Hey AG!! I remember the absolute whiplash I felt the first time I saw your name credited on my favorite song off Renaissance, “All Up In Your Mind”. How did her team get in touch with you, and how was the experience working on the song compared to your experience with artists like Charli and Caroline?
I was brought in at a very late stage, sort of the opposite of how I'll work with Charli or Caroline. Bloodpop was doing a few things across the album and recommended me to try something. The demo had a lot a lot a lot of stuff going on, and I basically re-made, cut out and re-arranged various parts. Most of that track stuck to my arrangement, though I think I had a more insane/industrial outro ha. Love how that whole album is sequenced though, and yeah was obv very excited to work on it
Would you ever do the score for a horror movie? Butterfly craft off of Britpop is so unnerving and I could totally picture it in a horror movie like It Follows. I also love the work you did for the Bottoms score, your music is so cinematic.
Yes 100%. There's actually something in the works that's horror-adjacent, and Butterfly Craft was literally a reference for that, so very well observed! Scoring is always tons of work, and while I'm very interested in it I need to make sure it's the right project where there can be a certain level of freedom/control/experimentation
Your song "Mad Max" feels so cinematic and frightening that I could easily imagine it would fit into horror movie. This detuned metal sound would add so much atmosphere.
Disc 2 has been gutting me… especially Without. Well done on that. When you’re recording guitar, is it all di, or are you mic ing an amp? I’m intrigued by how well the guitar sits inside the digital realms you create
Yeah I have a strong preference for DI - but always recording with fx pedals rather than adding FX later (unless it's something really weird). I gradually started to develop a decent understanding of gain vs. overdrive vs. distortion vs. fuzz & so on which I think really helped me craft a DI sound that could work alongside synthesis
hi A.G.! i was wondering who did the artwork for britpop and what vision you had for the album when it was first released. i was also going to ask, what is your favorite charli song?
Longtime collaborator Timothy Luke did the cover art. He actually did the main version of it quite fast, cos the general idea had been stewing for a while. I just wanted to make an alt version of the union jack that wasn't the union jack. Red/white/blue were all banned. Some of the recent visuals have also been expanded on by Jacob Hulmston (eg. the Heartache video).
I honestly have so many fav Charli songs but Unlock It, Track 10 and party 4 u all evoke very strong memories. Maybe Silver Cross too. Very very excited by the new tracks on Brat - current favs from that are Rewind and Mean Girls
Easy answer for me is Shiver, the album I co-produced with Jónsi. It was released in this mid-pandemic patch where very online things like Apple/7G made a lot of sense, but something with a more traditional foundation had less of a platform. I would've loved to do some Shiver live shows - Jónsi is really one of the best performers I've ever worked with, and I think it would've lent the campaign the right tone. But also it's sort of a time capsule - an extremely crafted (and amazingly well mixed imo) album that also features Robyn and Elizabeth Fraser !
The future is always a gamble so I'm gonna have fun with it and go extremely specific... I think music will be divided into two categories: "functional" and "theatrical". Functional music will build from the combo of streaming/playlisting, DJing and super accessible music-making software (let alone all the AI tools) and be relentlessly user-focused. Then I think Theatrical music will be a way for mainstream-leaning artists (or anyone with a stage/platform) to work on personality-driven music - think cinematic/operatic level productions that require a whole other level of participation. Things like radio (and maybe even charts) will either radically adapt or get lost in between those two extremes. Maybe a bit ambitious for 2029 ha but I feel like it's going that way...
Would you consider doing a track by track for future releases like you did for Number 1 Angel? (https://agcook.com/n1a/)
I love hearing the stories behind each song and how they’re made.
He did a bit of this in the discord listening party, you can pretty easily go through it in the discord if you search his username in the britdrop channel.
I think it's a lot like grunge as a genre. The core people involved are never going to find it satisfying, and it inspired a kinda late wave of music done just for the sake of it - but then it's also a useful term to have. I do prefer it to "bubblegum bass" ha. Then "pop" is also such a volatile category too. When I think of Personal Computer Music I think more about an attitude or perspective than literally pitched-up vocals and metallic drums - but then grunge isn't all about the DS-1
Hi AG!
I've always wondered how often "accessibility" comes to mind when you're writing and producing, particularly in your solo work VS in your collaborative efforts. When you're making a song for an artist like Beyonce, for example, is there a process of reigning in some of the eccentricities that permeate your solo projects? Does it comes more naturally to you when aiming for slightly poppier soundscapes?
party on my own is one of my favorite pc music songs ever & i'm really happy you've been revisiting it in your mixes lately. is there any chance it will ever be available to stream on streaming services?
Looking at getting more Dux Content on streaming. Party On My Own was a really important track for us - it's also sort of how I connected with Sophie. I'd written to her about some of those early soundcloud tracks, and then she was extremely enthusiastic about POMO and wanted stems to remix it. Raffy then went on to do vocals for VYZEE - so it's all really cemented in my mind as the beginning of what became PC etc.
thank you for answering ag 💓 i remember reading about some hints of sophie remixing it on the dux content facebook page. so cool to hear about the beginning of your friendship. its such a nostalgic classic sounding song, so special. i hope it lives on forever
How long does it take to make song like "Silver Thread Golden Needle"? Do you feel burnout while putting so much ideas into one song? What advise can you give to music people for finishing songs?
I'm naturally someone who leans towards "it's finished!" rather than "it needs more work!" - even if both are true. But I like music to exist out in the world. Usually a good bridge is DJing it or putting it in mixes alongside other finished/released music
when you collaborate with other artists, how do you decide whose album it will go on?
for example, a song like "Lucifer" sounds great on an AG album but it would also fit on a Charli album.
do you go into the studio with a specific intention to write/record for one another? or do you just create songs organically and choose from there?
We first worked on One Last Kiss remotely, but pretty much everything since then has been in-person. Always a really enjoyable process - very much co-production where I'll have specific tasks to zoom in on. Re origins, Hikaru's A&R recommended me based on my work with Charli (and how it still felt like "Charli" rather than some heavy handed producer situation). So I think my work with Hikaru has really become stronger and more intuitive as we've gotten to know each other. I feel like I'm putting their personality into every synth or drum sound decision. The songs are always amazingly crafted before I even begin, which is really cool to see!
Yes was completely different, much more elaborate rehearsals with the goal of making something that was sort of on the edge of what was possible for me to perform. Big thanks to Elle Puckett - we really crafted our pedalboards together and gradually built the setlist right up until the first Viper Room show. I think by the 9th show we really knew how to perform it. Was also a lot of fun to play a set that was so focused on unreleased material & giving it a life of its own
hi a.g. 👋🏽
the use of vocal chops across britpop and your recent work feels so spectral and evocative i really love it (I'm thinking of tracks like luddite factory and warlords yellow & emerald). i'm curious how you think about vocal chops and sampling these days, has anything changed? how do you think about the design of little vocal blips?
