There are artists you discover quietly. And then there are artists who arrive with memes, neon shadows, and a dark synth pulse that makes you grin before you even press play.
I met Silicon Simian through social media, somewhere between a cat joke and a synth-heavy reel. What started as online banter eventually turned into a collaboration on our track “Distant Echoes.” Behind the humor and the meme mastery, there’s a producer with a deep love for atmosphere, cinematic tension, and a philosophical core.
You can listen to Silicon Simian here.
I wanted to know more about the mind behind the darkwave textures and cyber aesthetics, so I asked him a few questions.
How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard it before?
Hmmm… This is a bit difficult for me too! I’m chuckling and thinking at the same time!
I started with the goal of finding my niche within the Darksynth / Retrowave / Cybersynth category. However, after I started composing, the tracks took a direction of their own. So it does vary a bit, but yes I would categorise it more as a part of darkwave, cybersynth with generous amounts of retrowave. I’m not against “happy” sounds, but the general feel tends to be more sombre.
What track or project are you most proud of and why?
I would probably say “Dazed In The Haze” is my favourite track yet. I really dialled in the sound that I imagined in my head. I think there’s always a bit of loss of the idea in translation. When a musician is trying to get the exact sound in their head into the DAW, or their instrument, or any other form of arrangement, some part of it may not transform correctly. At least that’s the case with me. With Dazed In The Haze, everything coalesced perfectly.
However, I’m not against going with the flow as well. Sometimes when you create a piece of music that’s quite different from the idea in your head, it may turn out to be much better than originally imagined. Many of my tracks are like that.
Which artists or genres have had the biggest influence on your sound?
The musical influences have changed a lot throughout my life. From when I was a teenager to now… it’s vastly different. They vary widely from genre to genre as well, but if I had to mention a few, then I would say Pink Floyd, Massive Attack, Dream Theater, Gorillaz, Peter Gabriel, Mike and the Mechanics, Phil Collins, and many many others. I am not mentioning the many blues or blues rock artists that I am a big fan of, simply because this list would be too long. Another notable mention would be Gunship. I had a long commute to my job around 2015 or so and that’s when I discovered synthwave while listening to “numbing playlists.” However, when I discovered Gunship, their music made me want to make music again. After Gunship, I discovered a plethora of amazing artists, like Carpenter Brut, Perturbator and many others.
Was there a defining moment that made you say, “I want to make music”?
That was a long time ago…. When Dangerous by Michael Jackson came out! Yes… I’m old…..ish! I was in my preteens and I was dazzled by everything. However, it has been a long and winding journey with a detour that took me to a completely unfamiliar place. Music was almost absent in my life for quite some time, despite having worked professionally in the “music industry” as a sound designer and promo producer. But I guess listening to retrowave and synthwave making a comeback pushed me to do music again.
If your sound were a place, color, or emotion, what would it be?
It would be a mix of visuals and feel of cyberpunk mystery, aka Blade Runner. A little of deep space horror like Event Horizon, but also the grit and determination of something like Elysium. Maybe throw in a bit of Brazil (the 1985 movie) as well. Yes, I do like sci-fi movies a lot (who doesn’t?) and I think this mix best explains the emotions and feel behind my music.
Do you have a ritual or habit that helps you get into a creative zone?
I do sit down and simply fool around with instruments a lot and sometimes ideas arise out of that. Sometimes it just happens in a flow state. I can’t quite describe it. Also, probably because I’m quite lazy, I’d get a good idea and think I better put it down in the DAW before I forget! The track can progress from there as well.
What’s something surprising people don’t usually know about you as an artist?
I love cats? Nooooo… I think that’s too evident from my socials. I guess the biggest surprise is that I’m a guitar player… the guitar is my primary instrument, but I have rarely used it in my music as Silicon Simian. I need to get my playing chops back because I may be a bit rusty! I also used to be in a local band at one point in time, where I was the primary guitarist and a backing vocalist.
How do you handle creative blocks?
I haven’t handled any of them well! I sometimes force myself to sit down and do something just so that I get into a flow or process to get out of the block. However, this only works a few times. Other times I just move away from music for a little bit. In my opinion, music, or any art for that matter, cannot be forced. There is an ethereal quality to all art, things that can’t quite be explained or quantified. If anyone’s having a creative block it usually means that their brain is not engaging with music. It’s best then to engage with other things and keep away from music or writing for a bit. Change it for something that actually engages your mind. That can suddenly spur inspiration for music as well.
Describe your music in three words that aren’t music-related.
Gritty, Cerebral, Dissenting
Delay or reverb: one has to go forever, which one?
This one’s tough…. I’d probably say reverb, because I can somewhat repurpose a delay into a reverb!
If aliens landed and said “play us one track or we vaporize Earth,” which one are you sending?
I’d probably say Bloom In Upheaval. That’s because life continues despite the internal struggles on this planet. It is the rarest of rare phenomena in the universe. By life, I mean the most basic of living beings, like moss or grass continuing to thrive in the most inhospitable places.
What I appreciate most about Silicon Simian is that beneath the darkwave aesthetics and cyberpunk atmosphere, there’s humor and a genuine love for the craft. The memes are sharp. The synths are sharper. And somewhere between grit and philosophy, he’s building a universe that feels both dystopian and strangely hopeful.
Thank you, Silicon Simian, for taking part in this interview and for sharing your creative journey with such openness.
Follow Silicon Simian on Instagram here.
— Spacey Panda
Here is the video Silicon Simian made for our collab Distant Echoes:
About the Author
