Dystorizon
by Mister Mime
28th June 2021
Valencia-based producer Dystorizon is an exhilarating new breed of Indian electronic musicians who aims to break out of existing notions and make you “un-expect the expected” when it comes to creativity and musical expression.
His debut EP ‘Escape Velocity’ provides the necessary momentum to cut loose from conventions and hurtle towards exciting and unknown frontiers. As one of the ‘Bonafide 7 Collective’ core members, he is well on his way to causing ripples and waves that will set the tone for the future sounds of electronic music not just in his home country but around the world.
MM: What does “Dystorizon” mean?
Dystorizon: The name is a blend of distorted-horizon. Horizon came from my real name (Kshitij - horizon in Hindi) and it being distorted signifies how I look at the world lately. Reality seems like a subjective concept. Things are often not always what they seem. Dystorizon represents change, the ability to accept it and to support all the people out there trying to deviate from the pre-existing narrative, those who create and explore new worlds.
MM: Why is the EP called “Escape Velocity”?
Dystorizon: If one actively listens — rhythm, harmony exists in nature as well as in everything anthropogenic (or man-made). With this EP, I made music that amplifies the way I feel about life and living while capturing soundscapes around us that may not feel inherently musical in the traditional aspect. It is about a journey undertaken in order to find sounds and emotions, arranging them together in a way that translates into music. It's an escape from the existing notions, leading to an empty canvas where one can make their own rules. Escape Velocity here is the threshold to cross in order to see that the mind is the greatest weapon.
MM: What about the tracks and track names: Are there any stories or references behind them, or the making of the EP?
Dystorizon: All the tracks are about a particular concept which culminates towards them being a part of this EP. Track one - Bottom Up Approach. Literally, bottom-up approach is the piecing together of systems to give rise to new complex systems. Here it refers to the process of taking in all the information, the energy around you, to eventually filter and direct it to fulfil desired goals or derive new things. Track two ‘Mixed Feelings’ is about change and how we perceive it. It is about how we naturally get attracted towards something that we’re comfortable with, resisting change. ’Parallelism’ came from the Psychophysical Parallelism theory which describes the coordination between the body and mind, how they are related yet work independently of each other. The EP ends with ‘Tangerine Head’ that investigates what happens after we surpass the gates of reality. It is about freeing your imagination and taking into account multiple perspectives of the world that we live in.
MM: Can you share with us your musical background?
Dystorizon: Primarily, I am a drummer, percussionist. Tabla being the foundation of my sense of rhythm, I’ve always been interested to know more about different instruments. I play a bit of keys and bass that helps me approach my productions from different angles. Self-learning has played an incredible role in exploring, nurturing ideas and keeping the seeking-reward loop on. As of now, most of my time goes into playing on the computer. In this era of digital music production, computation has played a major role and I try to take utmost advantage to get the magic in my productions. It’s like when you actually see how stuff works, you can go a step beyond and craft something really unique.
MM: Can you briefly tell us about your association with ’Bonafide 7’ collective?
Dystorizon: I am one of seven-part of the artist collective — Bonafide Seven. It is an initiative to facilitate audio-visual and marketing services for artists to build, refine & promote their work. We are artists who are experienced in different domains of audio and video. I mainly look after analog video projects like music videos, ad promos, interviews and music production gigs that demands creative sound design, beat-making, mixing etc. The primary goal of this collective is to provide bonafide support to creators, artists and brands trying to make a difference. Escape Velocity is mastered by B7 co-founding member Kartikeya Dixit and released under the B7 marketing umbrella. It managed to get onto mags like Rolling Stone India, The Wild City & Rockstreet Journal.
MM: Can you walk us through your music production process?
Dystorizon: My production process has changed a lot in the past couple of years. Coming to Valencia, being around this creative community sparked a lot of questions which eventually helped me streamline my workflow. Making experimental music can be really bizarre and can get to a dead-end very easily. Taking a very sonic-based approach, I like to pre-design a palette of sounds. I dig making sounds from scratch. Favourites being the ones that have modulations that make them ever-evolving. Some soft synths that I use all the time are Serum, Gladiator, Vital, Massive, Absynth and also stock Ableton units like Operator, Collision and Wavetable. After I have a set of synth & drum sounds, I either begin with the melody or rhythm — totally depends on the moment. I don’t always use a particular mix template or workflow but solely trust my ears. I mix on the fly which takes into account proper gain staging, surgical EQing, compression where needed.
