Underlux

I'm living my truth, feeling brand new. I'm shining bright. I am the light. I'm living my dream. I'm finally seeing. I'm finding my way. I'm here to stay. I'm here to stay. I'm here to stay. I'm here to stay. How is it going Ready fam? It's BBOP here and I am back episode 13 and I cannot believe it. Today's guest host is an exceptionally special guest host. I am super excited to introduce the one, the only Underlux. How you doing? >> What's up everyone? Uh I'm good. You know busy day. Uh just finished up with my physical therapy appointment. uh knee is in better shape than we thought, which is awesome. >> Awesome. >> You know, just kicking it. >> Well, don't kick it too hard with that knee. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um glad to have you. Thanks for coming in after that appointment. I know sometimes fitting in things like this is is difficult, right? We already we rescheduled once and we kind of rolled with it. But I'm so glad you're here. I love your music. Um that is how I found you in the first place was just like, you know, it was Mr. Baseman came out recently and I love Mattio. I saw her at Cookanino this summer and immediately just fell in love with that song and started playing it on loop and I followed you on Instagram the day that day cuz I had shared some stuff for Medio and you shared it too and I was like, "Oh snap, is Underlock's cool? I'm going to have to buy now." And you were super dope, really plur. I really appreciated that. Um, and so I knew as soon as I could I wanted to share your music with my audience and uh kind of crack open your head and uh see things from your artistic lens. >> Okay, appreciate it. >> Um, so where does the name Underlux come from? >> Uh, so bad I mean I guess I still enjoy doing it, but I do a lot of my work um in kind of the twilight hours. I've always found, >> you know, you can really dive in without the distractions of texts or whatever because everyone's asleep. >> Um, so more often than not, I would be finishing my songs as the sun was rising. >> Awesome. >> Felt like >> kind of a cool way to end my day and be like, "Oh, other people's are just beginning, but like this is, you know, um the the finale of my work today is going to you watch the sunrise or whatever." So, I wanted to do something um that incorporated sunlight. So, a lux is a unit of measurement of light. Um >> that is sick. >> Thank you. Uh >> putting that in my notes. >> Yeah. Uh yeah, a lot of people are like, "Oh, lux like deluxe." And I'm like, "No, uh a little slightly more nerdy than that." But uh but yeah, so underlux would just be like that kind of moment because you can see, you know, the sun, the glow of it, you know it's about to come up, but it's not quite there. >> Um It's kind of where I always found my home in that underlux area. >> What a beautiful sentiment. I absolutely love that idea. I actually spent a lot of time at Sunrise myself. Um like you, I was a night owl for a long time working those late hours, but more recently over the last couple years getting up and meditating at sunrise, right? Just like being part of that twilight hour where everything else is asleep, no one else is really there to like blow up your phone or distract you. And I just I find it really special. So your name being that it just it rings true, man, for exactly the kind of music you make. So I love that. >> Appreciate it. Yeah. No, it's nice. >> I think it's important to find those kind of moments. I'm a huge fan slow mornings. So, you know, whether it's you have to get up early or >> wake up later, whatever it is, um >> you know, I I support it. easing into the day there. >> Yeah, >> I like that, too. I think it's um a fast-paced world where it's easy to get caught up and the immediate jump out of bed, brush your teeth, hustle, hustle, hustle, come home, eat dinner, go to sleep, and you really do have to carve some time out for yourself. Um it's one of those, you know, I've seen the meme a thousand times when I was a personal trainer where it's like 30 minutes of sleep versus 30 minutes of like get up and do whatever, you know, whether it's being productive or taking time for yourself. Um but it does make a difference. Do you find it has an impact on your creativity to have that time? >> Yeah, I think more like just the time alone, >> you know. Uh I think it's important >> to kind of reflect on yourself as a person or your own thoughts and I think that the world can kind of dilute those whether or not it intends to or not. you know, >> everybody has their opinion and I think that even with, you know, close friends or family that other people's opinions can leak into your thoughts. >> Definitely. Well, uh, that's why I like kind of making music when no one's up or >> having those slow mornings because you can really kind of just be like, "All right, you know, what am I working on?" Or, "What are we doing today before you, you know, get in contact with people who are like, oh, you know, I want to do this, that, and that or whatever." You can really kind of >> set your intentions for the day. >> Um, >> yes. >> Yeah. I've started just like uh because I used to just answer emails from my bed >> and then that would that was kind of a slippery slope because then three hours of my day were just spent in bed. >> Oh, for sure. >> So now I've been you know reading in the mornings actually which has been nice because it wakes the brain up and still has that, >> you know, kind of um it's a oneperson hobby. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Um, so yeah, getting up and and reading like a chapter or whatever and then deciding like, okay, now it's time to talk to people um has been has been lovely. >> I love that. You know, getting the brain started, putting a little input in before you ask for anything from it. So, as an avid reader myself, I got to know, what are you reading? What are some of your favorite books? This is a side tangent. We're off the music now, but >> Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Um, yeah. I got really really into these cowboy books actually. >> Oh, no way. >> Yeah, I highly recommend them. Uh, Lonesome Dove. >> Nice. >> It's like a series. I think it came out in like the 80s, but it's set, you know, like 1800s cowboys. >> Um, and it's a epic. In the first one, uh, the two main characters are like in their 50s and they're retired Texas Rangers. >> Sick. Um, and one of their buddies convinces them to do like a cattle drive. And so they steal a bunch of cows from Mexico, drive them up to Montana, and it's the whole book, you know, about their adventure. >> Oh my goodness. >> Uh, super good. And then the next book you read, they're like 17 and they're joining the Texas Rangers. >> Okay. Um, so super fun because you've like, you know, when they're 50, they're like tough weathered cowboys with all and you know, they got all their tricks and everything and then when they're 17, they just like know nothing in our >> and you read you're like, "A man, you're about to, you know, you stink at tracking now, but you're going to get so good at it." And uh, yeah, and then the next book, they're like in their 30s and they've been rangering for a while. Um, but just yeah, I really enjoyed the way, you know, he wrote it, um, and everything. And so then I went back into kind of like the sci-fi world. >> Okay. >> Um, and read this book, The Forever War. >> Nice. >> So, it's a good book, but it was I it was quite the jump to go from, you know, like old cowboys in Texas. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> To, you know, uh the main character is like a physicist who is in this army >> and it reads very much like that. So, you know, he's we're talking about collapsar jumps through time and space and everything. And I was like, >> wait, I was just in San Antonio like this >> during lrangeian points next like >> Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. >> Love that. >> So, it was good. I got through that and then I just read and my girlfriend's uh dad is really into these sci-fi books so he hooks them up for me. >> Um but this one is called A Brave New World. >> Oh, I love A Brave New World. >> Oh, do you? >> Yeah. >> All right. So, yeah, I'm uh I think I'm on page like 80, but like that is definitely >> classic. went into the sci-fi and now this is kind of, you know, the first 45 or 50 pages is all about the their the way they manipulate embryos for genetic mutation and things like that. >> Um, so it definitely felt like a little bit of a chemistry project. Um, >> the audible for that is really good. It was actually recorded um in the old like radio uh drama style and so everything is just >> emphasized in such an interesting way. But love the book. Love that you're reading it. And the cowboy thing. So if you ever find yourself out here in Arizona, you're in Denver, right? Don't have to dox you too much, but um we have a museum here. Scottsdale's Museum of the West, Western Spirit. >> And it is one of the coolest museums you'll ever go to cuz it is both like a journey through history and like a real look at some of this stuff. >> They have a lot of modern art and technology integrated into some of the stuff. So you get to see like, you know, landscapes projected in light and all kinds of cool things. And so soon as you started talking about cowboys, I was like, "Oh, Underlux, come to Arizona. I'm going to take you to this museum." >> It's definitely I've been to uh Sedona, Arizona. >> I love it >> for a wedding. And it was like it l felt like magical, you know, like you see the views and it almost would like make me dizzy at points because I was like my mind is having like it looks like the postcards that you you know see. >> So true. >> And then to be just like there it kind of is tough for you to process like yeah this stuff actually exists. It's not just you know a painting or whatever. >> Um >> they call it the psychic vortex here. uh because of all of the iron in the rocks, it makes it exceptionally magnetic and it's also a very spiritual place. And so a lot of people, you know, they have full awakenings there. Our episode 9 guest, uh Sedona is her actual name. Saids Vortex is her her um DJ name, and she had her epiphany uh there in Sedona, looking out and going, I want to capture this in music. >> Nice. um and everything else. You know, she's an incredible artist. But not to talk about her, we're talking about you and we're in a time machine. We've already gone to the Wild West. Let's uh take it back to your past. I want to know what inspired you to get into music. How did Underlux start? >> Um I had always been doing music. My family is very, you know, full of musicians and >> Nice. Um yeah, my uncle um was the first chair violinist and then conductor of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra for 35 years. >> Hell yes. Hell yes. >> Uncle B. Shout out Uncle Billy. >> Shout out Uncle Billy. >> But uh but yeah, my you know, my father was a smart man who he made my brother and I learn piano. Um he was like, "You don't even have to ever play again." He was like, "You have to learn it before >> and you know before you do stuff." >> Oh yes. >> Um and we liked it. Um you know, singing in the car was huge in my family. >> Um so yeah, I think I was in my first band at like third grade. >> Um >> No way. Third grade. >> Yeah, we were cover band. >> Um >> sick. >> Got kicked out because I didn't have the classic, you know, Tom Dong. uh kind of Cali accent. >> Oh, no. >> Yeah, but it's all right. Um got into some other bands and >> yeah, that was all through kind of high school and um once once I was out of that, you know, I didn't really feel like finding a group of guys. So, I was like, I'm going to do this on my own and started producing um rap beats and things like that. And >> yeah, I really never like didn't even know what electronic music was until I was probably like 21, 22. >> Mhm. >> Um and a friend had, you know, heard that I could make music and was like, "Oh, if you can do that, like you should make this." And then showed me a pretty light song. Um I made something similar and that was kind of it. I was like, "Oh, this is super fun." >> Nice. >> You know, got really deep into the community. Um, and that was that was kind of it from there. >> It's a good community. I got my start in rap, too, uh, as MCBop mini a moon ago. >> It was it I still rap like, you know, and I think so I'm I'm trying to do something new, you know, co reoriented a lot of us into trying new things. Um, and watching Prob Cause come out and rap over uh, dubstep, I was like, "Oh, I want to do this now." And fortunately, I know a lot of DJs, so I'm going to make that happen. But >> I wrapped for him recently. Anybody any of the people who follow us on Instagram, um, >> I made him a frog pearler, which you can see here. I'm going to show a picture. Uh, and when he came to Woolly, uh, I I tracked him down and gave it to him. It has like a tongue that spins from his, um, magic frog. When you come here, I'll have to make you a pearler, too. Something to do with light. Have to put some lights in it. Um, and my wife being the badass she is, puts me on the spot in front of Rob Cos and is like, "Oh, you know he spits too, right?" And Robb doesn't miss a beat. He's like, "Oh, yeah. What you got?" Sweat. I don't need that. I actually I loved it. It was great. It was great pressure. But so you start music family, it's in the blood, right? you you've got the piano as your base too, which you know my daughters both play piano for that same reason, right? It is such a fundamental base to music. Um, how does that influence your music now? >> Um, I think just like the total kind of acceptance of all genres >> and things like like we just kind of explored everything and we're allowed to, you know. >> Yeah. Um, like with my dad, the sing alongs were like classic Eagles America, things like that. Um, and then, you know, in my mom's car was where we were allowed to listen to the explicit stuff like our our first, you know, adult or parental