Welcome to ARTHUR X MEDIC’s World!

What first drew you into music?

It started as a bit of a joke, actually. I had a friend show me GarageBand, and I just thought: “I could do that better.” So I did! I released a song in 2011 with a pretty popular YouTube creator, and it got enough traction that I figured I should pursue music more seriously.

Your track “Analog Sunset” is absolutely amazing! How did you achieve such a great signature sound in such a short time? Also, what is your creative process like?

I grew up listening to the more technical, math-y side of jazz- Stuff like Steely Dan, Jon Weber, and Dave Weckl. Later on I found heavy metal and pop punk, so that formed a bit of a contrast. When I first started making music, I was emulating the same artists everyone else in my scene was emulating in 2010 (deadmau5, Skrillex, etc.), but I ultimately went more in the direction of Noisia and other drum & bass focused acts.

My creative process usually involves a lot of coffee and a lot of distortion effects, then finding out how to place what I wrote in the best context. I find myself approaching every song differently, always get really in the weeds with producing drums and details between sounds. That and about a dozen instances of the XFer Serum VST, haha.

Going over your Soundcloud we can tell you love experimenting with new sounds. Can you tell us more about your studio setup and some of your favorite plugins/instruments?

Right now, I’m just working on a Walmart laptop that I bought out of frustration at how slow my previous laptop had gotten. I have a Steinberg UR22 audio interface, an MXI condenser mic, and Skullcandy earbuds. They work astonishingly well.

I mainly use XFer Serum, because I feel really comfortable with its UI. Between that, and a cheap Ibanez bass I rarely use, I’ve got pretty much all of the studio gear I need.

Your music sounds very organic and authentic. Do you play any real-life instruments? 

Barely! I never took piano or guitar lessons, so I’m a bit at a disadvantage on that point, but I can record bass with passable quality, or work out what I need on guitar. I used to be a drummer, but I haven’t touched a kit in probably 6 years. If I need a real-life instrument, I’ll either get a friend to play it, or I’ll re-create the instrument in Serum. “Analog Sunset” was 100% synthesized in Serum. 

What are your musical goals for the future?

I’d love to write/sound design for games and film, and play some shows outside of the US. I’m definitely going to keep writing both heavier stuff and more math rock.

What are your goals for the coming months? Any upcoming projects we can get excited about?

I’ve got a few songs in the pipeline I’m really excited to see released, as well as some collaborations with Baircave, Roborob, and Bolide. Also, keep an eye out for a new project of mine, titled BRZRKR.

Connect With ARTHUR X MEDIC:

• Twitter
• Soundcloud