Artist Stories: Moods on Instrumental Hip Hop, Live Recording an Album & How Music “Ruined” His Life

Danny Hajjar is a music journalist, curator, DJ, and creator of the newsletter Sa’alouni El Nas. The newsletter focuses on the music, culture, social, and political stories of the Middle East, North Africa, and the diaspora community. Danny has a wealth of experience, having worked at Spotify's Data Curation team and contributed to esteemed publications such as The Washington Post, Esquire, and The New Arab.  His unwavering dedication and commitment to popularizing the rich culture of the region is commendable and inspiring to us. His rich overview of the music industry and dedication to be present and keep doing what he loves are among the reasons why we are more than honoured to welcome him to the Fox Tales. The episode is published in the midst of the horrific earthquake that happened in Turkey and Syria. Our heart goes out to everyone affected. Below we are sharing a list of resources for people to donate and help. List of resources for people to help and donate: » Molham » Syrian American Medical Society » AKUT » Turkish Red Crescent Links » Sa’alouni El Nas newsletter » @DanielGHajjar (Twitter) » Stereofox IG (@wearestereofox) » our newsletter at Stereofox.com » host (@himynameisivo) » Join our Discord Server Mentioned: @bladelsham @frenchysaysrelax @dj.bonita @narcynarce @big_hass @offendum @thanksjoey  @abdulisms @norfafrica Podcast notes [2:50] on music in Danny’s life growing up [06:10] on his goal when it comes to popularising music from the Middle East and North African region  [07:20] on the creation of the Saaluni newsletter and how to stay consistent when it comes to content creation [11:05] on the balance between music and social / political stories and how they humanize the culture  [13:30] on the future of the newsletter and turning it into a media platform [16:50] on music that resonates with you  [19:30] on Danny’s career path toward, writing   [24:00] on being part of the creator’s ecosystem and connecting with artists from the Middle East and North African region   [27:10] key curators in the Arab Music / Middle Eastern scene [29:30] the next growth wave of Arabic music [33:35] Spotify, the Arab team there and what’s happening for artists from the region [35:30] on everyone’s responsibility to explore and be open to global  music [40:00 ] the balance between data and human curation aka the human vibe check at Spotify [42:30] an advice for artists

In our new episode we had the pleasure of talking to US producer xander. on the release day of his new album Bliss. We cover the creative process behind and and how it all came to be, his journey from picking up Fruity Loops to working with Meek Mill and building up his followership in recent years. Shoutout to all the amazing people mentioned in the podcast! Links » xander. (@iamxandermusic) » artworks (@jim_spendlove) » Stereofox IG (@wearestereofox) » subscribe to our newsletter at Stereofox.com » listen to our label releases  » host (@himynameisivo) » Join our Discord Server Podcast notes [1:26] Moving to Boston and the beat/culture scene there [3:12] The Xander sound [5:17] The new Bliss album creative process and release journey [11:20] On playing instruments [13:10] The importance of collaboration  [18:24] On meeting his collaborators [24:32] Drumming and early days of producing music [26:30] On getting triple gold certified and working with Meek Mill [29:52] On the important of being consistent & building followership [33:10] Pros and cons of social media [35:50] What to look for in a record label [37:45] Xander’s favourite place to listen to Bliss

