New on Sublease Music is a special collaboration from Anderson M and Lucid Distraction. Both having carved out specific niches in their own careers, this collab brings together the best of both their outputs for a cut that will bring a lot of joy over the next weeks and months.
Connect with Anderson M & Lucid Distraction on Soundcloud | Soundcloud
Thanks for talking to us today – as the year draws to a close, do you think you’ll look back on 2022 fondly?
Anderson M: Yes. I started off the year strong and reached a couple of significant milestones. The second half of the year wasn’t as exciting with the exception of our Sublease EP but still productive nonetheless.
Lucid Distraction: Yes, this has been a year of transformation for me both personally and creatively. I have begun to branch out from my mainly deep minimal sound into other territories of self-expression. I started to dabble with lofi, breaks, jungle, and garage elements as well as rebranded my record label into a higher energy, more pure rave sound.
First of all, we want to get to know you “from the beginning”. How did your history with music begin?
Anderson M: I started playing instruments when I was around 10 or 11 years old, specifically the piano and violin. At first, it was more of a curiosity than a passion until it morphed into a hobby at 12 years old when I started learning how to play the electric guitar. Almost 3 years later, I attended my first rave which ignited my passion for electronic music and the rest was history.
Lucid Distraction: I started playing guitar at 10 years old. Dabbled with violin in middle school and really looked up to bands like the Foo Fighters, Metallica, Blink 182, and The Offspring as an influence to wanting to rock. I, unfortunately, had an overbearing guitar teacher and burned out on music theory around 13 years old, but realized I wanted to be a music producer around that age. I still always dabbled but fell back in love with music around my senior year of Highschool listening to some Eurodance, Electropunk, and Trance. Began DJing shortly after.
For you, what is the magic of music? The thing that makes it such a big part of your life?
Anderson M: The magic of music is its ability to affect one’s mood and bring people together. Music has helped me get through some of the toughest times of my life and also allowed me to meet a lot of loving, supportive and creative people.
The magic of music is its ability to affect one’s mood and bring people together.
Anderson M
Lucid Distraction: For me, the emotional release and avenue to express myself creatively. A good DJ set can totally influence the way you feel and the emotions you are experiencing both good and bad, inspiring reflection, memories, and allowing you to grow. I’ve always been into dancing and parties anytime hanging out with my Australian family and that was always big fun.
Tell us about your new EP, Anything. How did the collab come about?
Anderson M: This EP showcases two different spectrums of my house music styles. I don’t remember exactly how I discovered Scott’s music but I do recall as soon as I listened to his tracks on Beatport and realized he resided close to me, we had to work on something. Our styles are very different but they complement each other well. Scott initially started the idea with some loops he sent over for me to work on. As soon as I heard the deep house elements, I had an idea of which direction I wanted to take this project and I’m very satisfied with the end result.
Lucid Distraction: I had been making a lot of deep minimal stuff and connected with Anderson on Instagram. My sound had begun to evolve into higher energy stuff already, but we liked each other’s mindset, hustle, style, and evolution we could see in each other. I don’t remember who found who, but we really clicked once we started chatting, and my resident for my label and party, Native Boundaries, at the time had known Anderson in the past and vouched for him.
You’ve cited artists like Mall Grab and DJ Boring as being influential for the record – what it is about their approach to music that appeals?
Anderson M: These were Scott’s influences, so I will give him the floor.
Lucid Distraction: I think they have a balance of serious, soulful, and chill in their productions, but fun, yet eclectic Aussie culture that is translated in their DJ sets. They make the melancholy stuff with a lot of warmth and melody, but their DJ’s sets are wild and high energy. Their productions have that grit and timeless feel to them. To me good music is eclectic and they both do that very well. Time is not a factor.
Love Language was started in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. How much do you think the environment of where a track is produced affects the end result?
Anderson M: I think the environment has a profound effect on one’s ability to create whether they realize it or not. Speaking for myself, I naturally produce better at night because I feel a calming energy in the air that allows me to focus without the noise of the city bothering me.
For us, there seems to be a healthy dose of melancholy in both records. Is that a fair comment?
Anderson M: That’s a fair assessment from your perspective. Emotion is the word I would use because it encompasses a broader vibe. Melodies have always been at the core of my productions since they are beautiful and memorable to me.
Lucid Distraction: Yes, I like a balance of serious/dark and fun/bright. I think the vocals really bring out the happy energy, but the bassline and topline bring out a nostalgic loving feel like remembering the best times with an ex.
How did you hook up with Steve Bug and Sublease for the release?
Anderson M: I’ve always been an admirer and supporter of Steve Bug and Poker Flat Recordings. His own productions and label inspire a lot of the deep house elements I incorporate in my music.
When I saw that Steve was launching Sublease Music a few years back, I was interested to hear what direction he would be taking it. Fortunately for me, this label was showcasing a lot of minimal/deep tech artists which were another influence to my sound.
I originally entered the Poker Flat remix competition for Tim Engelhardt’s “First Contact.” Although I didn’t win, I still kept in contact and decided it would be a great opportunity to continue the relationship via Sublease as my sound was closer in style to this label. When the tracks were complete, I sent the demo email and was fairly surprised at how quickly it was accepted. That rarely happens.
Lucid Distraction: Me and Anderson sent stems back and forth, and I let him send the music places. He did an awesome job matching a label to the track. I don’t think either of us expected such an amazing mastermind to pick the track up. We were both very excited to hear back.
What does your current studio setup look like? Lots of hardware, or are you mainly ‘out of the box’ type producers?
Anderson M: I have a basic PC setup with just one synthesizer. I’m not much of a gear head although that can always change in the future. I don’t use many plugins either but I always make sure that what I use is adequate.
Lucid Distraction: I used to work with the hardware Roland stuff. But at the time, I was using a PC and there were sync issues with the midi, so I switched to in the box. I honestly think the stock Ableton operator and drum engines are amazing. Having a well-curated sample library is super important. I switched to the Roland Plugins and invested in sound toys and the details like swung delays and saturation. The Arturia V collection has a lot of awesome sounds and sequences to play with.
What is the best advice you ever received as an artist?
Anderson M: Janeret once told me and a couple of others at an afterparty in San Diego that sobriety was key to longevity in this industry. Not exactly in those words. But he made his point clear when he respectfully rejected party favors from people while holding a water bottle in his hand. This was something I already knew and did my best to maintain but he just reassured that importance.
Lucid Distraction: I was told something similar to Anderson by a friend who has a career off producing and won a Ministry Of Sound DJ Contest when he was 18, then moved to the states to pursue a career. He said the people who succeed stay away from the partying. I am now almost 9 months into my recovery from substance abuse and I think it is really becoming a game changer for success and taking things to that career level.
People who succeed stay away from the party favors.
What do you have coming up for the rest of 2022 and beyond?
Anderson M: No further releases for this year but I do have an EP coming out March 17, 2023 on Riko Forinson’s 4 Quarters Music.
Lucid Distraction: I currently have an EP coming out on Bogoture Records with a remix from LA local, User Delusion that I am excited to hear. This is a much different vibe than “Anything.” Lots of jungles, electro, and ghetto breaks elements. I actually recorded a bit of a rap twang vocal of myself for one of the tracks.
I am also releasing a 20-track various artist compilation on my own label. Really pumped on the dudes I curated for this. No filler on the release. All pure heavier-hitting rave stuff. Also, a collab with one of my current residents for my label and party, who is well known in the Detroit scene, Qulim.
Thank you.