s rare.
RudeMannerism Instagram Please contact RudeManners before any use of these images
Where do you see the genre of lo-fi going and how do you think you’re going to transition with it/from it?
The genre itself is pretty underground still, but is slowly making its rise to popularity. It really can go in any direction at this point. It has a lot of open room for people to work with and I’m extremely excited to hear what people are going to do with it. I hope to start making more electronic lo-fi and like I mentioned before, creating my own sound.
How have you developed from being RudeManners and what has been the biggest change in your life from being this personality?
There has been so much progress since i first started RudeManenrs. I used to actually be terrible for a long time until i started taking music production seriously and started learning music theory
Do your friends treat you differently seeing the music you’re able to create?
my friends don’t really treat me differently actually, and to think about it most people don’t really treat me differently.
What kind of instruments, tools, equipments, programs, and inspiration do you use when making your music?
I use Ableton live 9
Would you ever think about having another interview with Loficulture? 🙂
Of course!
”
…
END OF INTERVIEW
Thank you all for learning more about RudeManners! RudeManners was one of the first musicians that was ready for the call of action when I first started this blog. I wanted to thank him again for sparing some of his time with us.
*Note* 1.5% of all sales provided by the amazon links above will be donated to a Grid Alternatives. I believe that the sun can be the source for music someday. Lets get technology for it!
That’s it for this short interview! Thanks for taking a minute to find out more about your favorite musician. Email me @loficulturenow@gmail.com and let me know what you thought about it.
That’ll be all for today! Please be sure to check out RUDEMANNERS on his Social Media!
Tumblr: rudemanners
Instagram: rudemanners
Twitter: rudemanners
Bandcamp: rudemanners
Snapchat: @rudeman
Facebook: RudeManners
Spotify: RudeManners
Come by next week to check out our next feature 🙂
LofiCulture Update: November 1st 2017
Hi guys! So update from my last post.
Things I’ve accomplished for LofiCulture since i started Fall Quarter at University….
1. Met Elijah Who (a project coming out soon!!!)
2. Have 2 unfinished posts on other contemporary lo-fi hiphop musicians
3. Been ghosted by other musicians :’-)
4. Met potential Digital Artists that might work with us.
Its been an unwarranted hiatus from posting guys, thanks for those who are still keeping up. I really want to keep doing this but it seems like the only time i can work on this is when i stay up at night after the end of my days. Personally i don’t mind getting less sleep but people around me also get concerned for my health. I AM GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THIS PROJECT UNTIL I TALK TO ALL THE LO-FI HIPHOP MUSICIANS I FIND WONDERFUL. Thank you guys who understand the hustle of this and continue to give me words of encouragement. School and internships have been draining… and Midterms…
Anyways, these short interviews just need some final approval from the artists so i’ll work on getting those posted for you guys soon!
Posts are on the way!
-Loficulture
LofiArtist:「Ｃ Ａ Ｎ Ｔ Ｉ」,
Its a pleasure to have the one and only 「Ｃ Ａ Ｎ Ｔ Ｉ」interviewed by Loficulture today!
「Ｃ Ａ Ｎ Ｔ Ｉ」’s work is most notable on soundcloud for his song “Human music” which currently has over 600k views. On YouTube, the same song has 3 million views!! Talk about amazing.
*Fun Fact: The 10 hour version of “Human music has over 1 million views.
Here are some of Loficulture’s favorites from CANTI.
Soundcloud
「Ｃ Ａ Ｎ Ｔ Ｉ」
Current Soundcloud average plays per song: 45.9k plays
Keep listening the works!
Lets begin.
INTERVIEW
”
…
What is your full name? Do you have a picture of yourself you’d like to show viewers?
[*] My name is Kai. i’d like to remain largely anonymous as I like to keep my ego and my music separate as to prevent interference.
Why did you decide to pursue your lo-fi music career?
[*] I think to some degree I always liked the lo-fi aesthetic. I grew up with gameboy
Would you ever perform a life show?
[*] I would love too, but only after I’ve made more music. I have only about 40 minutes of music, and want to do an all original set. I have high hopes for 2018 though. 🙂
How many people ask you for your beats and to use them for raps, songs, and other forms of creativity?
