WAVESHAPER - 'The Space Hero' | An Interview
Since beaming into our Synth spheres back in 2013 with his break-out Album 'Tracks to the Future' it's more than fair to say that Waveshaper has garnered himself a legion of fans with his unique sound.
His willingness to go beyond the realms of creativity to bring us some scene favourites such as the stunning 'Station Nova' & more recently 'The Disk Hunter' serves as no wonder that those very same retro-futuristic tendencies draw crowds at every single gig he plays.
Waveshaper is the brainchild of Swedish born composer Tom Andersson. With inspirations drawn from Electronic musicians as JARRE & Kraftwerk and of course those 80's movie soundtracks we all love his tracks are composed with a variety of hardware synthesizers that have also provided music for Video Game Soundtracks to include FURI
Forged are delighted he took time out to chat about all things project Waveshaper..read on..
Thank you so much for sharing your time with Forged in Neon today. I must admit I’ve followed your career with great interest for about 6 or so years. Ever since 'Modern Technology' with the renowned Robert Parker. The newest collabs I believe are amazing remixes one of which is ‘Invincible’ a track by Magic Sword and Droid Bishops remix of
your track ‘CRT Days’, how did they both come about?
Thanks. I am glad to hear that you have kept up listening to my music for such a long time.
I have spent the time lately to both do some remixes and make people remix mine. I find it to be very inspirational & I need such boost / initiatives between my bigger projects that usually are theme oriented.
How do you think your sound has developed up to now?
Working in this genre for over 7 years results in that you need to evolve somehow. In general I have learned a lot about production techniques and sound design. During the road you will learn how to improve your weak spots but also how to amplify your strengths & unique attributes.
What do you think is the most distinctive aspect of the music you create?
My music is almost always about storytelling. This is what makes this genre still quite interesting - the playfulness and freedom of creating something that you think is fun & inspiring. I tend to put quite many hours into sound-scaping in order to find the right mood for writing.
What do you believe to be the most cherished memory of your career to date?
The night that I performed at Moulin Rouge in Paris for the Release part of the video game Furi. That was a very insightful moment for me back in 2016. Wow, I am here now for some music I did for a video game. An area that I really sought up to back as a kid playing the games, remembering the music..
Tell us about your creative process, how long would it take for you to lay down a track?
This is very different for me. In some cases, mainly rare ones. ;), I have been able to create a track in a day. But normally I would say that a month is probably more realistic. Mainly due to that you might have limited time or you start up a new sketch, do some fine tuning, leave it for some days etc.
What is the one guilty pleasure you cannot live without?
Bad TV Shows. And oh I mean really bad like extreme couponing or a reality show about a cheap Swedish shopping centre. Haha
Anyone on the scene whose music you are really into right now?
I really like the new album of Droid Bishop. For me it is what Daft Punk should have released instead of RAM.
Apart from that I am checking out newer acts as well. I use Spotify Discover weekly which can result in finding some really cool new music. Also since the Cyberpunk genre is growing I have been checking out new stuff from Daniel Deluxe & F.O.O.L
Credit: The Aggressor - You Tube
Who have been your musical inspirations growing up? Has that changed as the years have gone by?
It is a big mix of everything but I mean if starting from the 70's it is the pioneers like Jean Michel Jarre & Kraftwerk, leading up to John Carpenter & Giorgio Moroder. I realize that I enjoyed listening to instrumental music already as a kid. Which of course then lead up to video game soundtracks, everything from C64, NES to Atari & Amiga.
In the 90s I discovered Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers & Daft Punk. And in 2000 Justice came in &; they led me to a bunch of nice french acts such as Digitalism Sebastian Tellier etc. Later Kavinsky came in & yeah now we are here. :)
What do you hope your listeners take away from the music you create?
I hope that they enjoy listening to the music that I create and that it somehow makes them feel something about it. I sometimes get email & messages that my music has helped them during difficult times & that is when I realized that my mission here is done. It is very emotional & honouring to read such things.
Probably putting you on the spot here but what is the one stand out track in your entire discography that you are most proud of? Why?
One track to choose out of 100+!? Yeah that is hard but I would actually choose one of the latest one - CRT Days. I have recently had a nostalgia trip for the 90s PC gaming era & I am proud of the feeling & flow in this track.
As an avid gamer I suspect a day off for you is pretty much game orientated but what is a typical day off like? Or is there such a thing?
Hehe. For me a day off would probably mean spending time with family. I actually try to squeeze in some 30-60 minutes of gaming every evening. Either some retro gaming or the Nintendo Switch in the bed.
You featured alongside your Brother in Synth Arms Robert Parker in the documentary ‘The Rise of the Synths’ what was that like to film?
Our scenes were added a little bit later in the process and Oscillian did the filming part with us in Stockholm. I almost only remember the icing cold during the interview. Haha. We couldn't feel our feet after the interview.
Can you tell us anything about your current and future projects in the pipeline?
Looking ahead not that far will result in some more remixes with talented artists & I also have some music video projects coming up. For 2021 & beyond I have started to work on some new concepts that either will end up as E.P's or Albums.
Are there any Artists/Bands on the scene currently that you’d love to collaborate with?
At this moment I think it would be more interesting and inspirational to work with some acts outside the scene. I actually have some in the plans. :)
You’ve done quite a lot of festivals/gigs throughout your career do you have a favourite gig you’ve done?
It has been a great journey to meet all the nice people during my live shows. The scene in general is very anonymous, in front of computers or on social media but meeting people is very important to me. As I mentioned Moulin Rouge was a great moment for me but all gigs have a special place in my memory. The US tour together with Absolute Valentine was a nice memory since we both also became very good friends during the road. I miss travelling… When COVID is over we must really try to re-boost the live shows.
A message for your fans?
Thank you for your continuous support. It motivates me to keep producing music that you will enjoy.
Feel free to support WAVESHAPER in ways you can. Links below:
https://waveshaper1.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/tomwave2600
https://www.instagram.com/waveshaperofficial/
https://twitter.com/Waveshaper_SWE
https://www.facebook.com/Waveshaperofficial
https://www.waveshapermusic.com/
