• staff@ninetofiverecords.com
  • NINETOFIVE® - News about beatmakers around the world.
Facebook-f Twitter Instagram Youtube Discord
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Playlists
  • Music
  • Art
  • Afternoon Beats
  • About
  • Contact
Menu
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Playlists
  • Music
  • Art
  • Afternoon Beats
  • About
  • Contact
Home Entertainment Music

Find the thing that’s uniquely yours and cultivate it. – Deca Interview.

Luciano Brougham by Luciano Brougham
October 8, 2021
in Music
0
Find the thing that’s uniquely yours and cultivate it. – Deca Interview.
127
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Deca is an NYC-based producer and rapper from Denver. As an emcee he clearly puts a lot of thought into his lyrics, with elegantly woven rhyme structures and esoteric language. However, on his new album Flux, he directs all his focus towards the beats.

Eventhough Flux is instrumental, he tells stories through vivid soundscapes and vocal audio bites from old records, movies and radio theatre. Deca samples without discrimination and channels a broad feed of content through his artistic spectrum. With the universe as his palette, he paints a colorful picture for the listener.

While letting elements of Golden Age Hip Hop act as pillars for the monument, he practices a genreless approach, reminiscent of acts such as DJ Shadow and The Avalanches. The result is an enchanting piece of sound architecture that transcends beyond the four walls of everyday life.

We wanted to know more about the man behind the music.

01. You’ve been producing and on the beat scene for quite some time, but for listeners who are new to your sound, how would you describe your music and why your style/voice are important?

I would leave it to someone else to say why it’s important. But I like sounds that have a dreamlike quality. Music that reminds you of a place you’ve been, but can’t quite place exactly when or where.

02. Tell me about the creation of, Flux. Was it influenced by events going on in your life? Who were some of the other artists you felt most inspired by while creating it? And how did you know that it was right as an instrumental project as opposed to one where you use vocals?

Yeah, I think my music always reflects what’s going on in my life at the time I’m making it.

To be honest, the bulk of the music on Flux consist of beats that didn’t make it on other albums for one reason or another. Or they were unfinished sketches. I went through the archives, compiled my favorites, and then reworked and fine tuned everything over the course of four months. It was mostly songs that didn’t have a home that I thought were good enough to put out there. Then I reached out to producers Neon Brown, Felix Fast4word, and Man Mantis for a couple of remixes of songs from, The Way Through.

03. Is there a song off the project that means the most to you? If yes, which one/why?

I like “Space Dust” a lot. I just like the feel of the beat and the spoken word chops.

“Space Dust”

04. The cover art for Flux is bright, vibrant, and kaleidoscopic, to say the least. Who designed it? And why did you feel it fit your project so well?

I did the cover for this one and my last three albums; The Way Through, Forest Agates and The Ocean. The whole thing is a collage. It’s hard to tell but a lot of the paper I used are cut up photographs of the Zip disks I use to save beats on.

There’s definitely a collage element to sample based music so I think it fits well. Sample based music is a lot like collage. Depending on the beat, you’re taking disparate little pieces from a handful of different sources and turning them into something cohesive.

05. Tell me about your production setup. What hardware/software/microphones are the most important part of your creative process?

I have a MPC2000 XL, an OP-1 synthesizer, a Rode NTK microphone, and I use Pro Tools to record and sequence.

The MPC is the thing I use the most. The OP-1 is the most recent addition which has been huge. It’s an amazing little synthesizer.

06. You’ve spoken in past interviews about your struggles with addiction, and relocating from Denver to LA to move past that part of your life back in 2008. What was your daily routine like in those early years, and what was music’s place in your recovery?

Yeah, I moved from Denver to LA in ’08, and then to NYC around 2010.

I was just trying to recover mentally. In my head I thought, I’m gonna get clean and everything will fall into place, but that definitely wasn’t the case. The hardest part was starting to deal with the issues that led to my addiction in the first place, and even all these years later that’s still something I’m in the process of doing. But at the time I moved to LA, I was in a relationship with a girl that got me a plane ticket out there and basically nursed me back to health. I started going to a methadone clinic and slowly weened myself off over the course of about three months. I got a job delivering pizzas in the valley and started working on what eventually became my album, The Veil.

“The Veil”

07. What does your daily life look like right now? Are you working as a musician full-time or do you work side hustles?

I just work on music all day, everyday. I’ve been able to live off music for about two years now. Before that I was doing construction and working as a freelance carpenter, doing odd jobs and building sets for events here in New York.

08. What advice would you have for other producers in your genre looking to take their passion and turn it into their means of living?

