Contagion gives you the worrying impression that something bad is going to happen. Cinematic to the core, best enjoyed during your late night stroll in the mountain woods. Read our discussion with the artist below!
Describe your sound in 3 words
Atmospheric, Orchestral, Intriguing
Tell us a few things about your album Through The Maelstrom. What is the main idea behind it?
‘Through The Maelstrom’ is a collection of hybrid orchestral tracks I wrote during 2020, that are a product of both flexing my artistic skills on new mediums (for me) and my personal moods and feelings in response to the events that were happening in the USA and around the world during that time. I had recently left behind another career and decided to focus on making music full-time, so the album is a product of me immersing myself in modern (meaning “state-of-the-art”) computer-based music synthesis and composition for the first time in many years and exploring its creative and expressive possibilities. I feel like I only scratched the surface and there’s so much more to discover! The music on the album is of course an expression of the feelings many of us experienced during the advent of the pandemic and the political tribulations of these times, but I was also inspired on occassion by the admirable response that humanity exhibited in part in the face of this adversity.
If Contagion was a movie soundtrack, which movie would that be?
Jonathan Glazer’s (‘Under the Skin’ [2013]) next film!
If you had to choose one Synthesizer (analog or digital) which one would it be?
I would not consider myself a synth aficionado by any stretch, but Alchemy in Logic Pro has been a fun and creative intro to synthesizers for me, and I’m excited to do more with it.
You are from Ireland and now based in Los Angeles. What do you love/hate in each place? And how do you relate to the music scene of LA?
I left Ireland a long time time ago – 2008 – so I can’t claim to be well-acquainted with living in Ireland THESE days, but in terms of what I hated there, that’s easy, the weather! And I love the weather in LA! I lived in London and the Bay Area for a while before LA and I have to say I loved that they both had good public transport, which LA is still working on. In terms of the music scene in LA, I love that there are just so many creative people working here, whether it’s musicians, or folks who engage with music creators in their art (visual artists and advertising companies). Due to the pandemic, I don’t feel like I’ve really been able to really ‘get into’ the music scene in LA (I relocated here in August 2021), but I’ve met some awesome music people based here virtually already – both performers and kind-hearted composers further on in their careers than I – and am SO ready to engage more in-person with them!
Favorite album of the past decade?
Wow, that’s a tough one…. I honestly can’t say I have ONE favourite, but I think Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ is an amazing album in the popular music world. On another level as a composer, Jóhann Jóhannsson’s ‘Arrival’ score is one of the most intriguing albums I’ve ever heard.
While listening to Contagion.. What is the best unexplained mystery?
Why does humanity live in a way that will ultimately result in its own destruction.
What is the story behind your name?
Well firstly, I just liked the word “eximus”. Also, in Latin it means “exemplary”, and I would like to think that I’m putting out the best music I can under this name (or at least encourage myself to!). I also enjoy discovering the shared heritage of European languages from Latin, so I guess the name reflects that aspect of my ‘geekdom’!
Thank you!
Follow EX1MUS
Facebook/Instagram
Follow our Spotify Playlist “Waves Eclectic” feat. EX1MUS
Secret Eclectic 