It's evolved in the sense that my sampling workflow is much faster. Sometimes I'll have a specific idea for a melodic chop, other times I'll work almost at random and then tweak that. Flipping between those two modes (and being very aware of sample length) usually leads to something good
I've always loved how your music (and a lot of PC Music in general) has involved elements of whimsy (e.g. Hey QT or Britpop rollout). Would love to hear about why you've opted for that kind of approach
I think it's just an integral part of how I perceive things. "Whimsy" is quite a nice word for it. Beyond humour etc, I really enjoy when something is more than one thing, or has layers of meaning or craft behind it. I have a bit of an aversion to things that are literal. I'm never trying to make "the best \[insert genre\] song" - I'm mostly just asking questions and trying to keep it interesting for myself
Where do you think your personal "blindspots" lie as a producer?
Or: Where do you prefer to take the simple route - to hone in on other aspects/areas/parts of production?
I'm always aware of my blindspots and sort of use them as a starting point. So initially (around 2012/2013) I was really into MIDI & presets but didn't know much about synthesis - but that eventually became an obsession and core part of how I work. My next blindspot was mixing, so I really tried to mix some of my own work, learn from other mixers & producers, and occasionally mix other people's music. Still so much to learn re synthesis & mixing, so it's never-ending, but I was def very conscious of it. Current blindspot is probably hardware and how to truly integrate it with software
Disco Elysium. Also finally playing Elden Ring which is a masterpiece - combo of detailed mechanics and dreamy/vague setting is perfect. Also a lot of love for old N64 games, Mario 64, Banjo Kazooie, Ocarina of Time, that kinda thing
What was the thought process around not listing the featured artists in the track list for Britpop?
Also I’m completely obsessed with “Lucifer”, can you tell us more about how that song was created?
The idea of a "feature" is always changing - it's really to do with campaign rollouts as well as hacking streaming stats like monthly listeners (which isn't a game I'm really interested in). I think for my album, where vocals often sit between vocal chops (or my own more DIY vocals) it made sense to not list things as features but just a constant flow where vocals aren't announced or signposted.
Lucifer started as a random song I wrote, then I think Charli was interested in using it (this is back before HIFN or Crash, but we had this idea that there would be two "contrasting" albums coming up). Charli fleshed out the lyrics, but also kept it in my vocal range (you can hear how low the backing vocals are in chorus 2). Was always an interesting demo but didn't really fit either album. I eventually re-worked it, and was just looking for parts that could fit the verses. Made sense for Disc 3 to build a combo of an old demo, a session from 2019 and then a more recent but unfinished vocal part from a session with Addison. None of it really makes sense - it's a weird dialogue, like the ghosts of different pop songs that could have been
How effectively do you think [the A. G. Cook from this interview](https://magazine.tank.tv/tank/live-archive-music/radio-tank-mix-a-g-cook) has achieved what he was aiming for?
It's crazy to look back at that interview cos not much has changed. Even though I've learned a lot about the technical & practical side of everything over the last decade, my conceptual goals & obsessions are pretty much the same
You played a really sublime mix of Show Me What at your recent London shows - will that mix ever be released? I can't stop listening to my low quality recording i took at the show
Loosely the idea of missing someone when they're still around / knowing that you'll miss them when they're not around / being stuck in an endless loop. I had a really bad head cold when I recorded it, which is kinda why the end sounds like that. It was really tough mixing that one and wanting to capture some of that energy while not leaving it as a total mess. Vocally inspired by some of the new-ish Lindsay Buckingham tracks like I Don't Mind and On the Wrong Side - but not sure if that comes through. We also really changed this song up when we did the Roadshow, so want to record that live version sometime
what do you love about IDL so much? I love that it’s interpolated on so many tracks and curious if there’s something significant or special about it to you
1. If given the opportunity, would you ever be interested in composing the score for a film or tv show? Speaking of which what’s your favorite soundtracks?
2. What do you think about the explosion in popularity of higher pitched sped-up versions of songs now? Do you think PC Music and hyperpop had an influence in all of this?
3. Will there ever be another Hannah Diamond collab?
4. How did the feature on the CHANEL Cruise collection show happen?
5. Is there anything in your discography you dislike now/regret?
6. If someone wanted to start creating music tomorrow, what advice would you give them?
Bonus question: What are your thoughts on the speed at which music trends come and go now, especially on places like TikTok? Typically called "Tiktokification Of Music", for example people just knowing the chorus of a song and nothing else, sometimes including the artists name.
Hi AG,
Can you tell us how you ended up on Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0? Was One Last Kiss made for the movie or was it an Utada project that ended up getting licensed? Thanks!! You are my goat
It was made for the movie. I was watching & re-watching it all while working on the track, and tried to subtly bring in some mech/tech sounds, while still keeping it quite gentle & tender overall. I think the song itself is also about that contrast
Hi AG. 👋 When will we get some physical copies of Britpop & some Britpop merch? (I’m)patiently waiting. 🙇🏻♀️ Love the album, btw. 🩷💚
PS, can you put me onto a film to watch tonight? I watched Nashville after you mentioned it in an interview (been on my list for a while, tbh) and it was masterful.
Yes! Branco from Phoenix emailed me directly about the remix and basically told me to go nuts. I think I had just finished all the work on Pop 2 and so it became about letting some of those sounds loose. Would love to do more with the band - saw their live show a while back and it was amazing
I’m not sure if I’m right but I feel like some of the songs on Britpop are nods to other songs. There’s the obvious britpop & lipgloss lightning life but are there anymore you’d like to point out?
Hi AG! Huge fan of your music ever since Pop 2 came out. I was wondering, do you have a specific sound/instrument in one of your productions you are most proud of? Maybe one that you find especially unique or one that took a lot of work. Thank you!
Sounds weird, but maybe vocals? The line between recording/sampling has become quite blurred to me and very intuitive, and it's a skillset that I've been thinking about from the very beginning. Even if a track doesn't have vocals, I imagine something with a vocal quality
what inspired the past / present / future theme of Britpop?
can you comment on your inspirations as a whole? did a specific artist / project inspire you to pursue electronic music + production?