[*] So many, it’s kind of insane. It’s difficult to keep up with people. Tbh i don’t generally respond to any interactions unless it’s through my email//management, due to the volume. I really appreciate the interest, and am almost always okay with people using my music as long as i’m credited, but please reach out to me first so I can lay down my conditions.
I would like to say that you have a lot of “woke” clips/lines play in a lot of your tracks(woke in this context meaning that you are highly aware and well informed). What inspired you to make this move as lo-fi artist? Do you have people you’d like to give fair recognition to?
[*] I think sampling is a good way to make music more interesting. A lot of my
favorite producers include clips that sort of “set the scene” for the composition. Madlib
How old were you when you found a passion for creating lo-fi beats? How did you find that out at that age?
[*] I started “seriously” making beats at 18, (although i had been messing around for a while before that), and I started making hip hop somewhere between 23 and 24.
Where do you see the genre of lo-fi going and how do you think you’re going to transition with it/from it?
[*] I believe that in a year or two, mainstream pop-music culture will have adapted to the genre. I’ve had friends who major labels have already been hit up, and asked to make pop music, but in that aesthetic. At the same time, I see it creeping more and more into other underground music. Look at guys like Tsuruda, his music fits well within the lo-fi sound palette, but is also firmly within the realms of bass music.
How have you grown by being 「Ｃ Ａ Ｎ Ｔ Ｉ」 and what has been the biggest change in your life from being this personality?
[*]it gave me the drive to place all my energy in making music. I also am
beginning to understand the value of art and hard work. I’ve been in the scene for a while, and now have a small, but dense group of friends I work with, and it’s been exhilarating watching them gain momentum and have it pay off.
“…I’ve been in the scene for a while, and now have a small, but dense group of friends I work with, and it’s been exhilarating watching them gain momentum and have it pay off.” – CANTI
Do your friends treat you differently now that you’ve hit over 500k on human music?
[*]God I hope not. I want people to be honest with me.
What kind of instruments, tools, equipments, programs, and inspiration do you use when making your music?
[*] Laptop + Ableton live 9
Would you ever think about having another interview with Loficulture? 🙂
[*]yeah this was fun, I hope I didn’t ramble on too much.
[*]Final plugs 🙂 Check out my album “only from a dream”. It just came out a few weeks ago as a free download via soundcloud, or streaming via spotify.
If you want to hear weirder stuff I make that isn’t so nice and relaxing, I also just released an ep via the guys at Renraku under the name ALEPH.
Lastly, I really appreciate and am constantly amazed that any of you listen to my music.
I hope I can continue to provide you with as much music as I can. Keep your
eyes out for a new song in the coming weeks.
Thanks,
— -canti//kai-
”
…
END OF INTERVIEW
Thank you all!
*Note* 1.5% of all sales provided by the amazon links above will be donated to a Grid Alternatives. I believe that the sun can be the source for music someday. Lets get technology for it!
That’s it for this short interview! Thanks for taking a minute to find out more about your favorite musician. Email me @loficulturenow@gmail.com and let me know what you thought about it.
Please share your time and love by
FOLLOWING @CANTI ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA!
Twitter: @Canti_Beats
Facebook: Canti music
Spotify: Canti
Soundcloud: @「Ｃ Ａ Ｎ Ｔ Ｉ」
LofiHipHop’s Wave onto Instagram~
Also known as the artist “Capotal”, Instagram’s official @LofiHipHop page is a feature we’ve been only hoping to have!
Instagram Followers: 9.5k
Loficulture’s Favorites
Lets get started!
INTERVIEW
…
What is your full name? Do you have a picture you’d like to share?
[*] My name is Rocco “Capotal” Vitolo, and here’s a picture of yours truly (this is promo for my latest music video, Don’t Work).
Could you explain all of your identities on soundcloud and instagram briefly?
[*] So besides my personal music pages, I run The Lofi Hip-Hop Blog (@lofihiphop on Instagram, @lofihiphop on SoundCloud, and The Lofi Hip-Hop Blog on BandCamp), a group of social media pages centered around music curation (specifically Lofi Hip-Hop) and, in the case of my SoundCloud and BandCamp, featuring of compilations that I hold twice a year!
You seem to have multiple talents you are able to tap into such as making lo-fi beats,, being a social media handler, and being an all around producer. What advice do you have for individuals who want to pursue multiple creative paths just like you?
