Anonymous artists pop up these days with masks and assorted head wear but it’s rare you find one so media shy he is truly happy allowing the music he produces speak for him. I can’t recall exactly how I found him but needless to say The FPIA had a hand in me finding his Soundcloud and listening. Fairchild is a combination of many genre’s, yet fills a space in music that perhaps we lost sight of until the rise of Flume. There is a quiet beauty in his palette, sounds and melodies that immediately become intrinsically blended into your brain when you hear them. The type of music that has an ageless feel and emotion to it and paints you a story. When I asked him for this interview he was reticent to agree but I am glad he put his thoughts out there for us and the new EP is one that for most will be a journey into music.
- I understand your anonymity to allow music to speak but could you fill us in a little on how you began on your electronic music journey?
I’ve been playing some form of music for as long as I can remember. Grew up classically trained, and spent my whole life learning different styles of music. I actually started experimenting with electronic music years before I truly understood what dance music was. I think the decision to commit to dance music happened where it happens for so many – in a sweaty & dark room. Music you’ve never heard playing, lights flashing in your eyes, dancing the worries of the week away. To be able to connect to music like that is very powerful – almost a spiritual thing really.
- Your direction of techno/house has some very experimental sounds and flavors to it, where did and who did you draw inspiration from?
I try to avoid drawing creative inspiration from similar producers actually. While that helped me on the technical side early on, I quickly found that I was never as connected to any of my music that came from that. I generally focus first on finding a mental space where the music exists in my mind. It’s a real place with an atmosphere, and a story, and it makes me really feel something. The goal is to tell the story of that place I can see and feel, and to let the listener interpret that story however they choose.
- 2016 has seen a resurgence of the purer techno/house forms rather than the continuation of the mainstream. Do you see a niche for both moving forward?
Absolutely. Techno and House aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. More importantly, I think we’re seeing a trend of more and more people searching deeper for their own styles of music and deciding what they like, as opposed to letting the radio or mainstream dictate that for them. I think we’ll see more niches, more genres, and more diversification as time goes on. The more the merrier.
- You have a new release; can you tell us about the tune and your aspirations as an artist in 2017?
I’m so excited these two tracks are finally out there. I’ve been blown away with how much love and support I’ve seen online, and I was amazed to see that just 2 days after the release, they were already charting in the Top 100 Releases on Beatport overall. Can’t express how thankful I am for that. The EP is definitely progressive in nature. Both tracks consistently evolve and change, and I think they’ll surprise the listener both at home, and on the dancefloor.
As for aspirations, my most important goal for 2017 is to really settle into the Fairchild sound. I’ve just recently started locking into a style that I’m in love with, and it seems to be one that people resonate with. It’s not necessarily a genre or a really defined niche, but more of a creative flow, a set of rituals, & style of production. Hoping to see a couple more releases next year, as opposed to 2016. Maybe a new secret project too? We’ll see.
- Who are some of the DJ/Producers that you see revitalising the scene both with innovation in mainstream and underground sounds?
Could list so many who have already changed the scene. Underground is going through a wonderful, darker period right now. It’s been coming for a couple years, but I think it’s finally here and in full force. I’m sure we’ll keep seeing the hands of guys like Tale of Us & Maceo Plex shaping the scene in that direction. Loving the stuff coming out of Guy J’s Lost & Found. Also, look out for Cid Inc, Khen, and more recently GMJ (loving what he’s up to) on the melodic side. I can really see things potentially shifting that way over the year or two.
- How has the Fairchild sound evolved since you began?
I’ve been focusing so much on this lately. It’s absolutely matured quite a bit. I’ve been slowly drifting into the visual side of things. As a result, I think much of what I’ve worked on has started to take on a sort of cinematic feel. I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to experiment on the musical side, and I’ve learned so much on the technical side of things as well.
- How do you perceive the scene looking into 2017 and beyond?
I think we’re going to see a shift from the deep and the dark into a new unheard-of wave of melody and beauty. The kind of stuff where you can really close your eyes and get lost in your mind with a smile on your face. Overall, I think the scene is still growing. I’ve seen articles and people saying the whole electronic dance music scene is a bubble that is about to pop, and I definitely disagree. If anything, it seems more like that biggest mainstream bubble is just separating down into more bubbles – each filling with amazing communities of people and styles and feelings. All the while more genres and styles of music keep forming and growing. It’s exciting to watch.
I’m always happy to discover artists who place the music’s integrity over anything else and if you check out Fairchild’s EP I have no doubt you will be enthralled. One can hope that 2017 may bring a rise to the varied and many artists out there who contribute to the journey we are all on with music.
https://soundcloud.com/nuidealsmusic/sets/fairchild-evergreen-ep-teaser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRL6A32CZ7I