Iszlai: Interview + Featherbed A/V Re-Stream
The eclectic producer and multi-instrumentalist Iszlai has been carving out a space for himself amongst the nebulous field of sample-collage music. In tandem with today’s re-screening of Iszlai’s Featherbed Sessions performance for the Rusted Rhythms A/V series, we took the time to peel back some of the opaque layers to his profile, and got into some of the details surrounding his craftsmanship.
The Hungarian-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Iszlai has been carving out a space for himself amongst the nebulous field of sample-collage music. His unassailable grasp for arrangement and musical narratives is what tethers his music to sound of pure intrigue, and each iteration of his work has a tendency to overflow with a bounty of note relationships and variable rhythms. It’s a deadly combination, and one that consistently delivers in it’s unique, stutter-stepped fashion.
While geography separates Iszlai from the U.S. circuit by a little over 5000 miles, the advent of 2020’s performance streaming frenzy brought about the perfect opportunity to connect with fans new and old beyond just his studio releases. The Rust’s Featherbed Vol. XIII stream featured a full-spectrum Iszlai performance paired with Euphoric Aspects manning the visual production. It’s one thing to listen to Islzai’s catalog on record, exploring each track with as much or as little attention as one sees fit; it is another thing entirely to submerse the senses in a meticulously crafted Iszlai mix, bringing his discography to life through novel blends and precision cuts. It transforms the amalgam of songs into something far more cinematic, echoing the atmosphere of the psychedelic scores from generations past. This performance is being included in today’s edition of the Rusted Rhythms A/V Series at 8pm EDT, and will be cataloged in posterity alongside the rest of the Rusted Rhythms mixes.
In tandem with today’s re-screening of Iszlai’s Featherbed performance, we took the time to peel back some of the opaque layers to his profile, and got into some of the details surrounding his craftsmanship.
The Rust: Your music is definitely on the complex end of the spectrum; how did you come into the craft of production?
Iszlai: I used to do quite a lot of audio editing for short films back in college, and I played guitar in some bands around that time. I hated electronic music back then, but somehow I got intrigued by records having unconventional, weird guitar sounds. So I tried to record myself playing through all these crazy effect chains. It was a fun hobby, I started adding drums and other instruments, I edited my takes, then I just slid down a rabbithole and never turned back.
The Rust: Do you have a history of music education? How did you find yourself drawn to sound in the first place?
Iszlai: During my teenage years I was fascinated by playing live music. I went home and studied by myself, learned from others, it was an organic process. Everyone seemed to be better than me, that kind of pushed me to learn more, even though I was interested in applying to film school. Fortunately I could work with sound there, this opened up a whole new world for me, which eventually led me back to music.
The Rust: Given your novelty, what were some of the influences that molded your sound? Has collage-style arrangement always been a staple for you?
Iszlai: I think older, non-electronic pieces influenced me more, like Miles Davis. Miles Davis taught me to listen. That being said, the first time I heard and actually listened to electronic collage-like pieces of music, I was blown away. It fascinated me, I realized that there was this amazing ambiguity about it: being intentionally wrong and making perfect sense in a way. Rough editing messes up our perception of continuity, it challenges the “reliability” of the music itself. It is a very intriguing concept to me even today, I see it as a method for alienating the listener.
The Rust: Given the organic texture palette that you focus on, where do you perceive yourself to fit in the wider spectrum of music? Do you even bother to label it?
Iszlai: Wow, I can’t really tell, but I used to think about this. Eventually I just gave up and whatever people call my music, I’m perfectly fine with it. It is difficult for me to label it, because of my versatility. I do electronic music, but my “day job” sometimes requires the exact opposite of that aesthetic. I did small classical pieces, drove myself nuts practicing for opera, I did fully acoustic soundtracks, theatre, noise music, all those influences trickle down into my albums once I get off work.
The Rust: Your Featherbed set was really striking, and you pulled off some serious blends within your catalog. How did you go about putting that together?
Iszlai: Thank you, much appreciated! I used to play these semi-live sets arranged in Ableton, like when you just pull loops from stems, assign them to clips, start messing around. That was basically it. I only thought about how it should begin and which new tracks to include, then I just let go. I practiced a bit and came up with the idea to use that “wake up, work, sleep” interlude, went back and recorded the whole thing.
The Rust: What's the songwriting process like for you? Is there a methodology?
Iszlai: I deliberately try and change my approach, that is always very refreshing to me. I have a natural process of tapping into what I find exciting in that present moment. This can be a piece of hardware, chords, a snare drum, basically anything. I just get into it and zone out. The harder part of the process starts when I get closer to finishing the music.
