Presence paints pictures. Past creates sound. Phuture comes from creation itself. ‘I Am That‘ perfectly follows those laws, giving us vivid interpretations of a world where vibrations are all we have. ALENAI & milligram teamed up for this one, and we had a chance to interview ALENAI which you can read below. Listen & start scrolling ( & don’t forget to explore the bottom to discover both of these emerging artists)
Interview curated by Michael of the Phuture Collective team.
Phuture Collective : Big warm welcome to Phuture Collective, ALENAI!! So great to have you here. Tell the world a bit about yourself, and what you had for breakfast!
ALENAI : Thanks, it’s great to be a part of the Phuture family!
I’m a musician/ electronic producer from Seattle, Washington. I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering, but I truly hope that just ends up collecting dust as music fills up more of my life. Most things science or philosophy related interest me. Music, though … music is just something I can’t live without.
Oh, and you caught me on a weird day … I had ice-cream for breakfast 😀
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Phuture Collective : What were you trying to convey with I Am That? The textures are titillating! Please tell us about the samples you used and what inspired this track.
ALENAI : I would say “I Am That” attempts to convey the idea that you and the Universe are One. The quote from Neil Degrasse Tyson really ties it together for me; that when you look up at the stars, you are really looking at a form of yourself. “I Am That” is the feeling, realization, the understanding that you are connected to the Universe. You can really lose your self in that.
Thanks! The main samples that inspired me came from two places. First and foremost I have to thank Milligram, because her amazing vocal track was ultimately what allowed me to create the track. She shared it with us on Phuture Collective, and it was so moving that I downloaded it immediately to start playing with it. The second piece of inspiration was actually a piano sample from a Medasin sample pack. I heard it and really loved it, so I recreated it and used it as a basis for the intro/outro of the track.
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Phuture Collective : What does tranquility mean to you, in no more than 10 words.
ALENAI : Acceptance of what is. Lack of disturbance … three more words 😛
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Phuture Collective : We noticed that your SoundCloud following does not match your production ability. Can you give us a rundown of where/how you started making music and how you got to this point?
ALENAI : I have been making and playing music for about 15 years now. I started by learning drums, and then I eventually moved to guitar about 10 years ago. Up until March of 2017, I was mainly a singer/songwriter, and had basically no influence from the electronic scene.
By the encouragement of one of my great, long time friends, I went out to What The Festival?! 2016, and basically fell in love with electronic music over a few days. After some strange coincidences, I was invited to Phuture Collective in March, and have been on this whirlwind of learning and creation ever since.
Production wise, I owe so much to Phuture Collective. The community, motivation, and willingness to help others learn in that family has been absolutely crucial to my development as an artist these past few months.
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Phuture Collective : What would your ideal life include? Within that life, what would your ideal day look like?
ALENAI : Ooo, I love this question; this is a great question for everyone!
Being able to live off of making and playing music is a must for me. I want to be able to put my best efforts into making music, and take that joy I get from creating it and spread it to anyone who is willing to listen. Ideally I’d be able to play both electronic and acoustic stuff too. Beyond that, I’d like a small quiet place, probably somewhere here on the west coast (a nice private studio there of course), friends and family, a good partner to share life with, and at least a few weeks of chill time each year.
An ideal day in this life? Friends and family by day, and music by night. Night time is my favorite for music, especially if I can be alone. I’m not quite sure what it is, but I can really get into that zone in the dead of night.
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Phuture Collective : Who is your favorite person? How do they influence what you love?
ALENAI : Not. Fair. Hahahaha.
The first person that comes to mind, though, is my Guru, Shree Maa. She has taught me so much about life, about death, and who I am as a person. Everything that I do now, and moreso how I do it, is ultimately influenced by Her in some way. I am still learning from Her, and will be for the rest of my life.
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Phuture Collective : Name 3 artists who deserve more recognition!
ALENAI : Stripes, Fooligan, Floret Loret, and so many more too!
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Photo credit: Colin Hudson
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