Stephan Kunze is a German music journalist and author, radio host, editor and curator with over 20 years of experience.  He currently curates Zen Sounds - a newsletter dedicated on ambient, jazz and experimental music. Stephan’s colourful experience - from print to radio and now digital streaming makes him really interesting and multi-layered guest. Previously Stephan was Global Editorial Lead at Spotify, had his own imprint (Heart Working Class), consultant for Red Bull, editor-in-chief for the German hip hop magazine Juice, and writer for Berlin-based Spex (to name a few).  Links » Zen Sounds newsletter » Zen Sounds IG (@zen__sounds) » Stereofox IG (@wearestereofox) » subscribe for our newsletter at Stereofox.com » listen to our label releases  » host (@himynameisivo) » Join our Discord Server Podcast notes [01:50] intro, earliest music memories and buying records in the 90s [06:10] degree in law and first writing experiences for SPEX and Juice [09:10] music journalism in the 2000s and interviewing Pharrell Williams and working at Juice [14:50] curating a newsletter (Zen Sounds) vs running a magazine or curating editorial playlists at Spotify [19:00] switching Zen Sounds to English [22:15] staying consistent and motivated when it comes to creating content [23:40] Living in Berlin, the Pandemic, and staying balanced [29:10] the Deep Listening philosophy and impact on life [33:10] building listening habits as a listener and Spotify playlist editor [36:50] today’s consumption of music and art and the future of the attention economy in mainstream media [38:45] how to build a career and audience as an artist and be successful on Spotify and the state of lofi music [42:30] singles vs albums when it comes to lofi hip hop [45:20] the story and growth of the German hip hop beat scene [49:40] Stephan path’s in Spotify and the evolution / creation of editorial playlists [52:10] the culture of lofi hip hop [54:45] are music publications still relevant, social media and does audience size matters [1:06:20] 2022 end-of-year lists, the Zen Sounds newsletter, and future plans

Our next Artist Stories episode is with someone we’ve been fans of for many years - ever since his 2016 “Give Back What You Stole From Me”. Oscar Jerome is a UK singer, guitarist, and composer who’s been involved with music since a very young age. He’s got a pretty signature blend of jazz & soul that you have most probably already heard in his acclaimed songs “Do You Really” & “Gravitate”. He just released his sophomore album called The Spoon which took a more cinematic & melancholic approach and he stopped by for a chat to give us some details about it and to also share stories about his creative process, touring with Kamasi Washington and the Blue Note: Reimagined project. Links » Oscar Jerome (@oscjerome) » Stereofox (@wearestereofox) » host (@atanas.kutsev) » Join our Discord Server Show Notes [03:29] On random non-music fact [04:16] On singing & playing the guitar [05:50] On the Pandemic [08:18] On creating The Spoon and the new sonic direction [11:22] On 1st single “Sweet Isolation” [15:04] On the Metropole Orkest version [17:05] On song length and staying true to yourself [22:30] On 2nd single “Berlin 1” & shooting the music video [28:38] On the two personas in the album - Jerry & Ice Guycicle [34:44] On cancel culture [36:48] On title track “The Spoon” [39:30] On poetry [41:40] On his IG feed [42:41] On breaking down gender roles, toxic masculinity & ego [46:16] On heavy metal music & its connection with jazz [51:09] On playing live vs. working in the studio [53:43] On touring with Kamasi Washington [55:02] On dream collaborator & to play live with [56:16] On Blue Note: Reimagined II [59:20] On “Gravitate” [01:01:24] On debut album Breathe Deep [01:03:20] On advice for emerging artists

Today’s Artist Story episode of Fox Tales is a really special one. We found Carmody back in 2014 with her delightful first EP with Tom Misch called Out to Sea and completely fell in love with her voice and storytelling. You might also know her from her other wonderful releases like Skin, My Jupiter & Catching Blue, or from her collaborations with Connor Albert, edbl, or Alfa Mist. She dropped by for a chat to talk about her debut album Imperfect Constellations that just got its Deluxe Version released, and to share about her experience with alternative therapy and about her love for poetry. Links » Carmody (@thisiscarmody) » Stereofox (@wearestereofox) » host (@atanas.kutsev) » Join our Discord Server Show Notes [02:58] On the most random places for song ideas [03:52] On the name of Imperfect Constellations [05:57] On finally having a debut album out in the open [07:45] On the personal topics of the album [10:04] On the album rollout [11:54] On the track order of the album [13:11] On the symbols in the artwork [15:14] On alternative therapy [17:20] On mental health in the music industry [19:50] On “Morning” [24:28] On “Hurricane” & the gap between generations [27:31] On “Memory” with Alfa Mist & Laura Misch [29:10] On releasing a Deluxe version of Imperfect Constellations [31:35] On relationships & technology [34:44] On poetry [37:55] On her creative process [40:14] On working with Tom Misch [43:13] On Out To Sea EP [46:02] On her collab dynamics with Tom [48:53] On working with Marie Dahlstrom [50:08] On dream collaborator [52:02] On what to expect next

In our new Fox Tales episode we welcome Inner Ocean's founder Cory Giordano. We go over label's 10 years history and the transition to digital straming, some remarkable moments and we deep-dive into the value of doing physical products (vinyls, cassette tapes and merch). Links » Inner Ocean (@inneroceanrecords) » Stereofox (@wearestereofox) » host (@himynameisivo) » Join our Discord Server Show Notes [2:20] The early days of Inner Ocean [09:11] The value of physical products [15:55] The environmental impact of physical products & Anjunadeep’s example [18:35] Physical products and digital streaming [19:50] Singles vs album releases [22:02] Curation at Inner Ocean [26:45] Submissions  [31:50] Team setup and behind-the-scenes [34:05] Inner Ocean artist careers [36:30] Working exclusively vs non-exclusively with artists [42:50] On long-term success, growth and Questlove’s manager story [49:45] On the tough side of a running a label [58:40] Doing physical products during COVID

We’re beyond happy to welcome Philipp Senkpiel AKA DJ Kitsune on our podcast. The German DJ, music producer, label owner and editor at TIDAL shares his journey through various fields of the music industry and goes back to his early days as a DJ in Frankfurt. We also touch upon the difference between DJ-ing and curating playlists and how fluid genres have become nowadays. In this hour-long conversation, we also discuss the foundations, growth and strength of the German Hip Hop and Instrumental Beat scene, the rise of new sounds from South America (Latino Music), Africa (afrobeats) and Asia (k-pop)his way of making it and surviving in the music industry all these years, and last, but not least -  a few of his guidelines when comes to managing artists, running your own label and publishing company. Links » DJ Kitsune (@djkitsune) » Stereofox (@wearestereofox) » host (@himynameisivo) » Join our Discord Server » Prince live performance w/ Chaka Khan » Prince Purple Picks TIDAL playlist Show Notes [4:40] basketball, NBA season and working hard [5:50] multi-tasking and how this helps keep going in the music industry  [7:45] the importance of balance and mental health  [10:10] the weight load on young music stars these days [13:00] growing up, touring and performing in the 90s and 00s [15:10] on early days and the start of his DJ career [22:30] Doing for an artist vs club doing [24:10] joining TIDAL as editor and approach to curating music  [27:50] advice on getting noticed by TIDAL editors [32:10] the evolution genres nowadays [36:30] how are the TIDAL Rising playlists curated [39:30] direct-to-fan payment system [42:20] the return of physical products [45:10] the strength of German hip hop culture and instrumental / lofi hip hop scene [52:10] genre influences on new producers [53:45] the rise of k-pop and latin music and their spillover to other genres [1:03:15] the most important business advice in running a music industry company [1:12:45] learning guitar and Prince’s playlist on TIDAL

As you saw in the title, we have Laxcity in as a guest this time around for our Artist Stories segment. The UK-based electronic producer has this introverted and somewhat reserved nature to him that tends to arise even during interviews. On this episode of the Fox Tales Podcast however, we experience something different from the producer. Throughout the conversation, we get to hear a Laxcity that seems like he has loosened the shackles of anxiety that he’s struggled with, and his story as Josh rises to the conversation in a manner that’s deep, and at times fun and lighthearted. The mixture of Future Bass, Vapor Twitch, and Future Beats that is found throughout his discography has not only led to him brushing shoulders with his idols and playing intercontinental shows, but also a deal with Alt Vision – undeniably one of the hottest labels around for Electronic music. This is probably the most personal Laxcity interview you’ll hear so far as we also discuss race, relationships, anxiety, and more. I truly hope you enjoy and walk away with a thing or two you can use in your life. Links » Laxcity (@laxcitymusic) » Stereofox (@wearestereofox) » host (@skai_lounge) » Join our Discord Server Show Notes [03:32] On Genres – Vapor Twitch and Kawaii Bass [5:30] On cherished moments from being an upcoming producer [7:20] On the Soundcloud Era [10:00] Go back in time, which age/ youth [14: 00] On being from Zambia and adjusting to UK [18:50] On being an Electronic producer in Africa [21:05] On music played from family environment [25:27] On growing up Black and listening to non-black music [29:40] On balancing Uni and music    [37:55] On pursuing a career in music [44: 21] On visual inspirations [48:58] On being an introvert and a different [53:10] On what helped with anxiety [58:50] On the creation of debut album and relationships [1:02:45] On insights and lessons from first major fest in Montreal [1:10:00] On signing with iconic label ALT:vision [1:15:23] On the influence of Galimatias and Porter Robinson [1:21:00] On what it means to steal like an artist [1:24:35] On using Fl Studio [1:29:57] On the new album [1:32:00] On Artists you’d love to be your mentor, party with and have a DMC with

