ARRHYTHMIC is a musician and producer from Sydney, Australia. He started his musical career in Montreal, Canada, and is the founder and lead guitarist of the progressive metal band Step 4 which was formed in 2013 but is currently on hiatus. ARRHYTHMIC’s identity is currently a mystery, with no information being made public as to who he is or what he looks like. His sound has clear influences of EDM and hip hop while uniquely encompassing lots of aggression when it comes to the bass drops and drum patterns. He uses an interesting blend of styles, with 808 bass coupled with in-your-face kicks and a variety of synthesizers.
ARRHYTHMIC’s first EP, “The Self” was released on November 25th, 2018, followed by another release on February 6th, 2019 in collaboration with American rapper Wasteland Doctor. A mere two days after on February 8th, he released a surprise single called “Consciousness”, in collaboration with American DJ and EDM producer Kill$witch.
ARRHYTHMIC also has a full-length album out called “When You Get The Message Hang Up the Phone”, consisting of 11 tracks. Never afraid of bending genres, this album was the first release in which ARRHYTHMIC experimented with an 8-string guitar over EDM beats. BuzzMusic is excited to release ARRHYTHMIC’s new single, “Her Energy” from his full-length album “When You Get The Message Hang Up the Phone”. The song begins with a synthesizer that creeps in slowly, building tension until the kick drum enters. This tension continues to build over a long period of time with more elements gradually entering such as hi hats and additional synths. Different sounds and instruments rise and fall, weaving their way seamlessly through a dream-like soundscape. There is an impressive amount of diversity and versatility shown from this mysterious artist, and one can easily fall into a trance when listening to ARRHYTHMIC’s single, “Her Energy”. We recommend you check it out today!
Check out "Her Energy" now on Spotify, and scroll below for the artists exclusive interview!
Thanks for catching up with us! Would you mind telling us a bit about your background and how you first got involved with music?
I started a Progressive Metal project under the name of Step 4 back when I was in high-school. That was almost 6 years ago. I worked on it with my best friend at the time & we called our album Omnia Sphere. That project revolved around low tuned 8-string guitars and polyrhythms. Back in the day we would call this type of music "Djent". Long story short - It didn't really work out. After years of being inactive in the music community, I thought it was time to step back in but with a new innovative approach & on my own.
You simply go by “ARRHYTHMIC”, and nobody seems to know who you are. What’s the reason for the mystery and secrecy?
I want people to focus on the music and not on who I am or what I look like. Without having an identity, I feel like it really does just become about the sound and not so much about clout chasing. I think that's as real as it can get. I also believe that it creates room for imagination. When you listen to a song from an artist but you don't know what they look like, your mind tends to create an image for you to clear up that gap. Everyone has a different image of me when they listen to my music, but its truly a reflection of themselves. That's the point. I want this to be about the listener & their unique journey. My motivation behind secrecy is to influence others to think. Not to question who I am, but hopefully to question who they are & what it means to be attached to their own identity. Did I get a little too deep? The name Arrhythmic comes from the health condition "arrhythmia". Since arrhythmia means irregular heart beat & since I experiment with irregular musical beats & sounds, I thought it was a perfect artist name to describe what I'm trying to do.
You say you were in a metal band prior to getting involved with EDM. Do you find that aspects of heavy metal influence your music?
I never stopped listening to Metal & I don't think I ever will. It influenced my recent releases A LOT. I was inspired by artists like Meshuggah, Slipknot & Megadeth to name a few. So I came up with the idea to mix distorted 8 string guitars with EDM. And that's basically what happened on the track "Alma" from my new album When You Get the Message Hang Up the Phone. I literally played a house beat that I made, looped it and started jamming. I've heard some guitars mixed in with some House before, but nothing that sounds like this! It's not the only sound I want to create though. I still focus on the rave experience and want to make sure that people can dance to my beats. The guitar work is just the cherry on top.
As a Montreal resident, how would you describe the music scene there and in Canada in general?
The music scene is great here. I'm lucky enough to say that many of my friends make music too so I'm blessed to be surrounded by so many talented people. Your environment does truly matter. The after hours scene in Montreal is what got me into EDM. I was that kid that would diss others for listening to House & Techno. I used to think that it was so repetitive and boring. I spent one night at STEREO (which is supposedly the club with the best sound system in North America) and it changed my mind forever. I realized that there was a lot of overlap between Metal and EDM. Sonically they're both intense, fast, loud and designed to make people move whether its dancing or mosh pits. But on a drum pattern level, I realized that a lot of EDM revolves around polyrhythms & that's an area I have a lot of experience in.
What can we hope to see on the horizon for ARRHYTHMIC?
More releases! Lots of experimentation integrated with a mix of 8-string guitars & EDM. Lots of collaborations as well! I love to work with rappers & singers to add vocals to my beats. I also have another album ready but I want to take my time with it. I might release it at the end of 2019, depending on how well my first full length album performs. I am also planning on performing at a few events this year...
Connect with ARRHYTHMIC on the artists Instagram!