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An Interview with Hypofixx
Posted: Sunday, October 28, 2007
By: Ilker Yücel
Editor

Hypofixx first emerged onto the electro/industrial scene in 2002 with the release of his first single, I'll Never Be, signifying the arrival of an exciting new artist. His music, having stemmed from his dissatisfaction with the current state of the underground industrial scene, almost immediately won favor with North American audiences, featured in many DJ sets on the dance floor in clubs all over the east coast. Following the single, Hypofixx released his debut album, From Man to Machine, offering a vision of dystopian cyber-centric drama that presented his talents as a songwriter, producer, and musician in fine form, from mechanical instrumentals to the grating organic rage of guitars. He also released a video companion, giving audiences a visual accompaniment to augment the machine, all the while earning his stripes as a prominent DJ. Several remixes and compilation appearances followed before the 2006 release of his new single, Shattered from the Inside, featuring remixes by Assemblage 23, Terrorfakt, and Mindless Faith. Presenting a juxtaposition of mechanized backdrops, distorted beats, and vocal melodies somewhere between the sensually soothing and the aggressively spiteful, the single acted as a fine precursor to his latest album, After December. The two-disc album sees Hypofixx collaborating with Razed in Black's Romell Regulacion and Yveline, along with a plethora of remixes from some of the current industrial scene's biggest names. Now ReGen's readers can step inside the mind of the machine as Hypofixx guides us through his mental and musical circuitry, from his interfaces with the various artists he's worked with to the benefits of being a DJ and a musician.

So After December is your latest album, coming nearly four years after the release of From Man to Machine. What would you say have been the major developments in Hypofixx's sound and style since the last album? How would you say the new album presents these developments?

Hypofixx: After December marks a very significant growth for me musically, emotionally and mentally. A lot of personal things have happened since my last album, and I've used these songs as a way to rethink the way I look at life, music, sound, and production. This process has now become a more 'enlightened' form of self, both artistically and personally. I spend a considerable amount now on details, textures, sound design and production errors, even more than I did before. My writing formulas have become less rigid and predictable. I let a lot of things go and depend heavily now on creative serendipity. I also don't second guess myself as much as I did before. I'm very confident and in tune with my audience, as well as how I want to convey my message or sentiments. Additionally, I feel I have more resources available to me now than I originally did with From Man to Machine: friends, bands, DJs, and fans. All of these people have played a significant role in shaping my understanding of the east coast industrial scene and we all fit in. After December is essentially the result of this understanding and evolution. It is my rebirth.

Mentioning the additional resources, particularly friends, bands, and DJs, After December features a bonus disc full of remixes from such acts as Razed in Black, Imperative Reaction, and Terrorfakt. What was the reason for including the remixes as a bonus disc as opposed to its own release? In other words, how do you feel the remixes complement the album as a whole package, versus being released separately?

Hypofixx: The remix disc was packaged with the album for a number of reasons, the major of which being money. Since Lashdigit Records is an independent out-of-pocket venture, it was more cost-effective to release everything at once. The second reason was marketing. Having big names on your disc such as Razed in Black, Imperative Reaction, and Terrorfakt will get people more interested in the music, even if it is just for that particular band's track. When someone does searches in iTunes, these band names will come up as 'Hypofixx song (Blah, blah, blah Remix),' thereby giving me more exposure to an audience that never knew I existed. Also, when I'm in a club, handing out DJ promos or asking someone to spin one of my songs, the person in the booth is more likely to say yes when I mention Razed in Black is on here, or Imperative Reaction or Assemblage 23 (as on the Shattered from the Inside single). This method allows me to introduce new material while piggybacking off something familiar. Romell thought it was a great idea and made a comment about it when we first met. It has proven a very effective strategy. A lot of bands are doing it. It's smart. Finally, the biggest reason why I included the remix disc with the album was because I want everyone involved to celebrate the release at once. These bands are friends, influences, and all around great people. I hired them because I have been their fan, their friend, I respect their work and I want them to be included with everything I do. If there's one thing I learned about New York City (and the east coast in general), we take care of our own, and this is my way of doing it.

Romell Regulacion from Razed in Black mastered the album as well as contributed to the remix disc. How did you find that his contributions affected the sound of After December?

Hypofixx: Razed in Black has been a huge influence on me ever since his remix of 'Shattered from the Inside.' I have spent an obscene amount of time deconstructing the production on that track, everything from layering, kick textures, fills, effects, you name it. I've always had a dance element to my music, but Romell has taught me to be a better producer, musician and engineer. A few years back, we had a heart-to-heart and I told him thank you for having such an immeasurable impact on the way I work. His production is so detailed that I could spend years trying to figure out every element. Because of this, I am now cranking out music with a very streamlined approach. I have a sleeker formula for beat construction, layers, instruments, and overall feel for songs. Having him master my album was one of the greatest things ever. I have such a tremendous amount of respect for what he's done. He is a friend, a mentor, and a brilliant mind. I try to think of him every time I'm in the studio. I ask myself, 'What would Romell do?' and I use him (as well as a few others) as a baseline production standard for everything I create now.

You've mentioned that a lot of personal things have happened in the creation of After December, and on your Web site, it states that each song chronicles a dark point in your life. Would you then say that After December is a concept album, and if so, how would you define that concept?

Hypofixx: If After December was fiction, I would say it was a concept album. Since this is a direct reflection of real experience, I would rather think of it more as an industrial autobiography. Much like From Man to Machine, there is an underlying story, a development, a climax, and a resolution. The only difference is that the protagonist dies from his own frustration and efforts in From Man to Machine. In this album, I find a way out and I document every path I took to find that closure, every element, good or bad, everything that's happened to me. Unlike my first album, the storyline with After December is not linear, but if you rearrange the tracks by subject alone, you will pretty much get a cohesive story and flow.

