Interviews
Exclusive Interview: Initial Eyes Talks New Single “Riddle Of The Sphinx”
Initial Eyes is an artist whose passion for music runs deep as he was drawn in by his dearly departed cousin who taught him the ropes in appreciating and sharing incredible music. He sums up his music as ethereal dance music that prioritizes groove and euphoria. Initial Eyes’ latest release was a conceptual single that is based around an old Greek legend called “Riddle Of The Sphinx”. We sat down with Initial Eyes to discuss more about it.
1 — What made you decide to base this song around a Greek legend?
Song ideas and titles come to me randomly and I keep all my notes in Evernote and just jot them down before I forget. Sometimes it comes from reading books but in this case it was a dream. Or at least, a thought upon awakening one morning. I used to play this adventure game when I was a kid called Shadowgate. That was the first time I was introduced to the concept of the myth, but it’s come up again in other forms of media. Not sure why it popped in my head that day.
2 — What techniques did you use to portray the elements of the story?
There’s a swelling pad with some white noise in it that made me think of desert winds. The lead synth solo is essentially signifying the encounter with the sphinx. And then the final new melody sort of has this mysterious vibe where you’re not really sure if the sphinx allowed the travellers to pass or not. I always love films where the ending leaves interpretation up to the viewer.
3 — Did you struggle creating any part of the song?
Getting the timing of the pad swells to line up just right. Everything else came without much trouble.
4 — What were your aims when you first started making the track?
Something with a solid groove and a mysterious sort of vibe.
5 — How has the initial reaction been like?
I never know what to expect when releasing music, but the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. A lot of friends sending heartfelt compliments, new fans coming in from multiple places, it’s getting a lot of love on SoundCloud.
6 — Did you have some sort of lightbulb moment as to how good the track was going to be?
I never know these things. I just make what comes out of me and once I’m happy with it, I put it out in the world.
7 — Did your vision change at all during the creation process?
Not so much. The final sequence after the lead synth solo came last. Usually I start with one of the most energetic parts of the song and then break it down and build up to it. Everything usually flows well from there. Getting out of the 8-bar or 16-bar loop phase as quickly as possible is key I think.
8 — Can we hear any of your musical influences in ‘Riddle of the Sphinx’?
Probably a combination of influences though it’s hard for me to pinpoint. I always loved listening to the guitar virtuosos like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani early on and you could say that influenced the lead synth solo.
9 — What is your favourite part of the track?
The lead synth solo leading into the final section where the new melody carries out the rest of the track.