Interviews

Crackazat - Sundial

One of the biggest after-hours inspirations for me has to be Crackazat - "Sundial” from the album Rainbow Fantasia. Discovering Crackazat honestly felt like a turning point in my listening habits. Up until then, I was making house-leaning electronic music, but it wasn't as dance-driven or rhythmically alive. “Sundial” opened something up for me — the vibrant, almost sun-drenched synth work, the playful but precise percussion, and the way it balances musicality with groove. It felt soulful without losing momentum. That track didn't just make me want to listen differently; it made me want to produce differently. It pushed me toward creating music that feels colorful and emotive, but still built for movement — the kind of track that lives equally well in headphones at 3 a.m. or on a late-night dancefloor.

Gnork - Yoga on E

Another big one for me is Gnork – “Yoga on E.” It sits in a similar lane to Crackazat in terms of melodic richness and vibrance, but it hit me in a slightly different way. I used to think house music just wasn't for me because of its repetitive nature — I couldn't connect with the idea of loops carrying a track for six or seven minutes. But “Yoga on E” completely reframed that. The melodic progression is so beautiful and emotionally satisfying that the repetition stops feeling repetitive at all — it feels meditative, even euphoric. The harmonies and chord movement give it this lush, almost “delicious” quality where you actually want to stay in that loop. That track really taught me that repetition in house isn't about sameness — it’s about hypnosis, subtle evolution, and letting harmony do the emotional heavy lifting.

Brisa - Reverie

A third one is Brisa – “Reverie.” I had to include this because this is the lane where I truly felt at home. There’s something about that soulful, jazzy strain of house that just clicks with me on a deeper level. “Reverie” carries this warmth in its chords — rich, expressive, almost aching in places — that makes the track feel less like something you’re just dancing to and more like something you’re experiencing. I know it sounds cliché to say a song “touches your soul,” but when harmonies are that beautiful and intentional, it genuinely feels that way. Hearing music like this made my direction feel obvious. It showed me that house can be emotive, sophisticated, and deeply human all at once — and that’s the space I naturally gravitate toward as both a listener and a producer.

Dorian Concept - Fort Teen

Another pivotal one for me is Dorian Concept – “Fort Teen.” Dorian Concept has shaped so much of what I love about music in general — not just house, but composition, sound design, and storytelling. I’ve been listening to him for probably half my life at this point, and his earlier records still feel completely timeless to me. What stands out most is his synth playing — it’s expressive, unpredictable, almost conversational. He doesn’t just build tracks; he builds narratives. “Fort Teen” feels like it evolves in chapters, constantly unfolding while still staying cohesive. Choosing just one song of his honestly wasn’t easy, because his catalog runs so deep for me. But this track really captures that sense of musical curiosity and emotional depth that has influenced how I think about structure and storytelling in my own work.

Lone - Airglow Fires

The last one has to be Lone – “Airglow Fires.” Lone is one of those foundational artists for me — I’ve been listening to him since I was about 13, and I’m almost 40 now. In my mind, he sits up there with Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin in terms of impact. What’s always inspired me is his evolution — starting from that hazy, hip-hop-leaning base and orbiting around artists like Hudson Mohawke, then gradually carving out a sound that became unmistakably his own. His album Galaxy Garden is incredibly important to me, especially as he leaned further into house textures. But “Airglow Fires” feels like Lone at his purest — those super vibrant synths, glowing chords, and that sense of uplift that can completely shift your mood. It’s the kind of track that can carry an entire night or pull you out of a low place and remind you why you fell in love with electronic music in the first place.