Australian enigma Laces graces us with the first guest mix of 2022. Traversing ephemeral boundaries between genres, the vibrant producer’s hour-long mix oscillates between thoughtfully experimental electronica and choice-cut bangers. We sat down with the up-and-comer to discuss the aesthetic choices behind his selections, his releases with NLV Records and TREKKIE TRAX, and what to expect for the future of the Laces project.
Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
My name is Laces and I’m an experimental dance producer from Melbourne. Over the last few years, I’ve been quietly working my way across Australia’s underground scene, headlining local experimental shows and warehouse raves to supporting touring acts such as Bladee and Thaiboy Digital. As a producer, I’ve previously released on labels such as Tokyo’s TREKKIE TRAX and Sydney’s Sidechains imprint, while my music has found its way onto the USBs of artists like Machinedrum, Holly, Rui Ho, and Ytem. Coming off the release of my debut EP FIELD FALLACY XVI and its club-focused remix counterpart FIELD FALLACY HAPTICS, my first track of 2022 came in the form of “Pace” released with UK IDM producer TEEN on NLV Records.
What are you trying to showcase in this mix?
DJ mixes are usually my facet for exploring potential new styles and ideas, Dance music is an eternally evolving entity and I find myself constantly relying on emerging sounds to fuel my collection. Recently, been interested in regal aesthetics and darker, more spatial club music alongside a healthy dose of hardstyle, which has been bleeding into the scene at local events I frequent in Melbourne.
How do you approach the creative process?
Regarding production, it’s not something I approach. Rather, something that happens to me where I try to harness ideas into a single piece of music when I feel ready to produce. I really suffer from the classic internet producer syndrome of having next to no formal musical training, so my process mainly consists of slamming sounds into the wall until something that suits my brain comes out. And if I’m honest, I feel this way about DJing too. I focus on curating a brand-new collection of music before each set I perform which somewhat puts me on edge when it comes to the actual performance. Sometimes it feels like I am witnessing the DJ set rather than performing it.
What should we expect from you this year?
I’m working on a bunch of new music and I’m planning on releasing a couple more singles this year plus just seeing where the productions take me. I also have some Australian shows lined up across this year too, so I’ll be prepping some new music for those.
Where can we hear from you?
@laceslaceslaceslaces on everything.
Follow Laces on Spotify.
Saint Audio 