In-Tune: Michael Forrest

Style: Electronica

"Michael Forrest is a solo multi-instrumentalist producer based in London. His influences are far reaching, from instrumental hip-hop through ragged electronica to jazz and classical music. The sound is asymetric, polyrhythmic, often atonal but always fun. Sometimes dark. Sometimes relaxed, sometimes very very tense. 'Pop production values are part of the creative process, correcting the wrongnotes or deliberately making them part of the sound' says Michael. A multi-instrumentalist, Forrest plays all his own instruments - the keyboard, the trumpet, cello, drums, decks and anything else he can lay his hands on. He makes no claims to instrumental virtuosity (although he is classically trained on the piano and trumpet), but rather uses keenly honed production skills to shape sounds, to remake them inside the computer - making pop production values part of the creative process, correcting the wrongnotes or deliberately making them part of the sound; bringing the organic chaos of the real world into the usually pristine world of electronica. When playing live, Forrest's music is heavily improvised (using Ableton Live, Propellerhead Reason, a keyboard and a trumpet through a Kaoss pad), focussed on rhythms - keeping the dancefloor moving. Forrest is almost entirely self-sufficient, funding his endless thirst for gear with a day job as a software developer. He also runs a community website at www.cinestatic.com that hosts writing, artwork and music from a host of contributors. He creates and monitors his own online advertising, pays for his own studio time, puts out music for free online. Until someone finally sees sense and starts putting out some of his records for money..." - Michael Forrest

Visit the website:
http://www.cinestatic.com/

Highlights:
Hobgoblin
Xut Um Up