All posts filed under: MUSIC

FILE 100 // MAX COOPER

Published by 5elect5

UK-based artist Max Cooper merges electronic music, visual art and science through installations, live audio-visual and immersive sound experiences. Growing up, he pursued both of his passions – music and science, earning a PhD in computational biology. His background and education seems to now influence his creative process. Cooper shares that his projects start with an abstract idea / concept first which he explores further to make them tangible as well as relatable. His label “Mesh” is an embodiment of these passions and an outlet for music which is part of wider collaborations in the arts and sciences. Following the successful multi-media “Emergence” album and tour, this year he released his third album “One Hundred Billion Sparks” with an all new and evolved 270 immersive audio-visual shows – a light field installation of countless shimmering points, hovering overhead the audience, creating 3-dimensional moving forms in sync with music. Experience the next one at Funkhaus in Berlin. MY ESSENTIALS 1. FLIGHT ESSENTIALS (A PERSONAL COLLECTION): This is my flight essentials pouch to cover the travel basics …

RBMA // VŌX

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Los Angeles-based vocalist, musician and producer Sarah Winters AKA vōx (pronounced “wokes”) makes hip-hop-influenced spectral pop. Her productions and performances have a refined look and feel. Under the veil she wears on stage, Winters is hidden but present – guiding the audience safely through the unknown sonic world. She also has a talent for giving songs like Kendrick Lamar’s “i,” the unique vōx treatment while creating lasting moments. MY ESSENTIALS 1. NOTEBOOK + PEN (MOLESKIN, BUY HERE): My music making background came about through writing poetry first, so I like to have a small notebook with me at all times for lyrical thoughts. 2. EAR PLUGS (ACS, CHECK HERE): I think it goes along with my introversion, but I tend to be very sensitive to sound. I like to carry my molded earplugs with me, mostly for going to shows, but sometimes even a plane or a train is a tad too loud for me. 3. GLOVES (DEL’HACIENDA, CHECK HERE): Wearing things that make people smile and wearing things that make me smile is key. These are satin gloves my friends from Los Angeles, Del’Hacienda, made. 4. VEIL (NO BRAND): Being veiled is a big …

RBMA // SOUL OF HEX

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Gerardo Cedillo is a producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist from Mexico. As one half of the duo named Kry-Lon, he defined the “new rave” scene in his hometown of Tijuana. As Soul of Hex, Cedillo’s solo project’ he enjoys playing and producing deep house incoorporating classic techno and jazz influences. He is the founder of the vinyl only label Vicario Musique Recordings to create an platform to share “music for the future”. His essentials are a refined collection to accompany him when he is touring around the world. MY ESSENTIALS 1. PERFORMANCE SAMPLER (ELEKTRON, BUY HERE): It’s my most essential piece of gear and I take it everywhere with me. It’s such a wonderful machine which basically can sample and manipulate any sound or song and take it to the next level, with awesome effects and also it’s a composer so… it’s been in my bag since I got it sponsored by Elektron in 2016. 2. SUNGLASSES (RAY-BAN, CHECK HERE): These shades are cool I think, I always lose them but buy them again every now and then ha! 3. GRANULAR CONVOLVOR (RBMA, READ HERE): This little silver machine was given to the participants of this …

RBMA // INDI

Published by 5elect5

Indira Force is an artist from New Zealand. Her deep relationship with music is expressed in many different ways: composing film soundtracks, dance scores and even music for political campaigns as well as producing music under “indi”. The tracks on her first solo album Precipice are performed with saxophonists, trombonists and a violin to bring Force’s dreamy and delicate but concrete vision to life. Her collection of items are surprisingly functional and practial but essential to create the “indi” sound. MY ESSENTIALS 1. LAPTOP (GIGABYTE, CHECK HERE): I actually bought this earlier this year when I moved to Berlin from NZ. It has been essential to my on-the-go media-scoring lifestyle. It is really sturdy and can run huge projects without any problems. 2. EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE (SEAGATE, CHECK NEXT PARTY HERE): This is a boring one but I cannot emphasize how important it is to back up your stuff. I lost a whole EP of music projects once because my computer died and it was devastating. Honestly if you can afford it get like 2 hard drives and back everything up twice as well as uploading to the cloud. This holds a very precious part of my life. 3. SNACK (FRECHE …

RBMA // JEANNEL

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Berlin-based Jeanne Kaiser is a singer, producer and classically-trained cellist who performs under the name Jeannel. She is known for her her dreamy, R&B-oriented pop. Her performances are versatile: playing with a full band or playing with stripped-down stage setup or doing back-up vocals – Kaiser makes sure to connect with the audience. So does her collection of essentials share the importance of relationships to her music. MY ESSENTIALS 1. YOGA (PEACEYOGA, CHECK HERE): Peaceyoga Berlin is one of my absolute essential in-order-to-stay-sane/basic-need-place to go to. The jivamukti classes are demanding, sweaty, and lead by the best teachers I know so far. Peaceyoga is like my second home here in Berlin. I go there to keep my body and soul in tune. I love this place. 2. COMPUTER (APPLE, CHECK HERE): My whole musical identity is on that computer. Whenever I go out the house wondering if I really switched off the stove, it’s the only thing I am worried about. (Besides my plants.) 3. SHIRT (TRES RASCHE, CHECK HERE): That T-shirt just makes me feel good an powerful. Besides, the label is awesome. 4. BOOTS (DR. …

RBMA // BRUX

Published by 5elect5

BRUX is a singer-songwriter and producer from Australia. BRUX is also the ticket to a new type of audio visual experience the artist uses to explore the darker side of her musical interests with no inhibition and no rules. Story-telling with a strong look and feel is part of the BRUX effect. Her attention to detail, hard work as well as fun essentials have led to recent collaborations with LA producer Madeaux on “The Wave” on Fool’s Gold Records and artists such as dBridge and Kabuki. MY ESSENTIALS 1. EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE(WESTERN DIGITAL, BUY HERE): My external hard drive, my life. Having a backup of the backup of the backup is key. Also, I chose orange because it’s one of my favourite colours 2. SYNTH (TEENAGE ENGINEERING, BUY HERE): My op-1. I bought this powerful little beast 2 years ago and have not put it down since. Every song I write I use my op-1 and it’s my absolute favourite bit of gear in my synth collection. 3. NOTEBOOK (A GIFT): My notebook. I’ve gone through many notebooks over the years that are full of lyrics, life plans/calculations (lol …

RBMA // ATARIAME

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Russian singer-songwriter and producer Natalia Salmina AKA Atariame is an explorer of sound. She found her mission to experiment the depth of fragile folk, warm ambient and soundscape downtempo together. Her instruments of choice to craft the complex sound include a synth, a 12-string guitar and a simple voice pedal. The selection of essentials give her energy and inspiration on this journey. MY ESSENTIALS 1. CHOCOLATE (ANY KIND): Since I remember myself I’ve always been eating chocolate: even during school lectures, even when I make music. Here at RBMA there was a lecture of Nina Kraviz, and she told that while making her first album she used to stay late, drink tea and eat chocolate — oh, I know that feel, bro. 2. STICKERS & LAPTOP (A SELECTION): My collection of stickers. Which is also a laptop. Dive is a bar in Tbilisi in which I DJed once, Balera is a nice place in Berlin where I used to hangout with friends, another sticker by a bank in Russia that keeps reminding me of a hipster-friendly marketing. There is also a sticker with Schroedinger and a cat, or.. without …