Astronautica
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Astronautica

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"Astronautica - Lowrider"

Los Angeles producer Edrina Martinez (Astronautica) is always at her best when it comes to the slow jams and it shows in a track like “Lowrider”. It’s one part riding music and another atmospheric drift, bolstering her distinct affinity for creating tracks that float high in the upper stratosphere. Warning; side effects may include high levels of dopamine secretion. - Now Listening To


"Track of the Day 17/5 - Error Operator : Fractured Electronic Bliss"

For most Londoners, getting the nightbus home is one of life's chores. Often on your own, surrounded by revellers, the bus journey stretches on through the night until your mind begins to wander - the red, orange, yellow lights fading past the window as the rain streaks down across the early morning.

Which is where Error Operator comes in. A vehicle for Andrew John Collins, the producer's debut single matches new cuts ‘Mstblove’ and ‘All Around She’. With their steady motion and gentle progression, both tracks fit easily into the idea of a journey.

So it comes as no surprise to learn that this is what Collins intended. “I was very influenced by being on the nightbus in the city,” he explained recently. “’Mstblove’ was originally called 'N135' as that's the bus I used to get home every night, being able to watch everyone else on the bus and wonder about what their lives entailed gave me a sense of love for London.”

With its spiralling grooves and twinkling electronics, the new single is sheer sonic geography, pirouetting through the tower blocks and terraces of Greater London.

'All Around She' is intended as a love song of sorts, the gently emotive production is given an expansive edge by Astronautica. All twinkling lights, gently oscillating patterns and endlessly fracturing melodies the remix is a deeply evocative depiction of the velocity-driven haze which descends on the city imagination.

Listen to it now... Grab it HERE.

Error Operator is set to play a launch party at JaguarShoes in London this Saturday (May 16th). Entry is free so... go, y'know. - Clash Music


"The Up-Turn Presents a Conversation with Astronautica"

The beat music scene isn’t exactly a female dominated scene. Considering how little gender should effect music (let alone instrumental beat music) it’s a bit strange to consider how few female producers and beat makers there are. The work of Edrina Martinez as Astronautica may first grab your attention for the fact alone that she is a she, however, it’s the quality of her music that is the real selling point. Steeped in the culture and music of the L.A. beat scene, Edrina has been releasing a steady stream of laid-back and intricate beats for a while now gaining a deservedly growing following. I got the chance to chat with Edrina about her influences, favorite color and being a girl in such a male heavy culture and the entire conversation can be read below…



PK: I was hoping you could talk about how you first got into making music, how did Astronautica come about?

EDRINA: well the name stemmed from me wanting to be an astronaut as a kid… I figure if I’m not gonna actually become a literal one, I can still be one in another sense… ha! I played the piano and the guitar as a kid. I got my first guitar for Christmas when I was like 5, but my grandma put me in piano lessons first. Then in 5th grade, I started to really get into playing the guitar. I played for my school choir, but stopped playing in high school and my first year of college I didn’t play because I didn’t even bring a guitar up to San Francisco with me. Then when I moved back home a couple of years ago, I just got back into it.

PK: wow that’s all awesome, I feel like almost everyone I have ever interviewed started playing piano at a young age.

EDRINA: yeah, same here! but I also know people who didn’t play as a kid, and can just pick up an instrument and play something that sounds good. But I think for me, having played as a kid, was beneficial because it stayed with me, even through the years where I took a break from it.



PK: for sure, what artists or bands did you grow up listening to?

EDRINA: I have a young mom who was really into hip hop, so growing up I was always listening to it. The first song I ever learned how to sing was “Gin & Juice” by Snoop. I cried when Biggie died… I was like 6 lol. I’ve always really been into A Tribe Called Quest. I’m also half latina, so a lot of the time spent not listening to hip hop, I was surrounded by salsa, mariachis, and bossa nova.

PK: do you think being raised in that environment has influenced your sound?

EDRINA: I think so… there are a lot of sounds that I pick up from that kind of music that I try to encompass, especially with hip hop and r&b from the 90s. But then again, there are days where I won’t listen to music just to clear my head, and have a clean slate to when it comes to producing something of my own sound

PK: definitely know where you’re coming from (blogger/hipster fatigue definitely takes over some days)

EDRINA: haha yeah, srsly

PK: are there some contemporary artists that you think have directly inspired the kind of music you’re making today?

EDRINA: yeah definitely… even though Charles Cooper isn’t here anymore, Telefon Tel Aviv really inspired me. Flying Lotus of course, J Dilla, Tokimonsta, Teebs, Thom Yorke, Missy Elliot! What Shlohmo is doing is really awesome too… the list goes on, I like seeing how artists work off each other. Another huge inspiration other than fellow musicians would be my friends who are also doing something they’re talented at and that they love.

ASTRONAUTICA- WEEKENDS:



PK: so living in California is probably great musically?