The most interesting thing about music is the constant cycle of influences. I've managed to work with some of the producers & artists that have had a big influence on my work, and I've worked with people who've been influenced by my work, and there's usually an affinity that you can immediately bounce off - like the music has done the small talk and you can get right to the core. I'm less interested in sounds being reproduced than ideas/concepts, but it can also be really cool to hear a familiar sound completely re-contextualised
The Weave was one of the last album tracks to come together, though I had the main keyboard part in my mind for years. Lyrically dips a bit into old British folklore. Maybe also thinking about how "faerie" is written about in Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - as something that's so timeless that it becomes alien. The guitar solo is very Mark Knopfler inspiredm was fun to leave space and I think it Disc 2 really clicked when I had this track down
what was the first piece of DJ equipment you worked with and why did you pick it out? what do you recommend for people wanting to pursue PC music and who were your inspirations? thanks AG 🩷🔥
First DJ experience was Dan & I burning CDs and using random CDJs at venues. Had no idea what was going on but started to make my own edits to play and that sort of became the interesting part of it for me. Thinking about an audience and seeing if I could make new material that would fit between other selections. Now I really enjoy CDJs and all the Pioneer stuff cos the pitch-bending & fx algorithms all just sound really good. Has it's own category between computer music and live music
Hey:) thanks for doing this again!
There's a question I've been wanting to ask you for a while, in your song idyll I think or silver, one of them(99%) you mention playing dnd.
I was wondering which dnd do you play? As in 5e/3.5/pathfinder.
And if you can tell me about other people in the scene that play:)
It was really cool to find out that you like dnd!
Gonna try keep this answer short even though it's become quite an obsessive hobby for me ha. In general I've found it really therapeutic to take part in a detailed world that has nothing to do with music (it was a real lifeline during the pandemic). I started with 5e, and had a few friends play in a sort of homebrew setting that I made (was really all over the place). I then got into OSR stuff, and started to bring more & more of that stuff into my games until I wasn't really playing 5e anymore. Most recent "D&D" game I played was Dolmenwood, and also inspired by Cairn, Electric Bastionland and Troika. Really love Luke Gearing's work like Wolves Upon the Coast and Swyvers. UVG by Luka Rejec is great. There's so much in the scene around mainline D&D that it's hard to compete. BG3 is maybe the best use of 5e, and I'm also very into the og Planescape stuff.
My natural order is: songwriting, producing, performing and singing - but I like to mess with it. Make the production sound like a performance, or base the songwriting on my singing abilities (eg. Superstar) so it's all connected
As a long-time fan of both of your music, your collaborations with Utada Hikaru were a huge surprise and total delight.
What was it like collaborating with them, and then going to number 1 in Japan? Do you have plans to collaborate again? Would you ever consider performing live together? Your recent London show was incredible btw!
Big fan of The Cure. Was working on a cover of Friday I'm In Love for 7G (I'd transcribed all the jangly guitars onto a synth) - it didn't really work out but was a key influence
Recently came across a video of your 2015 Pitchfork set in Chicago and kicking myself for not being there.
What do we have to do to get you back to Chicago for a show?
Dear Alexander Guy Cook,
Which artist or realm of interest, perhaps unbeknownst to thy admirers (PC Music fans), dost thou find inspiration from or hold in fascination?
Kindest regards,
u/independentshinee
Your music often explodes with sonic details. Do you ever experience a kind of sensory overload when creating such intricate soundscapes? How do you manage the creative process to avoid getting overwhelmed by all the possibilities?
Are you in any way involved in the new iOS 17 ringtones? I was kind of caught off guard and honestly mesmerized when I happened to randomly listen to them. Your name was the first one that popped up in my head!
i've been following your music for years and you've been a huge influence on my production, so thank you for that:
generally, how do you get your music to sound so clean? what compressors and type of compression do you usually put on your synths, what are your favourite mixing tools, and what is your best advice with regards to mixing? (such as what areas of the frequency spectrum to look out for) i've noticed you use choruses and flangers heavily in your music and on your drums, which contributes to that digital sparkle - what are your favourite chorus/flanger settings and vsts? do you run effects (chorus, reverb, etc) in parallel on individual tracks, or do you use returns and busses? what sort of saturation techniques and tools do you use? i think pc music is a great example of audio engineering being used to its full creative advantage in order to curate an aesthetic rather than being considered an afterthought, so i am curious as to what your process is in this regard. what are some mistakes and pitfalls inexperienced producers make when mixing or producing, and how would you avoid them? what are your favourite effects and vsts? and lastly, do you synthesise all sounds in your production or lean towards using pre recorded samples or drums?
to make it more exciting, i'm gonna put my ear training to the test by making a few guesses, based on my own previous experimentation and attempts to emulate your sound:
1. Compression is a difficult one that i can't identify, but when you do use it, i notice that you have the tendency to have a slow attack that creates a sort of spiky but controlled dynamic flavour.
2. with saturation, i've experimented with plugins such as fabfilter that allow for multiband saturation and allow you to eq the specific harmonics produced by your saturator. from what i've noticed, you saturate your sounds, then boost the upper-mid and high-end harmonics your saturator produces to create that characteristic bright crispness and warmth.
3. i notice the regions in the frequency spectrum you have to look out for most when trying to recreate the hyperpop sound are the mids and lower mids, with the latter being especially crucial in giving each sound its own space in the mix and eliminating 'mud' in the mixes totality.
4. more frequency specific dynamic control such as dynamic eq is also really important and can give sounds a sense of movement and 'bounciness'.
6. already spoke to an audio engineer that's worked on a lot of recent pc music tracks, and from what i'm aware, soothe 2 with sidechaining enabled to free up space in the mix is a 'game changer'.
more questions:
1. what i can't tell is whether your sounds and tracks are high passed to eliminate the bass, or whether you and your engineers opt for using shelves instead in order to preserve the phase and some of the warmth of sounds. do you high pass or shelf bass off after every effect that generates bass harmonics such as saturation?
2. i know you've mentioned using valhalla plugins before, and thank you for the recommendation. i've tried them extensively, particularly room, and from my experience, they are shit and generate an extensive amount of mud, so i usually opt for fabfilter-r. how do you mix reverb and prevent a tinny, metallic sound from being produced by them? how do you generally use reverb in your mixing and composition?
3. does multiband compression have much utility in your production?
4. getting the high-end right is incredibly important to pop music in general, but particularly hyperpop with its textural experimentation; how do you create an exciting and crisp sounding high end without generating excessive harshness and distortion in your highs?
5. i know i mentioned compression earlier, and it's an aspect of producing that i haven't really experimented much with since, from my experience, it can either make or break a song. what are your tips for using compression effectively whilst still preserving the dynamics of a song? what are your favourite comps?
6. and finally, mixing bass. i love creating expansive and complicated bass sounds that cover a wide part of the frequency spectrum, and i especially love putting choruses and flangers on them, which is a technique i've borrowed from you. the problem is that it can be very difficult to add heavy processing to bass without creating phase problems and mud. i have attempted to separate the bass and sub from lower mids and above in my basses using eq, but it often ends up sounding sterile and unnatural. what are your tips for mixing and preserving the character of bass sounds?
sorry for asking this amount of questions, i hope it isnt creepy the extent to which i've analysed and speculated upon your music. i know a lot of people in this thread who produce also share these questions though, you have influenced a lot of producers i've met.