[*]Thank you, and while this may seem like back pedaling, I’d say the most important thing is start small and don’t spread yourself too thin. I’ve been a producer and musician for over 10 years so that all comes naturally to me now, allowing me time to be able to handle other projects and endeavors. That being said, even at this level I still wouldn’t be able to do it without careful planning and strict organization, my next word of advice. It’s always important to keep a disciplined mind and focus your time. Half of the work I do on the blog is studying the trends of my audience (through detailed analytics) and of the industry. If Instagram drops a new feature tomorrow I need to know how to use it by yesterday or else I won’t be prepared for it! Tl;dr create schedules and do your studies!
Out of all your talents as a creative mind/producer, which one of your personalities do you like to indulge in the most? Why?
[*] That’s a hard one, but I’d say the avenue I put the most work and time into is myself as an artist. I’m a trained singer (and still train) and a rapper, so I’m pretty much studying two (almost whole) days a week with my teacher and practicing on every other day. I also spend the most time developing myself and my sound. My ultimate goal is to be a well known artist, but even a solid following that I could make a living off of would be great. Otherwise, I usually do freelance producer work (making instrumentals or as a traditional producer) for side money and I work as a recording engineer at a studio in NYC, so I’d say those two come second and third, but are still very close to my heart.
Since this is mainly a lofi-themed blog i’ll ask about your current tracks that are “Lo-Fi Hiphop”. Who do you give credit to for giving you inspiration to create these tracks?
[*] That’s a tough one as well! So the easy answers are the Lofi cats; bsd.u
As Lofihiphop on IG, how do you decide on what artists and what label gets featured? Do you have a process?
[*]So my choice of features have been quite controversial at times! I do two things; I study my analytics to see what my audience likes the most and what attracts the most new followers and then choose based on those results and what I feel is up to par with my audience’s tastes. As a side note, I, along with many in the community, have been getting a bit worn down by the tropes that have been starting to develop in the community, and have been trying to feature more experimental or at least more artistically interesting Lofi, so I’d say my bar is definitely being raised. I sometimes may really enjoy an artist’s music, but if I feel it’s not what my audience would enjoy/isn’t necessarily great for the community I probably won’t feature it. I will bump it heavy, though.
Why did you start Lofihiphop on IG?
[*] So this is a complicated one. When I joined the community we were just seeing the dust fall from the Late Night Bumps era. It was right before the current boom, but it was starting to build in popularity. Oddly enough, the community was beginning to become stale, though. Not long after I decided to host the first r/LofiHipHop Presents: tape, “Rainy Night Blues”, to get people involved and discussing in the hopes of creating a cycle that could help build up more artists (a community that is connected can help make artists known, and those known artists in turn help the community become known). The second part of the plan was to start introducing the world to the community to build it up and make it more accessible. Granted, I had high hopes and didn’t expect Chilled Cow to do it for me not long after, but alas I created the Instagram to handle that front. Funny enough, my goal wasn’t quite met, but a lot of people daily tell me I’m how they found the sound!
What is your typical schedule like on any given day?
[*]So besides the madness that is being an engineer, a freelancer, and trying to build my brand as an artist, I tend to end every day by going through my submissions and listening to a lot of Lofi. I always make my videos when I get home (usually about 10-11pm every night) as to be able to check as many submissions as possible. As you can probably imagine, I have little to no social life outside of the music world anymore!
How many and what type of people message you on Instagram and Soundcloud? How do you deal with these different types of viewers?
[*] Oh man, a lot. On average I get at least 15-20 Instagram DMs a day. That’s not counting emails and SoundCloud messages. Usually everyone is really awesome and enthusiastic about the page, but every once and a while someone gets out of line. Overall I’d say my followers are the best! It’s also very important to me to interact and get to know my followers, I’ve even made a lot of friends!
In regards to your Lo-fi tracks, what kind of instruments, equipments, and software did you use in making your sounds?
[*] When making my Lofi tracks I try to tow the line between experimenting and making accessible enough music for new listeners to enjoy. I intend on being the artist that people get into before jumping down the rabbit hole. That being said, I’ve molded my set up around that. I sample off of vinyls and have various instruments, all are implemented to varying degrees when making tracks. When it comes to software I mainly use Logic Pro 9
Would you consider doing another interview with Loficulture again? :^)
[*] Of course!
