EXCLUSIVE Interview: Rell The Soundbender
Recently,the highly talented, multigenre producer Rell The Soundbender took some time away from the studio to chat with us about his musical background and aspirations for the future. Check out our exclusive interview below and be sure to have a look at his Soundcloud page!
How did you go from producing for acts like Flo Rida, Lloyd Banks, Willy Northpole and Far East Movement to pursuing a solo career in EDM like you are now?
“You know that saying, “you are what you surround yourself with”? Well that’s basically kind of how it happened. Once I moved out of Florida to where I live now, I was introduced to the electronic world and instantly wanted to be a part of it. So I had to make a decision, keep trying to land albums and chase labels, or hang it up and build myself. I went with option B.”
Browsing through your Soundcloud it’s pretty clear you are a highly versatile producer. You’ve released trap, some dancehall house as well as moombahton. Of those, which would you say you enjoy making the most and why?
“I enjoy making it all. It’s more of a mood kind of thing. But the one that edges them all out would deff have to be moombahton. I love it. I am Panamanian, so the drums and grooves are things that I’ve grown up on. Now I get to add crazy elements to it to make it my own, I love it. “
As far as moombahton goes, who do you see as the important players and how do you see yourself in that picture?
“Well when I stated producing moombahton, I was hooked on work from guys like Munchi, David Heartbreak, Nadastrom and JWLS.To me they are my personal biggest influences in moombahton and to be able to share the stage with Nadastrom last year and to now be working with Heartbreak and others is really dope. I’m going to continue making moombahton because it is a part of me and something that I love. Look out for a track I did with David Heartbreak under the name AggroKids called “Killa” on the Moombahton Forever compilation, coming out Jan. 17th on T&A Records.”
“Munchi is one of my favorite producers right now. I can understand his frustration as an artist because I too have seen the ugly side of this industry as a whole. Different people just go about handling things in their own way. Munchi has his way of dealing with things and airing them out, so all we can do is respect him as a man and let him do what he does. This business is a tough one to be in and it can drive someone up the wall if you let it. I think he’ll be fine though. At the end of the day, his music will speak for itself.”
What are your thoughts on this EDM styled strain of trap music that has been taking over in the past year?
“I think its great. It’s always amazing and exciting to see something done in different ways and something that unites people of different cultures together under one roof to rage hard. I love it, and I hope it continues to grow from 2013 and beyond.”
Do you think it is going to be a sustainable genre in the long run?
”It all depends on its growth. Like everything else, things change overtime. As long as the sound develops and adapts with the times then yeah it will be around for a bit. However if it stays the same after a while with no development, I think people will eventually get tired of it like anything else. However there will always be a market for it. There will always be that group that stays “Trill” forever.”
Recently you released a collaboration with Far East Movement. I know that you have produced for them before but was the experience different this time around?
“This time was totally different because they brought me out to Los Angeles for the week to work on the new record. It was such a crazy and humbling experience being around those guys and their team, watching them work as a unit and working out of Paramount Recording Studios in LA. Seeing those golden and platinum records on the wall only made me want to go that much harder on the record and make sure we came out with something insane.”
What would be your dream collaboration?
“Timbaland. I was born in Virginia. He is the reason I even picked up production in the first place. “
What are some of your plans and goals this year as far as music and touring go?
“I want to travel the world. That’s my main focus. I want to go places and see different cultures and meet new people. It’s truly a blessing that my work can allow that to happen.”
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