Kantor Shares History, Reflects Back On The Year, And Shares Future Plans [Interview]
Posted by VMan on December 21, 2018
The artist formerly known as 5 & A Dime generated considerable clout. Having released a number of mashups, remixes, and originals, the artist obtained the support of The Chainsokers, DJ Snake, Tiesto, Bauuer, and many more. In pursuit of creative growth, he underwent a massive rebrand, emerging as Kantor. With a fresh sound and live shows featuring his custom-configured dance pads, Kantor aims to push the needle forward in the industry.
You have been making music for most of the last decade, in what ways have the industry shifted or evolved from an artist’s positions?
Kantor: The industry has been following technology in my opinion. Not only in regards to the style – more synthesized sounds in music – but in regards to the frequency and speed in which music comes out. Technology revolves around a principle called Moore’s law, in which technology either doubles in speed, halves in price, or halves in size every 18 to 24 months. When I first entered the industry, artists would release an album every year or two and a single every few months. Now, it’s the standard to release a song no less than every month, with an EP or two every year. Not only has the frequency of releases increased, but the overall sonic quality of music, specifically electronic, has exponentially grown. From an artist’s position, the amount of saturation in the industry has become more and more dense, and I believe it will only continue.
For new dance music fans, how big were the mashup days and how far did it take you as an artist?
Kantor: I would say the “mashup days” were between 2008 to 2014. It took me quite far, all the way to touring with Kendrick Lamar and Steve Aoki in 2013. I knew, however, that creating mashups was nothing but a pipe dream in regards to longevity, and that unless I could express myself through original content that there would be no chance of me fulfilling my dreams. I could have continued touring and made a name for myself that would eventually dwindle away or I could create something that had real lasting power, which is why I decided to take a step back from mashups all together and focus on original productions.
What were some stand-out artists or records to you?
Kantor: Between 2010 to now, there have been a lot of artists who broke the mold of what was the “standard”. To name a handful I’d have to say for the older tracks, Dog Blood’s “Middle Finger”, Jack Ü’s “Take Ü There”, Bassnectar’s “Bass Head”, Knife Party’s “Sleaze”, and for the newer tracks, Shadient’s “Collider”, eclipse & jaron’s “lunar”, PEEKABOO & G-Rex’s “Babatunde”, and 1788-L & Blanke’s “D E S T I N Y”.
You perform your hand-built DDR-inspired launch pad on stage, is there a lot of pressure with that experience?
Kantor: Yeah there is, especially the first time around. But, with practice, comes confidence. I feel a lot less pressure with performing on the DDR launchpad than I used to due to training constantly (it’s a pretty intense workout!) and fixing some bugs I had to deal with. Every time I perform on the DDR launchpad I gain a little more experience and confidence in front of a crowd. All in all, the more I perform on it the more it feels natural like riding a bike. It’s definitely the most intense performance I can give and I expect it to continue to grow as an entertaining experience for not only myself but more importantly the audience.
What are your plans for 2019?
Kantor: I have a ton of releases lined up for 2019, already planning new DDR launchpad videos, and I expect to be playing quite a number of shows. 2019 should be the year that I take the DDR pads on the road!
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