Poland-based DJ, producer, and live performer Cyd is currently riding the high tide following the release of his ‘Collapsing’ EP and a busy summer. With some meticulous production, his tracks have been released via labels like Subsist Records, Labrynth, and his own Solemne Records. Now, the artist returns to Labrynth with a gripping 5-track EP that dwells in the comfort of the shadows whilst pointing to a new kind of hope.
EG caught up with Cyd to talk about the drop of his new ‘Collapsing’ EP, his creative process, inspirations, his views on the state of the scene, and more.
EG: Hi Cyd! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. Where are you based right now?
Cyd: Hello EG, thanks for having me. I’m currently back in Poland again after spending almost a decade in the UK.
EG: So, what has your summer been like? Any particular highlights?
Cyd: I have been playing several gigs during the summer and have now been focusing on finishing some new EPs and an album. Gigs were great, especially since I had a chance to play various styles of music as both a live act and as a DJ, which is awesome, as I love to keep it eclectic. Summer itself wasn’t bad, even though my initial plan for the season was to run a festival, which unfortunately did not work out. However, in such situations, I always try to switch my focus to something else.
EG: Sounds like an eventful summer. Congratulations on the release of your latest EP, ‘Collapsing’! What has the initial reception been like?
Cyd: Thank you. I am quite excited about this EP, especially considering that it is being released on Labrynth, which is a label with a very strong history that has hosted amazing music from absolutely legendary artists. It’s a huge pleasure to take part in such a project.
I think the initial reception has been very good, though it’s a bit tricky for the listeners that are familiar with my usual sound as this EP is a bit different from the ones I have released prior.
EG: So, what can your fans expect to find on ‘Collapsing’? Is there a thread or concept running through the EP? Do you tell stories through each track?
Cyd: It is not a very cheerful piece of music overall, however, its aim is not to make the listener upset, but to let them know that they might be not alone in their feelings. The message is that if you are in the shadows, you can feel that someone has already been there whilst you listen to this EP.
‘Collapsing’, as its title states, reflects a situation where things are going out of control, but it still guides us down the path to follow during this lostness.
‘Reinforcing’ is a different approach to a similar scene. It tells a story of losing grip, but that there is always hope and chance to make things better. That is why we must accumulate our strength to make things straight again.
‘Needles’ and ‘Stealing Thunder’ have many aspects in common, as this EP was intended to be edifying, but powerful. These pieces of music contain brash sounds that help us maintain our vision during difficult moments. Our enemy might not only appear as someone who will use us, but that might also occur deep inside ourselves.
“The message is that if you are in the shadows, you can feel that someone has already been there whilst you listen to this EP”
EG: And the EP also features a remix of ‘Collapsing’, courtesy of Dead Memories. What do you usually look for when listening to a remix of a track of yours for the first time? Do you ever have any kind of “A-ha, I wish I’d thought of that” moments?
Cyd: I usually look for two potential approaches to remixes. First, something that is largely based on my initial vision, but with small additions that I would never think of.
Secondly, something completely different from my version of the track, which is only lightly influenced by the initial idea. With Dead Memories, you just can’t go wrong. I have been following this amazing artist for a long time now, and all of the stuff that he has released on Subsist Records and Labrynth has absolutely blown my mind.
His remix of ‘Collapsing’ does contain several aspects that I wish I had thought of whilst producing the track. I really enjoy listening to his very unique style and admire the fact that he truly is executing his vision. I am very glad that he took the part in this project.
EG: We know every track is different, but could you walk us through your creative process? Do you have some kind of “blueprint” to help you close out ideas into tracks?
Cyd: As mentioned before, ‘Collapsing’ has my usual vibe which utilizes moody, modulated synths that aim to sound like a fog. The other tracks on the EP contain more strong-sounding short decay stab synths that give more groove and energy to the dancefloor.
Each time I sit down to work on a track, I program my synths from absolutely zero. I want to create an individual story each time, which is why I like to stick to this method.
‘Reinforcing’ is actually quite a unique example, as I very rarely use vocals in my tracks. With that one, I really thought that I needed to add something extra to the plot. Of course, the vocal itself has quite a lot of effects applied like distortion for example. I need a lot of those to express my vision of the stories that I am describing in these sounds.
EG: How do you usually keep entertained when not in the studio? Where does your inspiration come from? Any new books, movies, or series you’d recommend?
Cyd: As I mostly generate new sounds for each song, I find a lot of entertainment already whilst creating a track, as it takes a bit of time to prepare those before I start to work on the melodies and arrangement.
My inspiration comes mainly from other people, not necessarily musicians or artists, but also from memories, movies, and places. I love science, and learning about someone who sacrificed their life to discover/invent something new can sometimes lead me down the path to writing an album. Memories play a huge role as well. Unfortunately, I am talking about less happy memories, as those are the ones that inspire me a lot. I try to express what inspired me to do an EP or album in the titles or descriptions, but to give you an example, I would recommend seeing ‘Ghost In The Shell’ (1995) or reading about Nato.0+55+3d.
There are plenty of interesting, mysterious stories about people that left us something extraordinary to think of, I very much admire their will to create.
EG: What are your thoughts on the current state of the scene? What would you like to see more and less of?
Cyd: This is a difficult topic. On the one hand, I feel that electronic music has never had the kind of exposure to the world as it does now. Which should be a positive factor. On the other hand, this might split the audience and artists between those who seek entertainment and the others that dig for deeper sensations.
It is hard to judge and I don’t feel like someone with the power to do so. However, I have to admit that we are a bit overwhelmed and it is quite difficult to reach the right audience if your music is not commercial or to find some eclectic music gems whilst you are a demanding listener.
These days it is also hard to estimate if the artist that you listen to is composing the music themselves or are using sample packs/loops or is even working with a ghost producer. Still, I am still meeting quite a lot of talented, very hard-working people that I admire, so the scene is doing well, I just got a feeling that it’s very divided.
“It is hard to judge and I don’t feel like someone with the power to do so. However, I have to admit that we are a bit overwhelmed and it is quite difficult to reach the right audience if your music is not commercial or to find some eclectic music gems whilst you are a demanding listener”
EG: What’s next for Cyd & your Solemne Records? What particular milestones are you looking forwards to now?
Cyd: As the summer has gone, I am back on track working on EPs and albums. So regarding my music, The EP on Labrynth is already out, the next one will be an IDM-orientated EP released on Clean Error. After that, I think I shall release another full album on Subsist Records that will contain a lot of eclectic IDM, electronica, and ambient influences. And I will be releasing a more House-oriented EP on the New York-based label E-Missions somewhere around February.
With Solemne Records, I am super happy to announce that we will release an EP from Dead Memories in November this year with an exclusive video clip. At Solemne Records we try to keep each artwork & video handmade. Also, we have recently started selling merch like hoodies, hats, t-shirts, etc. I really enjoy maintaining Solemne Records, even if it takes a lot of effort. I would love to continue to grow the label so that we can deliver something more for our artists, like custom merch for each release. We are also planning to print more vinyl releases (which are coming soon as well).
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Cyd! We wish you all the best for the future.
Cyd: And vice versa, thank you for the chat. I hope that it wasn’t super boring for you. Best of luck!
Cyd’s new ‘Collapsing’ EP is out now via Labrynth. Purchase your copy here.
Follow Cyd: Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify
