Week #52| Trey Frey - Resolve

Finding someone to end a year so full of quality tracks was always going to be a struggle. Never shying from a challenge, it was Trey Frey whom took it on. Trey has always has a special place in the hearts of Alex and I; the very first release we ever put out in this scene was one of Trey's EPs on Pxl-Bot, so his involvement to end the year has a sentimental value to it as well. And he doesn't let his legacy down one bit either, do yourself a favour and spin it here.

And with that the year is out! We'd like to give huge thanks to all the artists involved this year (too many to name here [there were 52 of them after all]). We'd also like to give a massive shout-out to everyone who has followed the project, supported it, enquired about it or even simply listened.

It is also with a heavy heart we make our final thank you: and this thank you is directed at a Mr. Victor Arce, aka Love Through Cannibalism. Sometime near the end of 2012 Victor agreed to help us out with WeeklyTreats on the art-front, and we had no idea how crucial he'd be to our success. If it weren't for his talent, perseverance, punctuality, dedication and emotional support, this year would not have gone as well as it did, if it had 'gone' at all. We're extremely sad to say he'll be leaving the project as artist this year, but we can assure you, it won't be the last we'll be working together (ho-ho-secrecy). Thank you again our Spanish Prince, we owe you more than you could know <3 xo xo xo <3

So, other than Trey Frey's interview, that's it for 2013! But, (and as if I have to tell you), we start it ALL again this Friday, launching with a track by Ubiktune's overlord C-jeff as well as the launching of the new WeeklyTreats site! So, dry those tears and get ready for an even bigger year than this was!!!!

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

Trey Frey: Around 2007-08 I was starting to get into electronic music after getting bored with the hardcore/punk music I had been into at the time. A friend introduced me to a band called Slagsmalsklubben, a Swedish electronic group comprised of several members playing live synthesizers, etc. I immediately fell in love with the warm analog sound that early synths could produce. Something about simple wave forms especially struck a chord in me. Naturally I spent many hours surfing the internet looking for similar artists to listen to, and came across a YouTube video of the chip musician Maru playing on a street in Japan. (I believe it's the first video that comes up on YouTube when you search "Gameboy music").  Upon seeing this I immediately decided "this is something I have to do." I purchased LSDj and a flash cart in the winter of 2009, and 'the rest is history.'

WT: Could you talk us through your two full lengths, what inspired their creation and what went into creating them?

TF: My first full length was mainly inspired by the thought "hey I have enough songs to put on a cd now," so I did. I knew very little about audio recording at the time and it definitely shows on the record. I still do enjoy some of the songs on it though! By the time I completed my second album in 2011, I knew a bit more about LSDj but still not very much about audio recording. Also, my second album was a lot more emotionally driven than my first. I had dealt with quite a lot of mental turmoil during the time that I wrote the majority of the songs, and I look at the album as kind of a "recovery" album. Hence the title of one of the tracks: "Recover." 

Something I would like to note about my first two releases is that I am going to be releasing a remastered compilation album of my favourite songs from Trey Frey I and II soon. So be on the lookout for that in the near future! 

WT: You’ve gained a reputation for being a master programmer with LSDJ. Is there a certain way you approach composition or programming that you think gives you an edge over others?

TF: I can't really say that I have an advantageous approach to composition/programming, as I rarely speak about that aspect with any of my fellow LSDj users/musicians. All I know for sure is that I have put in countless hours to achieve the sound that I currently have. As with almost anything, (especially music related) time put in will yield results. 

WT: What single piece of advice would you give budding LSDJ programmers?

TF: Practice and Patience. 

WT: You’re bringing out your first full length in over two years soon. What has gone into its creation, and could you tell us more about it?

TF: The majority of 2012 was a relatively uneventful year for me in terms of creating new music. I rarely had time to write for the Trey Frey project and was exploring other music making methods, and almost decided to give up writing music with Gameboys altogether. However, this past summer I experienced a major influx of creativity and this time period is when the majority of my upcoming album's songs were written. My album "Refresh" will be released February 11th, 2014, and it is going to be released on The Base Bit Recordings music label. 

WT: You also play live often, what have been some of the more notable appearances?

TF: Last December I had the opportunity to play at Pulsewave in New York City with Bit Shifter, which was one of best experiences I have had as a chip musician. It was great to finally meet him in person and speak with someone who has been a long time inspiration to me. In the fall of this year I was invited to play the 8static Festival in Philadelphia, which was a three day long event featuring acts from all over the world. I debuted many of the new tracks from my upcoming release and was extremely well received by the crowd. I also got to meet and see Chibi-Tech play, which was incredible. (I have played in Philadelphia many times now, and I must say that the people there involved in the chip music scene are some of the best on Earth). In the summer of 2012 I played a small scale music festival boasting about 4,000+ attendees called "Big Dub Candy Mountain" which took place in rural Pennsylvania. I was the only chip music act in a fest predominated by dubstep and electro. Despite this, I was very well received and believe I turned quite a number of people onto chip music. I'm of the opinion that the majority of people already love chip, they just may not know it yet! 

WT: What set-ups do you use live?

TF: My current set up is 4 Nintendo Gameboy DMGs running into a Vestax VMC 004fx DJ mixer that I use for mixing and the occasional added effect. 

WT: What lies in the future for Trey Frey?

TF: There are a lot of awesome things coming in 2014! After my album is completed and released, I plan on working on several remixes and collaborations that I have planned out to be released as singles. Also, myself and The Base Bit Recordings label are planning a United States tour for the Spring/Summer of 2014.