Aiwaska is a project from a mysterious producer with more than 20 years of musical background. He has a hypnotic and spiritual sound, with organic chop elements. A perfect blend of Melodic House rhythm, with atmospheric bass lines & hypnotic vocals. His production expertise has seen him deliver releases for such esteemed dance music imprints as Exploited, Crosstown Rebels, Bar 25 Music and House Music With Love.
It’s also bought him to collaborate with a whole host of legendary vocalists, such as Robert Owens, Roland Clark, Egyptian Lover, and Aquarius Heaven.
Aiwaska has been asked to deliver his unique style also to remixes for many dance music aficionados like Patrice Baumel, Eelke Kleijn, Jenia Tarsol & Kino Todo, Audiofly, Tensnake, Dj Assault and more.
He performs in a mask as seen in Peru, when shamans make a ritual and go to a different reality, they put masks on. These masks reflect who they are and because of that, spirits recognise you as one of them. You also see coins on his hat because when you go to the world of spirits, you give these coins to them as a gift.
We had a very nice chat with this mysterious soul.
Connect with Aiwaska on Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
Hey hey, first of all, welcome and congrats on your great release “Yungas Road”. How are things going these days?
It’s a very productive season – a lot of work. I’m making new EPs and preparing a live performance for the new season. In May we’re also launching our own radio show in the US on Insomniac Radio. And, I’m also working on the creation of Aiwaska – Metahuman, which will be a global project for live performances in the Metaverse.
Aiwaska’s – Yungas Road is out on Beatport.
Unsolving mysteries. Aiwaska is a moniker of an artist being 25 years around in the scene. Who is Aiwaska?
Aiwaska is a project that I created as a result of my 25 years of experience. As part of the musical part, I make a lot of tracks with a reference to the classic sound of techno and house music, but with elements of futurism. I’m not afraid to experiment with sound, I like to use analog instruments and male vocals.
How would you describe your music style and the key elements that define it?
Hypnotic and spiritual sound, with organic chop elements. Warm & Analog. Also, I use Elements of Healing Sounds in my tracks – Binaural waves and special 432 HZ bands.
When you’re working on a new project, what’s your typical starting point? How do you break it down and how do you like to generate your ideas?
I don’t have a systematic approach to creating music, everything is usually in a streaming state. Either you have an idea or you don’t. I can make five tracks in one month, and zero in another month, but I have a life hack on how to set it up for stability – work on my emotional and internal state, meditation, healing programs, travel and art in all its forms help me in this.
Tell us about the collaboration. How did that work out? Together in the studio or each being creative on his own?
Now I work with the vocalist mostly remotely. I send instrumental ideas, the vocalist records the vocals, sends them to me, and I finalize everything. I work with session musicians, with whom we record live parts of various instruments and make sound design elements. I like to work at the studio in collaboration, but lately, it turns out to be extremely rare.
Collaborations can take on many forms. What role do they play in your approach and what are your preferred ways of engaging with other creatives through, for example, file sharing, jamming or just talking about ideas?
Session jamming, because there are always new ideas, but lately all our work has moved to remote mode, hopefully, it will get better soon, and we will be able to spend time in the studio with musicians.
Could you take us through a day in your life, from a possible morning routine through to your work? Do you have a fixed schedule?
I wake up at dawn and try to do meditation, sports, and self-education. Lately networking session on music or IT. When I’m not on tour or a business meeting, I spend time with my wife and dog. We go to theatres, to exhibitions, and walk-in parks.
How do music and other aspects of your life feed back into each other – do you separate them or instead try to make them blend seamlessly?
Music is my life. Everything happens around it, I have been living like this for 30 years. This is a very interesting versatile path that has no limits and restrictions because you are constantly discovering something new for yourself.
Who are your musical or audio heroes and why? Or even new artists that impress you?
I am a music lover. I love listening to different music and being inspired by it. From classics like Wagner to progressive rock Slipknot. Speaking specifically about the dance scene, I like the Keinemusik crew, as well as at the legendary UR label.
And when it comes to your field, producing, are there any particular ideas or pioneers that you go back to frequently or who really influence your thinking about the work you do?
I am inspired by classical techno/electro and house producers Drexciya, DJ Hell, Aux 88. I am constantly looking for non-standard ideas in other experimental music genres. I pay attention to releases on WARP and such legends as Aphex Twin.
As we age, our ears change physically and our tastes evolve too, and life changes mean we don’t get to engage in our passions in the same intensity as in our youth – how has your relationship with sound and music changed over the years?
I am ready to challenge this assertion. It’s not about age, but about the perception of the world, your consciousness and your state of mind. You can always remain young, not be afraid of the new, at first glance experimental, what you hear.
With age, many people become less receptive to the modern world, as if they turn to stone, but if your consciousness does not lose this flexibility of youth, then you always accept with ease and joy what life gives you. Music flows and is perceived as in childhood, so no matter what age you are, it is important how sensitively you perceive this world.
Whenever I create music, I think about making that composition that will live forever and give people those emotions that will help them get a spark.
Thank you.