PSY-FI RELEASES TOTALITY AV AND BEGINS HIS WEST COAST TOUR
Posted by Chris Noonan on
The other day I had a chance to sit down with Miles Ross and talk about his forthcoming Album and tour…
He has been producing under the moniker Psy-Fy for many years and has been a strong representative of the California Bass culture. His New release Totality AV Is now available through the Gravitas label. http://music.gravitasrecordings.com/album/totality
Boa: Miles, tell us why you’re excited about this release and what sets this album apart?
Psy-Fi: What separates Totality from previous releases is that it is considerably longer. I have been accustomed to making small EP’s with just a few tracks and this album is 9 tracks with all of the album flowing together in a continuous mix format. I tried to make it resemble the format of a movie soundtrack where each track is like a different scene and it all flows together to create a story.
Boa: In your process of producing, what do you generally draw on for inspiration?
Psy-Fi: Well, with this one I was drawing on more visual themes. I find that if I try to draw inspiration from music I end up getting frustrated that my music doesn’t sound like someone else’s music and I get into the habit of comparing myself to others a lot which I have found is a common thing that musicians and artists do. If I am comparing my music to the way that something looks or feels, that’s a more genuine inspiration because your drawing on whats coming from within. For this album I was inspired by a piece by Tobias Roetsch, a German concept artist and I looked at the art while I was making the music and asked myself, what story is the art telling, and I would make the music based on whatever narrative I create.
Boa: So using a visual reference to translate into an audio painting.
Psy-Fi: Yea, exactly, sometimes I will throw on a really creative sci-fi movie on my second screen with the audio off and the kind of tone and voice of the science fiction movie can help create a song through that.
Boa: So as far as other audio artists, who inspires you the most right now?
Psy-Fi: Considering my music is being inspired by something non musical, I listen to a lot of music that is not electronic music. I listen to a lot of film scores like contemporary classic compsers like Max Richtor. He’s a German composer that has done music for a lot of movies that you will probably recognize. I like listening to a lot of music that is meant to have a visual component to it because it speaks to that thing that I draw inspiration from. What’s so cool about this album and tour is that I am trying to show that through the live stage performance with the visuals.
Boa: Let’s get into that, what can fans expect at these shows?
Psy-Fi: Each of these shows has been selected in cities that I have a lot of friends in and play frequently. I felt that reaching out to promoters who I have worked with before would help with that collaboration effort where your working with people you love and respect, so I am trying to curate each night with a vibe and a theme. Without giving away too many surprises the show will have a heavy emphasis on the Totality album, and you can expect all my inspiration to be projected through my visuals. Trying to recreate the inspiration I draw from when making this music.
Boa: So its a doorway to the creative mind of Psy-Fy.
Psy-fi: Exactly! This is the shit that I am thinking about while I am making music.
Boa: Do you have any big summer plans or festival appearances?
Psy-Fi: Well Johnny Dumps has done an amazing job building the visual rig and helping to map everything so I am going to see if after these shows there is a demand for more shows. Enchanted forest is the only festival I have right now so I am going to be hunkered down making more music and getting ready for tour in the fall.
Boa: If you had one super power what would it be?
Psy-Fi: Wow that’s a really good question, Yknow,… I like.. I would really like to fly, Like that’s my standard superpower, but I would like that not to be limited to Earth so I might need a few more powers to fly through space so I would need to fly at light speed through outer space so thats like 10 superpowers…..
Boa: If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
Psy-Fi: I would like people to be more open to other views and not be so afraid to change their point of view because it damages everything they have built their life on. I think that’s the ultimate form of bravery, when you’re able to say, well, I am going to do something different now because I wasn’t doing the right thing before, and be ok with that. And I think a lot of people just need to be able to talk to each other and be able to listen.
Boa: Getting back to the music, is there any ritual or anything you do to prepare to hit the stage?
Psy-Fi: Hmmm, I used to take my shoes off, but then my socks would get to dirty. I try my best to get grounded before I perform. I don’t like to rush and I do get nervous onstage so I like to be able to mitigate that with some deep breaths, and I don’t drink and try my hardest to play completely sober.
Boa: Well this has been a lot of fun, before we go is there anything you want to say to your fans?
Psi-Fi: Well, yea listen to the album. Listen to track 10 which is the whole album in one track. Listen to it on a when your on a long drive because then you will have a changing visual reference.
Miles “Psi-Fi” will be playing tonight April 21, In Arcata at the Arcata Theater Lounge. He will have some special merchandise curated by Fatbol and Illigent Clothing at the event. Other dates on the tour include Reno 4/29, Oakland 5/3, and Bend 5/13.