We caught up with Moscow producer FREE.D who is releasing his debut single “Kiss Full of Funk” today on Hidden Vibes to talk about his music and influences…
Hi there, how are you and what are you up to today?
Hi, a whole new universe raises for a guy who has just released his first project. It’s all about forming my vision for the music world and history. Life is a continuous experiment. Looking for new music ideas, trying new softwares, doing live studio sessions, talking with sound geeks, watching Bowie’s movies, exploring the story of Tottenham road station. I feel one hundred percent linked to this world.
To those not familiar with you, how would you describe your sound?
I know this could look old-fashioned but I stand for the music with message. My second release which comes out soon is a pure anthem for the humanity to wake up and stop feeding the egos with garbage and numbers. I believe that if the music has power to influence people’s mind then it’s a sin not to use it.
What are the 5 albums and artists that have influenced you the most?
These are genius works that stood ahead of the time and had a bomb effect when they were released first. Like fresh air after suffocation.
Gus Gus – Polydistortion (1997)
Unkle – Psyence Fiction (1998)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (1998)
Depeche Mode – Ultra (1997)
Underworld – Beaucoup Fish (1998)
What other artists do you really like at the moment and why?
Laurent Garnier for his clear vision of the music industry and concept sound.
Daft Punk for Daft Punk.
Jon Hopkins for an unique understanding of what real hardware could do with sound.
Jungle for a retro fresh funk sound.
Hot Chips for HQ sound, Christian Pommer for mixing live instruments with electronic sound at its best and many many others.
If we gave you the budget to put a line-up together for a mini fest, who would you book and where would you play?
The old school army of masters. DJ’s such as Laurent Garnier, Carl Cox, Steve Lawler, Deep Dish. With live sets from Orbital, Jon Hopkins and Gus Gus.
What are some of the key pieces of gear you use to write your tracks in the studio? Or do you prefer to use software and plug ins?
It’s like a ninja path. The more you experience the more skills you want to develop. I’ve started with Ableton Live soft working with easy to use Sylenth plug-in synth. Adding sax samples which I recorded live with pro sax player in a studio to make the overall sound unique. Now I evolved to Spire plug-in synth and Omnisphere 2 soft that are more complex but open huge opportunities. I also installed NI Komplete Kontrol keyboard and Push 2 at the place. Again I have to check all that by myself selecting the best so my working station is changing all the time. For instance, I’ve talked to brilliant Moscow based guys AVP Synth and ordered my first analog hardware from them – analog filters and drum box. The next step is Dave Smith analog synth box. You never get enough since you’ve started as you see.
If you weren’t a musician what would you be?
I’ve experienced pretty much all professions in almost 15 years of employee and entrepreneur career. So it’s vice versa, it’s about where I am now after whole bunch of work. The greatest gift is to find yourself during the journey of life. I am living a rare moment when my soul and brain are driving the same car. Besides music production I redesigned some steps to be closer to the music industry producing hi-end acoustic under Amati.linea brand. One of the best feelings in my life comes from the confidence that what I do is one hundred percent right. Let’s see how long it lasts.
Do you enjoy playing to an audience or working in the studio?
There is something wrong about music with no feedback. To get the feedback you must go live and experience your audience emotions from the music you do and play. How good you are depends on people’s reaction. But at the same time I think you have to lead people through the sound journey offering new and hidden vibes. That’s what takes you to another level when you succeed.
Do you have any information regarding upcoming releases, projects, DJ mixes or collaborations in the pipeline that you would like to tell us about?
My goal for the first quarter of the year is to release 2 new projects including re-mixes. One of them has potential to go to vinyl edition I think. Then I would like to work in collaboration with some talented Russian musicians. We would release these works through Hidden Vibes music. Just the beginning…
FREE.D social links:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/hiddenvibesmusic
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/hiddenvibesmusic
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChjgUwphNeg9f_QvotCklYg
