In this interview, Nonduality shares his thoughts on key aspects of his music career. From his preference for vinyl over digital formats to his evolving tastes in House and Techno, he offers insights into his creative process and the balance between live performance and studio work. Nonduality also discusses his approach to original tracks versus remixes, and his use of analogue versus digital tools. As he reflects on the intimacy of small venues or his preferences for beats and melodies, he provides a candid look at his musical journey and personal preferences.
Vinyl or digital?
I love both, but if I’ve gotta choose, it’s gonna be vinyl. I love how intimate it feels — there’s a story behind each record, and I know each one inside and out. When I play digital, I sometimes get tunnel vision about matching keys and BPM. With vinyl though, I feel like those mental resources are free for enjoying the music and making selections based on vibe.
Morning studio sessions or late-night production?
I’m more of a morning studio session guy. I love having a coffee and tackling a new track first thing in the morning. It feels great to go from a blank project to a rough arrangement in a single day. Thinking about it, though, I should try to get in some more late-night sessions — those can feel like more of a party.
House or Techno?
I used to be strictly about House. Over the last year or two, though, I started enjoying faster, harder, heavier house. I started getting into the trance-y, prog-y sounds of artists like Guy Contact and Spray. At a certain point, I realized I was just listening to Techno. I’ve come to understand that there’s a lot of overlap, and a lot of the House tracks I’ve always loved have many elements of Techno. All this being said, my first love has always been House.
Live performance or studio work?
This one’s tough, but I’ve been really enjoying DJ’ing recently. There’s something magical about having a few drinks and getting totally swept up in my music library with friends and strangers. Looking back, a lot of the happiest moments of my life have been behind the decks. I’m going with live performance for this one.
Original tracks or remixes?
Originals are my main squeeze, but I love doing remixes to spice things up. Getting in the studio and having absolutely zero preconceptions about what I’m going to make feels great. That being said, having a jumping-off point with remixes is definitely refreshing, too.
Analogue synths or digital plugins?
My workflow makes heavy use of both. If I had to choose, though, I’d probably buy an Elektron Octatrack and go totally analogue. There’s a control with digital that I could give up if I absolutely had to. The fun, hands-on aspect of analogue synths would be harder to let go of, though.
Creating beats or melodies?
I’m more of a beats guy. I usually lean more heavily into sound design and harmony than I do into melodies. I’d like to get more comfortable on the keyboard, though, and get better at coming up with jazzy lines.
Collaborating with others or working solo?
This one’s hard, too. I’m definitely happiest when I have a balance of both. However, past experience has shown me that even with no collaborators in my life, I can keep on doing solo projects for years. I’m gonna go with working solo for this one.
Original or extended version?
In my niche, there’s usually just one version and I don’t get a choice! When there is a choice, I usually like having drum filler to make things a little easier in my DJ sets. I’m usually pretty stingy with drum filler in my own productions, which ironically comes back to bite me when I want to play originals in a DJ set.
Gig festivals or intimate venues?
I’m a big fan of intimate venues. They’re usually much more accessible and require less time/money investment to experience. As a result, there’s a lot less friction getting friends out to those gigs, which makes them way more fun!
Thanks to Nonduality for sharing his thoughts and insights into his music and creative process. From our talk, it’s clear that his passion for music extends deeply into every aspect of his craft, from his gear preferences to the sounds that move him. We appreciate his openness and look forward to seeing how his unique perspective continues to shape his work.
Nonduality Online
