Combine the flow of Drum & Bass with the ever-growing genre of Phonk and you might just have a Soundcloud hit on your hands. We had the pleasure of speaking with Terry Truong, a Liveschool alumni who’s started making some internet waves with just that. His recent release “Gojo” is closing in on surpassing a whopping 400,000 plays. Under the moniker Amorei, Terry uniquely blends together these two genres together to create dark and driving tunes. We delved into the mind of Amorei, exploring his creative process, influences, and plans for the future.
Congratulations on the amazing success of “Gojo”! How has it felt watching the play count climb, and was there a particular moment when you realized it was taking off?
Honestly, it’s been really surreal watching the play count on it increase each day & I’m very grateful that Soundcloud has been pushing it to people! And there wasn’t really a turning point. I just remember uploading it on a Monday afternoon without any promo and watching the plays rack up day by day.
In your opinion, how crucial are social media and platforms like Soundcloud for independent electronic music artists in today’s music landscape?
I believe social media and platforms like Soundcloud can be incredibly important for independent artists because they provide a means for them to connect with and build an audience without the need for a traditional record label or promotion! The three I use most to discover new electronic music are Spotify, Soundcloud, and Triple J Unearthed!
Your music showcases a unique fusion of Drum & Bass and Phonk. Can you give us some insight into the Amorei creative process when crafting a new release on Ableton?
I have a simple creative process! With all my releases, I start with the drums and usually spend a good amount of time on them. Once I finish (or get sick of) the drums, I do the same with the melodic parts. Then I start structuring the song to get it out of that 8 bar loop curse and then add a ton of FX/automation to glue the song together.
What drove you to explore and produce genres like Phonk and Drum & Bass in the first place?
I just love producing genres that I have never done before and giving my take on it. When I first made “gojo/yuta,” it was a very trap-heavy song, and I got bored of it really quickly, so I decided to up the tempo and make it a Drum & Bass song instead.
Are there any specific genres or artists that have captured your attention recently?
I’ve been listening to a lot of jungle/hiphop and RnB at the moment! In terms of artists, I’ve been listening to Arky Waters, Dylan Atlantis, Breakfast Road, and Club Angel. Also, shoutout to my friends over at Barri Collective! Keep an eye out on them; they’re going to do great things.
What does the future hold for Amorei? Can fans expect new releases, shows, or collaborations in the pipeline?
I’ve got one song that’s almost finished! The deadline for that is hopefully in a couple of months. Other than that, my goal for this year is to collaborate with more artists and play more shows.
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Interested in more? Check out what other Liveschool Alumni have been up to here!