Exclusive Interview: Meet Gnome Island

What first drew you into music production and future bass in particular?

I’ve been writing music for most of my life. When I was a kid, I would always go to my grandparents’ house and dabble with their organ. Eventually, I began playing guitar and recording acoustic singer/songwriter-type songs. I look back and cringe, but that’s how it all started. Then one day I heard tunnel trance for the first time. I was immediately sucked into how clean everything sounded and the way it made you move. And yes, I said tunnel trance. Ha!

I began DJing shortly after, but kind of hung up writing music. I had a full-time job, as well as a three-night residency DJing. This led to me creating a surplus of mashups, which eventually turned into producing my own tracks.

Fast forward to today and I’m writing music every night. I’m pushing out a couple of tracks a month and loving it. I absolutely love the sounds and emotions of artists like Seven Lions, Illenium, Mat Zo, Anki, Petit Biscuit and Gill Chang, just to name a few. These guys have definitely influenced my sound. I feel like future bass is a perfect mix of emotion, melody and bass, and that’s what I’m attracted to. In a way, it takes me back to my singer/songwriter days.

Gnome Island is a very unique producer name. How did you choose that name? Any special meaning behind it?

When I first started Gnome Island, I had one heck of a beard. I’m talking down to my chest kind of beard. I’ve always liked gnomes – so much that I have a 3 foot one in my living room. So I was like, “I like gnomes, I kind of look like a gnome and I like chilling in the sand. Gnome Island it is!”

Going over your Soundcloud we can tell you love making lots of different genres! Which genre is your favorite to produce?

Future bass is definitely my favorite to produce, but I write whatever genre I’m feeling at that moment. For example, one night I came home and was thinking to myself, “Yo! For giggles, just write a club banger bro!” And that’s how my track “Lonely Boys” came about. I just have fun with it and write the music I want to listen to. When others dig it, it’s just icing on the cake.

Your latest track “Stuck on You” is your best track in our opinion! From its artwork to the incredibly powerful sound, we absolutely love it. Could you tell us more about the story behind this track? Also, what is your creative processes like?

Aw, thanks! I actually do all of my artwork, and that’s definitely one of my favorites as well. As I said earlier, I used to write acoustic songs. Most of these were about my relationships… most of which miserably failed. Ha! So when I heard the vocal stems from “Stuck on You,” I fell in love. I believe everyone’s been stuck on someone before and can’t get them out of their head, whether it’s good or bad. The lyrics just connected with me.

My creative process is pretty simple… well, now that I’m thinking about it, it may not be. It all starts with an idea in my head or an emotion I’m feeling. Most of the time I lay down a simple drum beat and play keys over it. I find it’s the easiest way to get the idea down quick. I try to do everything as fast as I can and not over-think things. But then there are tracks like the one I just finished up where I spent 4 hours creating a growl. I also crate dig for vocals. There are tons of copywrite-free acapellas out there, but sometimes I’ll approach a vocalist online. I believe the human voice is one of the coolest instruments out there. When working on a vocal-heavy track, I make that my main focus. That’s what hits me in the feels, and I try to showcase those feels.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Oh man, that’s a tough one. I really don’t know where I’ll be, but I can say I’ll be sitting at my production desk chilling out, writing tunes. It’s all about the music and if it ever takes me on an adventure, I’m down for whatever journey is ahead.

What are your goals for the new year? Any upcoming projects we can get excited about?

I actually just finished up a track called “Hold on to Me”. I’m really digging it and have had some stellar feedback so far. I’m not sure if I’ll try to find it a label home or release it independently, but it’s definitely hitting the airwaves soon. I also plan to incorporate my guitar and maybe even sing (if I can fathom up the courage) in my tracks this year. So expect a hybrid of singer/songwriter and electronic tunes. Who knows? But you can definitely expect a lot more music throughout the year!

Connect With Gnome Island: