Melodic Dubstep up and comer Sounds of Apollo returns to the scene in a big way with this massive remix of Seven Lions new single, Only Now, featuring Tyler Graves. The multi instrument musician, real name Will Compton, hits home as his remix boasts perfect orchestral elements that tell a story behind Graves’s vocals. Applying beautifully laid piano, drums, brass, and strings that he records himself, along with futuristic synths and distorted vocal chops, the 21 year old producer makes his first release of 2020 heard loud and clear!
Listen to ‘Only Now’ Ft. Tyler Graves (Sounds of Apollo Remix) on YouTube
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Tell us about that first track that put you on the map in the electronic scene and the journey since. How did you get started?
I actually never wanted to be a musician. I was going to college to get a degree in Broadcast Journalism. My brother Brantly was the one who got me into EDM, he had a big influence on me. He was on old school Skrillex, Excision, Flume and Griz back in the day. So I started making awful beats in my bedroom, no musical talent what so ever. Couldn’t even tell you what a kick drum was.
I was making music all day every single day for about a year and a half before I released a song that got me exposure, which was Wake Up Call with ELYSA. All day I was making bootleg remixes and bedroom beats, with god awful mixes. But the more I grew the more I knew I wanted better for myself. So I started to try new sounds and trying to create better music. I pitched the demo out to singers and ended up finding ELYSA through Vocalizr. She blew it out of the water, and her and I started building a record together. Really cool moment for me, felt like a big first step for me professionally.
Tell us about your latest remix project ‘Only Now’ by Seven Lions?
7L has always been a huge inspiration for me. Like a lot of melodic producers out there, I felt he connected to me through his songwriting. So of course, I had to shoot my shot on this one. Didn’t win (congrats Synmata!) but it was still such a blast to do. This record marks start of the final chapter for this project for me, so I plan to go out with a bang. I recorded all my own strings right here in my bedroom. Took forever, but at the end of the day, I am incredibly proud with how it all came together.
What single night out has been the most memorable for you as a DJ and producer?
Hands down with Bad Royale. I remember when I was just started DJ’ing, I opened for Henry Fong & Bad Royale on their summer tour. I was young, think 18 at the time, and had no real clue of how to be a proper opener, but I was tight with the promoter so he plugged me. I played Disciple level dubstep and Bass House bangers, cause I though that was what they wanted.
No idea why they let me on that lineup, but I had a blast preforming. After the show I was backstage and I was talking with the headliners, and one of the guys in Bad Royale came up to me and says “Great show kid, but never play that kind of shit again.” He went on to roast my performance, but then told me how to be a better opener. That was about 3 years ago, and I still never forgot that lesson. I knew where he was coming from, and he helped become a better performer. For that, I thank Bad Royale.
Tell us something we wouldn’t normally find out about you.
I am entirely self taught! Been making music for about 3 and a half years and learned everything I know on youtube haha! After I graduated college I decided to professionalize my sound at Icon Collective, but all my releases were before that, so, youtube.
Give us the name of one track that never gets old for you no matter how many times you listen to it?
Anything by Gallant, Ive never heard better songwriting. Also the production is insane, Warner sets the standard.
Dream collaboration and why?
In any genre, I would have to say DVSN or Gallant, i love their vocal ranges. EDM specific, I would have to say Illenium, Audien, or Adventure Club. Those are the guys that got me into this game, so that would be a dream come true for me.
If you could play any festival, which would it be?
Might be a little corny here, but Snowglobe Music Festival in South Lake Tahoe. That was the first music festival I ever went to, and I remember wanting to be a musician standing in that crowd. If I could be on that stage, staring at the same exact spot 18 year old me stood three years ago with a GA wristband on his arm and a dream in his heart, that would be so full circle for me.
How do you get a track started? Tell us a bit about your production process. How long does it take you to complete a track on average and do you ever get writer’s block?
I usually always start a track with piano chords. I lay down some chords I love, and then play a melody over it. Everything always changes and grows as the song progresses, but the heart of it starts on piano. I find that if it sounds good on piano, it’ll sound good when you synthesize it.
As for my production process, man that always varies. Sometimes it takes a week, sometimes a month, or even sometimes several months. I guess it all depends on how well the ideas come for me. I have songs I’ve finished in a day, and those are amazing songwriting days, but the usual time frame for me from empty DAW to a perfect mastered song the way I want it, is about a month, month and a half
Latest track / EP? What are you working on currently? Tell us more!
Right now I’m getting ready to drop about 16 songs in the next 5 months. My best originals, remixes, and collabs I’ve made. Super excited to share this with everyone, and got some super dope surprises along the way.
The relationship between the audience and the DJ is crucial, and yet it seems to be a fragile one – how do you see the balance between giving the crowd what they want and treating them to something new?
I think that this is a really tough question. If you’re a headliner, then people in the crowd already paid to see you, so you might as well play the songs that you love, because that’s what people love you for, you know? Even if you’re an up and comer, playing the music that you love and sticking to your guns is what you makes you YOU, in my opinion.
Now at the same time, you might use different song selection around your sound based upon show, like at a festival compared to opening for a big artist. I think it’s all about balance, finding your sound, and executing it perfectly every time. It’s what separates the hobby, from the profession.
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Seven Lions – ‘Only Now’ Ft. Tyler Graves (Sounds of Apollo Remix) is OUT NOW!
