Episode notes

New to Bullseye? Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcasts or with your favorite podcatcher to make sure you automatically get the newest episode every week.

Photo: Goaliedudegreg / Wikimedia Commons

Electronic musician and producer, Tobacco on the early days of Black Moth Super Rainbow, and the latest album Panic Blooms

We’re thrilled to bring you our conversation with electronic musician and producer, Tobacco!

Earlier this year, Tobacco collaborated with Aesop Rock. Together they go by the name Malibu Ken. If you’ve seen HBO’s Silicon Valley then you’ve heard some of his stuff – his track Stretch Your Face is featured as the shows theme song.

Tobacco is probably best known as the enigmatic figure behind the musical group Black Moth Super Rainbow. Their music is often categorized as psychedelic rock. But, if you ask Tobacco his music is much more than a genre.

The music is kind of dirty and unsettling. It’s made with a ton of old synths, tape distortion. Plus, a lot of weird, processed vocals. It’s dark, beautiful and even when you can’t quite understand the obscure lyrics there’s a lot of feelings there.

Tobacco opens up about the early days of Black Moth Super Rainbow. He’ll tell us about some of his first synthesizers, and love of Aphex Twin and Boards of Canada. It’s often been noted that members of the band enjoy their privacy, and perform in masks – Tobacco explains the secrecy behind many of the members. Plus, why the latest Black Moth Super Rainbow album Panic Blooms allowed him to open up about depression.

Click here to listen to Tobacco’s interview on YouTube.