After I finish the song and go into the mixing stage, it gives me more room to play as I save some labour already. What I’ve been doing a lot is automating plugin parameters throughout the piece such that the mix feels dynamic. This adds on another level of progression, evolution that becomes a part of the composition. I think the variety of tools out there for digital music production is at its peak. At the end of the day, there is a combination of 0s and 1s behind every waveform. So it is likely that music made using the usual approach have a machine-like feel. Things really make a difference when the same language of 0s and 1s are used to an edge by inserting intricacies that kind of mimics something far from a computerised beat. It's like installing life into a machine. The most important thing for me is to deliver ear-opening songs capable of taking one out of this world.
MM: Who/what are your musical influences?
Dystorizon: I have always been attracted mainly towards great sounding music with a balance between musicality and technicality, irrespective of the musical style. My influences include pioneers in electronic music namely Amon Tobin, Flying Lotus, Shigeto, Mono/Poly, Lapalux. Musically, I am also heavily influenced by metal acts like Metallica, A7X, Megadeth, Slipknot. I also dig musical styles that challenge the mainstream—any combination of hip-hop, dub, funk, soul, spiritual jazz or even noise music. I am always drawn towards records that reflect the work put into them. I like to consume all the good stuff out there.
MM: What/who are some things, places, people from other art forms, disciplines, or walks of life that inspire you?
Dystorizon: I draw a large chunk of my inspiration from Nature. The air, the food it gives us to keep us alive. The shapes, the colours it displays to soothe our eyes. And also the sonic signature it produces to tickle our ears. It's the purest form of sound and I strive to capture it in the best way possible to incorporate it in my compositions. It's an infinite resource of timbres, yet each soundscape is somewhat relatable to us as humans. I'm a huge admirer of photography, film, animation, performance art, and installation art, among other things. I like artists who have a desire to share their imagination in the most compelling ways. Experimental video art has my attention ever since I got introduced to it during my undergrad years. Páraic McGloughlin, a video artist known for his work with Max Cooper, Weval has been an indispensable part of my inspiration.
MM: What do you like to do apart from music?
Dystorizon: I like to make videos a lot. I have a self-drive for capturing moments to arrange them in a story. So during the time I’m not making music, I just go out with my camera or phone or both to look out for frames to be used whenever needed. I like to enhance my pool of resources whenever I can. I also like to travel and explore new places. It helps flush out my mind to make room for new ideas. I have recently developed a curiosity corner for cooking as well — trying new flavours, cuisines. Definitely, my next short term goal is to come up with a balance between my passion and hobbies.
MM: Can you tell us about the artwork and how it relates to the music? And also give a shoutout to the artist?
Dystorizon: My endeavour to look at audio with a nascent mind is symbolised by the velocity needed to break free from pre-existing notions. The artwork ‘Opening of the Mind’ made by Delhi-based artist Sibangi Sahoo reflects this imagery. The head opening up, the eyes coming out, headphones kept aside describes a moment of realisation and enlightenment. It is an open state of mind where input coming through sensory receptors seem insignificant compared to the capabilities of the mind itself. New neural connections are formed and a new identity is born. Mirrors have always been an interesting topic. Here, it represents the infinite possibilities, interpretations of the world as we know it from which one of them is this one. In order to see beyond the scope of mediocrity, the mind goes to this other dimension, away from the basic perceptions of life. Big ups to Sibangi for creating this for the music.
MM: What’s your take on the present and future of electronic music in India?
Dystorizon: I think the accessibility of electronic music is steadily increasing. More people are tuning into this sonic world. Many people don’t realise that India has an interesting history of electronic music. It is a symbol of freedom, a chance to deviate from the normal. I’ve recently noticed people getting open to and liking experimental, avant-garde, left-field music a lot. With increasing awareness about the technology around music, the future will bring more festivals, audio-visual acts, installation acts and much more. The Indian indie electronic scene is on the rise and I feel we’re about to reach a major milestone in defining a unique sound. Definitely the pandemic has made a huge impact on live shows, festivals, club nights but I’m sure together, the Indian electronic music community will recover very soon.
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All Images courtesy of Dystorizon
