ANODIC Puts Forth His Heavy 2023 Showcase Mix & Answers Some Hot Questions For Us [Write-Up + Artist Interview]

ANODIC Opens Up About His Origin, Rise, Opinion on IDs, & What We Can Expect From This Year As We Crack Open His 2023 Showcase Mix In This Exclusive Interview

Storm Coverage By: Garth Jones

Atlanta, Georgia-based electronic bass music producer Alec Reach is best known under his artist alias as ANODIC. Although, he is so much more than just an artist, music producer, and a DJ.

His tenure in dance music also covers the spectrum as a record label owner and operator of Void Network, he is an influential and contributing member of his local electronic community.

As any budding bass music artist would add their two cents in on, there is a plenty of opinion to go around on the topic of Showcase Mixes, IDs, side projects, and having a mentor to guide you through the thick and thin of being a rising name in their genre.

ANODIC rips back the curtain on his take on all of these matters in the interview below. But, before we start catapulting the questions towards him in quickfire fashion, there’s one thing we need to tackle. That being, his monstrous Showcase Mix.

ANODIC has released his 2023 Showcase Mix and that in itself is a topic we here at Monsoon Season feel we need to add in our two cents on the sizzling set of tunes. Because, well… its scorching hot and needs addressed.

Without further ado, ANODIC presents his 2023 Showcase Mix. Get ready to get your neck bent as this mix is just a taste of what we will see unfold before our eyes this forthcoming year.

The nearly sixteen minute mix (15:55) is not for the faint of heart. Ranging in (sub)genres of dubstep, riddim/trench, freeform, and structured with storytelling samples. The intro starts it out with a switching of FM radio channels from the mid-1900s before ANODIC gets right to work with his wobbles and and wonky fancy footwork he’s setting forth to put out this year.

ANODIC also puts forth a heavy A-Side and a B-Side with much more experimental and wonky styles of bass music. This later-side to the mix includes a much more chill and slow energy to the mix. Giving the mix a more artistic approach and allowing him to evolve in his skillset to show what he has been up to and what we can expect from his multifaceted prowess in production. A true treat and spectacle in sound.

Throughout the Showcase Mix from ANODIC is a peppering of watermarks from friends and colleagues of his from the larger bass music industry. Some more serious, and some adding a dose of comedic relief to the mix, but nevertheless, the level of support and synergistic comradery is here and felt.

You can expect to hear snippets from GramGreene, BvssFlux, Felony, PermaTrip, 3DEN DUBZ, Finderz Keeperz and so many more.

Most importantly, don’t rip these tunes!

INTERVIEW w/ ANODIC

Q1: Welcome to our torrential downpour, ANODIC! Before we jump into the 2023 Showcase Mix, can you tell us about your initial introduction to bass music and the electronic dance music sector? Where did it all begin? Rewind those clocks!

ANODIC: I was introduced to EDM when I was 14 (around 2010) and found deadmau5. I listened to house and trap music up until around 2014/2015.

As cliché as it sounds but I had not discovered dubstep until the infamous UKF album. I started listening to riddim around 2015 or so. I had no idea that was the name of the genre up until 2016-2017. From there, I had fallen in love with the sound and started making it.

Q2: Your tenure in bass music is expansive and covers a multitude of positions. From music production, and a record label heading, to side projects; where does the multi-faceted footwork find its energy and drive? Give us the details for any reader who wants to emulate this electricity!

ANODIC: I’ve been fortunate enough to have had some really great mentors over the years. For that, I am thankful. But one thing that has always been drilled into my mind is to stay consistent in your work.

You’re going to through periods where you’ll find your music doesn’t get much traction and THAT IS OKAY. Consistency is key and I will always stand by that statement. Another thing I struggled with over the years is to not compare yourself to others. When doing that you find yourself getting discouraged. Everyone is on their own journey at their own pace.

It’s okay not to be getting thousands of plays off the bat. Nothing happens overnight and I feel like the industry has planted that image in others.

Q3: Let’s jump into the showcase mix for 2023! Spanning an impressive 15 minutes plus, what exactly went into this mix? From IDs to curation – how did the general structure come to be?

ANODIC: It was kind of a last minute decision to make the mix this early in the year. Around October of 2022 I came across this new style I’ve been making lately. I had a bunch of the new tunes that I really wanted people to hear to try and get feedback of the genre switch.

I wanted to use this mix to gauge how others would respond. The structure of the mix I wanted to be kind of like out with the old and in with the new. I tried to put my stronger tunes in the beginning and ease the listeners into the new style and sound. So through out the mix it starts really heavy and kind of dies down in energy as we get closer to the ‘B Side’ of the mix.