EDRINA: oh hell yeah, there is so much going on, especially in the Los Angeles area… even if the music I make isn’t someone’s cup of tea, there are so many other music scenes out here. The west coast vibe is really dope though. To be completely honest, I feel like the constant warm weather totally has an effect on me when I need some inspiration. Aside from the weather, there are a ton of people you meet here who are into the same things as you. People you can connect with on some level, whether it be music, art, food, architecture, whatever, California is an awesome place to be.



PK: so I’m not sure it’s really even a question at all but obviously the beat world is pretty male dominated, what is it like being a girl in the scene?

EDRINA: I’ve always kinda been into tomboyish things… I played basketball for a few years, and was always into camping and getting dirty when I was little… so being a girl in a male dominated scene doesn’t surprise me… it’s funny though, I like seeing people’s reactions when I tell them what I do. A lot of the time, it’s a conversation turner

PK: what are your plans with Astronautica in the next few months?

EDRINA: well currently I am working on a remix for a UK artist. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say who, but I’ll be turning that in in a couple of days. I’m also working on a mixtape for a podcast on a blog called That’s Deck. I’m supposed to have a show at the Hip Kitty, in Claremont out here… they do a show called Beat Cinema which should be cool. I’ve had a few people wanting to collab and work on some side projects… as for myself, I am working on finishing a song… actually going to release it hopefully by the end of this week. Other than that I plan on playing more live sets, and just working on making more songs I guess

PK: what’s your favorite color?

EDRINA: turquoise I like that question haha



PK: nice, if you could collaborate with any living or dead artist who would it be?

EDRINA: Aaliyah, definitely… Chan Marshall, Thom Yorke, Billie Holiday, Tupac, Q-tip, Sasha Grey, Miles Davis, Astrud Gilberto, Art Tatum, Minnie Ripperton, would be cool to get some guitar tracks from Santana, Biggie, Nosaj Thing.. again, list goes on

PK: damn that’s quite the list for sure

EDRINA: I know! I tried to keep it short

PK: anything else the good people on the internet should know about Astronautica?

EDRINA: I’m going to Cal State Fullerton next semester! Majoring in Communications (emphasis in Broadcasting) so you all might see me as a newscaster someday haha. I have one tattoo, and a black cat named Spunky.

PK: awesome, if you had a unicorn what would you name it? and are there any shout outs to musicians or other things you want to give out?

EDRINA: If I had a unicorn, I’d name it Moonshine Stardust and as far as shout outs… shout out to BONDAX, reaaaally into your guys’ stuff. ASTRO NAUTICO, separated at birth? Let’s make some music? HOLOGRAM 2PAC… you gave me the eeby jeebies… in a good way. - The Up-Turn


"Astronautica: "Weekends""

Pleasantly surprised to wake up to the mellow, cloud-gazing vibes of LA’s one-woman beat venture Astronautica aka Edrina Martinez. While certainly being informed and inspired by the greater Los Angeles beat scene, think FlyLo et al., Martinez has developed a style of her own, clearly dreamier and more relaxed, however without turning her back on the intricate, sophisticated side of beat construction. Lush, sumptuous stuff here, very promising indeed. Listen to her brand new track “Weekends” below.

Astronautica also recently released a self-titled digital EP via LA-based PH2 Records. Get it for free here. - No Fear of Pop


"Astronautica (Interview)"

A few years ago, I pitched an all female producer showcase - that unfortunately fell on deaf ears. I thought about this a few more times, esp after doing Red Bull Music Academy sessions where I would see this overwhelming amount men show up, and I would taken upon myself to assure the ladies that it wasn't really a navy shipment - though it looked like it. So, the idea of doing a female producer showcase was born again at that point, and the editorial part was really sparked after listening to a Culture Remixed podcast which featured the following producer: Astronautica.



As I mentioned, I was locked into an online podcast w/ Astronautica, and she came out from her LA suburb for an interview with Culture Remixed, and wanted to spark a greater convo w/ her on the air but ran short of time. As such, I shot her an email and it went from there.

How did you get your start? You alluded to LA/CA being a bit of a beat scene mecca, and that inspired you. Was it a person? A moment?? Can you recall?? Where do you generally draw you're inspiration from??

Like everyone else, I hate traffic, but one day, it actually wasn’t so bad. I was picking up a friend from the airport who also produces and djs, and we were sitting in traffic on the 405. I had made a mixed tape with Flylo, Tokimonsta, Nosaj Thing, Teebs, Take, Aether, etc. and my friend was surprised that I was into that kind of music. He was even more surprised when I told him I wanted to start learning how to produce my own. It had been a lingering idea at the back of my head for some time, but it finally became something I was sure I wanted to do. I asked him how I should get started, and he told me to start with Garage Band. I ended up making some stuff on Garage Band, but I was getting bored with it and wanted to have a program where I could elaborate more. That’s when I moved over to Ableton, and became hooked on the endless possibilities that comes a long with it.

I became inspired by the city of Los Angeles, and all of it’s creativity and talented people that come from this area. It was that moment, sitting in traffic in downtown LA and listening to artists from LA, that I decided I wanted to be apart of this growing scene.

