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Portland’s PYN (real name Jared Wangenstein) has a talent for devastation. Not the “100,000 watts of bass” variety, but something more powerful. Able to freeze a moment of loss and distill it into digital form without losing its potency, PYN aims to devastate softly. This talent has already born fruit, as Vice’s Thump premiered his video for his track “Me” (which he also directed) from the recent STYLSS Loves You compilation.
This week we’ve put the spotlight on Jared as part of a new interview series introducing the many talented affiliates of STYLSS to the world! See below for his thoughts on film, debt, and the greatness that is Billy Joel.
Additional Words & Interview by: Ben Carvalho
What does STYLSS mean to you?
STYLSS means a lot of different things to me. STYLSS is community. It’s becoming a culture. DIY or die. Can’t do it yourself? Throw out a need in the community and see
what you get. It is a massive network that wants to see each other grow.
From the artist with the largest following to the kids that bump
SUICIDE PACT in their cars. When STYLSS as a group puts out a
compilation called “STYLSS Loves You – Volume One”, you feel that love.
STYLSS means a lot of different things to me. Cory (Quarry) and Jordan (Cestladore) have been homies since the Eugene days. I’ve been able to see them both grow and get recognized due to their musical talent and Cory’s drive to build the
brand. STYLSS isn’t just a tight ass fucking monster that my friends
created though. It is much more than that to me. The thing is, I would
listen to their music even if we weren’t friends. They are just talented
dudes. I feel blessed to be apart of such a rad collective of creative
and talented artists.
How did you get into music?
I
come from a fairly musical home. My Mom played guitar and sang and my
Dad played drums. I guess it all started there. I learned the guitar and
sang a lot. In high school I played in a variety of different bands. It
wasn’t until I got an iMac when I was 18 that I found out you could
make music alone on your computer. I think the first electronic project I
was a part of was with a friend and it was called Shark Attack or
something dumb like that. A few years after that I began making music
with Jordan (Cestladore before he was Cestladore) and our friend Justine. I still love going back and listening to those tracks.
Describe your sound and what you’re going for with PYN.
To
be honest, I don’t really know. I know for this series of tracks I’m
exploring ‘loss’ in different forms. I know I want to touch on death,
relationships, and personal loss. After, I’m not quite sure. I guess I’m
exploring things that I struggle dealing with in some way. My sound is
very dour. I wouldn’t say it will stay like that, but for now, that is
my sound.
What’s your favorite song you’ve made?
Probably ‘You’
What kind of equipment/program do you use to produce? What do you use to play out live?
Right now, I’m using Ableton 9 with a Launch Control, Lauchpad Mini, and a MPK 49.
I
haven’t played a live show yet.
How often do you release new music? When is your next official release?
I
have two projects at the moment, PYN and my band Babarouz. With PYN it’s about
every two to three months. The tracks I work on with Babarouz is typically in
between releases. I’m hoping to pick up the pace in the coming months and I
think the next thing you’ll see from me is a collaboration or two.
What are you favorite artists/songs/albums?
Right
now I’ve been listening to a lot of FKA TWIGS, Spooky Black, SZA, Joey
BadA$$, Pro Era, Funeral Suits, Flying Lotus, Banks, and of course
STYLSS.
Who are your favorite artists/DJs to see live?
The
bands I’ve seen the most live aren’t even close to the style of music I
make. I loved seeing the CHARIOT. I think I’ve seen them three or four
times. They are a clusterfuck of hardcore goodness. I’ve also seen THE
NUMBER 12 LOOKS LIKE YOU at least three times. I just love the energy they bring to the crowd.
Any artists you’d love to work with?
Shoot. All the homies in STYLSS.
Who are your biggest influences?
All
Time: Billy Joel. Damn, that guy can write a song. I’d probably have to
throw Don Henley in there as well. I love their composition.
Currently:
FKA TWIGS and Banks. Those girls are amazing vocalists and FKA writes
some insane music. I just love the moods they set with their music.
What are your artistic influences outside of music?
Danny Boyle, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Vince Gilligan. Mostly film and television creators. I love cinematography.
What else do you do besides music ? Hobbies? Day Job?
I film. I love videography. I recently put out a music video for my track “Me” and was premiered on Vice’s THUMP as well as it was on the STYLSS Loves You – Volume One compilation. So that’s my work that keeps me
going. My work for cash is slanging TV’s at Best Buy. Not much to say about that.
If you had $1000 cash given to you right now, what would you do with it?
Throw it towards my debt. DEBT IS THE WORST!
Do you have any life advice or wisdom to share?
Don’t
get discouraged when you drop something and no one gives a fuck. If you
keep at it and really attempt to grow your audience will be waiting.
C O N N E C T • W I T H • P Y N :
https://soundcloud.com/y-pyn
https://www.facebook.com/pages/PYN/687074788042648
https://twitter.com/PYN_PDX
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STYLSS 