Today, we’re doing another Artist Story and we don’t even know where to begin with introducing our guest. Nick Lubbersen, or Moods, is a Rotterdam-based producer whom you most probably know either from his instrumental hip hop piece “Love Is Real” which skyrocketed to more than 30 million streams on Spotify, or from his numerous amazing remixes for the likes of Ta-ku, Poldoore & Two Another. Earlier this year, he released his sophomore album with the peculiar name Music Ruined My Life via Boogie Angst and we got together to find out exactly how music ruined his life. Links » Moods (@moods.music) » Music Ruined My Life - Mini Documentary » Boogie Angst (@boogieangst) » Stereofox (@wearestereofox) » host (@atanas.kutsev) » Join our Discord Server Show Notes [02:48] On favourite thing to do besides music [04:07] On how he got involved with music [06:56] On “Organic” with SIAM [10:08] On why he chose Moods for his moniker [11:30] On why “Music Ruined My Life” [14:02] On drawing [17:03] On the live-recorded approach for the album [19:44] On the genre direction of the album [22:22] On Music Ruined My Life vs. Zoom Out [23:38] On whether listeners accept more sophisticated music [26:41] On the album mini-documentary [28:18] On vinyls [30:42] On instrumental hip hop vs. remixes [33:44] On collaborations [36:52] On when Logic sampled his music [38:38] On the chillhop genre [44:06] On advice for emerging artists [45:22] On future plans

In this new episode of our Artist Stories segment, we have the pleasure to welcome the multi-talented beatmaker, finger drummer and instrumentalist Gnarly. Besides making music, DJ-ing and giving workshops, the British-Sri Lankan artist has performed live at various festivals, and worked with brands such as Native Instruments, Akai Professional, Redbull Music, Pioneer DJ and many more. Gnarly has been making music for over a decade and is currently a self-employed full-time artist, who has a lot to share on both her professional and personal journey. In this episode, she reflects on how she overcame the mental blocks that weren’t allowing her to pursue music as a full-time career and managed to change her mindset in order to start making things happen. She talks about discipline, motivation, dedication, overcoming anxiety, exploring and finding what is it that you want to do and giving your best in order to make things work out. She also shares what’s her experience as a female producer. Needless to say, this episode is full of inspiring drops of wisdom and one not to miss out on - whether you’re an aspiring artist, a fan of Gnarly or both. Links » Gnarly (@gnarly.music) » Stereofox (@wearestereofox) » host (@inspiration.noomra) » Join our Discord Server Show Notes [02:19] on how does a Gnarly-day goes by [03:36] on how she got into finger drumming [06:56] on making music her full-time job and her mantra  “don’t be afraid to succeed” [13:24] on taking care of her mental health, counselling, doing the inner work and changing her mindset and how finger drumming helped her in the process [17:40] on how she quit her day job in order to pursue her music career [24:59] on her various revenue streams and why it’s important to future-proof what you’re doing  [27:06] on her social media presence and how it affects her career and opportunities for income (e.g. brand partnerships); the importance of high-quality content [32:04] on how she started to give finger drumming workshops and use Patreon amidst the Pandemic [33:56] her artist brand and the importance of ‘being yourself’ on social media [35:50] on organisations that support female creatives, especially female producers [37:08] on her being a female producer and double-proving herself [44:14] on being independent as an artist vs collaborating [47:22] on experimenting and getting involved in conceptual projects  [49:31] on what motivates her [53:18] on anime characters that inspire and motivate her to push past her limits [54:26] on what she would advise artists based on her own journey so far and what she considers to be the recipe for success