advisory CD was >> 50 Cents Get Rich or Die Trying >> and we were, you know, rolling around blasting that with my ma. Um, >> nice. And yeah, I mean today I was I uh saw like a clip of it on TikTok the other day and I forget I had a time in my life where I was obsessed with the Phantom of the Opera. >> The Phantom of the Opera is here, dude. I love it. You and me would just hang out. We' just be talking music time. Let's go. >> Um but yeah, so I was blasting that today. >> Love that. >> The first four songs I was like, man, I don't remember this at all. And then that like the main thing I was like, wait a sec, you know, here it is. >> Oh yeah. Then every song after I was like, "Oh, these are all bops." Um, >> well, yeah, I think like that's kind of uh I mean even um the follow me down track that you highlighted and that you liked like the like a long kind of piano thing. >> Um some might say it's too long, but I was you know I was having fun with it. Um, and that's kind of what happened where I was like, I like this really pretty piano. Like, I'm gonna incorporate it. Um, >> I love that behind the scenes on that. Thank you. >> Yeah, no problem. >> So, go ahead, fill me in. I don't want to interrupt you. You're giving me all the juicy details. >> Oh, no. I mean, I forget. I mean, most my songs go through several versions and rewrites. Um, >> I think that is like the beauty and you know the beast of uh electronic music is that like you have so many options. >> Um, I mean as if you've checked out my catalog, you know that I don't really stay in one genre for too long. >> I was trying to figure that out myself. You were nailed it. >> Yeah, I would I would not pick one as my favorite. I think it just depends on the day. Um but uh but yeah, I think with that one I had made some some pretty intense, you know, dubstep screeches and growls and um I do a lot of my stuff is like explorative. >> Um because I, you know, that's my favorite part is kind of tinkering. Um so I think I was just kind of looking for sounds and then, you know, found uh this piano on like a new VST that I had had. >> Mhm. Oh, I really, you know, want to get that. We kind of had a melody and then was like, I'm gonna make this, you know, >> into a big epic um opening and that was uh that was how Follow Me was made for me. >> Well, we will have to feature that intro outro probably the outro. So, since you've already heard the intro on the way out when you hear the outro, you'll know. Follow me. >> Perfect. So tell me about some of your other music because you're right. When I was going through I'm listening to your Spotify, I'm like, "Okay, okay, I get him. Next song. Wait a minute. Completely different. This is how what is this? This is not." So that's been a very fun exploratory journey through your music because I like to have playlists for everything and I'm like, "Drop this here, drop this here." And now I've just got Underlux down through the playlist. It's like there's at least a couple songs in all of them now. >> Yeah. Um, I think that's kind of not really my intention per se, but just what happened. Like I enjoy all types of music. >> Um, so as I became better at making music, I hear something and I just want to try it. >> Um, so you know, there's times in my life we all go through phases and feelings and, you know, >> absolutely >> at different times. So there's times where I'm like really into some heavy dubstep and I'm like I'm gonna make something gross. Or there's times where I'm into, you know, Pretty Lights and his Glitch Hop Electro Soul stuff. I'm like, "All right, I'm going to, you know, get kind of dark and ex uh, you know, instrumental with it." >> Um, and then yeah, I was going um to Vegas a lot. I was DJing at like a restaurant there. Yes. >> Um and then kind of got caught up in like the club scene. So I was like, "Oh, I'm want some, you know, slap house >> club bangers." And >> um I would say that I've always kind of been a producer first. Um so I guess just being curious with if I can do it and then wanting to do it and uh >> and the answer being yes all the time. >> Yeah. Um, but yeah, or you know, working on it enough to try and figure it out. Um, because I think it also like really has made me respect artists. >> Um, because I think you can hear like a genre or something and be like, "Oh, that's simple." Or, "I just don't like it." You know? >> Yeah. >> Um, and then you try and make it and you're like, "Oh, this is far more complicated than I thought it would be." and you grow an appreciation for kind of that genre. >> Oh yeah. >> But yeah, I think it's it's kind of interesting. People want, you know, one vibe or one feeling out of a person or an artist. Um but that's just, you know, I just feel like people in general have different feelings. >> Yeah. So to be like, I'm going to go to this artist because I'm going to hear this type of thing every single time is totally fine, but it's just not how I've been able to operate. You know, >> I think I said something to this degree on previous episodes, but I've had a chance to even think about it further. You know, many times I've referred to um artists like yourself as having a garden, right? Where you could literally pull different types of, you know, beautiful flowers out and be like, "What does this smell like? This is completely different than what I have over here." But some people aren't actually um making gardens. They're farming, right? And it's just pumpkins all the time. And hey, that's great. You know what? They're going to sell you all the pumpkins you can handle. When it's their season, you're going to buy those pumpkins like they're going out a style. And sometimes you're going to get sick of pumpkin, but when you have a garden, there's nothing to be sick of. You can call always walk around and find something new. So, I love um you know it. Speaking of that, my friend love language between me and my friends is sending each other songs. This is how we like communicate. Sometimes we don't even like talk. We don't even meme. It's just music. And then, you know, if they get the fire emoji, you know you've done right. You get the heart emoji, you're like, oh, I hit the feelings. They give you a thumbs up, you're like, don't know if I really succeeded with giving them the right song. Uh, and I sent one of your songs today getting hyped up, listening to your music, putting it on repeat, cuz you can listen to your music and it's just like a radio station. Like all of it's different. Uh, and don't fear the dark came up and I was like, "Oh, man." Like the samples in this are hitting. It's just it is completely different than all your other music. So, how do you marry that into your sets? Like, how do you go from something like Don't Fear the Dark to Mr. Baseman to like, you know, just all over. >> Totally. Um, yeah. I think as you know, my career has gone pretty long and I've had >> um a lot of opportunities I don't really say no to. >> Um so there's been been times where I'm like I'm playing in a club or doing