His latest tune, “ Waiting ,” released on Dim Mak , still has that low-end nasty that sparked our attention in the first place. The track is holding a strong position in the charts, and it’s easy to understand why. “Waiting” is yet another example of INDO’s deep understanding of groove and his keen ear for unique sound design.
INDO started his journey in the San Francisco underground, but with his Discovery Project win came a move to L.A. to pursue music full-time. He was quickly welcomed into the club scene, and he can now be found flexing the subs at SoCal institutions like Avalon, BASSMNT, Exchange and the Yost.
We caught up with INDO to discuss his constantly evolving sound and his #GetLifted movement.
We’ve seen you play the guitar. Do live instruments ever make their way into your music?
I’m classically trained in piano. I started taking lessons at the age of 7; this is really where my desire to learn about music started. At the age of 13, I got my first guitar. Live instruments have made it into my productions. I use my piano and guitar to write my breakdown melodies. I also use a MIDI guitar in a lot of my productions. The MIDI guitar really allows me to incorporate my roots into my music, because I can play a note or a chord and assign any type of sound to it. I’ve had the urge to start using it live. In addition to that, a favorite of mine to use in my productions is my Moog Sub 37.
You post a lot of producer tips. How important is having a mentor?
I want to do everything I can to spread the knowledge to other producers out there. I never went to a production school or anything like that. I learned everything through online production tutorials. There was a lot of trial and error involved in the process.
I think it’s really important to surround yourself with mentors and extra sets of ears. Receiving feedback and tips from other producers is crucial for the production process. Sometimes when you’re working on a track, you’ve listened to it so many times that you’re not sure if the ideas are fresh anymore.
I always trying to keep up with my demo inbox and give as much feedback as I can. Every now and again, I’ll come across a track that will blow me away, and I’ll end up dropping it in my sets.
What does your hashtag #GetLifted mean to you?
#GetLifted is essentially the foundation and core value of the INDO project. When people listen to my music, I want them to feel lifted and elevated above their normal state of being... I’m always striving to push myself as an artist and take my music to a whole new level.
You live in L.A., but you started raving in San Francisco.
At the point when I decided to move to Southern California, I had discovered electronic dance music in the underground scenes of San Francisco and Oakland. From the moment I attended my first rave, I was completely intrigued with this new experience—specifically, the sound design of the music. I had come from the rock scene, and I was hearing sounds in music that I had never heard before. After those experiences, I began producing electronic music, and shortly after that, I decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue it as a full-time career.
Your Discovery Project win was a few years back now. How has that experience shaped you as an artist?
Winning Discovery Project has shaped me in different ways. It is actually the key factor that made me decide to fully go for this as a career. When I won the Discovery Project for Nocturnal Wonderland [in 2012], it was my first official DJ set I had ever done. I had a prime-time slot on the Upside-Down stage on the first night of Nocturnal Wonderland. I was mainly a producer at the time, and it was one of the most insane mixes of adrenaline and nerves I’d ever had before. That experience really allowed me to grow a lot as a DJ.
Winning Discovery Project also played a major role for me as an artist because of the opportunities that followed. Since winning, I’ve performed at EDC Las Vegas twice, Nocturnal Wonderland twice, and Beyond Wonderland as well. The Insomniac Discovery Project alumni [group is incredible] to be a part of, and it’s led to me meeting some of my best friends in the industry.
What’s been the most difficult lesson you’ve learned since winning the Discovery Project?
Looking back, the biggest lesson I learned in dance music early on is that no single release, club show, festival performance, etc., will guarantee a direct path to the top. It takes having a vision not only as an artist, but also as a brand, to fully connect with fans. It’s crucial to create a unique experience. I continue to be innovative and [evolve] my sound as an artist. This is one of the most key things if you want to be successful and have longevity in this game. In a market that is severely saturated, it takes being different from all aspects to get where you want to be.
We always want to know what inspires our Discovery Project alumni. Check out what INDO has to say about three of his own releases.
