12 questions for SNAKES OF RUSSIA

SNAKES OF RUSSIA stands for grit, for control of the bottom end that he frequently lets go, and for a looming sensation of hopelessness that sits between the lines of his masterfully crafted sonic textures. He recently released the 3 track single “Carried To California In A Swarm Of Bees” as our 9th release. Have a listen while you read his answers to our 12 questions.

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1. What drives you to create music? What do you seek to achieve with it?

It’s all I have really ever known...I have been making music in some form or another since I was 13...and that coincides with me being a music fanatic. I am still as fanatic as I was as that teenager about new records, and discovering new music...and I suppose that is what drives me the most.

As far as what I hope to achieve...I think it comes down to a feeling of purpose. When I was younger, I thought making music was my passion, when now I realize it’s my purpose. The difference between those two are huge, and make the difference in sustaining a career doing this.

2. How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard music before?

Nothing feels as good as skinny tastes.

3. Which album do you wish you had made?

Wow, so many! A few that come to mind that I would be: Flaming Lips “Embryonic”, Amon Tobin “Foley Room”, and the first Portishead record.

4. If music is a form of therapy, what is it healing in you?

So much really, always has. From years of writing lyrical music, that answer is a little easier... because it’s way easier to convey certain emotions with specific words...or to disguise them in metaphor. With instrumental music, it’s a little more difficult. But I have always connected with darker music...especially in darker periods of my life, where certain records quite literally saved my life. So that really inspires me to go back to that place sometimes in the music and touch on that, even in times when I’m perfectly happy...it’s just the layer underneath I guess. And bringing that out every once in awhile in the music helps me keep those feelings in actual life at bay.

5. If you could use one image to represent the intention of your work and burn it into your audience’s heads, what would this image be?

The artist provided this image as an answer.

6. What do you consider your best piece of work yet? And why?

I can say that the work I am most proud of so far, would be the third track on the single I just released called “Beast Adorned” (listen to it here) ...because it represents me both stepping out of my comfort zone with a few things while attempting to push forward with new ideas, and it’s like the darkest stuff I think I have done.

7. What is your sentiment about the current music scene, and how is it helping with the state of the world?

I think the fact that someone can make music on their laptop, ipad, or phone and then an hour later share it with the world is so inspiring. The fact that someone can make a career out of that, even better. In my first few years of making music, there were so many things in the way of getting people to hear your music......studios were expensive, you needed a label, etc. that now the playing field has been completely leveled and it’s so great. Sure there is a lot of noise to get through now to find something that connects with you, but I so much rather it this way than having so many gatekeepers decide what’s good or not.

Especially now...people being affected by what’s going on and being able to make art as an escape, as therapy, or as a message and share it with literally everyone, and hopefully that brings someone else peace....that’s a wonderful thing to me.

8. How would you describe ERRORGRID in your own words? What is it to you?

A collective of some awesome, talented, forward thinking individuals!

9. When do you consider a piece of music finished and ready for others to hear?

I am a huge believer in deadlines. You need them. You can always tweak something ad nauseam and suck all of the vibe out of it. There is a fine balance between perfectionism, attention to detail...and being able to walk away.

I like to work fast, step back for some perspective, refine and then repeat this process a few times, but I always have an end date or time to limit that process. Do I listen back to stuff I’ve done and wish I would have done something differently? Sure. But I’m way happier that I have gotten that music out into the world for other people to connect with.

10. How much importance do you put into your tools?

A lot. This goes for both hardware and software. One of the main reasons I enjoy making electronic music so much is the open ended possibilities of the sound design working in this medium, and our tools help us get there. That said, I don’t think one’s tools need to be expensive, rare, vintage, analog, or state of the art. You can make interesting sounding records with a laptop and a microphone. But being surrounded by gear that I like interacting with...that is inspiring to me.

11. What is the one piece of equipment you will never part with?

Just one?! I’d say my Moog Model D. It’s been my dream synth since I was a kid and I pulled the trigger a few years ago. I will be homeless sleeping next to it before I part with it.

12. What do you have in the works/ what is next for you?

I’m hoping to approach an LP in the near future, but to approach it as more of a whole concept than just a batch of songs...both in theme and vibe of the record and approach to the production process.

Thank you. Interview conducted by Machine-ID 0192 ‘ALFA-ALFA’

SNAKES OF RUSSIA’s current release is ‘Carried To California In A Swarm Of Bees’ and is available on Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.