Podcast #117 - Ømen [UK]

Virtual Underground

Interview : Virtual Underground : How has this Ømen story started? Ømen : It started as a hobby and side-project, as I felt the need for a creative outlet to cope with London’s fast-paced lifestyle and have always been passionate about music. I used to play in various bands as a drummer, but electronic music always fascinated, particularly the more experimental and underground scenes. After co-founding MASS, a London based Techno night, my focus and drive to produce and play Techno crystallised. Virtual Underground : Where do you generally draw your inspiration from? Ømen : My inspiration tends to come from being mindful of my life experiences, the emotions they evoke, being curious, and always trying to push my limits. Lately, I find myself listening to a lot of raw, aggressive, and occasionally melodic/melancholic tracks. I also have incredibly talented friends that produce great music that I often try to incorporate in my storytelling. Having grown up in Bali, Indonesia, I draw inspiration from the rhythms, mystical prayers, and percussive elements emanating from my youth, while also reflecting the brutal and industrial reality of currently living in a major European capital. Virtual Underground : Could you describe your music selection and mixing process? Ømen : I am constantly creating a mind-map of tracks that would go well together as I listen to music daily. However, when it comes to designing a mix or a set, it reflects the mood that I am generally in during that period. Drawing from my ‘mind-map’, I tend to already have a blue-print of how it will start and how it will end, but the rest is relatively spontaneous. Virtual Underground : Which software/hardware did you use for this set? Ømen : My mixing set up consists of two Pioneer CDJ 1000 MK3 (still using CD’s), Allen & Heath Xone 23 mixer, and studio monitors. For music production, I use Ableton and occasional external instruments such as synths or drum machines. @omenlnd