Vague Illusion
When Edward Labuschagne told me that he was working hard on being signed to a record label I hoped fervently that he would not notice my complete misunderstanding of the present day music industry. As a 40 something male that so wishes he was in his late teens during the Woodstock era, my understanding of being signed to a record label centres around having to hump an instrument from gig to gig, having to endure poor pay, poor audience attendance and fighting off the unwanted attentions of the town’s ageing bottle blonde lush. Not glamorous at all.
Fast forward to the instant gratification era where one pays ones dues in a completely different and almost isolated way – where music making is on an entirely different level – software driven, collaborative and consists of samples and riffs with backbeats that drive it all along.
Now we have moved from genres such as Rock, Reggae and Country to Drum and Bass, House, Trance, Hip-Hop and Dubstep – WTF I say, WTF! Although I have listened to Edward’s stuff and found myself quite, well, enTRANCEd.
Then Edward let me know that he had been signed to a record label and that they were working on releasing an album consisting of singles by various artists – colour me damn impressed.
Edward is a Port Elizabeth based musician, web designer and SEO expert who can now drop casually into conversations that he has with adoring groupies that he has an album released by Airplus Recordings that is available for purchase from iTunes and soon from an Amazon, Napster, eMusic, Rhapsody and Spotify near YOU.
I asked Edward a couple of questions about his music:
- What motivates you to create music: What inspires me to create music can be anything from seeing someone walking down the street to a seagull flying over the ocean. To me music is a way of telling a story, but using sound and that story is based on what I hear and see around me, but also what I think and feel.
- What genres do you compose: Primarily I produce Liquid and Ambient Drum and Bass, but from time to time I do venture into other genres like House, Trance, Hip-Hop and Dubstep.
- How can someone else get into writing/composing and publishing: If you are just starting out, take it slow, find your style, something that makes your music unique. No matter what type of music you produce, you will always need proper software to record, refine and master your tracks, here I would recommend software like Ableton Live, Logic Pro and Pro Tools. Then to get your tracks heard you can use services like SoundCloud. SoundCloud is the Facebook for musicians. Don’t expect a miracle overnight, getting your music out there and heard takes time. I have been producing for almost 5 years and only recently got signed by a record label. Lastly, don’t give up, even if it’s just for fun.
- Which is your favourite track of your own on the album: Would have to say New Beginnings.
- Which is your other favourite track by another artist on the album: Actually there are two – Got more time than Money by TigerPaw and In the Fall by Gattica Kid feat Deb D
Listen to Edward’s favourite track, New Beginnings, below:
New Beginnings (Please Read Description) by VAGUE ILLUSION
Some comments on New Beginnings:
- RunC.T.: :O omg vague! your music is so lush and on a whole other level of enviornmental sound. I’m sad that I haven’t followed you until now. Listening to all your music now
- gattica kid: Great track, deep sound, massive sounding and melodic soundscapes are always good for any ocassion.
The official release date for Airplus Recordings – Singles Volume 1 by Various Artists was 20 December 2011
Click here: Airplus Recordings – Singles Volume 1 by Various Artists to buy the album or just Edward’s four tracks – Finally, Do You Remember, New Beginnings or Nostalgia.
Follow Vague Illusion on Soundcloud.
