BAYNK on his upcoming album 'SENESCENCE'
GRAMMY-nominated New Zealand-born, LA-based electronic artist and producer BAYNK teases 4 new tracks from his next highly-anticipated project. Amassing over a half a billion streams across his independently-released discography since his 2017 debut, BAYNK has quickly solidified himself as one of New Zealand's biggest musical exports.
Hey BAYNK, thanks so much for taking the time to chat to us! First of all, we'd love to know where it all started and what initially influenced you to start producing music?
Thank you for having me :) I started producing music after a few years of heading to Laneway and Rhythm & Vine - I slowly got the urge to make music for those stages that I wasn’t hearing yet.
Congrats on the release of your song "Fool For You"! What we genuinely love about all of your music is that it always deeply resonates with the soul, evoking a myriad of emotions, and this song is no exception. Can you let us know about the inspiration behind this track?
Too kind. This song was made in London with Joe Mason - I remember drawing on some old relationships where I’d been a sort of chameleon for what I thought the other person wanted from me (a fool for whatever I thought they required). Needless to say the relationships didn’t work out and overtime I learned to just be myself and look for friends and partners I gelled with naturally.
Plus 'Inches (Prelude)' beautifully & authentically showcases the richness and depth to your artistry. Why was it important for you to release these two tracks together?
I wanted a short prelude to give the listener an idea of the sort of textures & ideas that’d be used on the rest of the album. An introduction to new listeners and a notice to anyone familiar with my previous work of what to expect. ‘Inches’ was recored super early in the process and was a live recording of me just messing around trying to figure things out.
We absolutely can't wait for your upcoming album 'SENESCENCE', to be released later this year. Can you tell us about the meaning behind the concept of this album?
I got the initial idea for the album after waking up with a ringing in my ears that wouldn’t leave. I still have it today. It got me thinking about death & our cells dividing until they don’t divide anymore a.k.a senescence. The album explores concepts of time and the passing of it and the realisation that physical life is not forever. The acute awareness of one’s own biological vulnerability, and with that, a greater appreciation for the true richness of life.
Incredible! What have been your main highlights working on this album?
Any time spent working with Rutger (The Nicholas) & Max (Golden Vessel, 1tbsp) has been so precious, we’ve been friends and collaborators for years now so those moments are always treasured.
You've got some incredible performances lined up in LA and New York, as well as Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane. What are you looking forward to most about playing these shows?
Some new set pieces for tour I’m extremely excited about. We’ve been working on it for a long time and it’s finally coming to fruition. Sharing new live ideas with fans and seeing their reactions is always incredible.
Who are some of your favourite NZ artists right now and are there any songs in particular that you especially love?
I’m still in awe of The Beths and their achievements. “Expert In A Dying Field” is such a good song the melodies get me every time. I’m also revisiting Bic Runga a fair amount recently, and listening to “Sway” which was one of my all-time favourite songs back in the day. Concord Dawn “Morning Light” as well. I’ve been on a little bit of a nostalgia kick recently haha.
What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learnt in your career so far?
Mainly just consistency & dedication. Trying not to let the hard moments set me back and zooming out and remembering why I started doing this in the first place.
Lastly, if you could say one thing to every person in the world, what would it be?
Deep.. I would probably give someone better spoken than I the mic in this situation, but If I had to say something.. be kind, love one another.
Thanks BAYNK! Make sure to keep up with him on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify and Apple Music.
