Feb 9 2012

Interview: Liquid Stranger

by Westhead • Dubstep, Interviews, Mashup • Tags: Bass, chillwave, download, Drumstep, Dubstep, Excision, filestube, hulkshare, IDM, Interchill, Interview, Liquid Stranger, mediafire, Westhead, X Tour, zippy 0

Liquid Stranger a.k.a. Martin Staaf is an EDM producer that’s been churning out tunes for the better part of two decades. He’s covered a wide array of genres, most of which gravitate with ferocious bass, and “liquified” the barriers that hold them, thereby creating sounds unlike any you’ve ever heard. The man is an absolute workhorse in the way he handles release after release, maintaining the same high quality level and staying personal with his fans all the while. We had the chance to ask him a few questions about his mantra, his upcoming shows, and some. So enough with the intros, here’s the interview.

Let’s start off with a most basic question, when did you stat getting into music as a youngster, and when did that expand to a love for EDM?

(LS:) I’ve been interested in music for as long as I can remember. I started playing the piano at a very early age, and got my first synthesizer when I was eight years old. I was very inspired by music from vintage computer games as well as the output from Kraftwerk. I got turned onto the rave scene in 1989, and have been meddling with the different forms of EDM ever since.

You’re one of the few artists out there showing appreciation to his fans through continually free downloads (e.g most recently, your Wetware Warfare EP), why do you feel it’s important to maintain that type of interaction?

(LS:) I always try to stay in touch with my fans as much as I possibly can. You guys are my life-blood and I’m grateful that that so many people care enough to support me. The fans are responsible for my success just as much as I am.

Wetware Warfare EP Mashup – Liquid Stranger [Download]

Grimy, sludgy, filthy, are all words often abused in describing the sound of most dubstep producers today, and more often then not, your own sound. How do you personally describe your style?

(LS:) I work with a lot of different styles. Some of music music would probably best be described as robotic, mechanic, and dirty. Other parts of my output is on the opposite side of the spectrum: relaxing, trippy, and organic.

“Cryogenic Encounters” was quite a revelling change of pace for you, had you wanted to do an entirely mellow album like it for some time, or was it a sudden urge?

(LS:) I’ve been making music since the mid 80′s, which has given me plenty of time to explore a multitude of styles/genres. I’ve put out electronica/IDM before in my career, such as my releases on Candy Mind, Subnatura, Kahvi, and Monotonik, and I just felt an urge to re-explore that part of myself. In only a couple of weeks I was able to hammer out the tunes.

Beacon – Liquid Stranger

You’ve released numerous critically acclaimed EPs & albums over the years and we figure there must be a method with your madness. Do you give yourself time restrictions, say, like setting a date when you’d want a record finished? Or is it more that a record will be done once it feels done?

(LS:) I get bored very easily, so that’s why I try to vary my output as much as possible. I prefer to finish a tune in one sitting. My philosophy is that if I haven’t managed to get a project ready in around 5 hours, it probably wasn’t such a great idea in the first place. Some of my tunes turn out great, and some are just utter shit. I make enough music that I can easily discard the crap and still have enough material for my releases.

What can you tell us, if anything, about “The Renegade Crusade” and any other full-length releases you’ll be unleashing in 2012?

(LS:) “The Renegade Crusade” will be another free form album, tentatively planned for release toward the end of 2012. Interchill basically gives me absolute freedom to go in any musical direction I want, so it’s hard to know exactly what it will be like this time. My plan is to explore alternative forms of bass music, such as neo-dub and electronica.

When’s the next chance our US fans can see you play?

(LS:) I play shows in the US all the time. I’m just about to embark on the X tour, together with Excision and Lucky Date. It will be massive!

Bionic Beatdown Mix – Liquid Stranger

What would you say to new fans about what to expect from your live performances?

Liquid Stranger on