This mix essentially is a part 1 of the showcase mix as I have plenty more coming. Honestly the hardest part of getting the mix together was collecting all of the watermarks.

Q4: We’re hearing dubstep, riddim, and experimental elements in this showcase mix. Are these genres your main focus for the year or can we expect some new iterations to the ANODIC repertoire this year?

ANODIC: For this year, my main focus is getting shifted to this new style that is presented on the ‘B Side’ of the mix. With that being said, I am not finished making riddim or releasing it.

Everything pertaining to riddim in this mix will have a release through out the year. Some are already scheduled for labels. As well as a few that did not make this mix. There will be more releases this year than I have released before hopefully.

Q5: Do you feel Showcase Mixes don’t get the attention they deserve or is it better this way so fans and audiences worldwide can revel in the new and upcoming on the dancefloor and in the festival circuit in real-time?

ANODIC: I think showcase mixes are good for artists to show their fans and labels what to expect from them in the coming year. I personally think having a showcase mix is very beneficial in that aspect. As it could help you get label placements due to then getting a chance to get a taste of all the music you have that is close to being done or done.

Personally, I think mixing in a live setting with the way showcase mixes are formulated could sound weird and take away from the seamlessness of live mixing.

Q6: As any dance music aficionado and melomaniac would argue – the term ID is tough to swallow because we all want to know track names. Is this acronym vital to anonymity or just a bad tradition that’s lasted too long?

ANODIC: I think if you’re using the term ID isn’t necessarily a bad term. It’s kind of hard to pinpoint the specific purpose of the term. As I feel like it has multiple uses. As example I think in the case of you have a track that has been picked up by a major label but you still would like to use it in a mix or something.

It keeps the anonymity of the track so you still retain the element of surprise. Bc now you have a name to the track and if it’s a collab you get the confirmation when it is fully released.

Also within the riddim culture It can also be loosely used in the sense of it being a plate that the artist won’t release or plans on selling. So such as in my case I had a nearly complete track but I had multiple different directions I could take it. I’m currently looking for a rapper to do vocals. So, it would be tough to put a specific name to it since there isn’t a specified theme.

So with that, I think it is a good term to use as long as it’s not being misused. To top on that I do feel as it is a term that hasn’t been thoroughly elaborated on but this has been my take on the term “ID” over the years.

Q7: What’s next for ANODIC? Where can expect to hear these heaters and bangers on the streets and on streaming platforms?

ANODIC: This year I plan on focusing on branding primarily. It’s an area that I have lacked with over the years. As of this week, I have signed to management with MDML. having them backing the project I hope to really succeed in that area of things. I do have a couple of tracks that are scheduled for this year on a couple of major labels. I do also plan on pushing Spotify this year but primarily my music should stretch across all platforms.

Q8: Who can you say had a part or influence in the fruition of ANODIC? Give them a shout-out here in the thunderous atmospheres of Monsoon Season!

ANODIC: There are too many mentors and influences to name. So I’m gonna try and get the main ones so this isn’t so long.

Shoutout to Hollow from Havoc Records. He really pushed me early on to keep making music as well as adding me to the rogues crew. Which was a huge goal of mine early on. All my fav artists were on that crew. He is also the a big part of why void became what it was. He was a big mentor for me early on and I’ll always be thankful for his motivation.

Crowell is another big influence for me and as of the past 2 years has become a good friend of mine. He has definitely played a big part in how I push my music today. He stays giving me good industry advice as well as motivating me to stay motivated.

I would also like to give this last shoutout to GramGreene. He sat down with me YEARS ago and really gave me some amazing advice on marketing in the industry and how to move smart and continue to make the right decisions.

There is honestly too many to name but these 3 have definitely played a big part in my life.

LISTEN TO ANODIC’s 2023 SHOWCASE MIX HERE

TRACKLIST:
A. SIDE
ANODIC X REMORSE – KEYBOARD WARRIORS
ANODIC X REMORSE – KEYBOARD WARRIORS (ANODIC VIP)
ANODIC X DEEPRUMOR – ID
ANODIC VS. SUBFILTRONIK X AKIRAH – INVASION VS. BLACK KNIGHT
ANODIC – REALISM
MADCORE – PANIK (ANODIC VIP)
ANODIC X BVSSFLUX – WORLD DOMINATION
STUPID THICK – LARGE GAS (ANODIC EDIT)
B. SIDE
ANODIC – ID
ANODIC – HIT THE SHH SHU SHH VIP
ANODIC – B SIDE
ANODIC – WARFARE
ANODIC – GRAVEYARD
ANODIC – JUNGLE DEMON
ANODIC – BRAIN SPILL
HAWK. – BIRDS EYE VIEW (ANODIC EDIT)