Honestly, Tigran Mimosa, stage name MiM0SA, sort of came out of nowhere. I remember his tracks on my last.fm radio stations during my dubstep discovery days a little over a year ago (yes, I was a late bloomer) and getting lost in the shuffle, but he's definitely been moving in an upwards trajectory, and now, it's hard not to pay attention. MiM0SA's no one trick pony -- he's not a producer you can sort into a single category. His music can be as laid back and subtle as many of the chilled-out old school bass artists who pioneered the dubstep genre, or it can take a page from the books of heavier producers like Skream or Rusko. He has tracks that have an almost ambient feel, and he has tracks that will get you thrashing. Check out our interview with him below, and grab Earmilk's exclusive free download of heavy new track "Way Back To You"
EARMILK: You just released your awesome debut album, Sanctuary -- what were you aiming for with the album?
Tigran Mkhitaryan: I wasn't really aiming for anything when I was producing this album. I just do what I'm feeling in the moment.
EM: How do you feel your music has evolved over time?
TM: My music is constantly evolving. Hard to pinpoint how. I'm always trying to reinvent my style with every album. Right now I'm really into 808 based music.
EM: Your mixes are always filled with a wide variety of music, who would you say influences what you do most strongly?
TM: As you can tell from my mixes/live show, I'm heavily influenced by hip-hop and rap
EM: Who are some influences of yours that we might not expect?
TM: I really love the band Spinal Tap, they have been my icons since I was just a young kid. They are amazing!
EM: How have you liked playing at big festivals (like Electric Zoo)? TM: I love festivals. It's awesome to be able to play in front of huge crowds and a lot of open-minded people that are there to see new music.
EM: What usually goes into preparing a live set for you?
TM: I try not to have a formula or analyze it too much. I just play what I'm feeling.
EM: How did living in musically-rich cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles affect what you do?
TM: It's inspiring to be able to go out and hear different music weekly at clubs like Low End Theory in Los Angeles/SF or Beat Church. I spent this last summer in New York, which is where I produced Sanctuary. I was going out to different clubs every night with my friends and seeing a ton of new music I normally wouldn't come across. It definitely contributed to some of the new sounds that you hear on the album.
EM: Who do you think are the biggest innovators in electronic music these days?
TM: Modeselektor, Flying Lotus, and Diplo are all doing cool stuff right now.
EM: Outside of music, what are your interests and hobbies? Do you think those shine through at all in your music?
TM: Other than music... Going to comedy clubs is absolutely my favorite thing to do
EM: You're on tour now -- what have been your favorite stops?
TM: Headlining the Fillmore in Denver for the first time was pretty awesome. I also visited Miami for the first time on this tour, which was great. It was nice to spend a day on the beach in the middle of this winter tour.
EM: What's your take on the whole UK/US dubstep/brostep debate that always seems to occur, as a producer from the US?
TM: No.
EM: What's coming up for you in the future?
TM: We're gonna be ballin' in 2012. Keep your eyes open.
EM: Any parting thoughts?
TM: Stay in school and don't do drugs. And don't watch "The Human Centipede"... not ok.
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