The Rust: We're a year and some change into the Covid-19 pandemic; would you care to talk about what this experience has been like for you?
Iszlai: I was afraid for a while, there were definitely some rough patches. This eerie silence seeping into our daily lives, life slowly waning away... Staying busy helped, but I started noticing sleep disorder and this tranquil quality of the uneasiness I was experiencing. I remember leaving my apartment, walking down an empty street, feeling very isolated, listening to New Hymn to Freedom by Szun Waves. It was like a slow fever creeping up on me.
The Rust: What are your current plans for the Iszlai project? What are you shooting for across the horizon?
Iszlai: No plans yet, I’m currently working on scores and doing sound design for various projects. This is an exciting time for me as I learn a lot about myself while collaborating with other artists.
Be sure to take a healthy dive through Iszlai’s available catalog to get a full perspective on his cutting edge style of sample-collage production. For those who are interested in checking out further Rust-curated mixes, take a gander at our Rusted Rhythms page for a direct line on hours of aural goodies.
FOLLOW Islzai: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Spotify / Facebook
Staff Picks - 2017
Our collective has an insatiable appetite for new music. We compulsively sift through the depths of the web for tunes we can share with each other and ultimately with you. The sheer volume of music released on a daily basis can be overwhelming. So for a moment we are looking back on 2017 to remind ourselves and our readers of the best drops that went unmentioned in our publication.
Our collective has an insatiable appetite for new music. We compulsively sift through the depths of the web for tunes we can share with each other and ultimately with you. The sheer volume of music released on a daily basis can be overwhelming. We wouldn’t have it any other way, but after all is said and done there's so much music we never have an opportunity to spotlight. So for a moment we are looking back on 2017 to remind ourselves and our readers of the best drops that went unmentioned in our publication. Each staff member has chosen to share one album, EP, or compilation. Maybe you'll discover something new, or end up reflecting on a favorite of your own from 2017.
Thanks for staying chooned with us.
YISHAI | DUFFREY - THE WORLD THAT YOU KNOW (3/1)
Woody Klann’s mindbending adventure through irrepressible dub and stretching tempos was a huge career move for the Bay Area artist. Rarely does a psychedelic LP get dropped on the electronic dance scene, with so many gems that have been playing out for years. Duffrey struggled searching for a label to release his material to a wider audience. To see him release on Shanti Planti is a joy I experienced as fan and friend. Finally, the artist I love was exposed to the world; go check him out!
FOLLOW Duffrey: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook
MALAKAI | LUSINE - SENSORIMOTOR (3/3)
Lusine has been a longtime favorite of mine since discovering the Ghostly Internationalrecord label a number of years ago. His music really satisfies something that I don’t find in many other places. It has a sort of elegance, simplicity and spaciousness to it while still maintaining a strong, driving energy that is no small feat of balance. Sensorimotor is a masterfully crafted sonic journey that walks that line flawlessly, taking you from the dance floor into the clouds and back again. Composition aside, the sound design and production on Sensorimotor is some of the more evocative, articulate and engaging work I have heard in a long time. It truly lives up to its title, offering a fully immersive sensory and motor experience through sound.
FOLLOW Lusine: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook
PASQUALE | ALFA MIST - ANTIPHON (3/3)
My foray into the world of jazz music is a long-standing passion and musical influence that I've chased after for about four or five years now. Sometimes, in the course of listening through countless LPs, EPs, and singles, you stumble across that one particular record that forces you to take a step back, re-engage, and find yourself completely immersed in an aural headspace. Antiphon by Alfa Mist is one such record, and really solidified my current approach to and appreciation for avant-garde directions in jazz and other instrumental music. It is a conscientious mosaic of tonal relationships and organic rhythms. Each track on the album takes on a unique and effervescent form, and feels like the culmination of decades of jazz theory and stylistic development; it is distinctly jazz in the 21st century.
FOLLOW Alfa Mist: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook
KATIN | THE BUG VS. EARTH - CONCRETE DESERT (3/24)
I am a huge fan of droned out guitar riffs and dubstep. That’s why I thought the collaboration between Earth and The Bug was too good to be true. Instead, Concrete Desert makes a statement, and the two styles coalesce to form more than the sum of their parts. Dark and heavy bass music is lifted up with melodic ambience and distorted guitars. The music has a theme that could place you on the American frontier, or appear as the soundtrack to an eerie thriller movie. It is the duo’s debut LP, and follows the Boa/Cold EP that put these two on the map, excellent in its own right.
Two icons, both Earth (Dylan Carlson) and The Bug have each pursued their sounds for more than twenty years. It is to our luck that they saw the potential of forming this collaborative project. It's not for the faint of heart, but certainly is for those keen on the organic meeting the technological in music.
