1. Favourite knob/fader/switch on a piece of gear and why?
I love the Octatrack’s Crossfader. Just so satisfying to use.
2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?
The Ableton push 3 would be almost perfect if it offered more options for generative sequencing built in and more ins and outs without using ADAT or an external interface.
3. What setup do you bring on holiday/tour/commute etc.?
If I don’t have any live gigs I usually bring my OPXY. If I do then I bring the OPXY, and my live setup which is usually my push 3, 2 row modular, zoom L6, and novation launch control XL. I am currently visiting my family in the USA and brought all that as well as my Tonverk.
4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?
I wish some old effects units – SPX90, SE50, Fireworx, Quadraverb etc were available as plugins, it would be great to have access to multiple instances of those great effects. I’d also love if some software synths were converted to hardware, namely Absynth, Razor, Pigments.
5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?
I regret selling many things – Metasonix S1000 Wretch Machine, Machinedrum, Monomachine, STS Serge Modular, Cwejman S1. I regret buying nothing because I need to try things to find out if I like them.
6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?
Without a doubt my eurorack system that I’ve been building since 2010. It completely reshaped everything I knew about sound and production and has been an endless journey of discovery and elation. I’ll add in Elektron devices as a close second.
7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?
I would start with an Ableton Push 3. It is an amazing and underrated device, every type of synthesis with extremely capable sequencing and control in a box, and for whatever reason the synths in it sound better to me than when they are built into Ableton.
8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?
The computer of course. It’s great, but I hate sitting in front of a screen and using a mouse and editing, I much prefer to just jam something out and leave it as is.
9. Most surprising tip/trick/technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?
More of a general tip, but I believe there are unconventional ways to use every piece of gear and finding that way whether intentional or not is what leads you to find the coolest sounds. Most people buy synths to make the same sounds they make on their other gear, just with a new coat of paint. I strive to find the things each piece of gear can do that is unique to itself.
Artist name
Blush Response
Selfie
Genre
Experimental / Industrial / Techno / IDM / Metal
Where are you from?
Miami, FL by way of New York and Berlin
How did you get into music?
I was deeply into electronic music when I was 15-16 and after my family moved to upstate NYC, I got a Microkorg as my first synth to take a shot at making my own stuff
What still drives you to make music?
I love making music and need it to feel sane, it’s a part of me as much as breathing or eating is.
How do you start a new track?
I usually start by playing with sounds and reacting to what I hear and shaping further until I touch on a vibe that feels special and then develop from there.
How do you know when a track is finished?
When it is as good as I can possibly get it to be i the moment.
Show us your current studio
Best advice you ever heard?
Don’t be afraid to be a Z in an X and Y world – Morton Subotnick (as told to a friend of mine).
Promote your latest thing, go ahead, throw us a link
My latest things are my solo album Ego Death and my new collab project with Iggor Cavalera called Cyphonist
Ego Death: https://blushresponse.bandcamp.com/album/ego-death
Cyphonist: https://naturalsciences.bandcamp.com/album/cyphonist
