We sat down with mysterious Dutch producer SUBFICTION who has released his third EP, we_glitch / error_1312 via On Track / SUBFICTION. The two-track EP consists of previously-released ‘we_glitch’, which premiered via Electronic Groove, and a new belter titled ‘error_1312’. Since the project’s inception in 2022, the year in which he notably played an official after-show for Ross From Friends, the elusive SUBFICTION has been making waves in the music industry with no signs of slowing down. He has toured the Netherlands alongside De Likt and legendary traveling festival The Popronde as 3voor12 talent, and performed at festivals like Grasnapolsky, Motel Mozaïque and Eendracht Festival, as well as many underground clubs. Unstoppable, in January 2024 the veil-draped maestro participated in Eurosonic Noorderslag and was awarded the number 12 of best acts by 3voor12.
Listen to the EP & read the interview below…
Hi. Tell us why you like to conceal your identity.
It’s about the music, not about a person. Anonymity provides focus, but sometimes it’s quite lonely underneath the veil.
Define a successful day in your eyes.
Enjoying a calm breeze underneath my veil and making weird blips with my music toys.
What made you decide to pursue a musical career?
Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life. This in-between life is the one to explore for me.
What would you be doing as a career if you never pursued music?
Animating glitchy 3D visuals or gardening.
If you were going to film a music video for the we_glitch/error 1312 project, what would it look like?
There is a video clip based on reactive image shaders:
Pros and cons of the industry from your perspective?
Pro: Freedom of being independent
Con: It sometimes feels like a Tom & Jerry ratrace
What were some of the most influential albums on your creative outlook and output?
Selected Ambient Works 85-92 by Aphex Twin
Untrue by Burial
What key pieces of gear/software do you use to define your sound?
MPE synths, Elektron distortion stomp box, Ableton’s beat repeat and a ’86 Ford Mustang.
What’s your “secret sauce?” What makes your sound stand out?
Unexpected arrangements and parallel SUB bass distortion.
How do you prepare yourself mentally for performing or/and studio sessions?
Pigeon-like dancing and reading Rick Rubin’s backwards.
How has music production changed your outlook on life?
“I feel bad about my outlook, how I feel about people and society, and that I’ll never be part of society the way I should.” – Mike Tyson
Tell us about your upcoming releases or projects.
ENTER, my audiovisual debut album, will appear this fall. It interacts with a lot of musical genres and is accompanied by a system that let’s me control virtual 3D worlds via my synthesizers.
Follow SUBFICTION:
Website – Facebook – Soundcloud – TikTok – Youtube – Instagram – Spotify