There isn't much that I can say about Aural Imbalance that hasn't been said already. Simply put, the man is genius. Tracks from his earlier days such as 4th Dimension and Realm of Innocence played a tremendous role in developing my tastes during my rookie days as a drum & bass fan. 

In spite of his modesty, he has released tracks on many notable underground labels and has become known for his incredible ear for atmosphere. With the unveiling of his new project Propagation of Light, I figured it was the perfect time to catch up with the mastermind.

 

Prox: You have an instantly recognizable atmosphere in your music. What external beliefs and philosophies contribute to your interest in these kinds of spacey, psuedo-celestial textures? Are you spiritual or religious at all?

AI: My influences really come in the form of what is going on in my head at the time of creating a tune. I am really into all things space related and sci-fi so I guess there is a lot of inspiration drawn from that area.  

I am not religious personally, I have had a very spiritual upbringing with my parents so I guess some of that has rubbed off on me, but I don't follow any specific belief or ideology.

Prox: Other than just plain old dedication, what else could you attribute to your prolific catalogue? Have there been any seminal moments that greatly impacted your sonics?

AI: I don't really see myself as being that prolific to be honest; there are artists out there that are practically writing an album a week ha ha ha. In all seriousness, I just go from one tune to another and momentum seems to be the key in my production workflow.

As far as moments go I think it was the point of getting into producing other genres of deep spacey music. This was a massive turning point for me as I was primarily an atmospheric D&B producer at the beginning of my creating tunes adventure…..

Prox: I’ve noticed that a lot of tracks involve outer space and the paranormal. What is it about these subjects that interest you enough to name your tracks after disciplines within them?

AI: I am really into all things astronomical and spacey, especially when it comes to track titles and naming conventions. This might seem a bit clichéd, as it could be seen as almost a too much of a literal description when it comes to track titles, but I think it suits the music in my humble opinion. 

I really love all things sci-fi and otherworldly, I think that people could probably get that from the content within my music.

Prox: What is the significance of the title Propagation of Light? How does this album differ from your previous release Legacy both sonically and conceptually? 

AI: Propagation of Light in basic terms is the description of how light spreads from one place to another; I think this describes the album quite nicely. The reason for naming the album in such a way is because there are many different styles of music on the LP but they all come from the same place sonically.

The difference between Legacy and PoL is that Legacy was coming from a purely D&B perspective whereas Propagation of Light has many genres contained within the compilation.  Sonically though, both albums come from the deeper side of things, but they are conceptually different. Legacy was really about pulling all of my thoughts together in the creation my first D&B album, PoL is about forming many different things that are not bound by one particular style of music as far as tempo goes.

Prox: Some of your older tracks like “Realm of Innocence” and “4th Dimension” are among my absolute favorites from any genre. Have you ever considered remaking or remastering some of your older tunes?

AI: Firstly thanks for the kind words and enjoying those moments from that past there, really happy you like them. ☺  In response to remaking of remastering them, at this point I would say no. I write music in the moment, so although all of the tracks are connected in some way, I don't tend to revisit anything that has been completed and has been sent out into the world so to speak.

Prox: Out of your extremely prolific discography, what are some tracks that you’d say best represent what you’re trying to say with your work?

AI: That’s a really difficult question; I don't really like to think of anything I make as being the best track as it would mean that it could not be improved upon in future tunes, they are more just moments in time that become the tracks they become. I like to think that all of the music I make comes from the same place regardless on genre. Sorry if that has slightly evaded the question.

Prox: What are some newer albums or artists that you find yourself listening to these days?

AI: Recently I have been listening to Mystica Tribe's album Island Oasis on Silent Season which is a nice dubbed out affair love that, also on a completely different tangent I have been listening to New Order's BE Music compilation to keep the retro vibes going.

Also on a deeper tip I really love the Sanderson Dear LP entitled Urban Mosaic on Stasis Recordings, SD production skills are amazing and have a really stunning unique feeling. Also Ulrich Schnauss LP – No Further Ahead Than Today ticks all of the boxes too. I also pretty much love all things by Carbon Based Lifeforms and Future Sound of London as well.

I listen to a lot of music and really have so many other artists that inspire me and that includes, Tidal, PHD, AP Organism, Audapta, Offland, Orange & Blu and Ziyal to really name but a few.

Prox: Information on upcoming projects and releases?

AI: Projects wise there are a few things coming up, next is the new LP – Propagation of Light on Stasis, there is also another LP entitled “Reflection” coming later in the year on movementinsound. On top of that the double album on advection music which is named “Solar System” and this is coming soon.  

As far as other releases go there is a new physical label which will be emerging soon which will be a deep d&b imprint called “As Shadows Pass”, I can't say too much at this stage but watch this space.  

There will also be a few remix projects on the horizon, which will manifest themselves both physically and digitally.

Prox: Favorite Hobbies?

AI: Hobbies wise; i‘m really into gaming, I like the escapism that a really good video game can give you. I like to immerse myself into the games completely, I find it a great way to let all of the stresses of daily life be somewhat eased.

Prox: Tips for aspiring artists?

AI: The only tip really is to be yourself musically. You really have to ask yourself what do you want to achieve when you write the music you make. There is no right or wrong way of creating music it just really depends where you want to be musically.

Prox: Final Thoughts?

AI: My final thoughts are really to thank everyone who has supported my musical adventure so far. I would also say thanks to the people who contribute and support the deeper sound in general, a special mention has to go out to my closest friends and music family. It’s not an easy road to follow, but there is a great collective of people around the world who all have the same vision and we are truly blessed that we find one another in our endeavor for deepness. ☺

You can follow Aural here, here, or here and purchase Propagation of Light, here.

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