Creator Spotlight: Cru Fro
Today we had the opportunity to sit down with Cru Fro, an experimental electronic music producer. Based out of Easthampton, Massachusetts, he's a prolific Sample Focus user. Recently he released 2 original tracks using sounds he found on the site. Take a listen to his experimental creations and the samples he used to make them. Then take a peak at his creative process with the interview after the jump.
Both songs are free to download.
DreamFocus
Sounds used:
(Hover over waveforms or single tap on mobile to play)
FromConcentrate
Sounds used:
(Hover over waveforms or single tap on mobile to play)
Interview
SF: Tell us about your approach to writing and production. How do you usually start the process?
CF: I start my production process with an idea, feeling or sound. The sound is sometimes a music sample, maybe I sampled it digitally or from a vinyl record. Other times the sound or melody is one I recorded with an instrument. Throughout most of my time in the digital audio workstation, I manipulate my compositions in unorthodox ways. It's an experimental process that often times is very slack and relaxed. I rarely have an exact vision of how I want my final piece to sound. During experimentation there occurs a spark of inspiration. It's that spark that pushes me to work on music for hours upon hours.
SF: How has Sample Focus had an impact on your production process or workflow?
CF: Sample Focus exists for me supplementally. The category search helps me find the sounds I don't have when I need them. There's difficulty in finding specific sounds through a web search, so it's nice to have a website where I can go directly, in order to find them. I hope to see the community grow in the coming months!
SF: What/who are your influences at the moment?
CF: I love the constantly changing elements of Jazz music and the crescendos and tempo shifts of Orchestral music. My favorite genre is footwork. I love the raw and crisp sound of drum beats, and the washed out feeling of Lo-Fi. My favorite qualities in music are the texture, timbre and emotional quality of it.
Artists I take inspiration from include: Ohbliv, Crystal Castles, Machinedrum, Grimes, edIT, Knxwledge, Fitz Ambro$e, Koloto, oOoOO, clipping and Bola Sete.
SF: Where do you think that your music is headed next?
CF: Soon I'll be collaborating with some local artists in my community on some rap/hip-hop tracks. I'm not sure where me or my music is in the future, but the prospect is an optimistic one.
Thanks to Cru Fro for taking the time to share his creative process with us. Check out his profile on Sample Focus and connect with him on SoundCloud, Tumblr, Instagram, or Bandcamp.
