Introducing: Shivastep
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Over the past year I’ve had my ear to the ground in LA as producer Sean Nelson (Spectacles) frequently fired grimy dubbed out electronic tracks my way. Fast forward to today and his current musical offerings come a bit more refined (and divine), under his new name SHIVASTEP. On October 2nd, Track Number Records will release SHIVASTEP‘s debut s/t EP.
Here’s a few words Sean gave me about the SHIVASTEP project, and two bangin’ new tracks off the EP, “EXCESS” and “LUSTDANCE”:
I never feel inspired when the sun is up. Something about the night time is channeling for me, the depth that the darkness brings, the unknown. That feeling distills my music; losing your perspectives, your surroundings, yourself. What’s left is what I’m interested in.
I realized that the EP is totally rooted in LA, the crushing weight I felt of the pace and pressure and people and pop culture as a whole. This is the sound of it all boiling over, blurring and blending in my head and solidifying into new forms. That is why Shiva hovers over my process, I destroy to create.
The release for me is in embracing the intensity. I get lost in deep, dirty, heavy beats that hit you on a primal level, where its just unghhh and you cant deny it. Its like my medicine. Each of these tracks reaches for that place. I also like the feeling of when the familiar becomes strange and and toying with expectation. (Fun hint: The title “LUSTDANCE” should help give away its vocal’s source hehehe) “EXCESS” and “LUSTDANCE” are striking to me in that way. They are definitely meant to get you moving. I see this as dance music first and foremost and the tracks were performed with that spirit, most of the synths done live. I used as little MIDI penciling as possible so I could capture that visceral feeling. And all the drums are 808s, that boom just shakes my soul.
This EP is definitely a reaction, a product of the times and culture. Searching in music for those pure moments where nothing else is left and you get a little taste of that freedom. That’s what its all about for me and if I can share that feeling, fuck yeah. ∞
