Synthetix Interviews LA Dreams

I rate myself one of LA Dreams biggest fans. It's not since the magic of MPM/Multipac and Mitch Murder have I been so enraptured with a producer. Like the aforementioned artists I find LA Dreams' music to be incredibly soulful and deeply emotive. The gift of melody and 80s spirit combine perfectly in LA Dreams' music, and it's a joy to experience every single one of this musician's releases.

With the release of LA Dreams' beautiful Perfect Summer LP I thought it was the perfect time to learn a bit more about this talented artist and bring to light some of the inspiration that drives their creative process.

Sit back, relax and let's spend some quality time with LA Dreams.



Greetings LA Dreams, it's great to be able to chat to the person behind some of my favourite music I've heard this year. It's a small scene doing the 80s synth gear, but you've managed to remain completely anonymous, is this something you've done on purpose or is it just how things have eventuated?
Well I like the idea of music speaking for itself, I'm kind of a private person, but i do enjoy meeting new people, and perhaps I'll emerge soon.  

So, how about some background on you? Where are you from? Did you get to experience the 80s first hand?
Well I'm originally from the East Coast spent my young life growing up in Miami where I started my young years in electronic music during the 80s, early fascination with new age bands such as The Cure, Depeche Mode, Spandau Ballet, OMD, Information Society, Duran Duran, New Order etc. then later moved to Los Angeles  

Oh so you also had the wonderful pleasure of growing up in the 80s. Everything was just so exciting in the 80s, I think theres an 'expectancy' of modern living in the 2000s, but the 80s felt like everything was new and fresh. Music definitely was going into bold new directions. I too am a big fan of all those bands too.. to think some of that stuff is going back 30 years now, well, it feels timeless to me. Is this something you try to bring into your music? That encapsulation of the times you experienced in your youth?
Absolutely, in my opinion there was no decade like the 80's it feels as if everything musically has been done as far as pioneering a genre is concerned. I love presenting the awesome 80s to a new generation of 80s lovers.  

You burst onto soundcloud of nowhere and your early tracks all felt beautifully complete. Have you been doing this music for a long time before bringing out into public space or is this a style you just found works for you?
I've been doing 80s electronic music since I was about 13 and so therefore it's a huge part of who I am as an artist. I've spent some years making club dance, electronic techno, but nothing makes me feel more connected to an era than the sounds of the 80s Yamaha DX7, Roland D50, Simmons drums etc.  

This explains why your sounds feel so true. I hear a lot of 80s inpsired synth that is accurate in arrangements, but the sounds are sometimes too clean and sterile. Your music always seems to have a soul to it, it's a very organic sound. Has this come naturally to you, or is it something you've been striving for since you began?
Well i all honesty, it's something that has always been told to me. I try yo achieve e depth in my music where the listener can hear the sounds of an era is if they were there,.. or wish they were, haha.  

What other music have you made in the past?
I've been involved with many styles, techno, club electro, french electro, rock, pop in my teen years I wrote, and produced for a band called "Entourage" which was a pop R'n'B act. 

Is working with others something you would like to do again, or have you decided to be a an exclusively solo artist?
I would love to collaborate with others, I too am a fan of so many of the great makers of 80s music today. Huge, huge fan of the Rosso Corsa crew

Your name is technically Sellorekt/LA Dreams, I've decided to always refer to you as LA Dreams by the way, but I've been dying to know what Sellorekt means?
HaHa! Sellorekt really is a term that means nothing, it's open for interpretation, but the word "Sello" is another word for "tape" in the british language. and "rekt" is just a slang spelling for the word "erect" essentially meaning "The sound of tape awakening or aroused".  

Hahah! Fantastic! The sheer volume of music you release is amazing, I know when I do the Weekend Updates on here that I used to always have your track released that week, but now you're forcing me to choose a favourite from the numerous ones you put on soundcloud. Is working on music your full time occupation? Or are you releasing music you completed a while back still?
Well first of all thank you very much. but all the music that I post is often recorded that day, or the night before. I'm somewhat ADD when it comes to just completing one song at a time. I have a strange work ethic. I usually work on 3-4 tracks at a time, because while creating one my mind hears another.