FOLLOW Earth: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook
FOLLOW The Bug: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook
WYLER | ISZLAI - ROTUNDA (5/27)
Little can be found about Jozsef Iszlai, aside from his Romanian origin and hometown of Csikszereda. He currently resides in Cluj Napoca, the de facto capitol of Romania’s Transylvania region. I managed to gather that he plays guitar left-handed, and has since his mother brought one home when Jozsef was nine. One thing that really stood out is that he produces music for television and film, and is even currently scoring for theater.
“Rotunda” was released in May of 2017, and is Iszlai’s first full-length release. The album fuses elements of trip-hop, idm, ambient music and deep house whilst also weaving in gorgeously succinct stringwork and organic percussion. A minor eastern influence is also present throughout the release, with interplay between Iszlai’s guitar and alluring asian string melodies. In the past, Iszlai has used foley sound from the city of Cluj Napoca in his music. I’m not sure if that method was integrated into the creation of “Rotunda,” but the slight industrial influence and texturing leads me to believe it was. “Round-up,” my favorite tune from the release, includes what sounds like a Subway car careening along it’s track - an instantly captivating element for a New York City native. The careful rocking of the train is almost soothing in it’s off-kilter cadence and seamless incorporation.
Each track is narrative-based, with a melodious dialogue between elements that tells a tale of mystery and paradox. Ultimately, “Rotunda” is an impressive first release from a young, dextrous artist with a massive range and a penchant for creating emotionally charged music. I eagerly await a future release.
FOLLOW Iszlai: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook
FRANCESCO | FOUR TET - NEW ENERGY (9/29)
Kieran Hebden aka Four Tet recently released his ninth studio album, New Energy. New Energy explores a rich combination of acoustic melodies blended with tranquil yet forward moving beats. I instantly fell in love with this album's ability to simultaneously soothe and stimulate the mind. When listening, I find myself in deep contemplation, but with a sense of acceptance.
FOLLOW Four Tet: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook
MAX | KURSA - YOU CAN EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT FOR BREAKFAST PT. 3 (THE FINAL COURSE) (12/5)
You Can Eat Whatever You Want For Breakfast Part 3 (Final Course) is the final album from Kursa’s recent breakfast-themed trilogy. As one of the pioneers of Neurohop, the Bristol bass legend has gained significant attention in the USA with launch of label SLUGWIFE along with his collaborative project K.L.O. Y.C.E.W.Y.W.F.B. PT. 3 starts off spoon feeding the listener a dose of distortion, glazed with metallic foley sounds, and organized around an assortment of heavily swung '90s boom-bap drum patterns, halftime, and traditional drum and bass breaks.
With a seven-minute “Introduction”, Kursa brings us into a dissonant abyss of thick, watery textures and glistening high ends. Heard in songs “Flabby Fries”, “CANYATHO” and “Green Steal Spork” he uses chopped, distorted, and interwoven bass sounds to carry the melodies of his tracks, turning off-kilter glitch noises into harmonic trip-hop collages. The album tansitions into a sixth track “Wifey” which uses sonic elements similar to “Introduction” to create a cohesive intermission from the hardcore elements of the album. As the record progresses, Kursa's drum and bass roots seamlessly emerge from songs “Dustika” “Coldest Blue” and “Itago” while he continues to interweave the spicy neuro elements that define his style. Although Kursa's breakfast regimine remains highly classified, it is safe to assume that like this record, it is extra chunky, nutrient rich, and uninhibited by societal norms.
FOLLOW Kursa: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook
MARK | MICKMAN - MENDING THE RIVEN (12/6)
Mending the Riven is the third LP overall, and the second of 2017, from the elusive Illinois-based glitch wizard Cameron Ingraham aka Mickman. This release, Mickman’s longest to date, delves deep into downtempo and traverses time signatures with abandon on songs like “The Human” and “Entelechy” (this unfamiliar word means “the realization of potential”). Mickman’s straightforward and intelligent psychedelia is given fresh room to breathe on “Mending the Riven” with relaxed, low-bpm atmospheres. The record escalates in intensity, however, as it rolls along, with Mickman opening the filters and finally letting one rip on the last song, “Contact”. This progression, the thematic song titles, and a consistency of sound design make “Mending the Riven” extraordinarily cohesive. Despite words appearing in just one track, “Now Exist”, a story undergirds the album. These twelve tracks are an effort to sew together the riven, meaning “that which has been split or torn violently”. But what, exactly, is it that’s been split apart as to need mending? That is for the listener to interpret.
FOLLOW Mickman: Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Facebook
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