Holly EDM, Batman!
There is something so completely refreshing about 'Mystery Skulls', a new comer to the Electronic Dance Music scene. He maintains the integrity and styling of traditional dance music; smooth bass-lines, love struck vocals, a great beat, yet blended so effectively well with contemporary styled synths. I managed to have a sit down with Lu(is) the main contributor and creator of Mystery Skulls, he is incredibly humble, talented and has mad style.
DnM : After a few hours of scouring the Internet, save a Wikipedia article, I couldn't find much detailing your current project, Mystery Skulls, or your last project The Secret Handshake. So let us start off light. Care to tell us a little about yourself and Mystery skulls?
MS : Mystery skulls is something I started as most other things happen just for fun. Played the first show a few months ago just to see how it would go, and people have really accepted it in a short time.
DnM : Mystery Skulls has combined those two previously mentioned genres in a brilliant way. The vocal and lyrical styling of Motown, and contemporary electronic; was this intentional?
MS : Thank you, no not intentional, but is just a meshing of what I'm personally into.
Sort of a retro futuristic sound if you will.
DnM : I'm told you are a self taught musician, not only keyboard, but several other instruments as well. What can you play, and how did you find the devotion and time to learn?
MS : Yeah that is true, Im not really amazing at any one instrument, Id say im more of a song writer than anything. Its not so much devotion so much as just the desire to want to explore music.
DnM : Being that you are so well versed in musical instruments, how much of your production is digital, and how much is live instrumentation?
MS : At the moment, Id say 80% of my production is digital.
I still use actual analog synths (moog/prophet) and then I usually track a little guitar over top. But other than that its mostly done in logic
DnM : You have an amazing vocal range, did you have proper training ?
MS : Thank you, the vocals are actually the area of contention for most people when talking about my music.
Never had training though I wish I had!
DnM : Your music styling is so diverse, who are your most predominant influences?
MS : I'm all over the board for sure. I love everything from J.Pop like capsule or perfume, and all the way across to good old motown soul. just anything that feels genuin and fresh.
DnM : What is the process of producing / writing one of your more current tracks.
MS : I always start with the drums, and I usually roll with the same beat, which is probably a bad Idea but then Ill usually pull out the prophet and start plugging away with chords and structures. Anything that sounds cool and new.
I try never to force it.
DnM : All right, I gotta ask. What are the obsessions with all-things-90s? From Contra to He-man and even what appears to be Donkey Kong Country.
MS : Good eye. Its just part of my childhood. Thats something that I Identify with greatly.
Just the innocence of youth and discovery through music and video games and television.
I moved to Canada from Venezuela when I was 8 and couldn't speak english so I was fascinated with everything going on at the time.
DnM : Now for my status-quo question; if you could do any drug, with anyone, past or present, who and what would it be?
MS : wow. never thought someone would ask this question. It's not a drug, but I wish I could go back and have a beer with Nick Drake. Always a big inspiration for me.