I’ve had a great time answering these, it was a lot of fun and I really appreciate what you’re doing for the community!” -Lofihiphop
…
END OF INTERVIEW
Thank you for that LofiHipHop! I’m glad you had as much fun as we did while interviewing you. These interviews have been nothing short of great so I’d also like to thank all those people who’ve been checking it out lately! Loficulture will always welcome all Lo-Fi heads.
*Note* 1.5% of all sales provided by the amazon links above will be donated to a Renewable Energy Charity. I believe that the sun can be the source for music someday. Lets get technology for it!
That’s it for this short interview! Thanks for taking a minute to find out more about your favorite musician. Email me @loficulturenow@gmail.com and let me know what you thought about it.
IF YOU LIKED OUR INTERVIEW WITH IG’S LOFIHIPHOP THEN BE SURE TO FIND HIM ON HIS OTHER PLATFORMS!
Lofihiphop
Ig: lofihiphop
Soundcloud: lofihiphop
Bandcamp: lofihiphopblog
Capotal
Soundcloud: Capotal
Youtube: Catopal
Instagram: Capotal
Facebook: Capotal
Elijah who welcomes whoever!
I think it’s safe to say that a song with almost 3.5 million plays on YouTube, “sad and boujee” that elijah who is clearly the MAN! THANK YOU ELIJAH! Having your own sound must feel pretty nice.
It was too easy to make a “favorites” playlist this time. So many tracks that are so solid! I’d encourage our viewers to just listen to all of the music and to find out just what you like. Here’s ours.
Lo-Fi Culture’s Favorites Playlist
Elijah who
39.1k Followers on Soundcloud
SoundCloud plays per song average: 85.5k plays per song.
33k Subscribers on Youtube
Numbers are subject to change
Let’s begin the questioning! 🙂
INTERVIEW
…
“What is your real name? Do you have a photo that you’d like to let your fans see?
[*] my name is elijah ! i’d rather not give out a last name :^)
How would your schedule be on a day you’d consider as “normal”?
[*] i’m always up late since im currently unemployed and dating someone
in a different time zone,, so i usually wake up late (around noon my time) and go downstairs to figure out what my family is doing for the day,, and then i’ll base my plans around that. usually i come back up to my room and make music for a few hours and text/facetime friends and respond to work emails or play instruments to stay in practice. i really don’t do much haha sometimes i’ll go shopping or hang out w irl friends when they’re not busy,, but
95% of my life is spent in my room making music,, responding to people, talking to friends, or watching movies right now.
– Elijah who
When people listen to your music there’s a very distinct harmony of vocals and melody you play with. I think it’s safe to say that you have a “sound” that is fundamentally unique and good. How long did it take you to get to where you are in terms of skill and in popularity?
[*] hm … as far as “skill”,, it didn’t take long haha maybe 2 months? i’ve
always liked composing (i want to use my own instruments in my music very soon)
and sampling isn’t very hard to get good at :^) it only took a week or two to figure out how to use the software lol i really wasn’t popular until i got on the animevibe
Why did you decide that this “sound” was something you could pursue as something more than a hobby?
[*] i’ve kinda been forced to pursue this as a job haha im from a *very*
small town with almost no opportunities for jobs and i can’t find an employer. i’ve been trying to get a practical job or start college but neither have been working out so music is the only thing i’ve got going for me as of right now :^)
How old were you when you found out that music meant something more to you?
[*] i think i was like 4,, i was riding around with my dad in his truck and i
grabbed a cassette from the glove box and put it in the deck and “close to you” by the carpenters started playing and i was humming it all day and i took that tape and played it in my walkman all day every day when i got home from school haha either that,, or when i was 7 and got my first guitar and learned blackbird by the beatles !
I understand that you’re a very social-able person. How many messages do you generally go through in any given week?
[*] i try to be sociable online haha im very shy irl but i honestly cant
count them all. its an average of 5-6 soundcloud messages per day,, 7-8 instagram
dms every day, 2 or 3 twitter dms daily, 4 or 5 emails each day, and probably around 30 snapchats a day … so… it adds up very quickly and i havent been able to get to everything lately oof
Even though you are social-able, is there a certain type of people you try to avoid talking to?