You produced a number of videos for the music on From Man to Machine. How do you feel the videos correlated to the concept of the album, and will you be producing more videos in the future, perhaps for After December?

Hypofixx: In the beginning, I wanted those videos to have a literal translation from the album. I wanted to create essentially my own little horror/sci-fi movie, with me as the main character telling the album's story. Unfortunately, due to resource limitations, I could not truly get the results I wanted, so I had to rethink my approach to those videos entirely. I originally wanted all of them to tie in together and be a 'Part X of Y' kind of thing, but that didn't really happen. Yes, I was a little disappointed, but I feel having these limitations opened up windows of opportunity for new ideas and creativity. Again, serendipity. I like to act and create on my feet and change direction at a moment's notice. These videos gave me that flexibility, and while it was frustrating at times for my talent, we seemed to do a great job of pulling everything together on a very non-existent budget. The only video I can really say was true to form was 'Alive Again.' That video had makeup, lighting, special effects, etc. It was hands down the best. I would like to make another DVD collection for After December, but I don't see that happening any time soon. I have too many other projects. I don't have the right camera, and above all, I would like to leave old bones buried.

It's interesting that you mention creating your own horror/sci-fi movie within the videos, because haven't you also done soundtrack work? What can you tell us about that? How has working on soundtracks affected your method in making music for yourself?

Hypofixx: Oh man, I love scoring movies! Absolutely love it! At some point, I would like to do music for both film and video games, but until that happens, a boy can dream. My involvement with film was an outgrowth from the work I did on my DVD and the videos from my first album. My principal actor, Kelley Slagle from Cavegirl Productions, directed several entries for the 48 Hour Film Challenge and the National Film Challenge. She asked if I wanted to compose original music for her films, and being that she was such a pleasure to work with on my videos, I couldn't resist. I love how I can step out of myself and make music that isn't specifically formulated for a club or a target demographic. I can experiment. I can play with different instruments. I can do whatever I want. The work I did with her last film was actually responsible for paving the first draft of After December. I came up with a lot of ideas while I was working on her stuff, so I have to thank her again for sparking the creativity when, at the time, I was in a serious writing drought. Thanks, Kelley!

Like many of today's electronic musicians, you're also a DJ. What sorts of similarities are there between being a DJ and a musician? What are the differences? What sorts of considerations come into play when you're a DJ versus when you're making your own music? Which do you prefer?

Hypofixx: I think being a DJ and being a musician are very similar things, and each plays heavily into one another. Both a musician and a DJ have to understand their audiences, both have to know their craft, and both have to give people what they want. My experience as a DJ has helped me better understand songwriting and what I need in order to have a club song work in a mix, on the floor, and while I'm spinning. I have changed my writing formula because of certain bumps in the road that didn't allow me to mix a song the way I wanted it. I find that I customize everything I do now to fit as many requirements as possible: groove, appeal, mixing, tempo, everything. It's a delicate balance, and you need to know how to keep tabs on all of this if you're going to reach people and hit them where it hurts. I definitely prefer producing over being a DJ, but I would not have one without the other.

While it's not unique to use guitars in heavy electronic music, there was a period where it had fallen out of favor, and is now starting to become a popular instrument again. As Hypofixx uses guitars, what are your thoughts on the instrument's place in heavy electronic and industrial music?

Hypofixx: Having such deep roots in metal, I am all for guitars. I think a lot of people (myself included) just got tired of hearing it all the time and wanted something new. Plus, you get older, your tastes change, people go for new things to inspire them. I ended up going more toward power noise and dark psy-trance with this album. And, as with anything, you need a break from it to truly appreciate it. Everything comes full circle and a new wave of ears will start to come into the scene. To them, it's all new. So incorporating guitars back into electronic music will be easy. It's just a matter of when. In the meantime, I'm keeping it alive with a side project I'm doing with some friends. It's still on the back burner right now, but I'm excited about it nonetheless. I'll tell you more about it when it happens.

So, what's next for Hypofixx? Now that After December's been released, what sorts of surprises do you have in store for your audience?

Hypofixx: I'm working on so many things right now, it's not even funny. I've decided to break up my sounds into respective genres—trance, industrial, and metal—and I've organized them into three different projects under three different names. I'm trying to involve a variety of people for each album, mainly to give them all a unique sound and their own life. So far, it's going very well. Everything I've learned with After December is demonstrated here. My production is rock solid. I'm knocking things out, getting stuff done, feeling good and just staying on top of my game. In addition to that, I'm working on a real autobiography. That is an ongoing project and will surface when it's ready. And just when you thought I wasn't busy enough, I'm also working on pitching a TV show. Details on that are still under my hat. I'm still sorting out my treatment. Either way, I got life ahead of me, music ahead of me, my demons are dead, and a lot to be thankful for. Life's pretty fucking great right now!

Being as productive as you are with all of these different projects and activities, and given the fact that you do it all without any major label backing, what advice would you give to the younger musicians trying to come up in the underground industrial/electronic music scene?

Hypofixx: Five simple words: do it your damn self! If anything, I've learned that opportunities don't present themselves unless you make them present themselves. You won't get anywhere in life or this scene if you just wait for things to happen. You have to get off your ass and get out there. Perks and kickbacks will happen as a result, but don't expect them at the beginning. In fact, don't expect them at all. Just make your music, hone your craft, and please, please, please, do not try to be a rock star. And then when you're ready, send me an e-mail and we'll play a show together!

Is there anything you want to add to close out?

Hypofixx: The last thing I want to say is thank you to everyone who has stood by me, supported me, praised me, criticized me, fought with me, played with me, danced with me, or slept with me. You guys are why I'm still doing this shit. I love you!