Find the thing that’s uniquely yours and cultivate it. I think if you do things for the right reasons and with the right intentions, opportunity will knock eventually and people will catch on. Even if you’re not able to make a living off of it, do it anyway.

“Gabriel Ratchet”

09. Do you think your generation–-the early millennials (born between the mid ’80s and early ’90s)—have experienced its struggles with opioids differently the late/post-milennials born 1994-2002? If yes, what would you say is the main generational difference?

I know when I first started going heavy on opiates, it seemed like pharmaceuticals had really just started coming in a few years prior. Then maybe two or three years later they were everywhere. Everyone around me was doing OxyContin, Xanax, Percs, Clonapines, Soma, Vicodins, Lean, etc. As far as I can tell, kids go even harder than we did. It’s an epidemic and a lot of musicians are out here glorifying the worst impulses in us.

I know when I was going through it no one could tell me shit. So I don’t think pointing a finger does a whole lot, especially because it’s a deeper systemic problem that big pharma is 98% responsible for. But I’m definitely not a fan of the nihilism and shock value that a lot of artists today are pushing. Music is a powerful thing. As much as people say otherwise, a lot of responsibility comes along with the words you say and the music you put out there. I don’t think you should censor your experiences, but I do think you should relay them in a truthful way.

I really appreciate the interview!

Follow Deca Online:

• Website: https://beulahrecords.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/decamusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DecaMusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DecaMusic
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/decamusic

The article has been made by Niko Fox, Max I Million and Matt from Diamond Media 360.

Thank you for taking the time and sharing your thoughts and answering the questions we had. It’s truly appreciated, make sure to give Deca a follow and stay updated on his releases. /Linus.

Tags: DecaInterview
Previous Post

DJ Cam The Downrocka – Exclusive Mix

Next Post

Waahiid – 4thewhat? (Official Video)

Related Posts

Tenda Senda shares EP titled CALMA

Tenda Senda shares EP titled CALMA

May 20, 2022
ØDYSSEE and Florent Garcia teams up for their new single Wandering

ØDYSSEE and Florent Garcia teams up for their new single Wandering

May 12, 2022
House Blends – Compilation EP

House Blends – Compilation EP

May 6, 2022
Waahiid – Gram Blends Vol.1

Waahiid – Gram Blends Vol.1

April 24, 2022
Next Post

Waahiid - 4thewhat? (Official Video)

Discussion about this post

Recommended

KLIM shares new song ‘Rustle’.

KLIM shares new song ‘Rustle’.

1 year ago

The Equation Beats – Es Un Viernes

3 years ago
  • 🍊 @tendasenda provides a beautiful and stunning EP titled CALMA perfect for the start of the summer warmness that we’re all going through. The approach is pure calmness and a positive atmosphere. This release is the debut from Tenda Senda on the catalogue in collaboration with the homies over at @stzzyasfvck 

We’re seeing two songs being presented, which goes together very well but has their differences. He is truly talented in shaping different melodies in both CALMA and the previous projects that he’s been putting out. Sunday Ride starts out with this beautiful acoustic guitars that takes you away into a drift for a moment. Then the second approach titled Korali is just puring through with positive vibes from the melodic touch he’s added. 

#lofi #newmusicfriday #spotify #applemusic #beats #ninetofive #ninetofiverecords
  • Always heat from @_waahiid_ - we recently put out his Gram Blends Vol. 1 with a ton of unreleased gems he has made during the year. 

In the article it is also mentioned about his upcoming works that
  • I have the great honor of presenting the new single made by the two producers & creators 🇫🇷 @odyssee_lc and @florent.gar . We have seen their collaborations in the past reach great success on the catalog and now we have the great pleasure of experiencing it again. The song is a blissful track made with such deep & atmospheric tones. It has the ability of taking you into an cinematic scene in both uplifting ways but also with a deeper thoughtfulness. ⁣
⁣
I am happy to see both of them trying out different styles & experimenting with their talents in this one and i am so greatful for you all showing love & support. Make sure to press the link in biography and stream the new song.
  • The first official NINETOFIVE® compilation titled House Blends with @kreatev @cupidonmusic @greyboxmusic and @gustav_gustav_gustav_ with photos by @notoriousfusick now available on all services. 

Read the full article about this gem on the website. We are super excited for this & hope you will vibe to it. 💯🔥
  • 📟 This Friday, got a bit of a surprise project being released. An amazing lineup of uptempo beats on the catalog branded under the Ninetofive® which is the first time we are doing this. 

