Los Angeles based Meduso is an underground bass producer, as well as a designer for Adidas and Beyonce’s Ivy Park clothing line. His debut album, the bass-heavy release Yugen LP, was released alongside a unique 360/VR immersive experience that takes listeners on a journey through his unique world perspective. Meduso has performed alongside ILLENIUM and Mersiv, and will soon be taking the stage at Northern Lights Festival, Sound Haven Festival, Mishawaka Amphitheater and more.
He sat down with SPIN to talk about his upcoming performance, Adidas and Ivy Park, his interest in the experimental bass genre, and much more. Stream Yugen here and check out Meduso’s electrifying SET below! Want more SETS? Head over to SPIN TV to keep up with all the latest and greatest DJ/producers breaking through the electronic sphere.
Who is Meduso and what do you stand for?
Meduso is an audio visual project focused on creating multimedia, experiential art that elevates the mind, body, and soul. Meduso stands for multi-faceted creatives and the ability to tell stories that encourage new perspectives and states of mind for the observer.
Tell us about your sound – where does your style originate from and what have been your biggest visual, social, and sonic influences?
Although my sound is constantly evolving as my sphere of influence flows from genre to genre, the sound most familiar to my fans is influenced by older dubstep acts such as rusko, jantsen, and truth with a focus on some of the newer experimental sounds and arrangements of artists such as GJones and Kursa. I have recently begun to describe the new music I have been creating as “Heavy Psychedelic Bass Music”. As a drummer myself, I take a lot of influence from heavy and psychedelic rock + metal/ nu metal artists as well. Sonically, bands such as Linkin Park, Tool, System of a Down, and Disturbed (just to name a few) have always been major influences to my sound. In terms of the project as a whole, I’d honestly say Svdden Death’s Voyd is one of my greatest inspirations for the project. Not only do I really admire his originality, storytelling, and intention behind everything he works on, but the fact that he has been able to create this whole universe that feels very cinematic is insanely cool to me. Its left me really inspired to work and find an authentic way for me to incorporate design, themes, and storytelling into all aspects of the Meduso project.
Was there a definitive turning point to your success? When did you realize the magnitude of your impact within the industry/community?
To be honest, I’m the type of person who is never satisfied and have never truly been able to accept that I have made any type of impact within the music community. I have had a few really amazing moments with fans who have expressed their love for some of my music, art, and mixes, and that’s all I can really ask for. The most exciting thing for me as an artist is when people express to me that my art has inspired them in some way. That’s truly why I create and why I love talking and working with other creatives. There is nothing more exciting and inspiring to me than when someone shares a unique perspective/ experience they have had with my artwork. I always have an intention when I’m creating, however you never truly know how your work may be interpreted by the observer. Everyone has their own unique perspectives, experiences, and reality that they live in, and its a really beautiful thing watching people have a collective, yet unique individual experience with my work. I hope I can continue to create art that inspires people to create more art and beauty.
What are you most excited about and what can fans expect from you at the Northern Lights Festival?
Since Northern Nights is in such a beautiful, unique location on a river in the Redwoods of Northern California, I am really excited to create a special experience for attendees that pulls influence from the surrounding environment and helps further immerse people in the setting, music, and experience as a whole.
What’s next for Meduso?
As mentioned, I have upcoming gigs at Northern Nights Festival and a return to Sound Haven, one of the premiere underground bass music festivals in the country right now. I’m also making my debut at the historic Mishawaka Amphitheater with SoDown at the end of July. After that, I’m looking forward to releasing more new music through the end of 2022 as well as exploring new mediums to further immerse the observer in the Meduso project.
What do you wish for the future of electronic music? In what ways would you like to see it evolve?
I hope that electronic music is able to continue to be so open and accepting of new artists’ unique ideas and perspectives. This genre has always been enticing to me because it is so fluid and ever evolving. It keeps things fresh, but also allows for the artist to create in a more authentic way and really encourages pushing boundaries and exploring the future of sound. I hope that this genre continues to evolve, encourage creativity, and hope that it can continue to expand on telling stories through audio/ visual experiences.
Any last words for the SPIN-verse?
Thanks so much for reading about and supporting the Meduso project. Its truly humbling and inspiring to be able to create freely and have it resonate with so many people. I hope you all enjoy my new EP, Drop In, and hope to see you out at a show sometime!