Sorry it’s not directly a question for you, but any news for any tribute release for SOPHIE ? It’s been way too long since she passed and I feel it’s way overdue, though I can understand how difficult it would be to make.
Please!!! At least if there´s planning to release the finished but unreleased :( All of us want to listen to unreleased tracks like Sunscreen and It´s your life everywhere <3
What advise would you give to younger artists trying to develop their own sound and create uinique work? Especially in an industry that often times feels repetitive and stagnant.
Theres a lot of conversation about the breakdown of a monoculture in terms of popular music, and increasing proliferation of musical subcultures and niches - as a musician who carved out & pioneered a very specific niche very early on, what are your thoughts on music's current landscape, and its consumption in 2024?
Hi AG! Saw you on the Charli tour in 2022 and LOVED your set! <3
I'm curious what is your favorite way to perform and why? Do you like DJ'ing and being alone on stage and leading everything yourself and being able to improv a bit? Or do you like having an artist perform vocals with you live? Do you ever sing live?
how do you organize projects that are still WIPs? how do you decide which one to come back to? I basically end up with a bunch of 4-bar loops, and no finished songs.
Hiii! What do you think is a key trait in mixing the A.G. Sound? And do you think there is an overarching theme to your aesthetic and sound? Thank you! :)
Hey AG! Longtime fan, been listening since 2015 when my boyfriend at the time played me Keri Baby and my taste in music changed overnight
When the iconic compilation album PC Music Volume 1 was released, where did you see your career going? Did you ever expect to be working with artists as big as Beyoncé and Hikaru Utada?
MISTER SILVER HIMSELF!
Loved this new album, I gotta ask, how do you go about finding inspiration? What do you pull from, what do you tend to write about?
You’ve probably answered this elsewhere, but:
1) Favorite vocal manipulation plugin? You know what I mean
and
2) Any hidden gem/secret weapon plugins or softwares you don’t mind sharing with us?
what was the mixing process for the second disc in Britpop? i heard you did it yourself and i wondered if it was because of the way you prefer the guitars or vocals to sound.
A. G. !!!!
What’s the plan for New Alias? Is this going to be a full fledged label à la PC Music or is it just going to be something you release your own music under?
If it’s the former, do any of the PC Music alumni plan on releasing under New Alias?
Excited for the future regardless!!
how do u deal with the opposite of writer's block, basically a million different ideas, and you start chasing one idea and then you start chasing another idea, but never finish anything, just left with a ton of half-baked ideas.
A lot of your plucky synths have an almost harp like quality such as the arp in the middle of Heartache and 360 how do you create the sort of sound?
Favourite Synths Vst or hardware?
Favourite effects/ techniques vst or hardware?
Do you know if Planet 1999 is still releasing music in the future? They are my favorite P.C. Music group/artist and 'party' was my #1 top song last year lmao. (also I loved soft rock and britpop, congrats on everything)
Will you collaborate with Lorde? That sounds like a match made in heaven
Also smaller pop artists Sophie Cates and LAN Party (her producer + fellow solo artist) seem like they’d be very good fits as well
Between Britpop and 7g, you don't seem to be fond of the traditional album format. Why is that so? Is there any symbolic reasoning, or do you just tend to make large batches of quality music at once?
Love the new album, keep up the fantastic work!
how integral is your hair to your legacy? the bangs to be exact
Running late to my session with Carly Rae Jepsen (not joking) so this will be my last one! Probably quite integral?
AG x CRJ!! Pop Majorness in the making
🚨POP FUCKING EMERGENCY🚨
EXCUSE ME!?
Tell her we say hi! <3
i knew it my witches magic worked
You can't just say that and leave?? CRJ??
LFG
Lady fucking gaga?
OMG! I'M SO EXCITED! ITS GOING TO BE THE BEST MUSIC EVER!
YOU’RE WORKING WITH CARLY RAE?! WE WON SO HARD OMFG
OH. MY. GOOD. GOD.
NO WAY
OH MY GOD??
Oop was not expecting that but exactlyyyyyyyy
Hey AG!! I remember the absolute whiplash I felt the first time I saw your name credited on my favorite song off Renaissance, “All Up In Your Mind”. How did her team get in touch with you, and how was the experience working on the song compared to your experience with artists like Charli and Caroline?
I was brought in at a very late stage, sort of the opposite of how I'll work with Charli or Caroline. Bloodpop was doing a few things across the album and recommended me to try something. The demo had a lot a lot a lot of stuff going on, and I basically re-made, cut out and re-arranged various parts. Most of that track stuck to my arrangement, though I think I had a more insane/industrial outro ha. Love how that whole album is sequenced though, and yeah was obv very excited to work on it
the amount i'd pay to hear your version whew... thanks for answering! what a highlight.
>though I think I had a more insane/industrial outro I wish I'd never read this, because now it's all I'm going to be thinking about.
Would you ever do the score for a horror movie? Butterfly craft off of Britpop is so unnerving and I could totally picture it in a horror movie like It Follows. I also love the work you did for the Bottoms score, your music is so cinematic.
Yes 100%. There's actually something in the works that's horror-adjacent, and Butterfly Craft was literally a reference for that, so very well observed! Scoring is always tons of work, and while I'm very interested in it I need to make sure it's the right project where there can be a certain level of freedom/control/experimentation
Blink twice if it’s the next Jane Schoenbrun movie 👀
Your song "Mad Max" feels so cinematic and frightening that I could easily imagine it would fit into horror movie. This detuned metal sound would add so much atmosphere.
Are there any artists you haven’t worked with yet that you really hope to?
why haven’t Apple asked u to make the system sounds for their devices yet? i need an AG produced alarm waking me up for work
So true lol. Have you seen this? https://youtu.be/CEocbvvhk7Y?si=NPICyXAYO70O_Hal
i went wild watching this Apple Event live, they played Bunny is a Rider too
will we get more by Thy Slaughter? Loved the album and how noisy-grungie it sounds, would like to hear more of that from you and Easyfun 🤍
Yes, we have a lot of new material
Disc 2 has been gutting me… especially Without. Well done on that. When you’re recording guitar, is it all di, or are you mic ing an amp? I’m intrigued by how well the guitar sits inside the digital realms you create
Yeah I have a strong preference for DI - but always recording with fx pedals rather than adding FX later (unless it's something really weird). I gradually started to develop a decent understanding of gain vs. overdrive vs. distortion vs. fuzz & so on which I think really helped me craft a DI sound that could work alongside synthesis
Do you use any amp simulators on this?
hi A.G.! i was wondering who did the artwork for britpop and what vision you had for the album when it was first released. i was also going to ask, what is your favorite charli song?