[*] i honestly try to talk to everyone at least once but i wish i could ignore
the people that ask for things like trading reposts or people who get angry at me when i tell them im too busy to have full,, two-hour-long philosophical conversations with them haha
Who are your biggest influencers in music and how did they help you become the musician you are now?
[*] i’d note tomppabeats
What kind of equipment, tools, and programs do you use in your process of making music?
[*] up until literally a few days ago,, i was only using a 2009 Toshiba Satellite
Would you ever consider doing another interview with us again @Loficulture?
[*] yea definitely :^)) ”
(end of interview)
Thank you so much for letting us conduct this short interview Elijah! The time you offered us at Loficulture has truly been a pleasure. Stay posted with us to see more interviews with interesting artists and find out more about their personal life.
Thanks for taking a minute to find out more about our favorite musician. Email me @loficulturenow@gmail.com and let me know what you thought about it.
*Note* 1.5% of all sales provided by these links above will be donated to a Renewable Energy Charity. I believe that the sun can be the source for music someday. Let’s get technology for it!
Show him support on his Bandcamp and buy some of his “Sleeping Late” tracks for a cost that YOU think is fair.
Bandcamp: elijahwho.bandcamp.com
Keep up with elijah who on his social media!
Youtube: @elijah
Souncloud: @elijah who
Facebook: Elijah who
Twitter: @elijahwhomusic
If you add elijah who on snapchat let him know Lo-Fi Culture sent you 🙂
Show him some love!
snapchat: @wow.elijah
Lofi Artist: Introducing, Mt. Fujitive!
I want to start off this short interview by thanking Mt. Fujitive for taking time in answering my little list of questions! 🙂 Thank you so much. Lets begin!
LoFiCulture’s Favorites https://open.spotify.com/user/loficulture/playlist/71ljSRGm4gyba3fN4Zlza7
mt. fujitive
mt. fujitive’s picture
Spotify Followers ~2,000
Soundcloud Followers ~7,500
Numbers are subject to change
INTERVIEW
…
“What is your real name?
[*]Magnús Valur. Have fun trying to say that name!
How old were you when you decided music was “your thing”?
[*]Music has always been a huge part of my life since i can remember myself. I’ve played bass guitar in bands and all that stuff, but not that much really. But regarding when it became “my thing”. I have to say it was around 2014 after listening extensively to beats by my favorite producers like Pete Rock, J Dilla, Buckwild, 9th Wonder, Vanilla and plenty more.
What is one message that you want all of your followers to feel when they listen to your music?
[*]Good question. I’m a very calm person, almost too calm haha. My message to the listeners is just to take it easy, breathe, relax, and enjoy themselves. No stress.
What is your daily schedule like?
[*]Wake up, eat breakfast, maybe go for a walk, make beats, play video games, meet my best friends. It all depends, really.
Is there a short story you’d like to share with us?
[*]Not really, but i can tell you that i just finished making a bunch of beats this summer that will hopefully be released on vinyl maybe around September, we’ll see how that goes.
How did you become as popular as you are today?
[*]I think a lot of it just comes from working really hard on trying to get “that sound” that i like so much.
How is it like being one of the pioneers of Lo-Fi Music?
[*]Well, to be honest. I think i’m far from being a pioneer of “Lo-fi” haha. Guys like Wun Two, F ro st, Smuv, [csd], even Dilla and Madlib. I might be a pioneer of “Lo-fi” in Iceland, but im only one of maybe 2-3 in the whole country.
What kind of music do you listen to?
[*]Oh man, i listen to almost everything, except for Opera and Death Metal… and Trap music. I love Jazz from the 30’s-50’s, classic rock like Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac. Metal from the 70’s like black sabbath, dio, judas priest etc. And don’t forget the golden era Hip Hop like Tribe, Organized Konfusion, Blackstar, Pete Rock & CL Smooth etc. The list never ends!
Do you have any advice for up-coming Lo-Fi musicians/rappers?
[*]Beatmakers: Start out by listening to a lot of Jazz, A LOT. Your beats will sound like a bag of shit at first, but these things takes time. Keep grinding and developing “that sound” you like so much. Rappers: Learn how to mix your vocals right with the beat. Try to make it blend together.
