ARKTKT Interview - Musical Evolution
We caught up with US based producer and composer, ARKTKT. Known for his neo-soul blended electronica, ARKTKT has been at the forefront of musical evolution. We caught up with Jarred Barnes, the legend behind ARKTKT to chat about his new single ‘Step Aside’, the development of the project, and the future.
Futuremag Music: Hey ARKTKT, how's it all going?
ARKTKT: Yoo, it's going well. Keeping busy.
Futuremag Music: Could you talk us through your musical journey so far?
ARKTKT: It all started at the piano. When I was 10, my parents got me private lessons. When I saw Timbaland doing his thing in the early 2000's with Aaliyah, Missy and Genuwine, I remember being so inspired. I begged my parents for an Mbox so I could start making beats. That was around 13. I stuck with the keys and the beats all throughout high school and eventually got accepted into Berklee College of Music. Then I bit up the nerve to start dropping songs/projects. Noisia picked up a few singles from me in 2016 and it's been uphill since then. Huge thanks to them! Managed to link with some other producers and got some major label placements as well. Now I'm plotting on my next moves.
Futuremag Music: What was the process you went through to develop your sound?
ARKTKT: A lot of the honing process happened at Berklee, that was like a dojo forreal. Prior to that I would just imitate who I was listening to at the time. Dilla, Kanye, Timbaland and Pharrell were all I listened to in High School. Then in college I was exposed to so many different kinds of music from around the world. That exposure opened up my mind to experimentation... I think my senior year at Berklee was when I can officially say I "found" my sound.
Futuremag Music: What went into the production process of 'Step Aside'? What was your favourite part of writing the track?
ARKTKT: I've been bumping baile funk for a few years now, love the style. Wanted to finally experiment with it on some solo material. I'm pretty happy with how it came out haha. My favourite part of making this track would have to be when I arrived at the bridge. I was stuck on that bit for a while. Then I found this patch and it started to come together in an instant. Lyrics flowed out as well. I didn't feel like sending the tune out to a bunch of the singer homies so I just recorded the bridge myself.
Futuremag Music: What does the future hold for the ARKTKT project?
ARKTKT: I'm definitely looking forward to dropping this Anima.exe EP soon. I've got some more singles/collaborations in the clip as well. Stay tuned.
Futuremag Music: To wrap it up, if 'ARKTKT' was a cocktail, what would be in it to best describe yourself and your music?
ARKTKT: Hmm...Whiskey for the soul, Ginger Beer for that feel-good, and lime juice to add some bite to the mix. Drink responsibly.