a club set. Uh >> and I've, you know, I've kind of been more on the opener circuit. >> Okay. >> So I will make something that's tailored to, you know, kind of whoever I'm opening for. >> Nice. Um, and that's also like one of the reasons why it's so eclectic is because I've, you know, had the opportunity to open for a lot of people and play in a lot of different settings. Um, you know, if to to um shout out Denver, uh, but you're not going to play the same set that you would at Cervantes that you would at Temple. >> Definitely. So, I think, you know, as I've built my own kind of DJ catalog, um, that's how I've gotten such an eclectic, you know, producer catalog as well. Um, and then I think people who have come to my shows where I do get to kind of go all over the spectrum, >> um, can see that, you know, an hour or an hour and a half, you know, can be a really long time. is a long time. >> Yeah. Um >> when you when you slice it into two and three minute sections, right, that's a long time. >> Yeah. So I kind of tend to break it down into like a 6 to 10 minute segments. >> Um and that is kind of how I can traverse things, you know. Um it used to be like a little personal joke of mine. Um because I would make a lot of sets and then we would just play them at our parties, you know, not necessarily release it or whatever. >> Um but I would go up to people and I'd be like, "How did he get from here to there?" Like he was just playing drum and bass and now it's, you know, uh tech house like uh I just whatever. Um and then they'd be like, "You did this. You know how you got there." And >> gotcha. Um, but yeah, I think like that's the beauty of DJing is that you get to take clips and snippets and be like, I'm going to loop this and >> it up 20 BPM and then get to another area and um, >> yeah, it's like a digital, you know, musical playground. >> Oh, yeah. I I like that you mentioned ramping it up BPM too because I think that is a challenge that maybe um the audience might not be aware of uh in DJing is matching BPMs and transitioning from even like when you we talk about transitioning from tech house to something like dubstep to even drum and bass, right? Like those transitions are not easy to make. You have to know your markers and know where you're going to, you know, increase and decrease that BPM to get the reaction out of the crowd. Yeah, I think it definitely takes, you know, a lot of practice. I have a lot of respect for all facets of, you know, the electronic world because people could just be producers or just be DJs or a little bit of both. Um, and I think, you know, some people can hate on and be like, "Oh, this person doesn't even make their own music, but then you've got them, you know, absolutely slapping on forcing and uh that is its own difficult, you know, job." >> Definitely. Um, but yeah, it's it's a journey that takes, you know, practice and also like being able to risk things or wanting to. Um, I've definitely spent a ton of hours in the bedroom practicing sets, but it is certainly fun to try and pull something risky off live >> um and then having it work. Um but but yeah, it's it's in like you know um someone the other day was like, "Oh, I have a song that's at 75 BPM and then I'm trying to play a 128 house song. Like how do I do that?" I was like, "Well, technically 75, you double it, you get 150. That's closer to 128 than 75 is." And you know, there's small tricks and things like that that you can do. Um, >> yeah, cuts and fake outs and switch ups and stuff that like, >> yeah, >> that immediate switch out. >> Huge fan of just uh cutting the song and being like, "How we feeling?" You know, totally cheat. >> Yeah. Don't even have to DJ at all, but just uh, you know, play a song and then cut it out and talk to the crowd and then be like, "All right, here's the next thing." >> I wonder how many audience members never knew that their favorite DJs are doing that, right? They cut the song out and they say something, everybody goes wild. You hear it come out. Yeah. Wait a minute. >> Wait a minute. >> Next song 15 BPM faster and they didn't have to do anything. >> Sly. >> Some inside some inside. >> You're diamond. All the DJs are like, "Hey man, that's my trick." >> Nice. So, what other DJ tricks do you have? What are some of your other like uh if you were to give a DJ a tip who's maybe somebody starting out, only played a few bedroom sets, what would your like advice to them be? How would they level up? Um, I think practice a lot. Um, and then get good at kind of knowing um the the scales and the you know I think um I forget what the the key key is that you know a lot of people use but it's like 1 A 5B what it's like a color wheel. Mhm. >> Um, and if you kind of, you know, get used to that, you know what songs to go that can go together, um, DJing gets easier. Um, I think also, you know, trusting your ears. Um, >> because there's things that you could be like, "Oh, this isn't really in key, but it does work." Or there are things that are in key and don't work, you know? um just a lot of people can go onto a piano and just you know hit keys along to a song and you you know can kind of tell or you can train your ears to be like these keys work these keys don't and then you just kind of get that >> under your belt um and that like I I used to be pretty well known for never bringing my USB anywhere Um, and you know, fortunately I have enough friends who are very talented with great cataloges who are nice enough to let me USBs. >> Um, but you know, people would be like, "Oh, how do you get >> how can you just do that without knowing the songs?" I'm like, "Well, I can see the BPM and I can see the keys, so I know that this will, you know, probably, you know, work with this song." You also get used to names and things like that like you know um like tsunami will probably not go >> shout out tsunami >> right u but like a name like that might not go with uh ecstasy of my soul you know >> no for sure you're right >> um and so yeah I think all of that kind of becomes second nature through practice >> um and then just finding like what your kind of style is um >> that's yeah I used to have a a lot of, you know, they'll have like the slice keys >> um on a lot of, well, I guess they have them now on some CDJs and things, but um but yeah, I had them on like the old Pioneer stuff >> for smaller things. And so I used to do like a lot of chopping and things like that, but >> then when I got into clubs, you'd only have two CDJs. There was less of that that I could do. Um but yeah, just practicing all different types of of things I think is is the most important. And then you just kind of get used to the flow. >> Recording your sets too and listening back. I It's like the same thing as an athlete watching tape. >> Oh, yeah. >> I think that's super important. Um, used to be leading up to shows I would always record everything I did and then be like, "All right, I like this point." We lose energy here. Um, and then you kind of, you know, take songs that don't work