We caught up with Aether to debate his newest EP” “Moonstone” and his artistic course of when navigating Retinitis Pigmentosa, a uncommon eye situation.
On the earth of digital dance music, there’s greater than meets the attention.
Born with a uncommon eye illness and pronounced legally blind at age 17, Aether has crafted a singular and mesmerizing catalog of music. He is additionally a shiny instance for visually impaired creatives.
Hailing from Scotland, the producer, composer and sound designer developed a passionate love for all issues music all through his childhood and spent lots of his teenage years exploring music manufacturing in his bed room.
c/o Press
Throughout his 10-year profession, he has dabbled in modern piano, ambient and digital dance music whereas repeatedly evolving his craft. Regardless of his visible situation, Retinitis Pigmentosa, which results in plenty of obstacles that complicate the artistic course of, Aether has at all times emerged victorious.
His newest mission comes within the type of Moonstone, an enthralling Monstercat EP impressed by the best way gem stones evolve into new formations. All 4 of its tracks have been created within the order they seem on the ultimate file, mimicking the crystalline evolution course of by reworking the earlier observe’s basis into the subsequent.
From the ethereal ambiances and lo-fi grooves of “Aquamarine” to the gritty, garage-influenced breaks on “Sapphire,” Moonstone is a real stunner. Forward of the mission’s launch, EDM.com caught up with Aether to debate the EP, his artistic course of as a visually impaired artist and far more.
EDM.com: You simply shared your newest EP Moonstone through Monstercat. What was the primary artistic inspiration behind it?
Aether: I initially got down to create an ambient EP, however I needed to push myself just a little additional with this mission and so I made a decision to see if I can pattern my ambient EP and switch it into one thing fully new and refreshing. The end result was Moonstone.
EDM.com: Inform us extra about your journey navigating the music trade as a visually impaired producer. What’s your situation known as and the way does it have an effect on or hinder your capacity to create?
Aether: I used to be born with a situation known as Retinitis Pigmentosa. It’s a genetic degenerative illness that deteriorates my imaginative and prescient over time, beginning with my peripheral and evening imaginative and prescient. The first method it hinders my capacity to put in writing music is usually simply fighting viewing gridlines and studying small UI on plugins.
EDM.com: Do you employ any specialised {hardware} or software program instruments that assist information you thru manufacturing and engineering? In that case, what do these appear to be?
Aether: I’ve dabbled with some, my grandfather additionally has Retinitis Pigmentosa so he was blind via my complete life. He spent lots of time on his laptop and confirmed me some software program that might learn out no matter your mouse cursor is hovering over. So for instance button names, textual content paragraphs, folder names, et cetera.
I additionally tried out magnification units however I did not really feel these useful sufficient to maintain in my rotation. Presently I attempt to create workflows that do not require any extra help and that is why I took constructing some {hardware} modular synths. This offers me full management and I haven’t got to fret about shedding my mouse cursor—though having this inverted is useful—or attempting to be taught what worth I’ve set as a parameter on a UI. {Hardware} I can really feel the place of the parameter.
EDM.com: Are there any elements of 1’s expertise as a visually impaired particular person in music that you just want folks knew extra about?
Aether: To be trustworthy not likely. I’m simply very grateful that regardless of my situation, I’m nonetheless capable of inform tales and discover the attractive world of sound. If something I might simply encourage extra visually impaired, or another disabled folks to not let their disabilities management them. Take advantage of with what you’ve obtained, you’ll be stunned the place it might probably lead in the event you really consider in your self.
EDM.com: How would you describe the evolution of your sound for the reason that launch of your profession 10 years in the past, and what have been a few of the most important driving influences behind that evolution?
Aether: Basically I feel my sound nonetheless falls underneath the “ethereal” sound palette as I name it. Though I’ve branched off into different genres (modern romantic, ambient, online game soundtracks to call a number of) I feel the core of my sound stays. I simply realized so much about management it. I realized to benefit from the expertise reasonably than getting annoyed by it too. General I’m very happy with every thing I’ve achieved in these 10 years and I am very excited to see what the subsequent 10 will convey!
Proper now, my greatest creative affect is LORN. I’ve adopted his music for round eight years and listening to what he writes now, his unbelievable management of sound, his use of distortion and compression, every thing he’s launched just lately has left me awe-inspired. I try to achieve that stage of management.
EDM.com: What does your music creation and manufacturing course of appear to be? Have you ever developed any particular workflows that folks may discover distinctive or unconventional?
Aether: Actually I might love if I did have one thing cool to share right here, however for me I begin 99% of my music with a melody. A melody to me is the reminiscence of the track, so its a lot simpler to form a track when you have got essentially the most ear-catching half.
I do know there’s loopy drum solos and different unbelievable components to music, I do not wish to take that away from anybody, however for me and the types of music I write, melody is the important thing. From there it actually is determined by the model of music. If it is digital then I’ll go to drums subsequent. If it’s ambient then I will course of the melody, if it’s soundtracks then I’ll proceed including extra melodies and development. Numerous these items are interchangeable too.
EDM.com: Pulling out of your distinctive expertise and insights as a visually impaired artist and sound engineer, are there any uncommon ideas you’d give to a fellow producer asking for recommendation?
Aether: Use your ears, not your eyes. I do know with how stunning EQs can look today it is simple to be very mathematical with it. However actually in the event you simply take heed to the distinction, that is as essential, if no more essential, than slicing/boosting sure frequency ranges.
EDM.com: Do you have got any future plans that you just’re enthusiastic about and wish to share?
Aether: I’ve solely simply start the music practice for this yr. If all goes effectively there might be lots of albums releasing this yr. I’ve two private albums and two soundtracks within the works. They’re all just about completed on the level of penning this too, so I’m excited to proceed to share extra tales with you all. Thanks for listening and thanks for studying.
Comply with Aether:
Fb: fb.com/aetheraudio
Instagram: instagram.com/aetheraudio
Twitter: twitter.com/AetherAudio
Spotify: spoti.fi/3FyHtFs