How many times a day does someone ask permission to, “rap over” one of your instrumentals?
[*]It’s kind of strange because, sometimes i don’t get any inquiries like that for days, even weeks, and suddenly i get like 2-5 of them at the same time by different rappers. But yeah, 90% of my inbox is people asking to rap or sing over my beats.
What drum kit, instrument, or tools/devices do you use to produce your art?
[*]What i use for almost everything is a software named Ableton Live 9. I also bought a SP404-SX last year too, i mainly use it for certain effects or just to do live shows.”
Software and SP404-SX Links
Ableton Live 9 Intro
Ableton Live 9 Intro Ableton Live 9 Intro DJ and Mixing Software with Sound Library
Ableton Live 9 Standard
Ableton Live 9 Standard Ableton Live 9 Standard Multi-Track Audio Recording with Sound Library
SP404-SX
Roland SP-404SX Linear Wave Sampler with DSP Effects
*Note* 1.5% of all sales provided by these links will be donated to a Renewable Energy Charity. I believe that the sun can be the source for music someday. Lets get technology for it!
Thats it for this short interview! Thanks for taking a minute to find out more about your favorite musician. Email me @loficulturenow@gmail.com and let me know what you thought about it.
Would Like to keep up with mt. fujitive? Make sure to show some love by clicking mt. fujitive’s Social Media Links! Keep an ear out for new beats and jams.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2V9zpugQCHRiu2lPjsUM6d
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mt_fujitive/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mtfujitive/
“How ‘Nohidea.’ became full of ideas.”
Introducing our first and special guest, NOHIDEA! Thank you very much @nohidea for taking your time to answer our questions.
Lets set the tone by playing some dope beats…
Lo-FiCulture’s Favorites
NOHIDEA
Soundcloud Followers ~11,300
Spotify Followers ~15,700 and currently over 817,000 monthly listeners
These numbers will change over time.
INTERVIEW
…
“What is your real name? Do you have a picture of yourself that you can share?
[* ]My name isn’t really all that important. I’m just some person from the mountains. The music, the story and the message are first priority. I do not have a face, nor should I.
How old were you when you decided music was “your thing”?
[*] We all have a divine connection to music. I think it’s what everything in life is truly comprised of in it’s root form, is sound. Music being organized sound, I believe that everything in life owes its entire existence, indelibly, to sound. The day I took my first step in Music was October 23, 2013, but I’ve had an interest in production and sound since I was probably 13 or something. I remember at like 14, I just saved up over $900 from my job to build my first gaming PC. I thought it was so badass, and I downloaded Ableton from the internet to try remaking a rusko bass patch. Failing horribly, I gave up, because at the time, I didn’t understand sound and production nor what it meant to truly work hard for what I wanted. To manifest my own vision. I was so young & without much positive guidance aside from my mother. I had entitlement issues as we all did, and I wanted to see immediate rewards for my efforts, so instead of putting my nose to the grindstone, I put my nose into other things, that weren’t so productive.. Through some of the hardest experiences of my life, and my own descent as a drug addict into depression and isolation, I decided the chaos in my life had gone on long enough. Music always helped me through times of peril and sadness, and so I wanted to be that person behind the music. I was 18 years old at the time that I decided I wanted to take a chance and produce my own music, just coming off of a very revelatory psychedelic odyssey. To talk about it for a second, I believe these substances can be tools, like a compass, to navigate the psyche and help us further enrich our journey and experience here, by allowing us to see the big picture. It helped me kick my addiction to drugs, and gave me the clarity to see who I really am. They can also be extremely harmful and debilitating. I do not endorse the unmoderated use of psychedelic substances by any means, but they helped me pick up the pen to write my own story. Which means not only did it take me 4-5 years to even decide that ‘ya production is super cool, I can do this’, but I didn’t start taking production seriously until December of 2014, after all of that happened. It took me a year to even sit down and ask myself ‘is this how I see my story unfolding?’ My answer of course was yes, and here we are today.. I’m very honoured to be part of all of this.
