Ukrainian musician and producer Sleepwoka has unveiled his latest single “Together We Are” which he hopes will lift spirits and provide a comforting reminder that despite being physically apart from others, we are still very much together. In fact, in the past year, it could easily be argued that we have never been so united in what we are going through. Times may be tough, but Sleepwoka wants to let people know that our connections with one another still remain intact and stronger than ever before.
The dark, electronic artist uses analogue equipment and soaring synthscapes to create “Together We Are”, and with a fast-paced rhythm and deep, looming instrumentation, the track emits an almost haunting feeling, which acts as a juxtaposition to its hopeful message. Here, Sleepwoka shares the story about and behind “Together We Are” and details his plans for 2021.
Your latest single “Together We Are” is about resilience of friendships: what do you want people to experience or take from the song emotionally?
Despite the fact that we are locked in our 4 walls and this new decade feels like a never-ending Groundhog Day, I want to remind people of the connections they have. Even if it feels like we’ve never been further away from each other, warm memories and hopes for the day when we meet each other in person are what keep us going.
The use of analogue synths in your new single adds an 80’s glaze to it. Did you have that in mind when composing the song or do ideas build as you make it?
I cannot say that I intentionally try to have a vintage sound, but I tend to use gear that has an old school vibe in it and if I go through different possible options that’s usually the type of sound I tend to enjoy listening to myself. When writing a song, though, most of the time I start just by playing around with different melodies and sketches that I have and if something sounds particularly nice, I try build it up to a full song. A fun fact is that “Together We Are” was one of the songs I wrote the fastest: I wrote the melody and lyrics over the weekend and the next week we were already recording it in a studio.
Your music is electro-pop-synth sonically, what would you say your biggest influences are in terms of your production?
Right before I started the Sleepwoka project I became a huge fan of Zola Blood. Their production is incredible and I really love their vocals and melodies. They still feel like a rock band to me although they have a really analog sound.
I used to be a huge rock fan and never listened to electronic music. I really owe this transformation of my music taste to Jamie XX. To this day I believe that he is one of the greatest producers of our generation and he has been an incredible influence on my taste and the way I produce and write music myself.
You produce your music yourself in a home set-up which is super impressive. How did you get into production and begin to understand all the elements of it?
About half a year before I started the Sleepwoka project, I took music production classes in London. They really helped me to get started and have a basic knowledge of music production, and the rest I learned from countless hours of watching YouTube videos and playing around with the instruments myself. I personally find that using hardware gear and synthesizers really helps to understand how sound design works and how to achieve the sound you are looking for.
What does 2021 look like for releases this year? Do you have any more plans to follow on from “Together We Are”?
Of course! So far I have 3 more singles and 2 music videos planned for 2021. If everything goes as planned, 2021 should be the busiest year in the history of the project. The first song is planned to be released in March with a music video supporting the release. This song was written more than a year ago but I struggled to finish lyrics for it and finally its time has come.
“Together We Are” has a wonderful meaning to it, and relevant in times like this. Is there anything that inspires you to write or is it mostly about your own feelings and experiences?
Writing music for me is the way to express my deepest emotions and thoughts. I try to share my own experiences as I find that really personal music resonates with me most in the artists that I love. It’s really fascinating how you share something really personal and intimate and you find that a lot of people you have never before met can relate to it and find that it’s also about them.
Give “Together We Are” a listen below and for more information on Sleepwoka, give his page a like on Facebook or follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
