Not a Doctor, But a Sage
Overflowing with wisdom and sounds in perfect harmony, arthur x medic is not your run-of-the-mill producer. They have been learning music production since they were a young teen and have evolved into an incredibly knowledgeable medic of music. I sat down with them to discuss their upcoming collaboration track “Thinking” and left feeling inspired by their words and hyped for their release.
Let’s start off with everyone’s favorite prompt: describe yourself as an artist.
This question used to be easy, then got difficult, then easy again. I think we’re in that period of it being difficult again. I like to make noise. Exploring many genres and just making what I like while getting as good of a sound as possible.
How about your musical origins?
I could trace the exact steps, but that would be a LONG story. When I was thirteen years old, I had a friend who made music in GarageBand. At the time, I loved it. But then I decided that I could do the same thing – make music – only do it better. I started with just exploring and learning with different stuff online. This was eleven years ago, so I was looking at dedicated websites for this stuff. Then I started to see more content on YouTube. I actually saw a video of a singer and emailed them with a demo. We ended up working together, and I was able to watch in real time (on YouTube) as people who I didn’t even know were commenting and liking what I made. I realized that I could make music, and it could be enjoyed by anyone.
What’s your process for making music? Has it changed much over the years?
It’s different every time and has changed a lot. Maybe a melody will be stuck in my head, or I’ll mess around with a new sample pack or new instrument. It’s like sculpting ice: I start with a block – an idea – and slowly chip away at it, trying not to lose too much along the way while making sure to really pick it apart and chisel at it until it becomes what I envision it to be.
How about when you’re working on a collaborative project?
I’m like a pinch-hitter for projects. The more noise I can add to the track, the better I can make the song. I don’t like focusing on writing, though – takes me way too long. You really need to make sure that you’re working together, though, otherwise it’ll just end up as a bunch of random chunks of a song that don’t really fit together. You also need to keep in mind that they may be using a different workstation. I always try to make sure I’m sending them what I’m working on and listening to what they’ve been working on.
Was this your first time working with Mega Flare and/or Slyleaf?
I’ve never worked with Slyleaf before. Mega Flare invited her onto the project to help with vocals. I love Mega Flare. We met at MAGFest five or six years ago through Tiny Waves. I think we’ve both been with Tiny Waves for most of the label’s existence. But this was our first time really collaborating.
What was it like working with Mega Flare on the track?
Mega Flare was the one who originally sent me an .mp3 which I then spiced up with some drums. He definitely had a lot of melodic ideas while I focused more on producing. There was a lot of back-and-forth, and we ended up setting it aside for like a year and a half. It just sat on my hard drive. I think the problem was that we ran out of steam, and it took a long time to get interested in it again. Mega Flare ended up messaging me and pushing and encouraging me to finish it and put it out there. That’s when he brought in Slyleaf and everything fell into place.
Were you happy to have Slyleaf join the project?
Slyleaf has an amazing voice, and it was so fun to work with her. It really wouldn’t be the same song without her. I’d definitely love to work together again.
Do you have any advice for artists or producers who may similarly be struggling with a project?
You have to be careful with collabs because if you rush and focus too much on certain parts of the song, you’ll lose momentum and end up getting bored with it. You really gotta make sure that you’re working on everything in tandem. My advice would be to always try and work at the same time. Whether you can be in a call together or in the same room, it always helps to be as close to one another as possible. Nothing beats a jam session.
Speaking of jams, tell us about the new release “Thinking.”
In a few words, I’d call it party pop. It’s got a bright beat, it’s a cute song, and I really think people are gonna like it. I always try to put “moments” in each song I make; things that happen once and never repeat. For “Thinking,” I really like the drums. I’m happy with it.
Are you happy to be working with Tiny Waves again?
I’ve been working with Tiny Waves since the beginning. I like that they focus on bringing up new artists and people who otherwise would not have had a chance. If you’re trying to make music AND promote your stuff AND be your own manager…it’ll grind you up if you’re not careful. Tiny Waves takes that weight off. I especially like what they’ve been doing recently. They’ve really been stepping up with artwork and promotions and having really good sounds.
You’ve been making music for quite a while now. If you look back on your earlier days and compare those projects to this release for “Thinking,” how would you describe your artistic evolution?
I’m always learning. Compared to three years ago, I’ve changed a lot because I’ve learned a lot. Even compared to one year ago. I try not to get too hung up on what I already know. Making music is like putting together a puzzle: you put it together, and it’s done. You can do it again and probably much faster, but it’s not fun anymore. It’s the same pieces and the same puzzle. I like finding new pieces and figuring out how they can fit together. New projects are just new puzzles. You figure out which pieces you’re working with and bring them together to make something fun. But then you gotta move on. That’s why I’m always trying new things, new genres, new sounds.
Do you have any final words of advice for those interested in making music?
It’s good to have goals – if there’s something you wanna achieve, go for it. But don’t focus too much on thinking that what you want to do is where you need to go. Just focus on making the best piece of art that you can. It’s all just exploration and fun – you’ll figure it out in time. And if you get stuck or frustrated, take a walk. Seriously, take a walk. Have a change of scenery, leave a sticky note for yourself, and stop thinking about it. Then when you come back, just listen to it. See what grabs your attention first and go from there. Have fun with it. Oh, and drink water.
Any final thoughts for our readers?
I hope you listen to “Thinking” and check out the rest of Mega Flare and Slyleaf’s music. Put it on in your car and turn it up really loud. Just enjoy it.
Soft-spoken words from a hard-hitting artist. If you weren’t already a fan of arthur x medic, then you certainly must be by now. Be sure to support their new release “Thinking” and check out the Tiny Waves blog for interviews with Mega Flare and Slyleaf. And, as always, be sure to follow Tiny Waves on all our social media for upcoming releases and incredible music.
- Charming H. Thomas