![Gabry Ponte & AVAO - Fuera [Pentaphonia]](/images/artworks/cimg/4/f/2/e/gabry-ponte-and-avao-fuera-pentaphonia_66f5978d6e9de.gif "Gabry Ponte & AVAO - Fuera [Pentaphonia]")
Sep 30, 2024
1001Tracklists Spotlight: Dive Into The Hypnotic Soundscapes Of Aiwaska
With over two decades of musical experience, Aiwaska brings a hypnotic and spiritual sound that blends organic elements with rhythmic melodic house, Afro, and techno influences. His music blurs the lines between these genres, weaving in the sounds of nature and otherworldly, groovy vocals. This mix is a showcase of his artistry, featuring all original productions and collaborations with artists like We Came, plus a special feature with singer Megane Mercury, and a few unreleased gems. The interview dives into Aiwaska's inspirations, his commitment to nature-focused activism, and his creative ventures beyond music.
Hey Aiwaska, thanks for joining us to celebrate your live set. To get started, can you tell us about the origins of the Aiwaska project? What inspired you to create it, and what message or experience do you aim to deliver through your music?
I have been making electronic music, writing and performing since 1996. I have had a long and interesting musical experience – a lot has happened during this time.I created the Aiwaska project in 2019.
I have been making electronic music, writing and performing since 1996. I have had a long and interesting musical experience – a lot has happened during this time.I created the Aiwaska project in 2019.
My goal was to create tracks that would combine the classic analog sound of electronics, ethics and new trends in music. In addition to the musical part and its visual component, I wanted to do something that would draw people's attention to helping wild animals and the environment. My goal was to create a social project uniting people and helping our planet. This is the holistic concept of the Aiwaska project.
Who were some of your biggest musical influences growing up, and how have they shaped the unique sound you’re known for today?
I am a music lover and have always listened to different music, from classical like Wagner to electronic like Underground Resistance, or intellectual electronic like Aphex Twin or progressive rock like Tool. And inspiration for me is not just around music. Inspiration comes from nature, art, theater, meditation, Wing Chun, traveling, books, or meetings with interesting people from around the world. The broader your horizons, the more interesting information you notice, and the more ideas come to you.
I am a music lover and have always listened to different music, from classical like Wagner to electronic like Underground Resistance, or intellectual electronic like Aphex Twin or progressive rock like Tool. And inspiration for me is not just around music. Inspiration comes from nature, art, theater, meditation, Wing Chun, traveling, books, or meetings with interesting people from around the world. The broader your horizons, the more interesting information you notice, and the more ideas come to you.
You mentioned having some exciting material coming up on major labels. Can you give us a sneak peek of what we can expect?
At the end of August I released “Horn” on the Bar25 label. In September my single “Power” was released on UK label HotHaus – it’s a classic electro track with the cult UK vocalist, P4van. There is a lot of interesting material in the release plans until the end of this year. Tracks will be released on Get Physical, Kinetika Music, SuperSapiens and my label Aiwaska Planet. These will include solo tracks and collaborations with artists like Aquarius Heaven, Basti Grub, Dizzy Monroe, Prana Flow, Thomas Gandey, Ali Schwarz and more.
At the end of August I released “Horn” on the Bar25 label. In September my single “Power” was released on UK label HotHaus – it’s a classic electro track with the cult UK vocalist, P4van. There is a lot of interesting material in the release plans until the end of this year. Tracks will be released on Get Physical, Kinetika Music, SuperSapiens and my label Aiwaska Planet. These will include solo tracks and collaborations with artists like Aquarius Heaven, Basti Grub, Dizzy Monroe, Prana Flow, Thomas Gandey, Ali Schwarz and more.
Your project is known for its commitment to wildlife conservation. How did this passion for helping wild animals develop, and how does it integrate into your music and events?
Yes, with my project, of course the main part is the music and the second main part is helping wildlife and animals. I created my special event Aiwaska Planet and donated 50% of ticket revenue to Wild Animals and Wild Nature. I also started a music label under the same name, Aiwaska Planet. The mechanism is the same and I donate money coming from sales.
I regularly take part in fashion photo and video shoots with different animals to draw people's attention to helping animals. We already do shots with horses, elephants, parrots, dogs, owls. By the way, the shoot with the owl even received support in the form of a banner on Times Square. I plan to create my own charity foundation, Aiwaska Planet. I think I can do this in 2025.
Can you walk us through your creative process for making this mix? How did you select and blend tracks to create a cohesive and captivating experience for your listeners?
This mix is completely made up of my original tracks that have already been released or are upcoming. Unique material special for my people. I really love to test unreleased tracks for 2-4 months, and when I know that tracks work very well after many sets I start to show these tracks to record labels.
You incorporate aromatherapy into your shows, which is quite unique. How did this idea come about, and what role does it play in enhancing the audience's experience?
Yes, I started doing this from the beginning. The main idea is that my sets are not just music, but they are a magical experience. You can hear the background sounds of nature in my sets. You can feel special subtle aromas in the air at my performances. I choose the scents myself for my performances. I often use palo santo or some tree scents, which helps to get closer to the perception of wild nature even in a busy night city.
Yes, I started doing this from the beginning. The main idea is that my sets are not just music, but they are a magical experience. You can hear the background sounds of nature in my sets. You can feel special subtle aromas in the air at my performances. I choose the scents myself for my performances. I often use palo santo or some tree scents, which helps to get closer to the perception of wild nature even in a busy night city.
You’ve recently started creating a special perfume line. Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind these scents and what makes them unique?
Yes, it is a big project with the talented perfumer Yan Frolov. We have already released two fragrances. One of them is called “First Step To Mars.” It is a mineral fragrance. A week ago we released our second perfume, “King Cobra Venom.” This fragrance belongs to ART perfumery. It embodies an artistic image – what the king cobra venom could be if you imagine it as a perfume. We plan to develop the perfume line further and make a new fragrance every six months. All collections are limited and belong to niche selective perfumery.
Yes, it is a big project with the talented perfumer Yan Frolov. We have already released two fragrances. One of them is called “First Step To Mars.” It is a mineral fragrance. A week ago we released our second perfume, “King Cobra Venom.” This fragrance belongs to ART perfumery. It embodies an artistic image – what the king cobra venom could be if you imagine it as a perfume. We plan to develop the perfume line further and make a new fragrance every six months. All collections are limited and belong to niche selective perfumery.
You have an exciting plan to launch a live act show in 2025 featuring motion art. What inspired this concept, and how do you envision the fusion of music and digital art in this performance?
Yes, I have long thought about doing such a project as part of the presentation of my live show. I already have a lot of music for my live concert. Now I want to have a motion show in my performance. I am friends with the company Setup Design. We decided that it would be cool to do this together. The show is currently in development. We want to present it to the world at the beginning of 2025. I think it will be exciting.
Yes, I have long thought about doing such a project as part of the presentation of my live show. I already have a lot of music for my live concert. Now I want to have a motion show in my performance. I am friends with the company Setup Design. We decided that it would be cool to do this together. The show is currently in development. We want to present it to the world at the beginning of 2025. I think it will be exciting.
And finally, what’s next for Aiwaska? Any upcoming projects, tours, or tracks that you’d like to share with your fans?
I am a very active person, and I am constantly searching and moving. I am sure that there will be a lot of new and interesting things. I am open to what the Universe gives me. And I hope we create a lot of unique and special things in the near future.
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