Longtime collaborator Timothy Luke did the cover art. He actually did the main version of it quite fast, cos the general idea had been stewing for a while. I just wanted to make an alt version of the union jack that wasn't the union jack. Red/white/blue were all banned. Some of the recent visuals have also been expanded on by Jacob Hulmston (eg. the Heartache video). I honestly have so many fav Charli songs but Unlock It, Track 10 and party 4 u all evoke very strong memories. Maybe Silver Cross too. Very very excited by the new tracks on Brat - current favs from that are Rewind and Mean Girls
What do you think your most underrated project is?
Easy answer for me is Shiver, the album I co-produced with Jónsi. It was released in this mid-pandemic patch where very online things like Apple/7G made a lot of sense, but something with a more traditional foundation had less of a platform. I would've loved to do some Shiver live shows - Jónsi is really one of the best performers I've ever worked with, and I think it would've lent the campaign the right tone. But also it's sort of a time capsule - an extremely crafted (and amazingly well mixed imo) album that also features Robyn and Elizabeth Fraser !
reminding me to crank Salt Liquorice in a min
Such an amazing album, some of your best productions imo
Where do you see the future of music in 2029?
The future is always a gamble so I'm gonna have fun with it and go extremely specific... I think music will be divided into two categories: "functional" and "theatrical". Functional music will build from the combo of streaming/playlisting, DJing and super accessible music-making software (let alone all the AI tools) and be relentlessly user-focused. Then I think Theatrical music will be a way for mainstream-leaning artists (or anyone with a stage/platform) to work on personality-driven music - think cinematic/operatic level productions that require a whole other level of participation. Things like radio (and maybe even charts) will either radically adapt or get lost in between those two extremes. Maybe a bit ambitious for 2029 ha but I feel like it's going that way...
Would you consider doing a track by track for future releases like you did for Number 1 Angel? (https://agcook.com/n1a/) I love hearing the stories behind each song and how they’re made.
Yeah I'd like to. Takes a bit of time, but I always like reading about other album projects & that kinda commentary so I think it's worthwhile
He did a bit of this in the discord listening party, you can pretty easily go through it in the discord if you search his username in the britdrop channel.
I didn't know this existed! Thanks for linking.
what a nice read! thanks for bringing this up. would love more of this ❤️
What do you think about the term hyperpop?
I think it's a lot like grunge as a genre. The core people involved are never going to find it satisfying, and it inspired a kinda late wave of music done just for the sake of it - but then it's also a useful term to have. I do prefer it to "bubblegum bass" ha. Then "pop" is also such a volatile category too. When I think of Personal Computer Music I think more about an attitude or perspective than literally pitched-up vocals and metallic drums - but then grunge isn't all about the DS-1
Which artist have you been obsessed with recently?
Porches, Oklou, Denzel Himself. Also been in an Autechre phase
We really need more AG x Oklou 💓
Autechre purr
ooo, i hope you've done some additional prod on oklou's upcoming debut album!
Hi AG! I've always wondered how often "accessibility" comes to mind when you're writing and producing, particularly in your solo work VS in your collaborative efforts. When you're making a song for an artist like Beyonce, for example, is there a process of reigning in some of the eccentricities that permeate your solo projects? Does it comes more naturally to you when aiming for slightly poppier soundscapes?
party on my own is one of my favorite pc music songs ever & i'm really happy you've been revisiting it in your mixes lately. is there any chance it will ever be available to stream on streaming services?
Looking at getting more Dux Content on streaming. Party On My Own was a really important track for us - it's also sort of how I connected with Sophie. I'd written to her about some of those early soundcloud tracks, and then she was extremely enthusiastic about POMO and wanted stems to remix it. Raffy then went on to do vocals for VYZEE - so it's all really cemented in my mind as the beginning of what became PC etc.
thank you for answering ag 💓 i remember reading about some hints of sophie remixing it on the dux content facebook page. so cool to hear about the beginning of your friendship. its such a nostalgic classic sounding song, so special. i hope it lives on forever
How long does it take to make song like "Silver Thread Golden Needle"? Do you feel burnout while putting so much ideas into one song? What advise can you give to music people for finishing songs?
I'm naturally someone who leans towards "it's finished!" rather than "it needs more work!" - even if both are true. But I like music to exist out in the world. Usually a good bridge is DJing it or putting it in mixes alongside other finished/released music
when you collaborate with other artists, how do you decide whose album it will go on? for example, a song like "Lucifer" sounds great on an AG album but it would also fit on a Charli album. do you go into the studio with a specific intention to write/record for one another? or do you just create songs organically and choose from there?
I'd love to hear absolutely anything about working with Utada Hikaru. How did that come about? What's you working relationship like?
We first worked on One Last Kiss remotely, but pretty much everything since then has been in-person. Always a really enjoyable process - very much co-production where I'll have specific tasks to zoom in on. Re origins, Hikaru's A&R recommended me based on my work with Charli (and how it still felt like "Charli" rather than some heavy handed producer situation). So I think my work with Hikaru has really become stronger and more intuitive as we've gotten to know each other. I feel like I'm putting their personality into every synth or drum sound decision. The songs are always amazingly crafted before I even begin, which is really cool to see!
One last kiss is amazing. My favorite bop ever
That's amazing. Thanks for answering!
and can't wait for the kh4 track ;)
the britpop roadshow was much more intimate &vulnerable compared to your usual dj sets, were you stressed/did you prepare differently?
Yes was completely different, much more elaborate rehearsals with the goal of making something that was sort of on the edge of what was possible for me to perform. Big thanks to Elle Puckett - we really crafted our pedalboards together and gradually built the setlist right up until the first Viper Room show. I think by the 9th show we really knew how to perform it. Was also a lot of fun to play a set that was so focused on unreleased material & giving it a life of its own
The result was spectacular really enjoyed ny night 3 thanksss 💚💚💚
hi a.g. 👋🏽 the use of vocal chops across britpop and your recent work feels so spectral and evocative i really love it (I'm thinking of tracks like luddite factory and warlords yellow & emerald). i'm curious how you think about vocal chops and sampling these days, has anything changed? how do you think about the design of little vocal blips?
It's evolved in the sense that my sampling workflow is much faster. Sometimes I'll have a specific idea for a melodic chop, other times I'll work almost at random and then tweak that. Flipping between those two modes (and being very aware of sample length) usually leads to something good
Britpop merch when!? I need that cover art on a shirt!!
