We’re starting off the year with some very interesting releases, and this one is truly one of them. Boukas has been studying and mastering the art of sound engineering and production during 2019. He’s been involved in plenty of live acts and collaborations during the previous year but now he’s starting to share his work with us – releasing the first project titled ‘Ataraxia‘. A blend between mellow atmosphere and funky drums. Read the full interview with him down below, and make sure you press play on the EP while you’re on it!
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Q&A with Boukas
Tell me a little about your experiences during last year – I know you’ve started to study sound engineering.
This has been a year with a lot of different changes in my life. I have been experimenting a lot with different genres and I have been trying to improve my music in general. Ive started to study a 3 year Bachelors programme in Music, with a specialisation in Music and Sound Production.
Since there’s such a depth in Ataraxia, how would you describe your work flow for this project?
Since there has been alot of changes in my life the past year, that has caused stress, I created this EP called Ataraxia which means: ‘Ataraxia (ἀταραξία, literally, ‘unperturbedness‘, generally translated as ‘imperturbability‘, ‘equanimity‘, or ‘tranquillity‘) is a Greek term first used in Ancient Greek philosophy by Pyrrho and subsequently Epicurus and the Stoics for a lucid state of robust equanimity characterized by ongoing freedom from distress and worry.” So I have tried to capture this feeling in these 3 songs, as an escape from my everyday stress. So the best way to enjoy this EP is to sit back, relax, drink something good, close your eyes and just drift away for a couple of minutes.
I get the feeling you can almost visualize your projects before you start to work on them, and have a full concept – could you tell us more about this?
I like to sit back and think a lot about my music. I like to work with concepts so that I have a clear picture of where I am going with my music as well as how the tracks will flow together. I try to create ”black and white” music, so it is up to the listener to fill in the picture with colors/meaning for themselves. I also try to think that every song is a journey, it starts somewhere and end up somewhere else. Thats why I worked a lot with real instruments (The bass is played by my friend Philip Theodor) and also samples that constantly change.
During 2018 you and me were listening to tracks in your apartment i remember and you showed me both roots/dub tracks and beat tapes. When it comes to different genres you’re not afraid of experimenting – would you say 2020 is the year for you to showcase more of this?
Definitely. I get inspired by a lot of different genres so I will try to combine the inspiration and create something different. Im currently working on a dub-inspired project.
To improve as a beat maker, what’s your goals for this year?
My goals are defiantly to work harder, as a solo artist, with my crew (Stockholm Beat Embassy) and also to study harder.
What artist at the moment truly inspires you and as a bonus, what’s your dream collaboration – If you could pick anyone.
There’s a lot of artists that inspire me. All of the crew members (Gonza, Max I Million and Cam the Downrocka) but also people like Matthew Halsall, Shigeto, Floating Points, Math-Mic, King Tubby.
My dream collaboration is definitely Afta-1. I would love to have a session with him. I want to give a big shout out to Luciano and the whole NINETOFIVE family and all members of the Stockholm Beat Embassy for giving me inspiration and motivation, as well as Elias, Flintah, Math-Mic and Mistah Math for giving me feedback during this journey.
