Mix engineer, Mastering engine

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I started working with music in the 90's, when I got my hands on my fathers synthesiser and his digital workstation. Back then I was still a child, getting into hip hop and electronic music and punk. At the age of 13, I got my first turntable (a second hand technics mk2) from my pocket money and started scratching records and doing sounds, when I got 14 I started to experiment with sounds in the synthesiser and combining my workstation's FX. I was fascinated by the possibilities of sound production. I was always enthusiastic by doing music, combining physical instruments and electronics, sound elements, mixed together. I understood quite early that music and sound is something magical, something I want to do in my life, for a living.! My mother is a director and actor and she was working on her own productions so, I got my first working experience in theatrical shows, quite early, when I still was a teenager. I was operating the audio desk and handling some ques for the shows. I was excited by the artistic inspiration so I went on and studied sound engineering and music production in Athens, while I was working in different places as a sound guy to get some cash to make a living in between my studies. I have been working in TV shows, theatrical shows, concerts, performances, music productions but as well I have done a lot of sound design for different projects, I was gathering experience and knowledge in the sound domain. At that point I met Melentini and Kostas Antoniou and we formed the electronica band called '' sequence theory project '' What we where doing at the time was quite unique for the Athenian music scene, of course influenced by the sound of Bristol, portishead, massive attack and cocorosie, to name a few, but we had our own character and of course we had the soul of the talented and amazing songwriter Melentini. So, our project began to flourish. We released our first EP early 2006, all done DIY, recorded through this Roland workstation, with a crappy mic preamped from this digital workstation and directly into my computers built in interface. The result was kind of noisy and lo-fi, but we didn't care. Somehow our next album (Toyland) began quite known in the internet and people got to know us and somehow there was a feedback coming from listeners all around the world and that kind of got us inspired and fed us with courage and enthusiasm. A bit later, Melentini finished her first independent solo debut album,(Explosions around the desert inside) while I was working in different places as an independent sound engineer and sound designer. Later on, I decided to leave Athens and move to Berlin where I met Meg Stuart and started working with her in numerous projects as a mix engineer and FOH operator and sound designer with surround sound and live music in theatres / spaces around the world. Recently I mixed and produced the new album of Melentini, ZRSHA; Fundus Uterus. Doing music production and mixing for this project was a great and inspiring process.

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: I am proud to work with Melentini, she is an amazing and inspiring, true artist! Recently I mixed and produced her new album, ZRSHA; Fundus Uterus. Doing music production and mixing for this project was an awesome and inspiring process. The album had been pre-produced at a home studio. Then after the final touches of proper studio recordings we had to do the mixing, producing and editing process in 2 weeks at Shakti studio Athens! The time schedule was very tight but this way we didn't overproduce or overmix in order to catch the deadline for the release. Also because after all these years we have developed a method with Melentini as we have worked together many times for our personal diy project called "sequence theory project " and for other underground or independent performances. Lately we tend to record the live shows with Melentini and her band, the running blue orchestra, wherever this is possible and that's a very nice concept for a material that is still growing in every performance, where we capture the magic of the moment, there's nothing more challenging and motivative, where one confronts not only the technical artifacts of a live performance (mic bleeding etc) but as well the magic captured in a live performance, the passion, the enthusiasm, the emotions. Another project I'm proud of is working with Meg Stuart, an inspiring artist that gives freedom of creativity and food for thought and mind expanding improvisational techniques. As mentioned before, I feel very privileged to be working in such projects and concepts.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I would describe my style as polished rough style ;) I thing I defined my style, sound-wise and music-wise by keeping some ''rough'' style elements in a mix so it still feels fresh, alive I like and I tend to polish it later on the process , so I'm fine-tuning it in a way that it keeps a rough or in your face kind of style. I love deep evolving reverbs and distorted drums, but it can be very etheric or atmospheric sometimes as well. Depending on the material I would say, I'm trying to keep the primary aspect of a project, but I tend to expand the potentiality of it as much as possible.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: I am currently working with great artists, like Melentini and Meg stuart just to name a few. I'm really lucky and privileged to get to work with them. I don't have any special desire in working with a particular artist, I'm open to new collaborations, as soon as the music/project has something to stand for, it has an impact to me and gives me space for creativity and joy

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: Electronica, Avant garde pop, Jazz, experimental music, ambient, indie, hip hop, trip hop, electronica, rock , noise..

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I guess my strongest skill is that I dedicate in something fully, trying to make it as good as possible, if needed, I'll add stuff to it, I'll alter it, I'll experiment with it, till I figure out what the best is for the specific project.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I can't define my work as a ''job'' but as a passion. I love it, when I'm working with sound, producing, engineering I feel elaborated, free..! This is my dream. I am privileged to live it. I just love to feel creative

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both!! Analog has its charm, digital has its own charm as well! Different beasts! Love them both. I prefer to mix digital till a certain stage and if the project requires it, then I'll go to the analog desk and hit the sweet spots. Recording through analog gear can get a great character in sound and that can be very crucial if you want to define your sound in the early process, so you can focus on other elements of your project later. Digital mixing is just so convenient, the recallability, the fact that you can carry your studio everywhere, the exchange of ideas with clients or cooperators.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I will dedicate and work hard to make your project as good as possible I'll go in to your project aesthetically, I'll do my best to get it sound right, feel right.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: Because I do FOH engineering people tend to hire me mostly for doing FOH sound in their concerts. I like doing it but I prefer doing records :)

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Sometimes the unexpected element that pops up when you're trying to achieve something else,is the element that you where looking for. Improvise! Respect the unexpected-

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I'll feel what the song is, what the song stands for. I am working synesthetically, leaving my intuition drive my inspirational process. Sometimes things pop up, due to experimentation, other times I know exactly what I'd aim for, so I go for it. I prefer to leave the aspect of creating/adding something open, I prefer to come up with ideas during the process. Sometimes the only thing to do is experiment, then things just pop up.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Once I receive a project, I start working on it asap. Once I feel I have brought the song(s) to a desired state, I send it to the client, I get feedback and I continue the process till everyone's happy

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have plenty of analog hardware, which I combine with latest UAD plugins I mix in the box but of course sometimes depending from the need of a project I might go in the analog studio and finish a record. I am trying to be flexible, so I keep my main setup portable.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm working on a new Sequence theory project LP, I'm doing FOH sound and sound design for Meg Stuart's performances, I'm touring for Melentini's new album ZRSHA; Fundus Uterus , doing FOH sound and concert sound preproduction, and preparing mixes and masters for a few clients, up to be announced, soon :)

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: -how did you do this? -magic ;)

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Deadline?

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Get your budget and know what sound you're aiming for. Listen. Try to get inspired by someone's work before hiring him for his credits.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: I guess my interface, my computer, a couple of mics, a prophet 5 and my headphones (?) If though there wouldn't be any electricity, ;) I would have taken some physical instruments with me, a piano, a trumpet, a drumset and Edison's mechanical phonograph cylinder ;)

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: Tchad Blake! His sound is awesome, I love what he does.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: Mix engineering, music production and sound design