out and put ones in and then you get just used to the natural flow of how a set should go or how you want your set to go. >> Definitely. You know, um, I think that practice definitely shows through as you like get more familiar, whether it's the music or the equipment or just with, like you said, your own style. Something that helped me get considerably more knowledgeable about the music was also focusing on like phrasing and elements and understanding that like music is very compartmentalized. And um I I work in the art um world and there was a composer that I was speaking with who also really liked dubstep and something he said to me I thought was really interesting. He said if I ever composed dubstep I would take the same approach. I would audition every sound that I was going to put in the song and I would know what chair it sat in. And that stuck with me because when you think about like, okay, I needed I want tuba in this or I just I need bass, I want drums, like all of those are elements. And when you're the DJ, you're the composer, you're Mozart, you know, putting all those elements together. And so I encourage people when you have uh the time to spend time with just the elements of it. you know, try to pick out why is this bass so good? What was that that my ear just caught and break that down? >> I totally agree. Um, that's something that I still do for myself and people that I work with in the production side where a lot of times I'll, you know, you get the ball rolling and you kind of get carried away and then I'll be like, what what do we want this song to what purpose should it serve? >> Yeah. Because not every song is a banger or should be or could be, you know, >> you need uh like even Maddie and Maddie O'Neal and I have a song uh here's to you. >> So good. Um, and like the whole thing was that, you know, she wanted a song that was, I think, 110 BPM in a certain key so that she could transfer from, you know, this BPM to this BPM and have it be more smoothly. Um, so it was just >> love. >> Yeah, it was something that we would kind of reflect on as we were choosing sounds and things for it. who are like, "All right, this is not a, you know, a time where everyone's gonna be headbanging, and that's okay." You know, >> um, like in my sets, I always, like I would know when everyone's going to be dancing, when they're going to get drinks, when they're taking a sig break, when they're coming back, you know, >> and I think like it's important to kind of have those moments in your sets as well. like they need to breathe >> and flow the same way your knight would if you weren't playing. >> Not always going to be head banging or whatever, you know, unless you're a savage with a wicked strong neck. >> Um three hours of head banging or whatever is normally not what everyone is down to do. Um >> which is cool if you are more, you know, more power. >> More power. Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh >> I like I like to be taken on a journey, right? It's like watching a movie. You want there to be some quiet moments. You want a feel. You want a singalong moment. Like each of those moments. It's not just for the DJ, but for the crowd, too, right? Because those are the ones at the end of the day when you're sitting in the car and you're riding back from the festival or the show with your friends, you're like, "Oh, man. When he played Feel Something, I was crying." Right. Like, >> yeah. >> And every one of those requires like some understanding of the feeling that those songs invoke. >> Uh, absolutely. And yeah, I mean just like a movie or even like our our books, you know. >> Um so I tried to get my mom to read that cowboy book and she was like nothing really happens. And I was like just wait it will >> and when it does it's great. You know >> if you get too many chapters of things happening you're like I can't even wrap my head around this for you know. >> Um so you need some some time where the cowboys are just riding the horses and you know um same same with the music. There's got to be that breath before you drop something crazy, you know. >> Absolutely. >> I think every song has the potential to be a banger >> depending on how you mix it, you know. Um like a intense melodic house track. is not going to be intense after like a Sullivan King, you know, >> crazy death metal dubstep song, but it will be intense, you know, >> um when it's when it's put in the right sitting. Um so yeah, I think that once again like learning the flow of that and being like, okay, how can I make this song impactful? >> Um it's not always just like is this song impactful? It's like, all right, what am I putting around it um to, you know, add or subtract from that that moment. >> So, where does Mr. Baseman fit into all of that? >> Um, I h I haven't worked it into a set yet. I would imagine that um I would probably put it if I if I'm just speculating at the 45th minute mark. somewhere around there if it wasn't in my my range of, you know, I like to come out with quick 10 minutes of >> um high energy stuff. Uh something like Mr. Bassman, though, I do really enjoy that buildup with the chance um in the, you know, kind of chorus. Uh so I would want to let that breathe. Um >> so I'd probably put it, you know, a little towards the end. Um, and then with that kind of real heavy second drop, um, that's got kind of that that wonky sound that a lot of people doing lately. Um, which I think is a great sound. >> Uh, but, you know, kind of use that as the catalyst to start another 10 minutes of high energy before >> I cut it and I'm like, "All right, I've got one left or whatever." Um, and then use that to cheat and change tempos. >> Nice. Mhm. >> So, um, were there anything was there anything that you considered when you were making the song? You and Mattio collabed on it, uh, which is how we kind of came together. What did you guys talk about when putting the song together? What was the feel? What was the vibe? >> Um, we were working on something completely different. Um, and I think just looking for vocals. Um, and I remember, you know, going over that and just being like, "Oh, that's really good." Um, and kind of, you know, tucking that away in a file. Um, and then she was like, "Oh, will you, um, you know, put that, uh, in my file." >> And I was like, "Oh, you know, >> no." >> Yeah. Um, and I was like, "Well, let's put it in our file and we can, you know, work on it together." >> Um, and she was like, "Absolutely." which is always great when she says that because she's awesome to work with. >> She's awesome. >> Yeah, she's a she's a great gal and um you know, super talented and super fun to work with in the studio. Um but uh but yeah, so we just kind of started it and I think you know I gave her um I gave her you a couple options and I'll label it and I'm like oh like this type beat you know >> and yeah I think the first drop was like this huge almost kind of like a lenium chorus you know chord type thing. Um, and then I did what is now the first drop was like a