Zand er One is a music producer from Akron, Ohio who is interested in working with a lot of different styles and instruments. Influenced by the juxtaposition of rust-belt urban decay and lush forests in the Cuyahoga Valley, his music creates a spacious atmosphere drenched in synthetic melody, all culminating in a calm, reflective ambience.
Facts
1: There is a beautiful interconnectedness between not just all humans, but everything in the universe. It is likely that we share not just heritage, but possibly atoms that were once part of relatives past.
2: Fractals are a key to not only understand ing physics, but our place in the universe as well. From a colony of ants to galaxies experiencing a gravitational force, there is significance of every level between, from the subatomic to the supermassive.
3: ETertium quid. This refers to a third thing that is undefined but is related to two definite or known things. A deeper explanation is that most matters consisting of two sides (in any form of discussion) are often answered by a third idea that is yet unknown but transcends them.
Questions
What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
Organic and industrial noise. What we think of as “silence” is really outlined by intricate details coalescing into white noise. True silence would probably drive someone crazy. It’s these sort of accents and subtleties that really compel us – it’s how we’re wired to process things. Hearing new sounds and trying to shape a song around them has always been one of the biggest inspiring factors for me.
How and when did you get into making music?
My very first creative musical experiences happened when I was a child. I received a cheap Yamaha keyboard and spent a lot of time messing with the samples songs and different sounds. A couple years later I picked up guitar playing and amassed a huge collection of pedals and effects – this would later organically lead me into electronic music production.
What are your 5 favourite albums of all time?
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die
Yagya – Sleepygirls
Miles Davis – In A Silent Way
What do you associate with Berlin?
A juxtaposition of old and new; a city in which people come together for arts and music in spite of a history of conflict.
What’s your favourite place in your town?
There is a national park just north of the city that I love to explore – it’s a valley with lots of forests, rivers, caves, and other cool features. In town I hang out at a dive where local musicians live.
If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
Visual arts, writing, or something of that nature. I still attempt to do those things when time allows but my primary focus would shift without music.
What was the last record you bought?
Aphex Twin – Syro – this is the last major release purchase; there are countless others from independent sites but I haven’t really kept track.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Flying Lotus. There’s just something crazy about the way he is able to transform simple ideas and I would love to be a part of that process.
What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
Probably Buckethead – as far as memorable shows go. The guy he was touring with was nuts, too (he made an instrument out of a boot). It is mostly guitar wankery but the showmanship was incredible.
How important is technology to your creative process?
It is essential. We live in an amazing age where an unprecedented number of people have access to software to create music and art in a way that was unthinkable 50 years ago. Not only that, but being able to communicate and collaborate with artists around the world is so impactful. Ideas are being shared freely and easily, it’s unlike anything humans have ever seen.
Do you have siblings and how do they feel about your career?
I have a brother. He is always supportive even if he isn’t totally feeling whatever I’m working on next. At some point we may try to collaborate but that would require high patience due to a lot of disagreement throughout the process.
Our Favourites:
Blossom
Links: Soundcloud | Facebook
