IPaintMyMind Exclusive Interview : heRobust
Posted by Evan La Ruffa on 18th Aug 2011
Words by Evan La Ruffa
Atlanta has long since groomed creativity. A pulsating metropolis, who's energy is reflected by its art community, the careers of many musicians percolate within this point on the globe. Hayden Kramer aka HeRobust is most certainly an extension of a culture that rewards such vision, and his growing success is a testament to a musical niche whose influence continues to expand. The time of glitchy, electronic-influenced, lower BPM production is here, and heRobust is a hallmark of this distinguished and increasingly global musical movement. IPMM was able to catch up with the man himself between touring stops, and the result was a great conversation with a creative who's cup is sure to overflow. Drawing comparisons to J Dilla, Flying Lotus, B.Lewis, and other forward-thinking 4/4 rebels who are exponentially expanding the possibilities for what "beats" actually are. We're pretty sure that's damn close the definition of evolution. Your fingers aren't webbed anymore either, so dust off the subwoofer, have a read, and download heRobust tunes. Ahead, IPMM delves into his influences, the curse of synth-nerdiness, and the direction of his newest material. EL: Glad to be in touch homie... How's life in ATL? EL: How long have you been making these galactic beats we're enjoying so much?
HK: I started producing when I was about 17. Back then I was making more typical hip hop stuff though. Later, when I started to get into electronica, the "galactic" sound began developing I guess. EL: We've definitely been feelin' your beats. It's so great to see how much people are pushing the limits of beat-centric music... What music has influenced your contribution?
HK: Early on it was all hip hop. I really dug guys like DJ Premiere and J Dilla, of course. Then I heard Prefuse 73's One Word Extinguisher and it changed everything. I just kept digging deeper and deeper into electronic music. I was really into Aphex Twin and Squarepusher for a while, and later my hip hop roots resurfaced, and I wound up getting into guys like Flying Lotus and Mike Slott. EL: Who introduced you to some of that music? It's always special looknig back on how you got clued into something that became so important to you over time...
HK: My good friend Will Roth, aka Kosherbeets of Supreme Ink. He basically introduced me to electronic music. Once he showed me the door, everything just started changing. 
EL: I was just talking to a friend the other day about how I feel the internet has given local artistic and musical movements a new kind of power. Just thinking of it historically, certain aesthetics pop up in specific geographical locations, for example, whats happening in the beat scene in LA these days. What you're doing is a brand new take on that type of evolution in my mind...
HK: Yeah, the internet has been huge for me. Since the beat scene in Atlanta wasn't that big, the internet was the only way to spread my music to cities where it would be enjoyed. I released Albumin, (my debut EP) online, and I started reaching fans all over the world. But thats only half of it... You think Atlanta radio plays LA beat cats? Nope. Its the internet that exposes me to everybody's work and keeps me inspired. EL: You're self described "synth nerd." Is that where you start when you're assembling your compositions?
HK: Haha, yeah. There's basically two main stages of production for me. First I create all the patches. Its about achieving a fine balance and it can take a lot of time. I compare it to how chefs balance acid and salt kind of. Anyway, the second stage is just playing and recording everything. Thats the fun part. Its kinda like the synth building is the fourplay and the recording is the love-making I guess. 
EL: You've been referred to as "Dilla-esque" despite clearly expanding on what Dilla did best, that's gotta be taken as an amazing compliment!
HK: Absolutely. I'm definitely honored by the comparison. You're right about my music expanding on what Dilla created, but I'm just introducing a few new ideas. He's really the foundation. What makes his music so special is how original it was. EL: How do some of your other personal interests affect the way you think of, or the way you write music?
HK: I guess the most direct association would be coding. Reading and writing code taught me how to think about linear processes in creative ways. Now, when Im designing synth patches, I have a more creative perspective on how to use signal flow of audio and CV. (borrrrrrring) EL: Too funny man (laughs)...Lets talk about your record, "Albumin." It's ethereal and atmospheric, yet allows for plenty of head' noddin'... How long did it take you to put that together? And how does it to compare to some of the new stuff you may be working on?
HK: I created Albumin in a few months... didn't exactly get a tan that summer. I pretty much lived in the studio... I'm really proud of Albumin though. I think its a very accessible album that's reached a lot of different kinds of listeners. My new material keeps the jazz and soul vibes intact, but they are higher energy songs. Albumin was cool for headphone listeners, but I'm aiming to entertain those on the dance floor as well with my new stuff. 
EL: Name one artist or musician that IPMM readers should go check out right now.
HK: Mathew David. MD is one of the LA beat guys, but not a normal one. He works with Leaving Records, a great label for the adventurous listener. He's got a crazy way of making you love something that you never thought you'd be interested in. EL: By the way! You gotta do a DJ Series Episode for us!
HK: Absolutely. EL: Been a pleasure mang, glad to have you on IPMM!
