What is your name?
Sensoren
What is your genre of music?
I create electronic music that pulls from a variety of influences and I don’t limit myself to one genre. In electronic music especially there are lots of boundaries and rules for the particular sub-genres and styles, but I find it more interesting to blend them all together to try and find something new and different.
Give us a little bio about you.
I started playing music when I was 11 or 12, beginning on guitar. I started making electronic music while in college. I had “acquired” FL studio while trying to find a way to record guitar, but the possibilities of midi caught my interest. I spent a long time after that experimenting with software synths in Cubase and Logic, producing music sporadically but not releasing anything until the past year or so when I started to take it more seriously.
What made you go into music?
Aside from having some family members that got me into guitar, I realized I enjoy the experience of solitary work that one can do at their own pace and to their own standards. As a teenager, playing guitar always made way more sense to me than playing sports. You make your own rules and do what you want. That’s how I approach electronic music now.
Who are your influences?
My biggest influence for electronic music specifically has been Modeselektor, after stumbling across the song “Pretentious Friends” featuring the rapper Bus driver. That album, Monkeytown, was really my introduction to EDM. My background before that is mostly metal, with bands like Fear Factory and KMFDM being the earliest stepping stones toward electronic stuff.
Are you signed?
I’m currently releasing music on my own label Chameleons Risen, which I’ve set up as a way for myself and others in my network to distribute our music with a DIY, nose-to-the-grindstone ethic. We distribute to all the streaming platforms and will be doing some limited cassette releases too (including the upcoming Sensoren full-length). I’m looking forward to growing the label, but as far as Sensoren is concerned I’m very open to the idea of third-party label support.
You released your new single ‘Tethered’, tell us more about the single.
This is my fifth single in support of the upcoming album, which is arguably too many. When I released the first three I wasn’t even planning on doing a full-length, so I’ve had to dig a little deeper into the album for these last few. “Tethered” turned out to be kind of a sleeper hit for me. I recorded it in one night and didn’t think much of it, but its actually one of the more cohesive pieces and its gotten a good response from people whose opinions I respect.
Describe the track in two words.
Ephemeral. Trancey.
Who did you work with on the single?
I composed and produced it myself, but it was mixed by Sleepy Rye at AGL Sounds and mastered by Elaine Rasnake at Daughterboard Audio. They both did a great job on the single and the full-length.
What was the writing and recording process like?
Very fast. Sometimes I’ll spend a lot of time analyzing and reworking arrangements but this one came together very naturally. This one really captures a specific vibe, and I think thats a result of trusting my gut and not overthinking it.
We are also set to see your brand-new LP ‘Idiot Brain’ coming soon. Tell us what we can expect from it?
There’s a lot of different sounds on this album, as well as different approaches to composition and recording. I think it’s a pretty well-rounded album with some more up-front and denser songs in the beginning. Towards the second half it starts to open up a bit with more sparse arrangements and simplified instrumentation. To me it’s really reflective of how I’ve arrived at this point – experimenting with different processes to find both the sounds and the methodology that I like.
Describe each track in two words or the album in one sentence.
Idiot Brain represents a stage of self-discovery and reflection in an effort to understand who I am both as a person and as a musician.
Will we see any music videos for any of the songs off the new album?
I don’t have any plans at the moment, but I would love to add more visual elements to the music in whatever way my resources will allow.
What else can we expect in 2022?
I’ve recently been recording vocals for my other project Async Await for an album that will be released either late 2022 or early 2023. My label Chameleons Risen will also be releasing and re-releasing some music from other artists after Idiot Brain comes out, both on streaming services and limited cassette.
Where do you see yourself now in 5 Years?
Hopefully making music for a living. I don’t know how realistic that is, but it’s something to aspire to. Either way, I’m going to continue releasing music as Sensoren indefinitely. I have a lot of goals for both Sensoren and other projects that I’m sure will take me at least 5 years to get through.
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
My dad always used to say “work smarter not harder”, but I’ve been trying to do both. I really hate the “rise and grind” mentality that people feel forced to adopt, I don’t think it’s a healthy lifestyle, but at this point I think there’s not much of a choice for any musician trying to launch a new project. I’m trying to utilize all my time while I’ve got it.
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
I haven’t played any shows yet but I’m working on a semi-improvisational set with a heavier emphasis on the dance aspect using only analogue synths. So that list will eventually include a Novation Launchpad and a few Korg Volcas. And beer. I’m looking to start playing shows in the Northeast (US) once the album is out and the cassette tapes are pressed.
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
SENSOREN
Twitter
Instagram
Soundcloud
Bandcamp
Spotify
Chameleons Risen
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