second drop option. >> Um, and then Maddie was like, I really like this. Like, let's go with this direction. >> Um, and she is really good at, you know, being a tastemaker and being like, this is the route we should go. And >> um, >> so yeah, she she kind of picked that drop as her favorite. and then um went and did you know we used to write together a lot um in Colorado she lived like 8 minutes away from me which was sweet. >> Oh nice. >> Yeah. Um so we'd spend you know all day uh doing stuff in the studio together. Um and now she's you know out in California. >> Um so it's a little more email based you know some phone calls and FaceTimes and Zoom meetings. But yeah so like I sent her the project she did you know her thing on it. Um, and we just kind of passed it back and forth, uh, while she was working on her EP. Um, which is nice because I also mixed and mastered that EP. So, um, it was, you know, something that I kind of was on the inside of and was like, "Okay, well, we can, you know, put Mr. Bassman here." >> We kind of got to hear all her other songs and then be like, "Okay, how can we, you know, kind of make it all a cohesive project? Um but yeah, that's that's kind of how it came about. >> Nice. You know, that um song is such a vibe and I I really like the inclusion of a lot of the natural elements, the symbol, the you know, the chorus, all of those are really I think what vibes with me and and one of the reason I vibe with a lot of Mattie's music too is just um kind of that funky element to it. Um, I often say that like if I were flying a spaceship, that's the music I would listen to while flying a spaceship. Uh, I discovered her completely by chance at a festival was like you went to Cookanino sitting there with my friends. Had never heard her music. I just kind of I was there for all the right reasons, right? Friends, the environment, the good festival. And I I remember cuz I was talking to somebody and I just stopped and was like, "Who's playing right now?" And he was like, I don't I think Matty O just came on and I was like, I don't want to talk to you for another hour, right? Like I just sat and was just like in the music. And that's just, you know, one of the incredible powers of music is both like immediately grabbing you and saying, I need to sit with this for a minute, but then down the road connecting us, right? And like being able to sit here and talk about music and the elements and be excited about it and then share that with our audience. So, uh, what a awesome full circle moment. So, thank you for sharing the the BTS on Mr. Bassman. >> Of course, uh, yeah, know it was a super fun project. Maddiey's a a fun girl who's, you know, um, very talented. >> Yeah. >> And, yeah, she's, you know, her sets are great. Her Red Rock set for Rowdy Town, um, was awesome. Super special to see her. >> Oh my gosh, that whole set, I was just tears. Yeah, she uh she did a great job. Um and I think, you know, it was a big setting. Um and she she's good at picking picking songs and making them, you know. Um >> no doubt. >> So definitely super fun to to be involved with that and watching her, you know, trajectory as well. Um because, you know, not only is she talented, she's a super chill hang. Um, so I think, you know, >> it's important in the world to be a nice person and I think, you know, >> yes, >> is and, uh, so she deserves everything that's, you know, coming her way. >> Absolutely. I couldn't agree. I only know her basically through Instagram. Uh, but she has been a delight to talk to and just one of the best people to, you know, listen to. So, couldn't recommend her but enough. But I, we're not talking about Maddie. Betty, I wonder one day we'll hopefully interview her, but today is Underlux's day. Uh, and I always like to ask some fun, silly questions. Um, and right on the heels of Mattiey's Red Rock set, one of my favorite new questions to ask is, and I'm going to give you a second to think about it after I ask the question, if you could DJ anywhere outside the box, somewhere that you haven't DJed, somewhere you would dream of DJing. I know. Like Effing just DJed from a hot air balloon, right? Tiestto's DJing from on top of racetracks. Like crazy stuff. The sky's is the limit these days. Underlux. If you could DJ anywhere, where would your perfect set be? Um, I think the best the best party that I've ever been to was we went to uh Tomorrowland Winter was the it was the first one that they now do it all the time. >> Um, but this was the the opening one. And so they have the the Garden of Madness. I don't know if they have it of summertime or not. But basically, you know, you go you ski all day, then you go to the the festival. was the, you know, the main stage and all the hits uh are playing and then that shuts down and you took all your snow gear and you went to the Garden of Madness which was like a warehouse for 50,000 people. >> That is madness. >> Yeah. And you're in your snow gear. So, everybody would just dump their gear and it's down into their, you know, boxers or whatever and you found around a pile of your your um your snowsuits. >> Amazing. >> Yeah. We we ended up um making friends with uh this big group of Japanese people who just saw our pile and like threw it on and then were just like this and >> yeah, we ended up finding each other every night and making this massive mound and you know really breaking the language barriers through music and dancing and um >> I love that so much. >> Yeah, it was one of one of the best times of my life. So the sets in the Garden of Madness were was were crazy. I would love a chance to play there. >> The Garden of Madness. You have good memories from it and it sounds like an incredible experience. And man, what a heartwarming story. Like breaking language barriers, meeting people. This is what festivals are all about. This is this is why we do this. >> I was uh I was dancing and I would do just like this and that really they loved it. Um Oh, I bet they were dying >> because of the language barrier. Like I couldn't explain how to do it. >> Mhm. >> I was trying to show them, you know, how to do it for like 20 minutes and uh they gave up and I was like, "No, don't give up." And so I finally, you know, got some one person how to do it and they very quickly and simply explained in Japanese. >> Um and everybody was just dancing around doing it. Super super fun memory. Amazing. >> But yeah, I mean those are the things that make festivals special, you know, >> um in music in general is that kind of connection that you form on the dance floor. >> Absolutely. There's nothing else like it. Especially as an adult, we are starved for these kind of interactions. As kids, we're on the playground, right? We're doing our thing. We meet somebody. You want to swing? I want to swing. Let's swing. Right. We can talk about Transformers or something. But like as an adult, having that level of whimsy and carefreeness is is, you know, something we're deprived of. in regular society and getting these moments that are