Drawing inspiration from the vibrant music scenes, he has graced stages at renowned festivals like Asagiri Jam, Zizkovska Noc, Unkai Natural Camp, and Come Together Music Festival. His music has been featured in various programs, and collaborations with popular YouTubers like Ramen Adventures have expanded his online reach. Demsky’s passion for cultural exploration and musical fusion makes him an influential figure in the global music community, promising to resonate with music enthusiasts worldwide.
Taken from his upcoming EP, his new single ‘Continuum’ sees Demsky flex the more club-focussed side of his production capabilities. Built around a 4/4 rhythm and throbbing bassline, it’s purpose-built to evoke the sublime, with its celestial synthlines and epic, soaring pads creating a deep sense of reverence and poignancy as track unfolds.
Connect with Demsky on Soundcloud
Thanks for talking to us today – how has 2023 been for you?
It’s been absolutely wild. Around 40 shows this year in 4 countries while prepping this new release. It broke me for a bit, but the rewards have been coming.
First of all, we want to get to know you “from the beginning”. How did your history with music begin?
It started with good friends back in high school that needed a bass player and I stepped in. It was just something me and my friends did. Get together and jam in the basement. My first real band played the Toronto Jamband circuit quite frequently and when we all went to University, we expanded our tour to Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. It eventually led to more and more offers from the east coast of Canada and even the States. When the band started slowing down, I downloaded Reason and started learning how to make beats. I didn’t have a lot of equipment at that time, but good friends helped me a lot with recording live instruments and having those limitations helped me understand the tools in front of me better. After a solid 9 years with the group, I decided to challenge myself by dropping everything and moving to Japan where I played as a supporting bass player in the underground post-rock, noise and beat making scene. 4 years ago, I gave this Demsky project a shot full-time as a live act. Here we are now.
For people new to your music, would you say your new single Continuum is representative of your sound? Or is that over simplifying things a little?
Continuum is one chapter in my sound. It fully represents one aspect of me at a certain time in my life, but through it you can hear the organic growth of rhythms and subtle sounds weaving in and out. I want all my tracks to have that unpredictability in some sense.
Sampling is clearly an important part of your process. Can you walk us through your process of selecting and integrating samples into your tracks?
For the most part, I sample vocal clips from old movies, lectures and hip-hop beats. I actually never know what the true outcome of the track will be. A lot of these samples fall short and never see the light of day, but then some shine. My new track “The Man Of Science Travels To The Paper Sun” is one that made it through. It represents the know-it-alls in our every day. You know the ones that become instant experts from watching/listening to a constant algorithmic bombardment of social media clips not knowing that they are stuck in their own echo chambers. The second half of the track “The Paper Sun”, shows them leaving that one-sided world, and their minds opening up. That was a successful sample. It was able to develop into its own character.
How important is storytelling to you in your compositions, and how do you convey a narrative through predominantly instrumental music?
It’s very important. Without a story, you truly don’t have something for your audience to grip onto. Even if the narrative your audience perceives is not matching yours, and they end up creating one on their own, that to me is a success. Something to make people think, question, laugh, cry and scream for joy with a beautiful beginning, rising action, climax and resolution to end everything.
Many electronic artists have a specific piece of equipment or software they swear by. Is there a tool essential to your creative process?
My Midi Twister Fighter is like an open canvas for me. It helps me arrange my effects making it easy for me to experiment a lot during my live performances. On top of that, my microcosm gives me those spatial delays and reverbs that no other pedal can give. I highly recommend them.
As well as the single you’ll be putting out an EP next year. What can we expect from that?
I wanted to create an album that gives listeners a glimpse into other people’s worlds and perspectives. You might not be aware of them at all, but it all happens “As Your Heart Beats”. You don’t force it to happen. It just exists and happens on its own. As the world goes through another massive transition as we speak, and with the constant barrage of media footage around us, it’s hard to sit back and listen to others and hear their story without having your own opinions or judgements step in. “As Your Heart Beats” takes you to 6 parts of the world and of your psyche so that you can get a small glimpse into them. You’ll be essentially going everywhere from the desert in Las Vegas to the bamboo mountains in Nara.
Live performance in electronic music varies widely. How do you translate the complexity of your studio work into a live setting, and how do you keep it engaging for the audience?
I care a lot about my live performance, sometimes even more than the studio. Seeing how people react and feel my music is just so important to me, because I get to see how I can draw out emotions. They kind of show me what sounds I’ve been working on can move forward in production and which ones need to go back to the drawing board. I think this all stems back to my jamband days. Your audience is a crucial member of your live show and brings you the energy to continue on.
What is the best advice you ever received as an artist?
This is more advice from my family and close friends, but just to try towards the things you want. I know it’s quite basic, but a lot of people forget this or are just too scared to. If I hadn’t tried, I would’ve been on this crazy wild ride I’m on now. Also, don’t be a taker in this industry. The best outcomes are when you and the people you work with are givers. Everyone wins.
Anything else you’d like to tell us…?
If anyone ever needs help or guidance, reach out. I’m here 🙂
Thank you
Demsky – Continuum is out now on Tanukineiri Records
