Get To Know: Astral Dreaming
We caught up with Astral Dreaming ahead of his live set in the emanate Discord, to get to know our new favorite producer just a little bit better. Based out of New York, one of the world’s oldest and most exciting music capitals, Astral Dreaming has been dishing up dancefloor delights since 2019 and has become an emanate community favorite ever since.
How did you first get into music production?
I started out making hip hop back in 2011 under a different name, then left the scene for a few years. I had always enjoyed electronic music, listening to artists like Infected Mushroom, Deadmau5, Skrillex, Flux Pavilion, and so one day I decided to come back and this time with an electronic sound. AstralDreaming came around in early 2019 with a Downtempo sound, and slowly evolved into more of a chilled house sound that you hear today
What drew you to electronic music?
I used to run / bike a lot, like every day, and all the while I would be blasting electronic music in my headphones. It kept the energy flowing and for years, kept me active and fit
Electronic music has a lot of sub genres, where would you say your sound sits?
I’d say my sound is somewhere in the Progressive House / Deep House area, with some Downtempo influences. People have also described my music as ‘space-themed’; good for movies and video games etc.
When you’re writing a new song, where do you start?
I typically start with a generic piano and explore some chords, then once I have a chord progression that fits my mood I jump into sound design with any variety of wavetable synths and pads.
Who are your biggest artistic influences?
From both a music industry and sound standpoint, I’d say my biggest influence is Deadmau5.
Where do you find inspiration? What motivates you to create?
Creation for me comes in the moment, and sometimes that can be in the middle of my day job. I use an app called Reason Compact on my phone which has some basic wavetable synths and a drum machine that lets me “take notes” that I can later develop at home in the studio.
Where do you think music is heading in regards to Web3?
I think Web3 makes it much easier to have ownership of your music, and it’s a way to make your music more of an asset than just an audio file hosted by a webpage.
How do you think an artist can stand out in this ecosystem?
These days, everyone is a music producer. The best way to stand out is to be different. And the best way to be different, is to make music that you like, make your own style and stick with it.
Are you working on anything new at the moment?
I’m slowly learning how to create more of an upbeat vibe in my music, and eventually I’d like to start working on more of a tech house sound that somehow incorporates my space / chill theme.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you began writing/producing music? What advice would you give to an artist just starting out today?
If I could go back and do it all again, I would focus more on making the human connection with people in the music industry. My advice to someone just starting out today is to just focus on making that human connection and be honest about why you make music in the first place.
