Modular Reaper Imager: Infidel Interview #12

After listening to your music I’ve noticed a tendency for you be drawn towards dark imagery and aesthetic, as well as having an industrial sensibilities when crafting sound. What sort of musical or life inspirations lead you to pick up making more avant-garde music of a darker nature?

Since I was 3, my grandfather used to play eerie stuff on accordion and I was hypnotized. Overall, Russian hoods are pretty post-apocalyptic looking and all I did as a kid there was run around empty construction sites with my friends at sunset and get a rush from not knowing what Twilight Zone shit is out there. So all this was subliminally controlling the output of my music manifestation.

Are there any bands that you would say are your “core” or “prime” inspirations when making music? Are there any new bands that you are currently really vibing?

I don’t think about stuff like that when I’m writing. “IT” assembles under the right light.  I’m just a device or sentient for the music machinery.  The progress comes from a level of self-awareness.   But to answer your question, anything horror by Skinny Puppy Lords and I have faith in Youth Code’s stuff cause I love all Industrial that came out early 90’s. That Sara tears it up live every time!

Do you find where you has a decent scene for the type of music that you play? If so, how has the scene effected the way you make music or the aesthetic you choose? If not, have you ever thought of developing your own scene?

Yeah, seems fine at the moment… this whole “NeonGoth” club scene b.s. is dissolving and actual quality bands like 3TEETH, YouthCode and Author&Punisher are arising and tearing it up!

Would you say that your choice to pursue music has changed your life since you started? Would you say that creativity has evolved you spiritually, emotionally, or logically? What are some of the biggest challenges you have had to overcome in your musical career?

Nope, if anything it intensified my creativity [now that I kind of know what I’m doing] spiritually and logically. Challenges are, constantly moving and losing old connections / friends and starting from a clean slate every 4 or so years.

Have you had any particular moment(s) that you would like to share, that you would consider to be a crowning achievement in your musical career so far, or moments that you would say truly continue to inspire you to pursue your artistic path?

So far nothing except:  1. The goosebumps I get when I make a good track  2. Collaborating with talented ass mofos and 3. Hearing other people liking the tracks.

When it comes to non-musical media, what do you find yourself most inspired by, and what about it draws you to it as a source of inspiration?

Any form of art is a big thing for me. Cinematography, Traditional Surrealism of 1920s [Giorgio de Chirico, Max Ernst, Yves Tanguy, Dali] and works of Hieronymus Bosch.  I love Bosch because he was unabashedly weird and dark. I like to check out museums and hang out with other artists too, just keep an open mind.  Inspiration is always flowing if you know how to pay attention.

What are your thoughts on genres in general? Do you find them creatively helpful as a template to work with? Or do you find them restricting? Or possibly somewhere in between? Now that the internet has caused so much crossover in music, would you even say genre labels are relevant any more?

Genres help us organize periods of human creation in history, whatever the category – music, art, games, etc.  They are important to know but not necessary.  It is a human condition to organize things.  I get it.  But a real artist doesn’t pay attention to any of that.  They got their taste and they create.  That is all.

Do you spend a lot of time crafting your own sounds? Or do you value song crafting and effects tweaking more? Or do you find it’s a balance between the two? What’s your relationships with presets?

Currently, I wish I had nothing to do but sit and work on my own sounds, but that’s not happening until someone gives me a development deal from a Major Label for few mills to “get inspired” and focus solely on cultivating my sound… until then I just use tweaked out preset pads, all drum parts are from the heart, beefed up and equipped to stomp when it’s absolutely necessary. For vocals, my latest tracks rely on re-sampling and abusing the microphones.

Have you had much chance to do collaboration in music or art? Do you have any individuals you are particularly successful, or unsuccessful, in collaboration with? Has there been any collaborative based songs that you would say stand out to you?

I’ll start with 90% of the collabs I had in LA were way off of what I was trying to do, the other 10% needed to be more mentally present at sessions.  I’m moving on with 4 artists that I connect with for the next project [it will be brutal and dark].

If you could work with any artist, musician, or creative producer of some kind, dead or alive, who would it be? What gravitates you towards this person?

Immortal Technique and Modular Reaper Imager on the same record would be dope. Musically, I am all about angry political slaughter punishing and educating the masses. Think Indus†r1aL 3rd W0rld Rage Aga1nst The Mach1ne.

What do you see in the future for your creative output?

Finishing a solid Record, Playing it Live in Small Clubs, And getting involved in writing scores for Film Studios.

ShortFilm I produced/Edited/Scored:

KNIFE PARTY [Trailer]                https://vimeo.com/110230424

KNIFE PARTY [Full Short Film]   https://vimeo.com/112122112

Thank you so much for participating in this episode of Infidel Interview. Any parting words for your fans, or my audience?

Expect the unexpected

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