Beneath the Surface with Les Techno

Welcome back to another Beneath the Surface feature here on Turtle Tempo. Today we chat to Les Techno and showcase his newest release, whilst getting to know a little more about the artist and his influences. So get comfy and let’s get to it!

What would you say first sparked your interest in music/who inspired you to make music?

Jim Morrison and the Doors. I was drawn by the mystical dimension that would open up in my mind just by the sounds coming in my ears. Somehow visual art didn’t do the same thing, at least to me when I was young.

How would you describe the music you are currently creating?

The stuff I am working on is getting geared toward mixing electronics and live instruments in a live setting. So with Make you Feel Good, as an example, the track can be triggered along and live loops inserted into it.

The other thing I am working on is producing a punk rock project for a local NYC band, Sewage.

What does your creative process look like?

Alot of experimentation when making the track in the studio. But alot of it is stuff I hear in my head, maybe while sleeping. I wake up, hum it into my phone to record the musical idea, and then I develop it from there. I jot down stuff on pieces of paper, when something pops into my head as a lyric.

Who would you most like to collaborate with? (let’s send it out to the universe and make it happen!)

Good question. Daft Punk? Trent Reznor? Beck? Right now I am working on a remix of the song with XnormL.

What is the one message you would like to send out to your fans?

Thanks for your support. Support all your favorite artists by buying downloads or hardcopy, like vinyl. Streaming is easy, but it doesn’t generate income.

What’s your top tip to rejuvenate your creativity/get over a writer’s block?

Walk around the city and listen. Go listen to performances in genres outside what you are working on. I can often be found at the Jazz Gallery in town listening to something experimental.

What’s next for you, what do we have to look forward to/ what are you currently working on?

I have another song in the can, more jazzy than Make you Feel Good, but my claque really likes it. I have some tracks at the halfway point, so it appears I am working on the next album. But more importantly, I am designing a live setup and hope to rehearse it soon for performances in the next few months.