Hey Stelios, thanks for chatting with us today. Where in the world are you at the moment?
Hi guys, thank you for having me! I’m in Bordeaux, France at the moment.
You’ve just released your new album ‘Human Damage Human’. Can you tell us a little bit about the production process behind the LP and how long it has been in the making?
The process was pretty slow and painstaking. I actually started writing material for it (without intending it to be an album project) at some point during the pandemic lockdowns and continued adding/subtracting/tweaking all the way up until some months ago!
Where did the album name come from? Is it linked to a running concept?
The easy interpretation is that I recently dealt with some intense personal stuff and I quite literally wanted that to be reflected in my work. Also, I have this nerdish enthusiasm/curiosity about species instinctively not harming one of their own (such as an ape never killing another ape) – something that clearly isn’t true with humans.
The album was released on Bedrock Records – a label you’ve been closely affiliated with for many years. Can you tell us a bit about your relationship with the imprint?
Both John who owns and Scott who manages the label are good friends. I’ve released a lot of music with them over the years and they’re not only great at what they do but also appreciative of and honest with the people they work with. In addition, I’ve discovered that they’re always up for a challenge and happy to experiment with formats/platforms/release strategies etc – something that I think is vital in the modern music landscape.
What are some of the other projects you have in the pipeline for the rest of the year?
I have a slew of original productions and remixes coming up over the next few months – everything from ambient to dubby techno.
Do you have any upcoming performances that our readers should know about?
I’m headed back out to Asia in July – first up is a long tour of China which I’m very excited about as I haven’t been back there in over a decade!
Aside from producing and DJing, what do you spend most of your time doing? Do you have other projects within the music space?
I don’t really have much time away from music these days. If I’m not making or playing it, I usually spend my time trying to keep up with or get better at the distribution, strategy or administration of it.
How did you original get into music and turn it into a career?
Mostly by luck. I was already in music school pursuing a Masters degree by the time I got my first break (someone discovered my demo in a pile of other CDs and offered to release it), but I had no idea at the time that it would SOMEHOW lead to a lifelong passion and a career. I’d very much like to say that it was a case of “the rest is history” but I think we all know that’s rarely – if ever – the case.
Do you have any advice for those of our readers who are just starting out their musical journeys?
Don’t do it! Just kidding. My advice would be to only seriously pursue this kind of life if they’re truly passionate about and committed to the art itself. Everything else is ephemeral and transient. On the other hand, there’s absolutely no shame or judgement in wanting to be a part-time or hobbying musician. In fact, it might even be more prudent in the long run since the success rate (which I realise is a subjective measurement) is so absurdly low.
Do you have any final words?
As always, I’d like to thank the people I work with and everyone that supports me (in one way or another) in order for me do what I do. It’s a cliche to say I have the best job in the world – believe me, there are more than enough moments in any given day when I feel I’d best be suited to doing something else. However, the mere fact that I’ve been given a platform to share something I’ve made with the world and a megaphone to shout about it still blows my mind and humbles me. I hope your readers enjoy listening to it.
