We are happy to publish an interview with the Swedish master Hinkstep (Jonas Tegenfeldt).

Interview made by DJ Chien.

1) How did you get into electronic music, particularly Psychill?

I started out playing the drums in my mother’s basement, mostly to rock music like Nirvana and a big dose of Guns’n’Roses. In my early teens I got in contact with drum’n’bass and triphop (Roni Size, Goldie, Massive Attack, Portishead) and during that time I downloaded a cracked version of Fruity Loops and started experiment with electronic music. It wasn´t until I had my first psychedelic experience that opened my mind for psychedelic downtempo music and albums, like Converting Vegeterians with Infected Mushroom was a big influence at that time and a couple years later the Hinkstep project was born.

2) What about the electronic scene in Sweden, particularly concerning Psychill?

The electronic music scene in Sweden is great I guess, but I can´t really tell about the psychill scene because I don´t really listen to any psychill at all haha.

3) What might inspire you? (not only musically speaking…as Simon Posford said, anything can be an inspiration)

My inspiration mostly comes from music in any shape, everything from singer/songwriter music to drum’n’bass and progressive rock. Generally I don´t like to put music in different genres except good or bad music, I try to listen and get inspiration from good music :) A great view or a magical forest also tend to inspire a lot.

4) Your debut album “Sunrise From The Treetops” begins with an odd 9/4 rhythmic signature, much uncommon in electronic music. Have you been studying music theory or anything like that?

I took some drum lessons when I was young, but it was more an excuse to skip classes and play music instead, I didn´t really learn anything.

But I´ve always had a fascination for signatures other than the classic, it kind of stimulates the brain in ways that that 4/4 never could.

5) Do you always compose with the same place/setup and how might it affect the way you produce?

I have never made a song outside my own setup. It´s super important for me to have all my plugins, my speakers/headphones and even the sensitivity settings for the mouse in a way that it’s comfortable and familiar. All this so I can be 100% focused on the actual music making.

6) When producing a track/album, do you sometimes have a precise master plan in mind before playing or do you just follow the pen?

Just follow the pen brother, for me emotions run the show totally. It´s impossible to make music if it doesn´t come from the heart, I have tried, but it feels fake and never leaves the “loop stadium”.

7) When composing/mixing/mastering, is there a workflow that suits you better? Or do you just hit the board at any hour and stop when you’re exhausted?

I´m always waiting for the “flow”, you know that true blast of inspiration that comes when you least expect it. This can occur anytime, any place and anyhow. Just going with the flow and I´ll have a song made in a day or two.

8) Any favourite piece of gear (hardware, software, voodoo puppet…) in your studio or live setup?

There are a few things that I couldn´t live without: Cubase, Soundtoys, Softube and my preciuos Moog Little Phatty. Those pieces are more or less used in every song I have made so far.

9) Any collab you’d dream about? With another producer / filmmaker / visual artist / Martian intelligence…?

I would love to work with José González (Swedish singer/songwriter), Steven Wilson and Joakim Berg from the Swedish rock band Kent.

10) Can you manage to do a living with your music only? And if not, would you think of it as a possibility for you?

At this moment I cannot make a living from music alone. I wish I could make a living from it one day and I do think it’s possible, but the main thing is that I’m having fun doing what I do and if that could somehow pay the bills, well I would be very happy.

11) Any thought about future technology? Stuff like Virtual Reality and how it could affect music playing and listening?

Brain to MIDI would be a nice feature ;) skip that “playing the keyboard” part.

12) Make a wish: in a parallel universe, is there any era and place on Earth you’d like to travel to because of the music down there?

Right here, right now. I think we are living in an era where cool music is being born everyday, and it is exciting as f*ck!

Thank you for your time … if you wish to transmit a message to our readers please do it :)

A huge thanks for all the support and love you have given me throughout the years. I´ve met so many beautiful souls around the world thanks to the music <3

https://soundcloud.com/hinkstep

https://hinkstep.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/Hinkstep