Hey Nigel. What’s your artist name, where are you from, and how old are you?

Hello, thank you for the opportunity. My name is HarmonicSapien. I am from the burbs of Illinois. I am 26 which I still have not gotten over yet.

How long have you been producing? How did you get into it?

As HarmonicSapien, I have been producing for 5-6 years. I use to go as another persona but I killed it off due to me feeling as if I was making music only to please others instead of making music I enjoyed. I got into making music in junior high. At the time, the school I went to had teachers that also taught other classes so your math teacher might also be your science teacher. In my situation, my music teacher was also my computer class teacher.

One day in computer class, my music/computer teacher asked who wanted fruity loops (our FL studio to some). Next day, in class, he burned fruity loops on cd-r’s that said they wanted it. At the time, all we were doing was trying to replicate songs. I was still making production lowkey but until junior/senior year in high school, that was when I first put out my first few and even then I started off doing vocals. Early on, I realized that vocals was not my gift so I stuck to the one thing that people did enjoy of the small projects: the production. And the rest is history…

What are you inspired by sonically?

Musically, I am inspired by unmusical things. I am mostly inspired by events. Be it if I am inspired by a heartbreak or happiness. When I was younger (and still now) my first love was film. I always wanted to write and direct my own films. And with this, I try to capitalize on emotions that I and/others feel and make a story out of it. The best songs I have ever heard in my life so far tend to be one’s that stirred emotional feelings in me. Those are the sounds that I am inspired by. The human emotion.

Genre wise: Jazz (not freeform jazz), electronic, hip hop, and bounce

You recently submitted a gorgeous instrumental. First, tell us the title and when you made it.

The title of the new single is “Afrodite: The Tale of the Ebony Aphrodite”. It wasn’t made in a single time period due to me making changes and adding layers in time so it took a month or so.

What is the concept behind it?

The concept of the song is to portray this story of a female that has this undeniable beauty but regardless of the God given beauty, she still has a rocky journey. I had this Prince esque kind of video in mind. Ya know? During those time period, the music videos always looked very hazy and majestic but you could obviously tell it was filmed in some backlot of some studio. Like the video “Billie Jean”.

What instruments were involved?

The instruments that were primarily used were a gravikord, simple snare kicks and bass(drum and string), and a rented Yamaha Tyros for vocals.

Do you use a particular software when putting together your instrumentals?

I have been asked this a lot and people exression goes from “I know that one” to “huh?!”. The programs I use are Ableton and Cooledit Pro (the cooledit pro is the huh due to it being a uncommon/oldprogram).

How long did you spend on this particular track?

Just like every song on this upcoming album, they all are made in a 6 month span. But Afrodite was made in a month or so.

How did you approach it?

I approached this certain track in a very ominous mindset. I didn’t want to make something too distracting A song that could still fit into the ambient vibe while also still having a hint of my hip hop drums that some people know me for.

This is the second single off your upcoming album “beauty.” Tell us a little about the project and why you chose this track as your single.

The project is entitled “beauty.” and the project is to play on what we define as beautiful. I added the period after the title due to that’s how we sometimes see beauty as. We see beauty as one definite thing: looks. But beauty is all around us: from the season changes to the dark periods in our life. I wanted to make a album that in some way capitalizes on these things. From melodic songs to very loud and abrasive tracks that might seem very pleasant but if one opens there ears more, there is beauty in the loudness.

The single art is dope. Who put that together?

Me and my good ol’ friend photoshop.

What can we expect before beauty drops? And the project itself?

Well just one more single release. After that, I am having a listening event on July 21st where people can hear the full album plus outtakes with others and I in a ambient setting a week before the album release (July 27th). Also planning a zine plus physical version but limited pressed since (as my last pressing) I am doing it all from my own place. The project in itself, though, expect confetti, the cure of every disease, and riches beyond belief. Disclosure: the album will not have the cure for every disease and riches beyond belief but one can supply their own confetti while listening to the album.

Any last thoughts?

Yes. Have an open mind to many art forms. Everyone has a story to tell. Be it singing, rapping, on the keys or pads, on a canvas, or on a stage. However it is portrayed, there is beauty in our journey and as a people we can help each other out by telling people our story. Spread love and tell people you love them. Let me start: I love you.