Meet Ben Evans, the pioneering futuristic electro-funk artist, DJ, and record producer from Leeds, UK, known by his pseudonym, The Droid. He’s a visionary at the forefront of the future, infusing his remarkable discography with captivating and futuristic electro.
Dystopian futuristic electro-funk
Meet Ben Evans, the pioneering futuristic electro-funk artist, DJ, and record producer from Leeds, UK, known by his pseudonym, The Droid. He’s a visionary at the forefront of the future, infusing his remarkable discography with captivating and futuristic electro. Ben’s educational journey led him to explore music technology at Leeds Beckett University, providing him with a solid academic foundation. However, it was a transformative moment at the Warehouse Project event in Manchester, UK, where DJ Helena Hauff and DJ Stingray delivered mind-blowing performances, that reshaped his musical path. This electrifying experience ignited the unique creative direction that he now embraces in his music production. His dedication to pushing the boundaries of sound ensures that he will continue to shape the genre, leaving an indelible mark on the world of electro music. In 2020, he embarked on an artistic journey that birthed a myriad of creative endeavors, including original releases, captivating remixes, and thrilling collaborations. The Droid has been marked the key ingredient to the roster of esteemed labels such as Bass Agenda, Digital Distortions, Crobot Muzik, KinETiK, Breakfast Musik BCN, LDI, 20/20 Vision and Woodwork, with promises of more exciting projects on the horizon.
Producing under the visionary label Cyber Domain, a collaborative venture with co-owner Hardenberg, The Droid is dedicated to fostering an ongoing journey of development within the electro music sphere. His mission involves collaborating with a diverse array of artists, including Sin:it:sin, Lloyd Stellar, Dirk Wiertz, Francois Dillinger, LectrO cOd_E, Pablo Funk, Serge Geyzel, and Blixaboy to name just a few. The label’s artist roster comprises electro virtuosos spanning from the vibrant scenes of London to the pulsating beats of Miami and from the creative hubs of Melbourne to the dynamic sounds of Amsterdam.
The Droid teamed with Przemek Kuduk to establish the electro duo known as Robodroid making a home with labels such as LDI, Warehouse Manifesto, and Crobot Muzik. On September 1, 2023, the EP Make Electro Dark Again made its debut, showcasing a dynamic and futuristic sonic experience for their listeners.
Bass Agenda, the underground electro music radio program hosted by Andy Barton, recognized for spotlighting top-tier electro artists, featured The Droid, alongside MEKAA in their 201st broadcast which can be found on the SoundCloud platform.
Anne Jackson / Igloo :: I would like to begin by expressing how delightful it is to have this interview with you, Ben. I’m looking forward to exploring your background, your perspective on futuristic electro music, your past collaborations, and any exciting developments you might want to reveal. It has been noticed on your music platforms that your electro music style is described as “dystopian futuristic electro-funk.” While the electro-funk elements are easier to grasp, could you provide more insight into what sets your approach to electro music apart as “dystopian futuristic”? Is there a story to tell or a theme to this?
Ben Evans / The Droid :: There’s no specific story behind this as such. However, I think that the whole idea of “dystopian and futuristic” acts as an almost theme to self-expression through music. I enjoy “out of this world” sounds, and I feel like this is almost a form of escapism for me in making these kinds of sounds. Sometimes, creating “harder” tracks reflects how I am feeling at a certain time. I look at music like an “emotional diary,” and I can listen back to what I have created in order to tune into that specific emotion that I felt at the time. It’s something that I’m extremely fortunate to have, an outlet to be able to express myself emotionally.
I look at music like an “emotional diary,” and I can listen back to what I have created in order to tune into that specific emotion that I felt at the time. ~ Ben Evans / The Droid
Your collaborations are remarkably extensive and showcase your outstanding work with exceptional electro artists. What insights or lessons have you gained from collaborating with others?
In terms of collaboration, I truly believe that this is the key to developing great relationships with like-minded people through the music that we love to create. Regarding lessons, I feel like I have just gained a greater understanding of how everyone works at their own pace and how music means different things to different people. I have also learned that everyone has a different approach to creating music. For example, Robodrum uses two different digital audio workstations to create, and I find that quite fascinating!
Share with us the music on your playlist in your spare time?
I don’t really listen to a lot of electronic music in my spare time. Currently, I’m listening to a lot of jazz; I am specifically into jazz tracks originating from Japan. Aside from this, I am very much into 70s, 80s, and 90s music. My mother listened to a lot of Motown while I was growing up, so I think this is where it came from. Just recently, I was listening to “Heart of Glass” by Blondie.
Please share with us the enigma behind the name, The Droid and the robotic imagery associated with it?
I was toying with the idea of an alias for quite a while, as I just released music under Ben Evans. However, I was speaking to my good friend from the label MASS Music, who suggested my music matches an alias name like The Cyborg. After a lot of thinking this over, the Droid was born!! Regarding the robotic images, I was using Adobe Spark to find pictures that would match the theme of The Droid. I found a picture of a robot; little did I know, the image was of an IG88 from Star Wars. I had no idea of the similarity!
What favorite software and tools/gear are your “go-to” to create electro music? How about the gear for your DJ performances?
In terms of production, I use Ableton Live to create. I also have a Behringer RD8 drum machine, an Arturia Microfreak (which I call the happy accident machine), and a Waldorf Rocket and Streichfett, which I use for basslines, leads, and strings. For performances, I am edging closer to my live set, which has been a goal of mine for a while. I plan to use my drum machine and invest in suitable hardware, such as Akai Force, for this purpose.
Have you embarked on any unique musical projects where you diverged from electro and ventured into experimenting with diverse sounds as a form of artistic expression?
Over the past year specifically, I have paid attention to what music means to me, and how my productions should reflect this going forward. I am creating some more “expressive” electro which documents a personal journey for me, through finding myself during tough periods, I have also written some poetry to reflect this. I also have multiple different aliases in which I enjoy making different kinds of music, I enjoy making electro, drum and bass, house music, techno, and the list goes on.
I am creating some more “expressive” electro which documents a personal journey for me, through finding myself during tough periods, I have also written some poetry to reflect this. ~ Ben Evans / The Droid
What are you passionate about?
During university and throughout my career thus far, I have been specifically interested in raising awareness for hearing protection, it’s something that I’m extremely passionate about. My plan since I left university has been to set up an organization, with an aim to raise more awareness about people protecting their hearing, I would specifically like to target the next generation of DJs and ravers. This an extremely exciting venture from me, as I would really love to spread my knowledge on this subject.
As a music producer, I understand that the record label Cyber Domain has become the hub for your many projects and creative endeavors. Can you share the vision behind this label and offer your followers a sneak peek into what they can look forward to from Cyberdomain in the future?
We are currently working on curating our next releases, we already have some solid sounds coming in from a German artist Machine Ethics and Dutch artists Aztronouth and MachineFunk. Another Cyber Domain compilation release is also in the works, albeit very slowly. There is a collaboration podcast to be featured in a few weeks, Bass Agenda x Cyber Domain, in where we will highlight the ‘next generation’ of electro producers and beyond.
Ben, I want to thank you for sharing with Igloo Magazine a window into your world as an artist, music producer, and DJ. We value the insights and details regarding what your record label and music have in store for us all to enjoy.
Make Electro Dark Again is available on Warehouse Manifesto. [Bandcamp]
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