Space.
The infinite.
Sometimes when I get bored I think about the infinite. I think about the deep seas, the 95 percent of ocean waters we’ve yet to explore. I imagine seeing the contorted, carnival-lightened fishes with Cheshire Cat grins lurking in the unlit waters. And, then I wander and wonder about music and the spaces that have yet to be unearthed. I think about the alien sounds of the future–its ambiance, blips and bops, DROPS and squeals. What would that look like? Everyone with flat waveforms, no personality, just leads and synthesizer galore, ready-made music? What about guitars? What about vocals? Is that what production will look like? Flat waveforms, no personality, just leads and synthesizers galore?
Then I heard We Can’t Be Friends by a producer named Dream Koala.
Three minutes and twenty-nine seconds later, I’m assured of what the future could look like–Yndi, an 18 year-old Parisian producer/spaceman. The track’s lush guitar strum seems to reverberate forever. Its guitar licks tap out some soulful language, possibly even pinging with distant satellites. The Music Ninja says, “It may only be August, but We Can’t Be Friends is definitely a contender for ‘Track of The Year’” They’re right. What makes it work? It’s emotive, it’s raw, it’s alien. I think it’s like seeing one of those contorted fishes at the bottom of the ocean–unbelievably real, like something from a dream come to life.
The young producer’s influences range from mathcore to hip-hop. He melts together the downtempo pacing of a James Blake joint and the organic sensibilities of a Nujabes concoction to create his own spin on electronic music. He says, “My music is also influenced by what I’m living, my state of mind at the moment I record. I think my life influences my music more than the tracks I listen to.” He’s recently remixed Katherine a single by French pop duo Saint Michel and has previously reworked xxyyxx‘s hit About You. And, he’s even revamped Waka Flocka Flame’s Hard In The Paint.
There’s a lot to love about Yndi’s sound. He says, “Every time someone asks me what kind of music I make, I don’t know what to answer…I don’t want to say ‘electronic music’ or ‘chillwave’. I think I’m a kind of shoegaze/post rock influenced downtempo producer. I don’t know.” I think a good way to describe Dream Koala, might be, in one word, “Now”. He’s making music that’s influenced by the ever-changing moments in his life and if you’re not hip to Dream Koala yet, now is a good time to start listening.
18 year-old Yndi, Parisian producer drops his debut EP, Blur, with Highlife Recordings.