“‘ya production is super cool, I can do this’,”-Nohidea
That there’s nothing different that separates you and I, other than our identities and the labels we give ourselves. We are all merely blank spaces. We are all ‘human’. Our individual and unique experiences make up our identities, and all I want to do is to create something meaningful by attempting to put those experiences and emotions into sounds. I want to tell the story of the human condition, as I see it. It’s bigger than just some songs on the internet for me. It’s the story of us. I want to help make you remember the best parts of being a child, being in love, being sad, being naive etc. Heartbreak. Loneliness. Childishness. The nostalgia, and those types of experiences, with all of their intricacies and profundities. These things are very important to me.
How did you become as popular as you are today?
[*]By seeing the next step of the staircase in front of me and taking that step. I wish I could tell you with extreme specificity how I did what I did, but at the end of the day, we all have our own journey. Our own staircase. My method will be different from yours, just as yours will be different from anyone else’s. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey to it that counts the most. That might be some tumblr shit, but it’s true. Trust me, it would take a book for me to explain how to do what you want with your life and have you actually believe me. I’m trying to write it, currently. It’s titled ‘shitty advice from an artist you’ve never heard of’. It’s gonna be great
What is your daily schedule like?
[*]Idk. Prior to moving in with my girlfriend and just relaxing the past couple weeks, it would be at LEAST 3-4 hours of work on something music-related every single day, be it making more samples, or trying to write the beginning of 3 different songs in a day and chipping away at each one as I go. Because you can’t truly measure your progress in the present moment. You have to look at the past, in order to see the steps you’ve taken to get where you are.
Right now, I’m trying to get my Gladiator to max Level on FFXIV so I can start raiding with my friends and my business partner Levi. He runs a project called Ploom that we’re trying to turn into a label. It’s really really cool and we’re working on a ton of awesome stuff together. Here’s the website for those interested – ploomlabs.com .
What kind of music do you listen to?
[*]Really, really hard question to answer. Literally everything. Sometimes I like to listen to the soundtracks of movies and games I like, other times I listen to music that I previously would’ve ‘disliked’, i.e country, formulaic radio-pop music (Katy Perry, TSwift etc). I really fuck with nevershoutnever tho. I grew up on rap and metal, but ‘new-age’ heavy metal like August Burns Red, Emmure and Bleed From Within etc, not so much the classics like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Metallica, although those are all incredible musicians. When I was a teenager, I really liked Drum & Bass, like chase and status and Netsky, and all of the Hospital Records crew. It then grew into a love of super challenging stuff like Ott and Tipper, and really intricate stuff like Culprate, Tool and Flying Lotus among others. I listen to a lot of my own music too. Mostly because I write super often, and it’s a fun exercise for me to go back 3-4 months ago, and nitpick old songs, because being able to critique those from an objective standpoint shows myself I still got the juice. I believe you should truly love what you create.
What is it like being one of the pioneers of Lo-Fi Music?
[*] Nah. Don’t get it twisted. That’s the legends Jay Dee and Seba, rest in peace. Those are the only two that actually matter. Anyone else that comes after is just paying homage. Thank you, though :^) I’m just trying to do my own thing. You’d be surprised how many people tell me stuff like ‘wow you and >insert name here< are the kings of lofi’. It’s super nice, but I don’t really pay attention to that stuff. It is super cool though, that I can call myself good friends with people like Tomppabeats, and Jinsang and Eevee and Idealism. Also, some of the cats from the Brainfeeder and Chillhop Records crews! All of which are also heavily inspired by Dilla and Seba. Those are all pioneers of their own vein, and if you don’t know, you absolutely should.
Do you have any advice for up-coming Lo-Fi musicians/rappers?
[*] Grind. As much as you can, and stop making excuses for why you’re not living the life that you want to live. GO get it. Go easy on yourself, though, and trust the process. Trust yourself, because there’s a 9/10 chance the reason you got into doing what you’re doing is because you believed in your taste for your specific medium, and knew you could do what you’re doing. I believe that the reason we as artists and individuals are hard on ourselves, is all in the name of advancement ; of growth. But sometimes, we fail to see that for ourselves. Remember that you have the awesome and incredible ability to manifest your own reality. You don’t have to take shit from anyone. You are the only thing that’s standing between you and who you want to be.
