We were fortunate enough to be able to put out 3 releases this year from some incredible artists; the latest of which was a debut release, Soon, from Bristol based oliver! We managed to catch up with him to chat about his influences, process and his debut EP!
Tell us a bit about yourself and your musical Journey.
Hi I’m Olly! I live in Bristol, I’ve just passed one year here and really enjoying the city and its strong music scene. My musical journey is pretty simple, making it has always been something that I’ve loved to do and it’s been really important as a creative outlet for me, so seeing it progress and to get a release out has been great.
This is your debut release – can you talk to us about the inspiration around the EP? Any particular artists or styles?
I really enjoy music that has a tactile quality, a balance of soft and harsher sounds, as well as a certain level of live or non-digital elements. I really don’t mind my music not being 100% polished, and feel that some imperfections add character. The EP is quite reflective of my overall approach, and eclectic in the types of music it goes into. In terms of producers that inspired it, there’s a lot, but artists like Robag Whrume and Anthony Naples are two good examples of musicians that are distinctive even when they explore different genres and sounds, which I really like.
What’s your process when it comes to making music?
Quite often just playing around / experimenting with an instrument or synth, until something catches my ear. I very rarely set out with the intention of making a certain type of song, I just trust the process (to use a terrible football cliche)
Any particular hints and tips you’d pass on to those who are starting out in the production world?
Something that helps me is to think about what makes your sound different and memorable and then use that as a principle as you build your songs.
You’ve made a short 10 track playlist – can you tell us a bit about your picks and why?
Whilst putting this playlist together i revisited old videos I’d saved / forgotten about but very happy to re-find. There’s also a slightly odd track I made a long long time ago which I’d also forgotten existed! As a result there’s no overall theme, each one just represents something I was into over the years, but I enjoyed the journey.
And finally – what plans do you have with music for the end of 2023 and into 2024?
Just to keep working on new music and see where that goes, no grand plan!
You can follow oliver here!