curated exactly for that where you can, you know, suspend the normal experience, suspend that interaction and just be okay with the the goofy, the wild, the weird and it not make you feel outcast for it and it not make you feel otherred, I think is is it's just really powerful and we need more of it. >> Totally. Yeah. I think in this, you know, day and age with so much going on um in the world, it is really nice to just feel that kind of freedom of, you know, goofing around. And I think a lot of people out there do have really good intentions >> that can get misconstrued in the norm, you know, daytoday life. Um, so I think everybody being there collectively, you know, to have a good time and then bumping into random people and having those kind of special one-off connections >> um is I Yeah, I think important for every human to have and it's definitely a a good um area to foster those >> Oh, yeah. >> opportunities. >> It's a it's a place where human connection thrives too, right? Like the the power of the hug is lost on a lot of people, but you go to the rave scene and random people will hug you. They'll you see a person one time and they're like, "Oh yeah, I had this one kind of micro connection with them maybe at a festival and they see you again and then from across like the whole thing they run into you, give you that giant hug, and you just feel like joy, right? It's not even like happiness, but like some kind of deep internal feeling that you're just like ah." And I I love that that is is part of the community. It's part of the music and in a lot of ways, you know, songs can be hugs, too. >> Make you feel like that. >> So, that was our first question. We got hella deep. >> Yeah. >> He turned the back where it's at. We got Pokemon going on. Speaking of Pokemon, >> did you ever play Pokemon? >> I did. >> What is This is question number two. Your favorite Pokemon? >> Uh um you're gonna I'm awful with names. I'm 99% sure it's Charmander. >> Yeah. Okay. Classic Gen One starter. Little fire lizard. >> I think that was the guy that I would always pick. Um, you know, I'm an Aries myself. So, >> Oh, >> shout out my fire signs. >> Shout out fire signs. >> Yeah. And I think uh I think that's kind of who I would roll with. A solid dude. >> Hell yeah. Turns into a dragon once he's fully evolved. >> Yeah. Nobody in there. We tie all the fantasies together. We're We're good to go. >> Nice. Well, you know, as a reader and now you've mentioned Game of Thrones, you kind of outed yourself as a nerd. So, what's your what's your secret nerdy hobby? What's your like, you know, you you a closet D and D nerd? You out here playing 40k? What's your thing? >> Um, I have read all of the Game of Thrones books. >> Nice. >> I love Game of Thrones. I would say I'm not sure if it's closeted. I think it's probably one of the very few things that people know about me, but I absolutely love Lord of the Rings. >> Let's go. Me, too. >> And I do get me Lord of the Rings memes sent to me pretty much every day. Um, which I love all of them. Um, >> nice. >> Yeah, huge huge on Lord of the Rings. Read the books, own the movies, got to go extended edition. Um, but yeah, that's kind of that's the nerdiest thing about me. I've toyed with the idea. Talked to my girlfriend about if if we get married, I want to wear like a suit of armor instead of a tux. >> Definitely, >> which she approved, you know, which is how you know she's >> she's the one. >> Yeah. Um, so we'll see if I I follow through with that. But it's lovely to know that that's an option. >> Absolutely. You know, I know a few armor makers, so if you're serious about this, the armor, >> there's one, I forget the, you know, the name of them, but there's one I follow on Instagram, um, and I said, they look pretty great. They're like five, you know, five grand for a suit, but >> easy. >> Yeah. Um, you know, you're paying for quality. You gota >> buy it in layers. Unless you're getting like a full suit and you just have the five grand laying around. Buy your chain mail, then buy your leather, then buy your plate, you know, the nice helmet, your special boots and stuff like that. It's I've been building Renfair outfits for like 20 years and you just build them like a piece at a time, but it's like what weekend are we going? Is it Viking weekend? Is it pirate weekend? How many of you are getting dressed with me because you're all coming? >> Totally. >> Um, >> so I I still um I'm very big I play lacrosse. >> Oh, nice. And it's always kind of felt like, you know, in every good um ancient battle scene they have like, you know, the person's putting on their armor or someone is putting it on for them. >> Um and anytime I put on my, you know, all my pads, I kind of fe, you know, feel like I'm putting on my armor for battle. >> Night ited up. >> Yeah. And it's, you know, >> awesome. >> Super fun little thing for me to attend. >> Right on. And now we've learned two nerdy things about you. Lacrosse and Lord of the Rings. >> Yeah. >> When you come to Arizona, I have the whole Game of Thrones scotch collection. Uh, I'll let you try. >> Wow. >> Yeah. They when the series finalized, they had like a whole box that HBO sold and it was like a different place in Scotland for every one of them. And like they all have different flavors and they're all based on the different houses. So, you know, like the Tully House and the Targaryenss, they're all widely different. >> I love that. Yeah. Yeah. Um didn't get into Game of Thrones until the final season. Um and then it ended and I think I think I watched um The Long Night, you know, whatever. Um >> and then I was like, "Wait, this is amazing. Like, I've really missed out." Um, and so I watched the whole series and then was reading like >> some Reddit lore about um, >> forget what the uncle's name is, but the uncle who is like, they don't show it in the show, but he's a like a wizard, the sailor. Um, and so then I, you know, started to read kind of the fanfiction of that. I was like, I really should read the books. >> You should. Song of Fire and Ice is great. >> Yeah. And so, yeah. So, I did. I read all the books. It's a bummer that they're not Um, >> yeah, >> they are good. I I do recommend them. >> Absolutely. Uh, so question number four, >> less of a silly question, but I like to tuck these in here. If you could collab with any artist in the world, doesn't even have to be another DJ, who would that dream collab be and why? Uh, I think I'm gonna pick a musician. Um, but I do was always a fan of uh Timberland and >> nice. >> Uh, yeah, I think he's got I actually for the first time in my life saw his side of the story, but there was always something that inspired me. Um Kanye West is talking about he's making stronger or made stronger. >> Um and he's like yeah it just like didn't bang in the club the way I wanted it to. Um he's like I needed to redo the drums. Um he was like so I took it to Farel but Fel changed it up too much. Couldn't have that because I was just trying to like swap them. He's like then I took