The project is in collaboration with the talented photographer @notoriousfusick 🇺🇸 from Los Angeles to bring the best vibes possible on this. I truly hope you
  • It is now two years since we saw @_waahiid_ project ‘Waahiids Deli‘ come to life and being released. The very talented producer originally from Spain but located in the states (Los Angeles) has decided to share some of his work process and his inspiration through the years.

The project is a glimse of what he’s been working on and we are seeing his official project come to life during the end of this year. Waahiid is one of the few producers with such unique sound and in his own lane. The moods he can create in these are just stunning, blending happy notes with grimey ones to total perfection. His love for small addition of rap & RnB doesn’t go unnoticed as well.

I spoke a bit with Waahiid about the approach and his vision – This is what he had to say himself about the Gram Blends – Here is the first of a series of compilations I’m putting together before my new album is out. “Waahiid Gram Blends” is a collection of tracks and visuals that I have shared and removed from instagram over the years. Our art deserves a longer lifespan than what is provided by the instant consumption of content going on these days

I do personally agree with Waahiid in terms of how much work people are putting in towards social media (when it comes to art) and music. For stories and such then it just disappears into a pool of “expired” material that noone looks at more. It’s a good observation to now re-use his material and giving it new life for listeners that has not seen his creations. 

Make sure to follow him on his journey and swipe left to hear the preview of the Gram Blends mix or visit the website for the official video on youtube. Photo by @monsrock
  • We are seeing three absolute gems produced and made by the very talented @n.kmusic - We start of with the song Okythoos which takes you away for a smooth ride & journey which sets the note for his project 1998. Slow but still very uplifting tones with jazzy influences which brings your mood up instantly after you press play. 

Second track titled Neph has that iconic lo-fi feel to it but he still manages to take elements from the first track to involve the jazzy vibe. NK Music successfully takes us for a journey and it’s the same for the third and last song in this beautiful EP – Laestry. He truly has an ear how to wrap up songs together in a great release and they don’t drift away into any other approach than what he had in mind. 

The release can now be found on all streaming services. In collaboration with @stzzyasfvck 💯👑
  • 🔥 We are back with another beautiful set and video made possible by the great @vince_navv & @divinesun_ A full 35 minute set carefully selected for your chill listening sessions. 

This time, we’re in a very calm and relaxing enviroment located in 🇺🇸 Los Angeles. The support recently has been amazing and we all would like to thank you for showing love and tuning in each time, we’re planning to do a invitational session soon as well! 

Please make sure to follow the artists that we’re showcasing if you’re hearing something you vibing with to help the community grow. 💯 episode live on the website, link in bio. 👑

#djset #ninetofive #losangeles #afternoonbeats
  • Join us on Tuesday for the seventh episode of Afternoon Beats with 🇺🇸 @vince_navv and @divinesun_ 

Sharing some behind the scenes for each upcoming episode. 📸 by Vince. 

Highly appreciate the support on the previous ones we

Spotify

Tenda Senda shares EP titled CALMA

Tenda Senda shares EP titled CALMA
by Luciano Brougham
May 20, 2022
0

Official Artwork - Tenda Senda (Calma) Tenda Senda provides a beautiful and stunning EP titled CALMA perfect for the start...

Read more

ØDYSSEE and Florent Garcia teams up for their new single Wandering

ØDYSSEE and Florent Garcia teams up for their new single Wandering
by Luciano Brougham
May 12, 2022
0

Official Artwork - Luciano Brougham I have the great honor of presenting the new single made by the two french...

Read more

House Blends – Compilation EP

House Blends – Compilation EP
by Luciano Brougham
May 6, 2022
0

House Blends - Official Artwork in collaboration with @notoriousfusick https://youtu.be/RWqwDcZE1WYToday we are announcing the first compilation that we are putting...

Read more

Waahiid – Gram Blends Vol.1

Waahiid – Gram Blends Vol.1
by Luciano Brougham
April 24, 2022
0

https://youtu.be/Kc1dW9iFk4YIt is now two years since we saw Waahiid's project 'Waahiids Deli' come to life and being released. The very...

Read more

Join the tribe.

Producers whose work is selected for release on the catalog will have the support of our team in developing high-quality art and with developing a promotional strategy for the release. Our editorial staff also conducts interviews and develops press bios with many of the artists on our roster; we care about helping expose the individuals and stories behind the music.

Since we care about the producer, we aim to keep a in-house membership due to travelling, live-shows and yearly gatherings including support from the crew whenever a producer is releasing something new on the catalog.

Facebook-f Twitter Spotify Apple Soundcloud Discord

NINETOFIVE 2022 © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED