Week #44| Auxcide- Genesis

Week 44: And this week we've got Pxl-Bot Posterboy/ Chiptune's-Sweetheart Auxcide!! Epic space jams and pumpin' beats? Double-check. Grab the track here! 

WT: What was your first introduction to the chiptune scene?

Auxcide: I was never too big into scenes before I started posting on Chipmusic.org. I sort of fell into the new generation of chipartists like Vince Kaichan, Parallelis, Frostbyte, HunterQuinn, AndaruGO, etc. and they started friending me on Facebook and we made our own little collective. I didn't feel like I saw the scene until the first show I saw in San Francisco where trash80 play earlier this year. At that moment, I felt the scene. And then at BRKfest, I reallllly felt it.

WT: Where did the name ‘Auxcide’ originate?

A: "Auxcide" is a combination of the words "Auxiliary" (as in auxiliary input) and the prefix "-cide", like in "homicide" or "suicide". It came to mind as I was trying to develop a new artist name for a new direction my music was taking. I happened to look over at my stereo and saw the 'aux' button. I made it be like "sound death" and also liked the play on "oxide". One day I plan on putting out a Nitrous Auxcide EP.

WT: What artists, musically, influence your sound?

A: I draw from a lot of different sources: Björk, Knife Party, Noisia, Nullsleep, Anamanaguchi, Klaxons, Innerpartysystem, trash80, Nero, not to mention videogames such as MegaMan, and Final Fantasy. I try and get those memorable, catchy melodies with a strong beat reminiscent of techno or (good) dubstep.

WT: You are known for using three LSDJ as well as having a huge, layered sound, what prompted and influenced these decisions?

A: trash80. The entire reason why I got into the arduinoboy. I mainly got into LSDJ to use it in the ways that people weren't used to. First to control another Gameboy and then to control other hardware. I wanted to have this overwhelming soundscape made with actual hardware. Of course space and the universe played a big part in my sound too.

WT: Do you reject the ‘doing-more-with-less’ ethos of most chiptune programmers?

A: Absolutely not. I enjoy doing stuff with just 1 cart just as much as using 3. And there are sooo many artists that bring more life to the soundchip then I could do with 5. It's just a matter of preferences sometimes. Sometimes I’ll be in the mood for a certain sound, other times I won't.

WT: What set up do you use when playing live?

A: When I play live I almost always use my full setup minus a full keyboard. The main equipment I use is: 3 Gameboy advance SPs, an arduinoboy, korg microkorg, arturia minibrute, korg es-1 mkII, korg kaoss pad 3, korg kaoss pad 4, and a korg mini kp. It's a lot to lug around but I wouldn't be the same without it.

WT: What has been the release you most enjoyed creating thus far and why?

A: [ Dimensions ] was the most inspirational work I had done. It was an experiment in exploring my new MiniBrute and using my arduinoboy in a fuller capacity. The way those songs came together was so effortless I couldn't believe it. Everyone wonders how long it took to program those songs but it was surprisingly fast. It's like they were in my head and I was just speaking them. But my other 2 releases were amazing in their own reasons, as well. of Atoms and Stardust was my early explorations in turning melodies I wrote on piano into tracked music. And the remix album for that was interesting in taking something I had created and building it again from different perspectives.

WT: What spurred the choice to also feature LSDJ mixes of the tracks on [ Dimensions ]?

A: Those songs used so much stuff to create a big sound but I wanted to show that the Gameboys’ soundchips could create their own type of atmosphere. I think the addition made the EP fit together quite well. It also helped with the whole "different dimensions" motif.

WT: What went in to creating your WeeklyTreat?

A: "Genesis" was originally a song I had written to be played at BRKfest one night. It was made in the same style as stuff from my [ Dimensions ] "era". . . and just as fluidly too. The main melody was all improvised in one shot and then input into the tracker. The main idea was composed during a piano session I had. That main arp and chords were the main drive to the creation process.

WT: What does the future hold for Auxcide?

A: Motherflippin'MAGfest, son. I also have 2 full albums in the works. The first one, "Blue Planet", I had started right after my first album, of Atoms and Stardust. It draws on some of my older 2xLSDJ styles but in a way I don't think I've ever conveyed before. Although it's more 2xLSDJ sound centred, most songs incorporate other hardware too. I've often told people how it is my magnum opus and how I’ll never be able to surpass its writing. The other is my newest workings in LSDJ. It is also a mixture of different mediums. But more importantly it is a mixture of different styles. Its working title is "Speck" and includes a lot of hard hitting dance tracks as well as a lot of chipartist, videogame, and electronic musician remixes. A big bowl of various things basically. I've also gotten a lot of requests for collabs and I'm hoping to do live shows in and around the PA area.