Music Essentials: Groundislava

Nearly two months ago, we had Shlohmo share with us his Music Essentials, and today, we feature one from another member from his Wedidit Collective, Groundislava. Born Jasper Patterson, the young LA-based producer is known for his incorporation of video game sounds and 8-bit aesthetics into his music. A frequenter of heavy drum beats and the utilization of heavy bass drops, Groundislava’s music is characterized by his unique combinations of eloquent melodies, chip-tune styles, and electronic music influences. In his Music Essentials, he exhibits the three core machines that assist him in his production. The first is his Electron Analog Four, his go-to hardware for his synthesizer needs, be it a gentle pad or a piercing lead. The Roland TR-909 is his drum machine of choice; he claims that it gives the “thud” to dance music as the 808 gives the boom to hip-hop. Lastly, Patterson uses an Ableton Push to translate his creations into a live setting. As shown in his music, Groundislava is heavily inspired by video games — he owns the latest Nintendo 3DS, claims that King Dedede from Kirby is his spirit animal, and has a red hat that is nearly identical to Ness’. Also displayed are his favorite kicks, his favorite brand of instant ramen, and his pet rat Coconut.