If you want something, you have to see it for yourself and truly see it. Visualization is a very very important ability to have. I visualize the future I SEE for myself, in my mind, every single day, and I imbue those visualizations with thoughts of love and feelings of abundance. They call it magic.. The trick is to see the abundance that you already have. You have everything that you truly need in front of you at all times, so please do not worry. Dwelling can only invite negativity. I promise everything will be okay, as long as you can breathe – believe me. If someone like me can do what i’m doing, I believe, that you, too, were born to be the ruler of your own destiny.
How many times a day does someone ask permission to, “rap over” one of your instrumentals?
[*] More than I care to admit. Don’t sell yourself short. If you’re trying to make your bread, tell someone that they need to pay you. Or don’t. It’s your life, and it’s your call. As much as we like to hate on the prospect, money is a very important concept. It’s freedom. It’s independence. It’s integral.
What drum kit, instrument, or tools/devices do you use to produce your art?
[*] I produce on Ableton Live 9 Suite and occasionally produce via an old Roland SP-404 drum machine. I started on Ableton and it’s what I was most comfortable with through my progression as a producer. I had used FL Studio for about 6 months, as well as Logic Pro 9, Reason, and even tried Sony Acid Pro lmao. It took me a long time to actually get into a routine and be like ‘k this is the thing I’m gonna use’ haha. When I started the nohidea project, I wanted to be defined by my own kinda thing, which I then learned later was called ‘Lofi hip hop’, but anyways, from the very beginning, I’ve been using most around 85-90% of my own original engineered sounds, aside from the melodic content I sample here and there.
I just wanted my own drums, and little fx blips and stuff, so I worked really hard on learning how to engineer those things so that I didn’t have to use other peoples shit. Contrary to popular belief, the beginning of my discography is pretty much all original composition, re-orchestration and just simple instruments made in Ableton’s “Operator” synth. It was a tool I picked up on from this old forum I used to skope frequently called ‘Neurohop Forum’. I was big into producing Neuro and Bass stuff for a while, still kind of am. Super super dope tool tho ; you’d be surprised how powerful Ableton and other production software is, straight out the box. The only external plugin I use Izotope Ozone 7’s Stereo Imager just because Ableton doesn’t have one of their own, aside from having to rig together heinously complicated fx chains.
Can I refer viewers to links in order inform them about the tools YOU use?
[*] Ye – ableton.com, izotope.com, thepiratebay.org 🙂 – as a footnote, no I do not endorse piracy, therefore if you don’t have the money to purchase a $1000 program right at this very moment in time, there are peer to peer programs available to help you acquire the base version of these softwares. That being said, when you have enough for yourself, give back where you can. There’s this really awesome forum called SOS that I downloaded a massive repository from about 3 years ago, that helped me learn engineering and psychoacoustics front to back. It’s all very comprehensive, and all of the knowledge on that website is tested, tried and true from actual engineers. I’d recommend go peep and see what you can learn – soundonsound.com
…
[*] For anyone that made it all the way to the end, I commend you. I’m so thankful for you. You are the reason I’m able to do what I do on the scale that I have the ability to do so. You have shown me that I’m not alone. You have proved to me single-handedly that we are all part of the same source of love and divinity. Part of the same god, the same message, the same motive.
We are all here to love.
From the bottom of my heart, I love you. I hope you find what you are looking for.
Peace. ”-Nohidea 2017
All of your work is truly amazing Nohidea. Thank you for sharing so much about yourself in this short interview. We can only hope enough people will see this to become as motivated as you. We appreciate the beats, and we also appreciate the time. Thanks again.
Ableton Live 9 Suite
Ableton Live 9 Suite Ableton Live 9 Suite Multi-Track Audio Recording with Sound Library
Roland SP-404SX
Roland SP-404SX Linear Wave Sampler with DSP Effects
FL STUDIO
Image Line FL Studio 12 Producer Edition
Logic Pro 9
Apple Logic Studio [Old Version]
Reason
Reason 9.5
SONY Acid Pro 7
ACID Pro 7
Izotope Ozone 7
iZotope Ozone 7 Standard: Essential Mastering Plug-in
*Note* 1.5% of all sales provided by the amazon links above will be donated to a Renewable Energy Charity. I believe that the sun can be the source for music someday. Lets get technology for it!
That’s it for this short interview! Thanks for taking a minute to find out more about your favorite musician. Email me @loficulturenow@gmail.com and let me know what you thought about it.
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Lo-Fi Culture 