Logan Larson | 10 Questions Interview, The Monster You Made
Where did you grow up?
- Des Moines, Iowa
What made you realize that music was your path?
- I knew it was going to be my career when I would stay up all night on weekends and in the summers in high school constantly writing music and obsessing over trying to learn about everything I could musically.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
- If Bach and Skrillex made music together.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
- Since my music combines classical music and EDM my influences are separated into each genre. For classical music I would say Stephen Paulus, Ola Gjeilo, Eric Whitacre, Bach, Frank Tichelli, Ēriks Ešenvalds, and Ralph Vaughan Willliams. For EDM it would be Skrillex, Virtual Riot, Ace Aura, Barely Alive, Leotrix, Ray Volpe, and Subtronics.
What makes this album (or your music) unique?
- The entire album is a completely new subgenre for the classical arts entitled Bass Complexity. Combining classical music and EDM has never been pushed this far sonically. Intertwining acoustic classical instruments, synth and drums from EDM, and heavy contrapuntal complexity brings the distinct characteristics of the album’s sound world.
Has there been one particular moment in your musical career that you're most proud of?
- I was at the live premiere of the four movements of “Forgotten Faces” on the album. The conductor, Dr. Matthew Smith, told the audience about my passion for combining classical music and EDM and there was audible laughter from a specific part of the auditorium at the notion that someone would attempt to create such music. When the piece had finished, the same people that had laughed came over to me to get my autograph. These people were in their 70s and 80s and commented that as soon as the piece began they knew they were witnessing something special. My musical goals have always been geared towards inspiring young people but seeing that my work can translate across generations made this memory truly special.
What made you want to write?
- I have always had the innate desire to create. Even when I was a child I was trying to write new songs and start a band. There is certainly a difference between a want and a need. I don’t want to write; I NEED to write. The mental gymnastics of answering the question “what if I did this?” leaves me constantly excited to explore the infinite possibilities of composition.
What is your favorite thing about the work you wrote for?
- Getting to write for a wide variety of instrumentations and working with all the musicians on the album was my favorite part of the entire experience.
Where did you get the idea for this album?
- The entire album was to showcase the new genre I created called Bass Complexity. In order to bring more validity to the genre, having different groups, instrumentations, and inspiration from multiple EDM subgenres makes the album a well rounded experience for the listener.
What’s the next thing for you?
- Making more Bass Complexity music to continue to inspire the younger generation to attend and participate in more classical music events.
