Contirbutor
2024 is proving to be the year for Bambi Rambo following a series of head turning releases across New Day Everyday and multiple self releases. We caught up with her to discuss what is on the way this summer, what shaped her sound of today, the perks of self releasing & more!
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MI4L – Can you share a bit about your musical background and how you got started as a producer/DJ? What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
BR – It happened organically and I always had music in my life in some shape or form. Like many I learnt an instrument as a kid / teen (classical flute) and one of my parents’ hobbies was actually to rip vinyls and make mixtapes out of them. Then I started to go raving and clubbing heavily when I moved to London and fell in love with electronic music. I also discovered the UK festival scene & the Burning Man, which led me to start DJing. I only started producing during the pandemic, like many of us I believe… Initially out of curiosity and as I had some time on my hands I delved deep into it! This was really a turning point where I realised the power of musical expression, creativity and how music can really abolish boundaries between people. When I got this ‘click moment’ in my brain, then, I knew I would be doing this for my whole life.
MI4L – “Circus Cosmic” is your latest single, and it has a unique sound. Can you tell us about the creative process behind the track and any specific influences that shaped its development?
BR – I wrote it after I DJed an awesome London event themed around “summer of love” and the 60s revival. So I was really into this psychedelic and spiritual mood. I actually used extracts from a Mckenna interview to overlay in my set for that precise show and I could not take it out of my mind. Then back at home, I transcribed the text in French and recorded myself reading it. I built the entire track around the vocal. For some tracks, I love to start from a short vocal line and then layer all of the elements progressively until I have a whole groove, bass and a hook that really ties into the vocal nicely. Style wise I wanted to keep a disco drum kit and a dreamy feel with some modular textures and finally feature some super sweet psychedelic elements that you find in the main melody or the arps.
MI4L – Many artists are opting to self-release their music. What motivated your decision to self-release “Circus Cosmic,” and what advantages do you see in taking control of your own music distribution?
BR – So first off, aside from the obvious advantages from controlling the angles of the release such as distribution, promo, design, owning the masters etc… is that it gives super invaluable insights and transparency on your music as well as direct feedback. Personally, I most absolutely adore self-release for the freedom it provides! I also love that you can develop a specific aesthetic and common thread to all the releases; you can create a whole story across 5 or say 10 successive singles even. As an artist, I find it really important to trust one’s creative gut and own your specific style, without trying to ‘mold’ the music too much and self-release is the perfect outlet for that.
MI4L – As a producer/DJ, you must have encountered various challenges. What are some of the key lessons you’ve learned throughout your career, especially in terms of self-releasing music?
BR – It can look complicated from a distance but in reality self-releasing did not pose too many challenges, it was pretty smooth sailing and the DSP are quite robust and accessible nowadays. Of course don’t be last minute and make sure to plan things correctly. I also found it quite rewarding as I could have a more direct view of who was with my audience etc, and I made some great connections over the music and that was pretty awesome!! If anything, I have been sitting on a lot of cool ideas and music for a while and now that I look back at it I think I should have started self-releasing earlier. My advice would be if you believe in your music, take the jump and put it out there, don’t think you did your best work and you need to keep it for some special occasion, even better ideas will come to you!
MI4L – Your music seems to draw from a variety of genres. Can you share some of your musical influences and how they contribute to your distinctive sound as an artist?
BR – This is a hard one for me, I feel like I always have something new that influences me, be it a new vocal sample to tweak and play with, new sound designs to try etc. Possibly all the bands from the 60s for sure would have had a sort of influence like the Doors, Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd, Janis Joplyn, Hendrix etc… but I don’t know if it would be directly noticeable in the music I make? You’d have to tell me 😉 If I had to pick one common thread in my music it’s that there is always a 303 sound somewhere in the tracks, even if as a layered bassline or a cheeky tiny arp.
MI4L – Looking ahead, what are your goals for the coming year? Are there specific milestones or achievements you hope to reach, either in terms of your career or personal artistic growth?
BR – I am starting to get into jamming live so the main artistic goal this year is to build a live set with all my productions and then get to play it in front of an audience. You’ll find more of the self-release series and other special tracks on there too! Achievements wise, I would love to play at as many festivals as possible this summer as it is my favourite thing.
MI4L – Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming releases or projects you have in the pipeline? Is there a particular theme or direction you’re exploring in your next works?
BR – Yes of course! I have just got a new track out, part of the compilation from Label ‘New Day Everyday’ which is a total gem VA with lots of bangers. I am also working on a release for Bridges for Music (a beautiful South African label and charity initiative) which will feature brilliant local artists, whom I met and recorded live in their studio in Cape Town. Also a collaboration with a super talented producer from Brazil (don’t want to disclose too much yet but it will be a great one too…) There is also a delicious remix of ‘Nylon Red’ by Dude Skywalker that should be out soon. Last but not least I am working on a remix for a track on a totally stunning EP from Inside Out records from London, which I am massively excited about!
My artistic line for music production is to keep developing my ‘psychedelic dance’ type of sound; which is this colourful, energetic and groovy vibe but with a dreamy and mysterious side to it as well at times.
MI4L – Building a unique studio setup is crucial for many artists. Could you describe your current studio setup and any favorite gear or software that plays a significant role in shaping your sound?
BR – I have a studio at home and my setup is a mix of hardware and in the box.
On my desk you’ll find some usual suspects like the TR8, a Moog and a 303 clone; on my DAW you’ll find Serum, Diva, Roland cloud and some more niche plugins to emulate modular textures or old school pads etc… If I had to single out 1 piece of kit, I would go for a controller: the Arturia Keystep pro. It’s an awesome control center to link up both hardware and software seamlessly, and with so many options and creatively very fluid. You can basically build a whole track live on it with the multiple channels / projects setup!
In terms of sound-shaping elements I feel like my music actually reflects all of the above depending on which track you check-out and it is evolving by phases. So one could say I had a Serum phase, a Moog phase (very long one), a Diva phase and then some combination of these phases as well and I probably forgot some… Also got a bit of a moment where I was really into drones, modular textures and very semi-industrial sounding samples but I don’t think any of those made it to a release yet…
MI4L – Collaboration often plays a vital role in the music industry. Are there any artists or producers you would love to collaborate with in the future, and what do you think such collaborations could bring to your musical journey?
BR – I would love to keep on collaborating with more artists from around the world. My collaborations are often driven by a mutual ‘coup de coeur’ with a place, a culture or an artist. I can’t wait to see where it will lead me for the next ones!!
MI4L – In the fast-paced world of electronic music, trends and styles evolve quickly. How do you stay innovative and relevant, and what advice would you give to aspiring producers/DJs who are trying to find their own unique voice in the industry?
BR – Yes definitely a hot topic and good question! Even more so if you are like me and have a tendency to naturally look for the newness, keen to try this new effect, that new plugin etc and always try to evolve the workflow… What I have done in order to stay centered (and it was really helpful!) was to create a ‘sound manifesto’ which is basically asking; “1. what does my sound stand for?” answer this with intangible ideas like emotions, values; and “2. how do I translate this into my productions?” answer that with tangible / technical aspects.
This manifesto is not set in stone of course, but it is a good way to have a first stab at finding your own sound signature 🙂 In terms of being relevant, I feel that nowadays music is so vast and polymorphous and so many cross-over happen, so there is a space for everyone as long as you make something unique and high quality! If you are armed with a steady direction, a solid sound and an authentic artistic project, you are set to be relevant!
Connect with Bambi Rambo here & pick up a copy of Circus Cosmic.