it to Swiss Beats. Swiss Beats changed it up too much, you know. >> Um he's like so I finally took it to Timberland. Timberland fixed the problem in five minutes and then spent the rest of the hour that he booked talking about how no one could have done it, you know, but Timberland. >> Um, and that's always, you know, uh, I admire his skill and also his, um, I guess shurness in his own talents and style. Um, and I think it was literally yesterday I saw on TikTok they were like it's cuts to Timberland and Timberland was like, "Yeah, man. I fixed that problem in five minutes." And then how no one could do it but me and I was like I've never heard his side. >> That's great. >> But yeah, I think working, you know, uh with kind of one of the greats like that and seeing someone who's produced a lot of people as well and has that um has that versatility and talent would be fun to pick their brain. >> Absolutely. You know, I have learned so much from other people's artistic process just from even having a single session with them. you're like, "Wow, we do things entirely different. I'm so glad I learned this." >> Uh because other perspectives, man, you can >> literally be sitting by yourself working on things for >> ever and then talk to somebody for 5 minutes and get a fresh perspective you never would have thought of and it entirely changes how you approach things. So, love that collab. Shout out Timberland. We'll we'll add him maybe, right? We'll get that collab. So question number five, the apocalypse happens. Radiation covers the earth, but it gives you superpowers. What superpower do you have to last the apocalypse? Um, if we're talking if we're talking like a strategic one, uh, to last through the apocalypse, I would probably say whatever Wolverines's got. >> Nice regeneration. >> Yeah. you know, uh I think in a post-apocalyptic world, there's probably um a lot of things that can hurt you. So, being able to heal yourself, you know, without >> smart >> think about uh people are running out of bandages and antic, you know, there's no doctors around. Um so, probably good to be able to be your own doctor. >> You're probably eating eating some things that could be questionable. So having a stomach that can regenerate if you you mess it up too much uh would probably be an advantage. >> That's some deep thinking there. I love that. >> If I was going strategic, I think that's Yeah, would be the one. >> Nice. That is the first time anybody has answered with that as well. So >> shout out to that. You got the beard for it. I think we get you some claws and you're in the zone. >> Yeah. I mean, also good if you're fighting zombies, you got weapons as well, you know. >> Yeah, definitely. you know, unbreakable bones. You don't have to worry about like randomly getting crippled. >> Yeah, he uh I mean, shout out shout out to um vertically challenged people, but I don't know if I would want his height according to, you know, >> um comic book accurate descriptions, but >> it's like five foot something. Yeah. >> Yeah, I think he's like 5'2 maybe, you know. >> Not that that's bad height at all. Just I'm happy with my personal stature. I love the comic book fastball fury move where like Hulk or She-Hulk grabs him and then throws him at somebody and he's just like, "Ah." >> Yeah. Yeah. Uh yeah. I used to be huge on those back growing up. I was back in the day though. I was a really big Flash guy. >> Oh, I love the Flash. >> Yeah. Love a good speedy fella. >> Yeah. You know, he's kind of god mode, though. There really isn't anything the Flash can't do with speed, >> right? See, that's what like when you really break it down um the way that he uses his powers, there's certainly a lot of advantages to that as well. >> Yeah. Well, I mean, everything from time travel to phasing through things to basically flight and uh you know, the speed force in and of itself is super strength and invulnerability. It the list really goes on and on. He is a underrated um underrated superhero for sure. >> I don't know if Flash is underrated, but I agree. He probably is not. He should be considered more. >> So, I think that we're we're pulling the train into the end of the station here. Um this is our shoutouts phase of the podcast. If you want to shout out mom, your dog, you know, your best friend, whoever it is, uh now's your chance uh to give them all that that that warm and fuzzy. >> Uh I don't know if I can get her, but my cat has >> Oh, >> just is maybe waking up or going back to bed, but shout out, there she goes. Shout out Yoshi. >> Nice nice name. >> Yoshi's awesome. Um, shout out all the homies, all the music world. Shout out MMG, um, Mammoth Music Group and everybody involved in that. Everyone who, you know, just put on, um, a great show at Rowdy Town. Um, shout out Boston. That's where I'm from. Mass Boston. >> Shout out Denver. That's where I live. >> Lovely place. >> Love Denver. Um, and yeah, it's, you know, shout out ma. Shout out dad. >> Yeah. Mom, dad, your fiance and with the armor, right? >> Girlfriend. Yeah. One day, you know, we we don't know what the future holds, but >> Sorry, I dropped the fbomb. >> No, no. All good. She's great. Shout out Ashley. >> Awesome. >> Mhm. >> So, now that shout outs are done, there's really only one thing we have left here. Um, but I always like to ask, you know, is there anything you didn't get a chance to say? Anything you'd like as a sign off for your audience to know about you? You know, this is your soap box. I'd like you to be able to say whatever you want. >> Um, stay tuned. I don't know what uh kind of the future holds, but I'm going to be >> making music throughout all of it. Um, appreciate everybody. >> You know, shout out anyone who's checked out the new track Mr. face man and shout out anyone who's you know gone on to check out the rest of the catalog. Um but yeah uh you know um I am not always outside. I enjoy my room and working from it. Um but if you know you keep your ears perked up, you might hear some new stuff from me soon. Um >> nice. Where can people go to find you? Uh, you can go pretty much anywhere. Just type in underlux into the internet. Um, and your preferred, you know, I'm on title, Spotify, Soundcloud, iTunes. Um, but yeah, under Lux is me. Um, and you can, you know, connect with me on Instagram if you want. Fairly accessible. Um, as you know. And uh yeah, I appreciate everyone for listening and checking out the stuff. >> So, Underlux, my man, would you like to have the last word? >> Stay ready, VIPs. >> Boom. Hey Mr. B, don't you make these women mad? Hey Mr. B, cuz the blind side too. Hey Mr. B, don't you make these women mad? Hey Mr. basement cuz I'm glad I miss you one time. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. They won't miss the basement. Don't you make these women the basement cuz the lights are here to make the basement Mr. Please may I hear you one time? Heat up here. My imagination my head to the beat of the reverberation. Thanks for tuning in. Now you can't change the station. Heat up here.