My inspiration mainly comes from my day-to-day experiences. If something or someone has me feeling a certain way, I’ll go and express that feeling in a piano melody, or a guitar riff. With my song Casino, there is a sense of newness, like that new feeling you get when someone you’ve known for a while or just met comes into your life, and it makes you feel blissful that they did. The night I finished that song, I had just gotten back from one of the first dates my boyfriend and I had gone on, and it was indeed at a casino. (It was a tattoo convention; no we were not gambling on a first date, ha!). When a song is completed, it's a collage of my emotions is its foundation.



You mentioned feeling some pride in being part Filipino. Is there a part of you that feels the same about being a female producer in this male heavy segment of music?

Pride in being a female producer? Ha, well no not pride.. I don’t think the whole mentality of “anything you can do, I can do better,” should apply to anything, especially music. Music is something everyone feels, its natural. But, it is interesting to me that there aren’t more females into it, it’s so relaxing, and not to mention, satisfying once a song is done! It’s this feeling you get when you’ve finished a song, it never turns out how you originally planned it to, but it’s still all good.

It's been about a yr of production under your belt, and things move pretty fast in the new music ecosystem. Where do yourself see in the next 2 yrs? Is there a dream label you'd like to have a release for??

I’m surprised it’s already been a year! It went by so fast.. Time just keeps going faster each day! Let’s see, in the next couple years, I would like to have definitely put out a full album. I’ve been thinking of possibly singing… so that’s always something to work towards. There are some artists I’d love to collab with in the future as well. I would love to have a release for Brainfeeder. That label has so many eclectic artists, and I would love to be apart of that jazzy, funky, head-bopping sound.

You play the guitar. Is that you're instrument on choice?? Do you work it in to your music?? Or are you mostly sample based?

I love the guitar, it’s the instrument I wanted to play from the very beginning, even though I was forced to start with the piano as a kid, it worked out for my benefit. They come hand in hand with each other. I work it into my music, I’ll make a beat and record a little piano track.. I pretty much set it up for the guitar. I make most of my samples, I bought a little recorder off of craigslist awhile back, and I take it around with me, so if I ever hear a sound I like, I record it, and manipulate the sound later.



What is your recording/writing set up like?? Did anyone walk you/mentored you through the production process, and who if so??

I have a little studio in my garage. I mainly use an Akai APC 40 and an MPK 49. I have an Epiphone Les Paul I got as a present from my parents for my 8th grade graduation that I use in most of my tracks. I just bought a Stanton t.92, so I’m starting to play around with that a lot. A friend recently moved to Brooklyn, and gifted me with an Autoharp, which is awesome; I love that thing that so much! Those are the main instruments I use, other than that, I have a bunch of other random instruments lying around in here that I’ll pick up time-to-time and record with.

The same friend who I picked up from the airport mentored me a little through the production process at the beginning, showed me the basics. After that I was pretty much on my own. I’m the kind of person that likes to learn things on my own. I’ve always been attracted to hobbies that I can figure out at my own pace, and the way I want to, producing music allows me to do that.




You can check much more of Astronautica's music on her Soundcloud and Bandcamp as well. - 92bpm


"Astronautica - "January Summer""

Astronautica is a project of Los Angeles producer Eddy Martinez. She brings an atmospheric sound coupled with enticing beats to her self titled debut EP that dropped in earlier this year. She just released a new track, January Summer which has a fast beat on top of a calm melody that blends effortlessly together. This is hip-hop electronica done perfectly and makes the delicately head bobbing sound she creates hard to put down. Be sure to download the exclusive track from Astronautica, January Summer. - Birp.FM


"Astronautica // Astronautica (MXT)"

Los Angeles producer Astronautica a.k.a Edrina Martinez’ makes her debut with this self-titled EP. The compositions are just lofty enough to be atmospheric but don’t render themselves completely weightless due to the voluminous percussions elements you can pin point in each track. Simply put this self-titled EP is easily cloud watching music; built on a slow creeping aesthetic that resonates with the patchy serenity of a blotched sky. Listen to “In August”, check out the visuals for the opening track “Casino” above, and make sure to grab the rest of Astronautica’s chill release at the download. - Head Nodz!


Discography

Astronautica - Astronautica EP (2011)
Error Operator - All Around She [Astronautica Remix] (2012)
Full Length on Alpha Pup Records (Fall 2012)

Photos

Bio

Los Angeles based electronic-producer, Astronautica is 21 year-old Edrina Martinez. The beat mistress exhibits her penchant for atmospheric beds of sound complimented by captivating rhythms on her debut, self-titled EP. Taking cues from a wide range of the electronic music spectrum, Astronauticadelivers delicate, almost ambient textures in the context of modern hip-hop and R&B's head-bob inducing swagger.

Having performed at the legendary Low End Theory club in LA and opening for the likes of JMSN, Baths, and Giraffage, Astronautica will release her debut full length on Alpha Pup Records in Fall 2012.