ODYSSAY: I have to see a story and then put it to music

Hailing from Ukraine, ODYSSAY is a versatile entertainer, doubling as a live performer, singer/songwriter, and producer. His music serves as a mirror to our innermost feelings, experiences, and pleasures, providing a space for everyone to connect with themselves. Each performance by this artist unfolds as a live narrative, a story you\’ll want to experience repeatedly. ODYSSAY is renowned for his works with esteemed labels like Codex, Area Verde, Armada, Black Hole Recording, Purified Records, SVET, among others. 

Today marks the release of ODYSSAY\’s latest creation on the newly launched Progressive label, Axiom! Enjoy!

ー Hello, Max! Happy to see you with us today! How are you? How is your Winter? How busy does this period promise to be compared to Fall?
ー Hello, nice to talk to you. Thanks for inviting me to the interview. The winter period for me is generally a bit calmer than the summer and fall, because from May to the end of November there were a lot of performances and work. Now, with the onset of winter, I want to spend more time at home, warm and in the studio.

ー How did you grow up and what influenced your desire to become an artist?
ー You know, my family probably least expected me to be a musician or an artist:D The thing is, I\’ve always been interested in sports, soccer, technology, but not music. I became interested in music closer to the age of 20, when I started to adapt my poems that I had written earlier to music. Perhaps I was influenced by the fact that my parents were involved in music, but not professionally. My dad had a large collection of audio tapes from the 90s that I listened to all the time.

ー We know that IAMT Music Group together with Beatport is launching a new label, Axiom. You have the honor of debuting on the label with your new release “Pouring Rain”. Congratulations! Tell us about this new label and your work with the team.
ー I want to say thank you very much for this opportunity. The work with the team is going strong. We are planning a lot of activities to promote the release. I hope the listeners will receive the new release well.

ー Let’s talk about the “Pouring Rain” more:  what was the inspiration behind it? Could you tell the history of the track?
ー The source of inspiration is always hard to pinpoint. But in this case, I think it was the ambient music that was playing on my playlist. More romantic and thought-provoking. For me, music is not only about sound, but also about imagination. I have to see a story and then put it to music. It\’s a story about devotion, faith in a future meeting with a loved one you\’ve been separated from and the anticipation of that meeting.

ー As we know, you are fond of live shows and have experience of performing with an orchestra. When and where exactly did this happen? Share with us your impressions, please.
ー The concept of my project is only live performance. So every time it\’s a little electronic concert for all the people who come to my concerts. As for the performance with the orchestra, it was a big electronic concert. A lot of preparation and work on this event allowed us with SVET promoters and Osocor Residence venue team to jointly hold one of the biggest events in Ukraine in early fall. I recorded a live video of this performance, which you can find on my YouTube channel.

ー How do you curate and select tracks for your DJ sets/ live shows to create a unique experience for your audience?
ー The main idea of the preparation is a live show with my vocals. I don\’t have a single track with someone else\’s vocals anymore. If I take a track by another artist that fits well into the logic of my concert, it is exclusively an instrumental track. On the basis of this I form a pool of several tracks that I include in the live show. Usually it\’s no more than 3-4 tracks.

ー How do you prepare for the next event? Do you have any rituals before going on stage?
ー The main ritual is not to forget anything! Since I play live, I have a lot of equipment that I take with me to every performance, and the most important thing is to have everything in place. Ritual is a regular act. Prepare the live show, prepare the equipment and prepare the concert clothes, if everything is in order, there is every chance that the event will go well.

ー How did the war in Ukraine affect your life and creativity? How do artists currently work in the conditions of war?
ー War is a terrible thing. It destroys lives, destinies of people, whole families. I am a person who activates under pressure and I have managed to cope psychologically with the war so far. My studio is underground and it served as a shelter at the beginning of the war. So the feeling of security here helps me to keep composing something new.

ー Who are you like off stage? What hobbies do you have and where do you spend your time?
ー Offstage, I\’m like the kind of person few people notice. At least I think so. Because when I take off my concert clothes and blend in with the crowd, I\’m not often recognized. But it\’s worth noting that this trend is changing towards more recognition, which makes me very happy. I like to gather people around me, help someone if they need help, but if I have the time and opportunity to watch the Champions League myself, I won\’t say no, hahaha:D

ー I offer you a short blitz survey:) Share with our readers your favorite:
ー color: White (just look at my concert clothes:D)
ー track that always inspires you: Gerry & The Pacemakers “You\’ll Never Walk Alone” (a song that unites hearts)
ー book: Frank Herbert “Dune” (I love something fantastic)
ー movie: “Matrix” (a movie that overdid my idea of a movie)

ー What about your future plans? Are there any exciting projects in the upcoming year?
ー Next year I want to put out a lot of releases and perform as much as possible outside of Ukraine. I think that many people are waiting for new tracks from me and I will try to exceed their expectations.

ー Thank you for the interview! Look forward to hearing from you!
ー Thanks for having me!

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