Artist Spotlight: Blood Pact
Blood Pact is a shoegaze/heavygaze artist from San Diego, California. This article will review some interview questions regarding Blood Pact's newest single, "Touch," which will be out on April 14th, 2023. So let's get into it!
Photo taken by @samueldavidkatz on IG
WHAT IS YOUR NAME, WHERE ARE YOU FROM, WHAT IS YOUR AGE, AND WHAT GENRE OF MUSIC DO YOU PLAY?
"My name's Brenton, and I'm 25 years old. I make heavygaze music, a combination of heavy alternative rock and shoegaze. I experiment with other styles in my music as well."
HOW DID YOU GET INTO MAKING MUSIC?
"I had initially started making beats and rapping in 2015. I was a part of the SoundCloud rap scene, making stuff out of my bedroom with my friends like $uicideboy$, Bones, Yung Lean, Bladee, and Bones."
IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT MAKES A SONG FIT THE GENRE OF "SHOEGAZE"?
"Shoegaze is a subjective term. I characterize it as dreamy vocals, loud fuzzy or distorted guitars accompanied by melodic and spacey leads. Shoegaze typically stems from a place of melancholy, loneliness, and nostalgia. Droning reverbs, and sad melodies invoke these feelings and create empathy for others feeling similar things."
Photo taken by @grunge_fairy__ on IG
LET'S DIVE INTO YOUR NEW SINGLE, "TOUCH," WHICH IS COMING OUT ON APRIL 14TH. WHAT IS THE SONG ABOUT/THE MESSAGE YOU ARE TRYING TO GET ACROSS WITH THIS SONG?
"'Touch' is a very short song, lyrically. I focused on conveying more emotion musically, but when the vocals come in, I feel that they add even more depth to the song's feeling. The song is simply about letting go of the past. It's about stepping away from bonds that have held you back or have continued to hurt you. Letting go of things that aren't good for you can be bittersweet, but facing forward to what is real and in front of you matters more. I talk about 'overflowing' because, as a Christian, I learned to let go of the destructive things in my life, like substance abuse, bad relationships, and more. I found a greater peace through my faith, one I didn't know existed, and that peace fills me to the point I feel it 'overflows.’”
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS SONG? DID A CERTAIN OCCURRENCE OR EVENT TAKE PLACE? OR WAS IT MORE EMOTIONALLY DRIVEN?
"My testimony and relationship with God inspired me to write this song. It wasn't anything specific, as my journey through faith has been long and filled with ups and downs. Instead, the song was driven emotionally by my experiences in the question above. I felt inspired to share those experiences with others who may be struggling or find themselves in a similar place."
DID YOU RECORD THIS SINGLE YOURSELF? IF SO, ANY TIPS FOR HOME RECORDING MUSICIANS?
"I recorded, mixed, and mastered this single myself, yes. My tips are limited. I went to school for recording and audio engineering and have worked in and out of different studios for the last seven years, but I have a home studio I primarily work out of now. My advice is always to continue learning. If you have the opportunity to sit in on sessions, intern, go to school, or watch friends, do it. There is so much to learn, and the learning never stops. It's exciting because of that. A big tip is don't be afraid to ask for help and don't be afraid to invest lots of time and even money into your craft. Home recording is so easily available to people, but you must be willing to learn and spend the time it takes to learn about what you want to do. Also, I personally believe that not everyone has the ear it takes to produce or engineer. So instead of putting out something you're not super proud of, or lacks completion, don't be afraid to have someone help you or teach you because you can learn a lot from that process."
Photo taken by @samueldavidkatz on IG
WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF PUTTING OUT THIS NEWEST SINGLE?
"The most challenging part, I'd say, was finding the tones I had envisioned for the song. I could hear it in my head, but physically translating that was challenging, and I welcomed it. It was a fun challenge to find the right way to express what I felt and wanted to show."
WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE?
"I honestly don't have a specific target audience. My audience currently fits a wide spectrum of tastes and styles. The most I could say is I write for the lonely, brokenhearted, spirited, and lost. I want to reach those people to give hope or comfort in what they can relate to and achieve. I've been through a lot and want to share the hope I've found with others."
FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO START MAKING THEIR OWN SHOEGAZE MUSIC, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU COULD OFFER?
"My best advice is don't be intimidated by what other bands do or have. Shoegaze artists can come off as 'elitist' musicians with huge pedalboards, expensive amps, guitars, etc. I mean, get some basic gear and build off that. You don't have to have all the pedals and the best gear to start, but you can always add and change over time. As for myself, I play a Gibson SG, with my first album being a Fender Tele, a Fender Champ 100 amp, a Big Muff Fuzz, DS-1 distortion, and a Sampler Tumulus Deluxe. I do a lot of post-production work, but Im not starting with the most elaborate or fancy rig. I can get the tones and end product through experimentation and layering. Don't be afraid to be original and bring something new to the table even if it doesn't sound exactly like any other shoegaze band is doing."
WHAT SHOULD FANS EXPECT FROM BLOOD PACT IN THE FUTURE?
"'Touch' is a single off my third album called 'heaven.' The rest of the album is just about finished and will be about within the next few months or so. I have another single unrelated to this album that I've been working on for the last couple of years that I'm very excited to share when the time is right. That one will be called 'off the edge,' it was the first song I wrote for this project. I don't have any plans for performing currently, but I'm considering doing more live sessions for a couple of my releases and some videos for them."
Album art taken by @austinohara_ on IG
