Canguru In The Studio Interview: Discover His Creative Process!

Colin Crichton, better known as Canguru, has emerged on the Electronic Music scene as a dedicated and passionate force, drawing from his classical background and a wide array of influences to craft his distinctive sound. Known for his innovative blending of genres like Techno, Alt-Hip-Hop, and live instrumentation, Canguru’s music reflects his commitment to pushing creative boundaries while staying true to his artistic identity.

In this interview, he opens up about his production techniques, the stories behind his latest releases, and how his musical journey continues to shape his evolving sound.

1 – Your music blends a wide range of genres, from Techno to Alt-Hip-Hop. How do you approach combining these styles in your productions?

I think that I like mixing different genres together because I’ve always been keen on trying out new things and since I like these types of music a lot, I thought why not try and mix these types of music together to see what happens.

My goal as an artist has always been to try and innovate. With my latest album ‘Pick It Up,’ it was very much a trial and error process, by trying things out and seeing how it works together. In the end, I think it worked pretty well!

2 – You’ve transitioned from playing classical instruments like the clarinet and guitar to producing Electronic Music. How does your background in Classical music influence your work in the studio today?

Well, I see all this classical school of learning as transferrable skills really. I guess in hindsight, nothing should stop anyone from writing a symphony using modern technology.

Music technology is constantly evolving but the main principles used for writing music are still the same essentially. I like moving with the times. My background knowledge in Classical Music will always be part of me and influence me consciously or unconsciously when I write Electronic Music.

3 – Can you walk us through the creative process behind your latest releases, ‘Pick It Up’ & “Nobody”?

When I wrote ‘Pick It Up,’ it all started with me programming a beat and a bass line and synth/ambient parts for it. I remember at that time, the track seemed bare and missing a hook or something. I had been writing some ideas for vocals and the main vocal chorus parts. When I played the track to my friend Eric back in Belgium, as we were working on collaborations of songs together, he very quickly came up with the guitar part for it! After we recorded his guitar parts and I recorded all my vocal parts, the song really became what it is and was ready to be mixed.

If I can remember correctly, when I wrote ‘Nobody,’ I first found some loops on Splice that I played around with and then I programmed a beat and the bassline for it. I also recorded some synth/organ harmonic sequences to build the main structure of the song. The vocals then came after. Once I had recorded all my vocals, I sent my mix stems to Gauthier to get him to co-produce and mix the track. Gauthier added some cool melodic elements to the track after such as the opening pizzicato synth sequence. When I sent Gauthier all my mix stems, I also sent him references of tracks by various other artists that I thought would work well for the vibe of this track and ultimately the full album.

4 – You’ve worked with artists like Hayla and Sarah de Warren. How do collaborations influence your music?

It influences it very much! When I collaborate with other artists, I first need to feel that there is a common mutual ground that we share with music and the direction we both feel like following. Without that initial common ground of interest, it can be quite tricky to work efficiently.

5 – As someone diving into DJing and live performance, how are you integrating this new skill set into your studio work?

DJing is a very free-flowing process that has opened many new possibilities for me to express myself. Now I have the possibility to experiment with remixing some of my own tunes and songs from other artists. It’s definitely opened up many new opportunities for me when it comes to creativity!

Sometimes the original mix of a track might not cut it but with a remix, it could possibly go viral, so it’s definitely giving me a lot more options to try new ideas out and experiment with mixing.

6 – You’ve mentioned experimenting with darker sounds in your upcoming releases. What techniques or tools are you exploring to achieve this?

I guess this can be achieved in many ways: either in general, by using minor key progressions over major ones, as well as by processing instruments and voices differently with transistor amps rather than valve amps as well as using bigger/longer sounding reverbs/delays that will add an effect of grandeur and coolness.

7 – Your album ‘Your Loving’ mixes genres with introspective themes. How do you ensure your lyrics match the sonic complexity of your music?

Wow, that’s a really good question and a tough one to answer! I didn’t think about that!

In all honesty, I don’t really know…

But now that I think about it, this is a really good point to make. Thanks for asking.

8 – How do you decide when to incorporate live instruments like the saxophone or guitar into your Electronic tracks?

Often it will be by trying things out. I will jam along to the track and record ideas that I think might work for it. Other times, I will record some melodic ideas on my phone by singing the ideas and later test them out on other instruments.

Often an idea might work on a particular instrument but not on another. Sometimes, I will know that a certain type of song will lend itself well with a specific instrument for the desired vibe of the track before recording it.

9 – How do acts like The Chemical Brothers and Gorillaz influence your production techniques?

I think in the case of both these acts, what really draws me towards them and indirectly influences me is the fact that they both sound unique in their own right. They managed to develop their own style in some ways. For me, that is the coolest thing an artist can achieve! Both experiment with genres of music that I like listening to a lot. I find that really inspiring in my own songwriting process.

10 – With so many influences, how do you evolve your sound while staying true to your artistic identity?

Well, that is a question that I have been asking myself recently a lot. I guess I have always had a wide spectrum of influences, and I am drawn towards a lot of different types of music, depending on the mood I am in.

This can work to my disadvantage when it comes to staying true to my artistic identity, I guess. This is something I am aware of and consciously try to remind myself of regularly. At this stage, it is key for me to set myself some kind of limitations to some extent and try to limit myself to 2 or 3 main genres of music to play around with! It’s not easy though with so many cool genres of music to play around with! Lol

Through his thoughtful approach to music production and his willingness to experiment across genres, Canguru remains dedicated to creating tracks that are both innovative and emotionally resonant. Whether through his unique use of live instruments or the integration of fresh influences, Canguru’s artistry continues to evolve with each release. So, as we conclude our interview, we look forward to seeing what Canguru’s future has in store next and encourage you to keep an eye on him by following him across social media.

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