Exclusive: Tyler Smith Interview

Dec

2009

Articles | Interviews

Written by T. Wolfe

Androcell is Tyler Smith from the United States. He currently makes music under the monikers Androcell and Distant System. I recently had the opportunity to ask him some questions about his music, influences, and what it means to be a musician.

Please tell us a bit about yourself. How long have you been making music? What musicians have influenced you the most?
Currently creating and exploring music under Androcell and Distant System project names. Started slowly acquiring gear and dabbling with electronic noise makers in 1996. There are so many music influences in my life that ordering the importance of influence would prove very difficult for me. But I can say that as far as creating electronic music is concerned, the top inspiration has come from European artists.

Could you describe the Androcell project? How did it come about?
Musically, Androcell is a fusion of acoustic sounds and electronic synthesized sounds all manipulated by digital processing.
In 2003, after finally listening to many great albums by other music makers, I decided that this style of music is what I enjoyed most and wanted to be creating myself. So I began the project as Androcell and wrote the first album "Emotivision".

In your second album, Efflorescence, you sample frequently from talks by Terence McKenna and Robert Anton Wilson. They are obvious inspirations to you. Could you please talk more about their influence on your life and music? How did you come across their work?
I first discovered Terence 10 years ago when I bought a TRP Magazine (now defunct) and it featured a James Kent interview with him. I became pretty intersected in what I read so like any curious mind I started picking up his books and my enthusiasm grew from there. It's a shame a lot of his work was destroyed.
I was turned on to Robert Anton Wilson more recently in 2004 by a friend. Much like Terence, I found Bob's ideas to be immensely astute and mentally exciting. I don't look to these individuals that they had the answers. They just asked great questions and could articulately expound to almost no end on their ideas about possible answers to said questions. For that, I really appreciated how their minds worked. The ideas they posed are illuminating in so many aspects. They were individuals with great breadth of view.

You also have a second project known as Distant System. It’s very different from your work as Androcell. Where Androcell seems to be very earthy and focused within, due to its heady and psychedelic influences, Distant System seems more focused on the outer realms of the universe. Could you please talk about the Distant System project and how it is different from Androcell?
Distant System is definitely, as you say, "focused on the outer realms of the universe". It is a space, science, and space technology influenced project. Being a lifelong fan of sci-fi, star travel is one motif that has always been influential in my life ever since I can remember. I think my imagination has been so sparked by outer space and our potential place in it, that I need to capture my own expressions and interpretations of what is possibly to be. The sound of Distant System is like an aural starship that transports my imagination to sense the experience.
Androcell project derives from planetary existence and the human experience inside and outside ourselves. Metaphysical, psychedelic, and mystical themes are used sporadically. I guess it is a musical nod to all that is strange and lovely about us, our world, our cultures, and the multitude of experiences therein. I'm merely transmogrifying musical cultures throughout the world to try and create an enjoyable time for the human experiencer. The computer not only makes this so very possible but highly entertaining for me in creating abounding musical emotions. Not everyone agrees with this style but I've personally had some of the most enjoyable experiences in my life to this type of music.

How do the two differ in the creation process?
Distant System is pretty much pure electronic music. The sound palette is mostly colder, techier, and more spacious but I also try to occasionally capture the emotion and mental state of the human experience in the deep space environment. So there are moments of color as well.
Androcell is rooted in the terrestrial with some aspect of familiarity to humans and this planet, be it a voice, ethnic / acoustic sound instrumentation, or sounds of the natural world. The creation process is similar in that I share the same studio for each project but sound choice, different digital manipulation techniques, song structure, and the differing concepts make for evident musical contrasts.

Please describe your experiences while playing Androcell and Distant System in a live setting. What would you say is your best experience playing live?
As I look back on all past gigs I've played (which is not many) I feel that I've made more impact with the album releases than I have playing live. Playing live, to me, has really been more about exposing the music and less about the performance itself being anything special. My best experience playing live is anytime I can get through a set without any trace of gear malfunction. People don't want to pay and listen to problems.

You’ve also done a few individual tracks for various compilations. How does creating a single track differ from creating a multitude of tracks for a full album? What are the challenges and benefits of doing both?
Since albums kind of define the sound of an artist, compilation tracks seem more open to doing something a little different and get outside of a sound people possibly expect from the artist. Single tracks can bridge the gaps between musical direction changes for some artists. Others just use single tracks to promote their sound and invite people into the larger scope of what they do. All in all, a track is a track, and each new one should be a challenge to keep it fresh and interesting. Otherwise I'd just be going through the motions which seems uncreative and not very fun.

Can you talk a bit about projects you’re working on now? What about a Distant System sequel or a third Androcell album? Do you have any tracks coming out on any compilations?
Currently I'm working on the third Androcell album. It is taking so long to complete due to some much needed hardware and software changes that have come about over the past year. Progress is coming in stages between learning many new things along the way. I want to be happy with it in the end so will not allow myself to rush things.
Also took time away from album production to create 4 tracks for my upcoming concept compilation coming out on Celestial Dragon titled "Vital Signs". Features tracks by Solar Fields, Aes Dana, Asura, Cell, Androcell, and Distant System. Each artist was commissioned to write a track specifically for it. Will also have a couple remixes of tracks from the last album. After the third Androcell album is complete I'd like to get back around to another Distant System album if maybe even just an EP.

Finally, what does being a musician mean to you? How do you define it and what are your objectives for creating music?
I define being a musician as being able to express my thoughts and feelings, times, places, and spaces with music. To me it means quite a bit because I've devoted so much of my life to doing it. My objective is to see the farthest I can take my knowledge base and ability in music production. I realized quickly when I started that there is so much to know when it comes to music creation and recording.
I knew right then that if I didn't embrace the challenge of figuring out what was needed to keep making headway then it was useless for me to begin. So it a personal quest in learning, first and foremost, but to share my creative fruits with the world and feel a genuine appreciation in doing so is icing on the cake. I just want to get a little better than before each time I give it a go.

Well said. Thanks for your time, Tyler.