With so many tracks to choose from was it hard then to choose the line up for your new record Perfect Summer? Is there any theme to the tracks you included on there or is it more just a cross section of your favourites?
This first complete album was just a compilation of some of the movements of the 80s. Tunes that can make you say "Oh! I remember that time!"

I like making up names of different synth styles, mainly for my own amusement, but it was your music that originally made me think of the sub-genre Synth Romance. Theres a tangible element of romantic love scenes in so much of your music, is this where you emotionally draw from for your music and is this from real life inspiration?
Thank you. And yes you nailed it in terms of my inspirations. I remember as a child a few songs that have stuck with me throughout my life that have had romantic impact on my life such as Madonna's  "Crazy for you" from the movie Vision Quest. OMD's "If you Leave" from Pretty in Pink, Rupert Hine "Arrested By You" in Better off Dead. The list goes on, and on.  

What would you like to include sounds in your tracks that you currently don't, instrumentation wise? I mentioned working with others before, but is there a specific sound like horns or guitars or something else that you love to incorporate into the LA Dreams sound?
Yes, I'd like to incorporate more saxophones, or more orchestral sounds from the Yamaha CS80 courtesy of the great Vangelis.

Oh, wow, that sounds like a mindblowing combination! I'm a firm believer that if more 80s producer's get singers to do vocal tracks then they'll instantly double, or triple their audience. Not meaning to be sexist here, but females rarely get into instrumental music, especially in regards to electronic genres, but put a vocal on it and they'll engage much more with it. One only has to see how Patrick Baker is now a pinup dreamboat and household name almost overnight. The 80s synth scene only has a tiny amount of artists with vocal tracks, of course everyone wants to work with the super talented Kristine, but do you see the LA Dreams experience moving into vocal oriented songs in the future? Or is this something you'd just like to do as a project?
Absolutely, as a matter of fact. I'm currently working and writing a second album that will feature more vocalists such a Rachael, Evelyn Burke, and Daria . A few artists I've been wanting to work with forever, whom will all be featured on the next project.

These are very exciting prospects! As a producer do you listen to other current producer's work, for pleasure or inspiration? What other music do you listen to, 80s or otherwise?
Well I listen to a variety of genres, right now I'm listening to Crystal Castles, Fiona Apple, No Doubt, Swedish House Mafia, Metric, Skrillex etc.  

Looking to the future, do you see your music as LA Dreams something that you want to do forever? Are there are styles of music you'd like to explore under different monickers?
I see 80s music as always being a part of who I am, but I'm a huge fan of electro in all areas, I never limit myself so who knows.

Do you have any other 80s passions besides the music? I know I seem to get into new 80s related gear on a weekly basis, especially aspects of design from then.
Absolutely, I love 80s artists such as Patrick Nagel, Andy Warhol (well he's sort of 60's era) but nevertheless great artist. I'm a lover of Members Only Jackets, Testarossas, Sony Walkmans, and Nike Hi-Top pumps.

It's been a wonderful experience to interview you, LA Dreams, you really are one of my absolute favourite producers of 80s inspired synth music. Getting this chance to know you a little bit more has been marvellous. Any parting words for Synthetix before I let you get back to your hectic production schedule?
I really appreciate the interview, it's been awesome. Thanks for having me. I enjoy reading your blogs on all the great artists that are out there. I'll just sign off by saying thatI'm so happy to see where music is returning with the outbreak of so many talents out now. Keep up the great blogs my friend, and please stay tuned: Sellorekt/ LA Dreams is on a journey so watch what's next!

I'd like to personally thank LA Dreams for the time taken to do this interview, and I'd also like to thank them for all the amazing music released thus far.

Perfect Summer is available now on LA Dreams' Bandcamp here and be sure to keep frequenting Synthetix for lots more rockin LA Dreams action in the future.