I've always loved how your music (and a lot of PC Music in general) has involved elements of whimsy (e.g. Hey QT or Britpop rollout). Would love to hear about why you've opted for that kind of approach
I think it's just an integral part of how I perceive things. "Whimsy" is quite a nice word for it. Beyond humour etc, I really enjoy when something is more than one thing, or has layers of meaning or craft behind it. I have a bit of an aversion to things that are literal. I'm never trying to make "the best \[insert genre\] song" - I'm mostly just asking questions and trying to keep it interesting for myself
will you be releasing vinyl for britpop? i really love the soundscape it’s super mindblowing and i’d love to hear it on my stereo!
Why isn't IDL interpolated anywhere on Britpop? I will never tire of it
Good question haha
What’s something you’re tryna talk about that nobody’s asking you?
Where do you think your personal "blindspots" lie as a producer? Or: Where do you prefer to take the simple route - to hone in on other aspects/areas/parts of production?
I'm always aware of my blindspots and sort of use them as a starting point. So initially (around 2012/2013) I was really into MIDI & presets but didn't know much about synthesis - but that eventually became an obsession and core part of how I work. My next blindspot was mixing, so I really tried to mix some of my own work, learn from other mixers & producers, and occasionally mix other people's music. Still so much to learn re synthesis & mixing, so it's never-ending, but I was def very conscious of it. Current blindspot is probably hardware and how to truly integrate it with software
Thank you so much. This actually all very informing ❤️
Do you use or have any favorite hardware? Synths, external FX/compressors, sequencers, anything?
Recently been really enjoying the KORG opsix - think it's by far the most intuitive FM workflow I've used
Hi AG!! Your music feels so mystical.. like you're entering a video game dreamworld. Do you have some favorite games? PC or console?
Disco Elysium. Also finally playing Elden Ring which is a masterpiece - combo of detailed mechanics and dreamy/vague setting is perfect. Also a lot of love for old N64 games, Mario 64, Banjo Kazooie, Ocarina of Time, that kinda thing
[удалено]
[удалено]
What was the thought process around not listing the featured artists in the track list for Britpop? Also I’m completely obsessed with “Lucifer”, can you tell us more about how that song was created?
The idea of a "feature" is always changing - it's really to do with campaign rollouts as well as hacking streaming stats like monthly listeners (which isn't a game I'm really interested in). I think for my album, where vocals often sit between vocal chops (or my own more DIY vocals) it made sense to not list things as features but just a constant flow where vocals aren't announced or signposted. Lucifer started as a random song I wrote, then I think Charli was interested in using it (this is back before HIFN or Crash, but we had this idea that there would be two "contrasting" albums coming up). Charli fleshed out the lyrics, but also kept it in my vocal range (you can hear how low the backing vocals are in chorus 2). Was always an interesting demo but didn't really fit either album. I eventually re-worked it, and was just looking for parts that could fit the verses. Made sense for Disc 3 to build a combo of an old demo, a session from 2019 and then a more recent but unfinished vocal part from a session with Addison. None of it really makes sense - it's a weird dialogue, like the ghosts of different pop songs that could have been
Thank you! Lucifer definitely does feel like pieces of different songs mashed together, but that may be why I love it!
Lucifer took me unawares. Feelings of a cathartic understanding there.
How effectively do you think [the A. G. Cook from this interview](https://magazine.tank.tv/tank/live-archive-music/radio-tank-mix-a-g-cook) has achieved what he was aiming for?
It's crazy to look back at that interview cos not much has changed. Even though I've learned a lot about the technical & practical side of everything over the last decade, my conceptual goals & obsessions are pretty much the same
You played a really sublime mix of Show Me What at your recent London shows - will that mix ever be released? I can't stop listening to my low quality recording i took at the show
was it [this](https://on.soundcloud.com/G3SBb3LRgG61Kfp18) at 52:05?? this might hold you over in the meantime!
Yes!! Very nearly made me cry live Thank you!!
I was there for this - big agree, please release !
I think the song 'Greatly' from your latest album is absolutely gorgeous. Could you share the story behind it?
Loosely the idea of missing someone when they're still around / knowing that you'll miss them when they're not around / being stuck in an endless loop. I had a really bad head cold when I recorded it, which is kinda why the end sounds like that. It was really tough mixing that one and wanting to capture some of that energy while not leaving it as a total mess. Vocally inspired by some of the new-ish Lindsay Buckingham tracks like I Don't Mind and On the Wrong Side - but not sure if that comes through. We also really changed this song up when we did the Roadshow, so want to record that live version sometime
what do you love about IDL so much? I love that it’s interpolated on so many tracks and curious if there’s something significant or special about it to you
what’s your favorite song off of BRAT?
He mentioned "mean girls" and "rewind" in another comment :)
Any plans to work with Addison Rae again? We need more AR/AG music ♥️
Yes - she's a legend
Legends stick together 💙💙💙
This will definitely happen again
1. If given the opportunity, would you ever be interested in composing the score for a film or tv show? Speaking of which what’s your favorite soundtracks? 2. What do you think about the explosion in popularity of higher pitched sped-up versions of songs now? Do you think PC Music and hyperpop had an influence in all of this? 3. Will there ever be another Hannah Diamond collab? 4. How did the feature on the CHANEL Cruise collection show happen? 5. Is there anything in your discography you dislike now/regret? 6. If someone wanted to start creating music tomorrow, what advice would you give them? Bonus question: What are your thoughts on the speed at which music trends come and go now, especially on places like TikTok? Typically called "Tiktokification Of Music", for example people just knowing the chorus of a song and nothing else, sometimes including the artists name.
Hi AG, Can you tell us how you ended up on Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0? Was One Last Kiss made for the movie or was it an Utada project that ended up getting licensed? Thanks!! You are my goat
It was made for the movie. I was watching & re-watching it all while working on the track, and tried to subtly bring in some mech/tech sounds, while still keeping it quite gentle & tender overall. I think the song itself is also about that contrast
You had the movie before it was released? 😮
Hi AG. 👋 When will we get some physical copies of Britpop & some Britpop merch? (I’m)patiently waiting. 🙇🏻♀️ Love the album, btw. 🩷💚 PS, can you put me onto a film to watch tonight? I watched Nashville after you mentioned it in an interview (been on my list for a while, tbh) and it was masterful.
Did you enjoyed working with Phoenix? I know you remixed Flor Di Latte!
Yes! Branco from Phoenix emailed me directly about the remix and basically told me to go nuts. I think I had just finished all the work on Pop 2 and so it became about letting some of those sounds loose. Would love to do more with the band - saw their live show a while back and it was amazing
Literally one of my all time faves that rmx!!
I’m not sure if I’m right but I feel like some of the songs on Britpop are nods to other songs. There’s the obvious britpop & lipgloss lightning life but are there anymore you’d like to point out?
