Image Cred: Not Issacs Media
It’s always fun when a remix brings something new to the table without tossing out what made the original work. That’s what dwelyr pulls off on his take of “De Leon,” reworking Discognition’s original with a sharper low-end focus, subtle restraint, and a few clever details that make the whole thing feel wider and more deliberate. The remix premiered on our SoundCloud last week and quickly found its way into more than a few inboxes and private DJ folders—so now felt like the right time to get the full interview up.
What follows is a conversation with dwelyr that leans more toward the real-life habits behind finishing music than the technical breakdowns we usually run. He gets into how he protects his creative time with a 9-5-style boundary, how stepping outside or bringing his partner in to listen reshapes his perspective on a track, and how he’s had to learn the hard way that over-engineered rituals tend to backfire.
The full remix is live on our SoundCloud if you haven’t heard it yet.
What dwelyr shares here echoes something a lot of working producers eventually admit to themselves: the pressure to stay creatively “on” all the time doesn’t hold up. You learn to work when you can, rest when you should, and leave space for the better ideas to surface.
Is there anything you do that helps flip the switch into work mode?
As someone who’s been doing music full time since 2020, I’ve had to figure out what works for me in terms of work / life / creative balance. The biggest help has been keeping a fairly strict 9-5 schedule, and not doing un-creative or client work outside of those hours. Of course, in a creative space such as music, the line where work ends and fun begins is a tough one to draw, so there are times where my passion projects find their way into my regular work day, and other times where I’m feeling really inspired outside of work hours.
Ultimately, I try to let it flow naturally within the schedule I’ve set for myself – anything too rigid is a surefire way to kill creativity.
What actually helps you reset when you’re scattered or overthinking things?
Taking breaks is super necessary. If you force yourself to work on something when the creative spark isn’t there, the results aren’t going to be good. Also, your ears get tired very easily – there are times where I’m working on something, thinking it sounds great, and I return the next day to realize that I hate it. When that happens, I take it as a cue to put the project to the side for as long as I need to, be it a day, a week, or even a month or two. When I naturally find myself gravitating back to the project, that’s when I know the creative spark has returned and I’ll be able to put down some meaningful ideas.
Have you found any habits that help you finish things—not just get started?
I’m big into giving feedback, and not the vague “the drop needs to be more interesting” kind of feedback. I’ve learned that applying this intensely critical feedback to my own productions is the best way to see a clear path to completion. I’ll usually “A&R” my own tracks, and write up a “to-do” list so that I can knock out each item sequentially. The tough part is trying to listen without bias.
I’ll often bring my fiancee into the studio to listen to a track, asking her for feedback, when what I really want is to experience the track through her ears as a first-time listener. There’s something about having someone else in the room that completely changes my listening experience, causes me to be more critical, and hear things that I otherwise might’ve missed.
Of course any suggestions she brings are much appreciated as well, but ultimately it’s the simple presence of another person that helps the most.
Are there any physical cues—lighting, smells, gear setup—that help you drop into a creative headspace?
I definitely have some lights set up, and tend to enjoy setting them to a moodier vibe during the later hours if I’m feeling inspired. The biggest thing recently, though, has been enjoying the outdoors.
My studio has a door leading to a balcony with a decent view of the mountains, so on good weather days, I’ve been opening up the door and letting the breeze in. It’s certainly helped relax me during some of the more stressful sessions!
Do routines help you stay focused, or do they get in the way?
A little bit of both for me. As I mentioned before, I like to let things flow freely, especially with my passion projects. When it comes to client work and un-creative stuff, that’s when a rigid schedule is helpful so that I can be sure to get everything done on time.
There are times, though, where I can feel the creative spark coming on, and I have to put my scheduled work to the side in order to take full advantage of the inspiration.
Ever try to force a ritual that ended up being kind of pointless?
I went through that phase, as I’m sure everyone has. There’s no shortage of gurus that tout their “keys to success” and rigid structure to bring in results. This has never worked for me, and I’ve also seen many of my friends succumb to burnout and self-doubt due to these regimens. It may work for some people, but it certainly doesn’t work for everyone, and it can be tough to accept that when you’re constantly hearing about how hard and often you need to work.
The most important thing for me, mentally, is allowing myself to take breaks and keep the creativity flowing freely. It’ll come when it comes, and until then, I’ll do something else with my time.
When you’re fully locked in, what’s usually different about that moment—and can you get there on purpose?
To answer the first part of the question, there’s just an incredibly strong desire to be in the studio. I’ll usually end up getting whatever track I’m working on stuck in my head for days. I’ll go to bed with it stuck, I’ll wake up with it stuck, it’ll be there throughout the day, and it’ll be nearly impossible to keep myself from working on it. For the second part of the question, the short answer is not really. It’s something that just happens, whether I try to make it happen or not (and usually trying makes it take longer!)
Sometimes I have weeks or months where I don’t write anything worthwhile, and then I’ll have a week or two where I’m pumping out a track a day. There’s really no in-between, and no rhyme or reason to it. Perhaps I’m unique in that regard, but it’s what’s been working for me.
The post PREMIERE: Discognition – De Leon (dwelyr Remix) [Magnetic Magazine Recordings] appeared first on Magnetic Magazine.