Sweater Beats released a single on Soulection more than 2 years ago. His single “Make A Move”, Branchez remix and his Cloud City EP were released on Huh, What, Where?, the same label that releases songs from Kaytranada, Taku, STWO, and more. A year ago he supported Chance the Rapper, Flume and Chet Faker on their North American tours. Most recently he remixed JoJo’s single ‘When Love Hurts’.
Photography & Interview by Lauren Engel and Mike Greene
Is there a particular musician that you and your parents listened to which affects how you create?
My dad really into Bosso nova so like Stan was what he played all the time. That was how I started to learn how to play guitar because he played guitar. It’s really inspiring to hear their core progression and all the melodies they used to construct for their songs. Looking back I didn’t know anything about that but in retrospect it was really dope. I try to kind of get some feelings that they put into their music with chords and harmonies.
Do you relate your culture, being Filipino, to your music creation process?
Ya Filipinos love karaoke and music has always been a part of my life. My cousins had a karaoke machine and that’s what we would do on the weekends.
Have you thought about singing in your performances?
I’m the worst. I cant sing at all. I used to be in Screamo bands and I would scream and that’s not even singing so that’s as far as I would take it.
What was the journey like progressing from screamo bands to a solo act?
It was pretty much because all my friends left for college out of state. I was left behind and was like who am I going to play music with anymore. Then I was just like okkk the computer. Let me just pick drum loops on the computer, and that’s pretty much just how I started making music on the computer.
Based on that do you look at Skrillex as an inspiration?
Ya I think he definitely took that raw energy from ‘From First to Last’ and put it in his own music. I think he has always been raw and energetic.
Is that the path you saw for yourself?
I don’t think the music I make now is the kind of music I made before but I draw from the emo aspect of it. I really like break dance, so that’s why i make half time music. Ratatat more so were exactly what I wanted to do with the guitar and the beats. When I first heard them, I was like yep that’s what I’m going to make. I never listened to a lot of hip hop in high school. I was just into rock music but once I heard Ratatat, it opened the doors.
Where does your background of music come from?
I took music theory in high school. I have the basic concept but I didn’t really take it that far. It was too much to take further with the scales and making it sound organic. But then you get into this realm of next level music theory which I don’t think I’ll ever use. Maybe I will use it accidentally but ya it’s just over my head.
Do you think that affects the quality of production or music skill?
I don’t think so but I’ve always wished i can play piano better. But I don’t think learning a lot more music theory will effect it. I think it will actually disconnect you from your audience because if you want to make weirder music and put in all this theory, your audience who just want to listen to some dope stuff.
Is there anything you’ve seen or learnt from audience members?
Actually last night an audience member was telling me to play make a song which is four years old. I was like that’s tight, you guys still listen to that song! But ya that surprised me a lot because I keep feeling like I need to make new music but people like old stuff too.
So with that, how does that affect your future music cause they like what you used to produce?
I think just the sense and soul of what I was making music. The song they requested was one of my first songs making future R&B music. I think that being a beginner was trial and error. You’re more curious, you’ve got a young mind and you’re just trying it. You’re not overthinking it, you’re still innocent about making music. To harness that innocence from when I first made music and keep my production fresh hopefully people will be into it.
An artist music is typically a reflection of themselves in one shape or another, what does your music say about you?
That I’m an emotional guy. (laughs) I like to feel sad and happy. I listen to taking back Sunday. iIwas super angsty in high school. I was like I’m going to listen to music and feel things on the bus going to school. I’m not saying I’m super emotional as a person, just with music I like to feel it in my bones. When you hear a song or beat and you get goosebumps, that’s the best feeling in the world. I think the first time I heard pony I was like wow whats is this music?
Looking back do you regret studying media studies and design? Do you feel like it limited you in any way?
I think if i studied music I feel like it would have tainted my exploration. I would be like too restricted with music and theory. I’m glad I didn’t take music theory and production.
Were your parents were always supportive of you doing music?
Ya growing up, they were always going to all the shows I was playing with the band and thinking it was cool. We were all thinking it was a hobby. I didn’t take it seriously until 2 years ago. I think once they saw my pictures on Facebook, they saw that people like me and listen to my music. My parents don’t know anything about electronic music but my little brother started listening to Zedd and my mom was like I love this song! She starting to learn about this culture and everything. It was always a hobby because school always had to come first and get a job. They’re definitely supportive but they said to finish school first so that was the trade off.