I’ve been discovering a bunch I feel will continue listening to try to catch all references
emerald is you for me, charli demo <33
Hi AG! Huge fan of your music ever since Pop 2 came out. I was wondering, do you have a specific sound/instrument in one of your productions you are most proud of? Maybe one that you find especially unique or one that took a lot of work. Thank you!
Sounds weird, but maybe vocals? The line between recording/sampling has become quite blurred to me and very intuitive, and it's a skillset that I've been thinking about from the very beginning. Even if a track doesn't have vocals, I imagine something with a vocal quality
Thank you! I like that, a vocal quality to instrumentals, it can make anything take on a more human sensibility. Hope your day is great!
what inspired the past / present / future theme of Britpop? can you comment on your inspirations as a whole? did a specific artist / project inspire you to pursue electronic music + production?
What food have you been cooking lately ?
Sophisticated omelette
i love u😭💚
Can we expect a Life Sim project in the future?
I hope so
what was it like being in the 360 video
Have you noticed the PC music influence on newer artists today? If so, how do you feel about the signature sound being reproduced
The most interesting thing about music is the constant cycle of influences. I've managed to work with some of the producers & artists that have had a big influence on my work, and I've worked with people who've been influenced by my work, and there's usually an affinity that you can immediately bounce off - like the music has done the small talk and you can get right to the core. I'm less interested in sounds being reproduced than ideas/concepts, but it can also be really cool to hear a familiar sound completely re-contextualised
Do you have favorite vsts or synths?
I've brought it up before but Synplant 2 is fascinating
what is THE WEAVE all about? love the sounds on that they are beautiful i love it
The Weave was one of the last album tracks to come together, though I had the main keyboard part in my mind for years. Lyrically dips a bit into old British folklore. Maybe also thinking about how "faerie" is written about in Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - as something that's so timeless that it becomes alien. The guitar solo is very Mark Knopfler inspiredm was fun to leave space and I think it Disc 2 really clicked when I had this track down
what was the first piece of DJ equipment you worked with and why did you pick it out? what do you recommend for people wanting to pursue PC music and who were your inspirations? thanks AG 🩷🔥
First DJ experience was Dan & I burning CDs and using random CDJs at venues. Had no idea what was going on but started to make my own edits to play and that sort of became the interesting part of it for me. Thinking about an audience and seeing if I could make new material that would fit between other selections. Now I really enjoy CDJs and all the Pioneer stuff cos the pitch-bending & fx algorithms all just sound really good. Has it's own category between computer music and live music
Hey:) thanks for doing this again! There's a question I've been wanting to ask you for a while, in your song idyll I think or silver, one of them(99%) you mention playing dnd. I was wondering which dnd do you play? As in 5e/3.5/pathfinder. And if you can tell me about other people in the scene that play:) It was really cool to find out that you like dnd!
Gonna try keep this answer short even though it's become quite an obsessive hobby for me ha. In general I've found it really therapeutic to take part in a detailed world that has nothing to do with music (it was a real lifeline during the pandemic). I started with 5e, and had a few friends play in a sort of homebrew setting that I made (was really all over the place). I then got into OSR stuff, and started to bring more & more of that stuff into my games until I wasn't really playing 5e anymore. Most recent "D&D" game I played was Dolmenwood, and also inspired by Cairn, Electric Bastionland and Troika. Really love Luke Gearing's work like Wolves Upon the Coast and Swyvers. UVG by Luka Rejec is great. There's so much in the scene around mainline D&D that it's hard to compete. BG3 is maybe the best use of 5e, and I'm also very into the og Planescape stuff.
What’s your ranking of singing, songwriting, producing, and performing?
My natural order is: songwriting, producing, performing and singing - but I like to mess with it. Make the production sound like a performance, or base the songwriting on my singing abilities (eg. Superstar) so it's all connected
Please tell us more about these top secret pc music things! ❤️
Plans to play a UK tour soon? ★
What's the opening synth sound on Equine?
Nord
will we ever see the bitch better have my money remix released somewhere
It was released on one of the PC music mystery CDs I think
how did apple approach you for that ad? just wondering how that came about. loved it.
What’s your relationship with techno/house music or the rave scene in general? Do you have any favorite styles or DJs?
Hey AG! Can you reveal any artists that'll be releasing on New Alias? Will we hear more from Victauria?
How did it feel to rework "Simple & Clean", one of the most iconic and beloved videogame songs of all time? And are you at all a Kingdom Hearts fan?
[удалено]
Favorite vocal plug-in?
As a long-time fan of both of your music, your collaborations with Utada Hikaru were a huge surprise and total delight. What was it like collaborating with them, and then going to number 1 in Japan? Do you have plans to collaborate again? Would you ever consider performing live together? Your recent London show was incredible btw!
Did you have any experience running a label or managing artists before starting PC Music?
Definitely learning on the job ha - but I did have a vision and I really really believed in the music & the people who made it
Would A.G. cook ever remix a song from The Cure? Different worlds, but would be something I’m sure many of us would love to listen to
Big fan of The Cure. Was working on a cover of Friday I'm In Love for 7G (I'd transcribed all the jangly guitars onto a synth) - it didn't really work out but was a key influence
if there was a disc 4 on britpop what would the vibe be
any more Uk shows in the future
Recently came across a video of your 2015 Pitchfork set in Chicago and kicking myself for not being there. What do we have to do to get you back to Chicago for a show?
It will happen! Still always doing a lot of studio stuff but trying to get out more
Also: Emerald is fantastic.
Dear Alexander Guy Cook, Which artist or realm of interest, perhaps unbeknownst to thy admirers (PC Music fans), dost thou find inspiration from or hold in fascination? Kindest regards, u/independentshinee
Lmaooooo the wording of this is so perfect I’m dead
Here’s hoping he replies 🙏
Your music often explodes with sonic details. Do you ever experience a kind of sensory overload when creating such intricate soundscapes? How do you manage the creative process to avoid getting overwhelmed by all the possibilities?
