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Bisc1 Interview

Bisc1

Contributed by Alex on 2/29/08

You may not know Bisc1’s music, but you most certainly know his work as a graphic designer. The visual artist in him is responsible for cover art, art direction and promotional materials for projects by Aesop Rock, The Perceptionists, C-Rayz-Walz, Murs, El-P, and others in the hip hop realm. Recently, though, he has been focusing on his own musical stylings. The Queens-based emcee and artist is scheduled to release his first full length LP, When Electric Night Falls, March 11 on Embedded Music. We had a chance to exchange emails with Bisc1 and he clued us in on the visual backdrop he’s developing for his new album, his enthusiasm for the digital music age, and his creative approach to making music.

You work as a graphic designer and have a multifaceted history of graffiti writing, DJing, battling, putting out albums and mixtapes, etc. Do you think of yourself more as an artist or musician?
Bisc1: Thats depends on the day you find me, but in general yeah I would take the title artist because I feel its broader and the musician title implies I might play an instrument when in fact I write and record lyrics. So artist would be the better for the overall, less of a box to fit into.

How has your career as a graphic artist effected your creative approach to making music? How do you think that you would sound different if your background was different?
Bisc1: I think everything has shaped what I do, all the skills, the crafts they all effect this music completely. Without the walls I would have never done the design and it all directly relates to the music, I sometimes wonder what I would be like without the design and music, what would I be doing, but for reason I am not sure of I am here and this is what feel right, all of it the whole circle.

For those out there not familiar with the music of Bisc1, how would you describe your sound?
Bisc1: Like a deep dark metal cave that is damp like an old abandoned factory underground with this crazy ewok village looking tree in the middle that has the only one beam of natural sunlight projected onto it from a crack in the ceiling. Dark with a glimpse of light. Heavy with a breathe of life.

What can people expect to hear on the new album? What direction did you try to take it conceptually? Did it turn out as you had originally planned?
Bisc1: Real people talking, new electric landscapes and a view into love, passion, stress, anxiety and the balance that we call life. In terms of direction it went the way I planned, if planned is a word to describe the process. Me and the Main producer (J. Vegus) along with some thoughts from DJ Ese, sat and focused our direction, sound wise, and then I filled topics J. Vegus and I thought were important. It all worked out proper I would say. I kind of never really have a plan for creativity, well I should say the outcome of the creativity. I think thats the best part its always a surprise. When we sat back with the project done, I was surprised… so yeah it all fell into place.

As an artist, it seems natural that you would want to incorporate a visual aspect into this project (beyond, obviously, the album art). Do you have any specific plans for upcoming shows, promotions, videos, etc. that will tie visual elements in with the album?
Bisc1: Oh yeah, maybe too many. A video for “Parallels” is done and will be out March 11th with the LP dropping directed by LasekX , “Turbulence” was shot and in the works, directed by a good friend of mine, and I have talked with a few very influential video cats in my life about this project and when I step off tour we are going to go for some more videos. I also had about 25 artists I know interpret this album in canvas form, one artist one song on canvas. So there will be a gallery show and hopefully a book to follow. Lastly my friend at Dirty Bandits hand printed the majority of the 12″s out, 5 different colors signed and in rotation. I printed posters for the project. Crazy visual stuff I guess. Just need to buy the time to get it there. But It will fall into place…

If you had to choose between music or graphic design, which would you choose and why? Would your decision be based at all on the declining state of the music industry?
Bisc1: I would do multi media design and produce the music it goes to. Now a days its all hand and hand. I couldn’t see just doing one, they are like best friends who work so well together. I couldn’t split them up. I can’t design all the time and I can’t work on music all the time. They keep it interesting.

Do you think the state of the music industry is affecting the underground artists the same as major label artists? Do you think is better or worse to be an underground artist?
Bisc1: Hmmm. I’m not to sure, at this point I personally do not have much to gauge it on. But I will say I am very excited to be a part of the digital revolution and see how it all pans out. We are on the frontier of some new new new ways of working, thinking, selling, exposing, and pushing art, entertainment all medias. I’m glad I’m here for this part of it. I think!

Thanks! Any last words you have for our readers?
Bisc1: Stay cool. keep reading the web mags and blogs and stay up on new music. Its refreshing and important. Tell a friend to tell a friend that we are here. All of us. EZness.