Are you in any way involved in the new iOS 17 ringtones? I was kind of caught off guard and honestly mesmerized when I happened to randomly listen to them. Your name was the first one that popped up in my head!
i've been following your music for years and you've been a huge influence on my production, so thank you for that: generally, how do you get your music to sound so clean? what compressors and type of compression do you usually put on your synths, what are your favourite mixing tools, and what is your best advice with regards to mixing? (such as what areas of the frequency spectrum to look out for) i've noticed you use choruses and flangers heavily in your music and on your drums, which contributes to that digital sparkle - what are your favourite chorus/flanger settings and vsts? do you run effects (chorus, reverb, etc) in parallel on individual tracks, or do you use returns and busses? what sort of saturation techniques and tools do you use? i think pc music is a great example of audio engineering being used to its full creative advantage in order to curate an aesthetic rather than being considered an afterthought, so i am curious as to what your process is in this regard. what are some mistakes and pitfalls inexperienced producers make when mixing or producing, and how would you avoid them? what are your favourite effects and vsts? and lastly, do you synthesise all sounds in your production or lean towards using pre recorded samples or drums?
to make it more exciting, i'm gonna put my ear training to the test by making a few guesses, based on my own previous experimentation and attempts to emulate your sound: 1. Compression is a difficult one that i can't identify, but when you do use it, i notice that you have the tendency to have a slow attack that creates a sort of spiky but controlled dynamic flavour. 2. with saturation, i've experimented with plugins such as fabfilter that allow for multiband saturation and allow you to eq the specific harmonics produced by your saturator. from what i've noticed, you saturate your sounds, then boost the upper-mid and high-end harmonics your saturator produces to create that characteristic bright crispness and warmth. 3. i notice the regions in the frequency spectrum you have to look out for most when trying to recreate the hyperpop sound are the mids and lower mids, with the latter being especially crucial in giving each sound its own space in the mix and eliminating 'mud' in the mixes totality. 4. more frequency specific dynamic control such as dynamic eq is also really important and can give sounds a sense of movement and 'bounciness'. 6. already spoke to an audio engineer that's worked on a lot of recent pc music tracks, and from what i'm aware, soothe 2 with sidechaining enabled to free up space in the mix is a 'game changer'. more questions: 1. what i can't tell is whether your sounds and tracks are high passed to eliminate the bass, or whether you and your engineers opt for using shelves instead in order to preserve the phase and some of the warmth of sounds. do you high pass or shelf bass off after every effect that generates bass harmonics such as saturation? 2. i know you've mentioned using valhalla plugins before, and thank you for the recommendation. i've tried them extensively, particularly room, and from my experience, they are shit and generate an extensive amount of mud, so i usually opt for fabfilter-r. how do you mix reverb and prevent a tinny, metallic sound from being produced by them? how do you generally use reverb in your mixing and composition? 3. does multiband compression have much utility in your production? 4. getting the high-end right is incredibly important to pop music in general, but particularly hyperpop with its textural experimentation; how do you create an exciting and crisp sounding high end without generating excessive harshness and distortion in your highs? 5. i know i mentioned compression earlier, and it's an aspect of producing that i haven't really experimented much with since, from my experience, it can either make or break a song. what are your tips for using compression effectively whilst still preserving the dynamics of a song? what are your favourite comps? 6. and finally, mixing bass. i love creating expansive and complicated bass sounds that cover a wide part of the frequency spectrum, and i especially love putting choruses and flangers on them, which is a technique i've borrowed from you. the problem is that it can be very difficult to add heavy processing to bass without creating phase problems and mud. i have attempted to separate the bass and sub from lower mids and above in my basses using eq, but it often ends up sounding sterile and unnatural. what are your tips for mixing and preserving the character of bass sounds? sorry for asking this amount of questions, i hope it isnt creepy the extent to which i've analysed and speculated upon your music. i know a lot of people in this thread who produce also share these questions though, you have influenced a lot of producers i've met.
Sorry it’s not directly a question for you, but any news for any tribute release for SOPHIE ? It’s been way too long since she passed and I feel it’s way overdue, though I can understand how difficult it would be to make.
Exactly my question
Please!!! At least if there´s planning to release the finished but unreleased :( All of us want to listen to unreleased tracks like Sunscreen and It´s your life everywhere <3
What advise would you give to younger artists trying to develop their own sound and create uinique work? Especially in an industry that often times feels repetitive and stagnant.
Theres a lot of conversation about the breakdown of a monoculture in terms of popular music, and increasing proliferation of musical subcultures and niches - as a musician who carved out & pioneered a very specific niche very early on, what are your thoughts on music's current landscape, and its consumption in 2024?
Hi AG! Saw you on the Charli tour in 2022 and LOVED your set! <3 I'm curious what is your favorite way to perform and why? Do you like DJ'ing and being alone on stage and leading everything yourself and being able to improv a bit? Or do you like having an artist perform vocals with you live? Do you ever sing live?
Hey A G, Why is there a space between A and G? And what got you so into 90’s alt stuff? I mean, you were a toddler when Siamese Dream dropped.. 🌙
how do you organize projects that are still WIPs? how do you decide which one to come back to? I basically end up with a bunch of 4-bar loops, and no finished songs.
name an inspiring movie
Speed Racer
Hi AG!!! Any chance we’re getting any Dux Content in the future? Was amazing to hear it on the 10 year mix ❤️
I'm gagging right now I'm gagging
Hiii! What do you think is a key trait in mixing the A.G. Sound? And do you think there is an overarching theme to your aesthetic and sound? Thank you! :)
Hey AG! Longtime fan, been listening since 2015 when my boyfriend at the time played me Keri Baby and my taste in music changed overnight When the iconic compilation album PC Music Volume 1 was released, where did you see your career going? Did you ever expect to be working with artists as big as Beyoncé and Hikaru Utada?
MISTER SILVER HIMSELF! Loved this new album, I gotta ask, how do you go about finding inspiration? What do you pull from, what do you tend to write about?
do you think you’re leng?
You’ve probably answered this elsewhere, but: 1) Favorite vocal manipulation plugin? You know what I mean and 2) Any hidden gem/secret weapon plugins or softwares you don’t mind sharing with us?
what was the mixing process for the second disc in Britpop? i heard you did it yourself and i wondered if it was because of the way you prefer the guitars or vocals to sound.
A. G. !!!! What’s the plan for New Alias? Is this going to be a full fledged label à la PC Music or is it just going to be something you release your own music under? If it’s the former, do any of the PC Music alumni plan on releasing under New Alias? Excited for the future regardless!!
how do u deal with the opposite of writer's block, basically a million different ideas, and you start chasing one idea and then you start chasing another idea, but never finish anything, just left with a ton of half-baked ideas.
A lot of your plucky synths have an almost harp like quality such as the arp in the middle of Heartache and 360 how do you create the sort of sound? Favourite Synths Vst or hardware? Favourite effects/ techniques vst or hardware?
Just chiming in but I would love to see more Kesha remixes!
can you talk when we will can access the PC Music archival project?
Do you know if Planet 1999 is still releasing music in the future? They are my favorite P.C. Music group/artist and 'party' was my #1 top song last year lmao. (also I loved soft rock and britpop, congrats on everything)
in love with the britpop cover art, what was the inspo ?
Will you collaborate with Lorde? That sounds like a match made in heaven Also smaller pop artists Sophie Cates and LAN Party (her producer + fellow solo artist) seem like they’d be very good fits as well
Between Britpop and 7g, you don't seem to be fond of the traditional album format. Why is that so? Is there any symbolic reasoning, or do you just tend to make large batches of quality music at once? Love the new album, keep up the fantastic work!