Interview: Tim Maxey
November 21, 2017
Five years ago, in the fall of 2012, I found myself in one of the practice rooms in the music department at Morehouse College. A friend and I were practicing for a gig. He had mentioned that he met a piano player, a freshman, and he would be stopping by to jam. A few minuets later, in walks Tim, a tall, skinny, 18-year old from Chicago. We shook hands, introduced ourselves and got to the music. Later on, we talked about our love for Robert Glasper, Kanye West, Hip-Hop, playing in church and more. From the beginning, it was evident Tim’s ear was unique, and uncompromising — you could also tell he thought about music, and storytelling, in a multi-layered fashion.
Five years later, and Tim’s released his debut album, Baeland, a production album, that relies on a variety of techniques: vocal sampling, handcrafted synthesizers, and defying the constructs of genre. While much of music has become dominated by singles, Tim has opted to tell a larger story over the course of the album. I caught up with Tim to talk about his album, the commodification of music, overcoming fears, and much more. Here's our conversation:
Stanley: First off, congrats on releasing the album! It’s really good, and I enjoyed listening to it! What was your creative process like while making Baeland? How long did it take you to complete the album?
Tim: Thanks man. I’d say it took me 23 years to make it. I look at my work as a culmination of all my experiences. Logistically, though I’d say a few months. The process consisted of just meeting my own standard, and not considering what other people wanted to hear, as much as the type of music I genuinely like to hear. I also wanted to reference a lot of my influences and for artists that I wish to work with in the near future.
Stanley: The album is listed as “alternative” on Apple Music, but I’m sure it’s broader than that. How would you describe your sound?
Tim: Alternative is more of cultural statement. There isn’t one particular genre category that defines the entire project. Alternative is my way of saying it’s different than any other body of work that exists. I would describe my sound as sort of setting the atmosphere. People have said I create "worlds" and "settings'.
That was part of the reason why I called it Baeland as well. Regardless of the relationship/situationship its a whole vibe. There's different styles on the LP and I felt it unfair from one to the next to say they were all R&B/Soul or Hip Hop. If anything, they're sub genres. Alternative just seemed the most fitting of the iTunes, Spotify, Tidal etc. options. If I could customize it though I would call it Sub-Pop or something.
Stanley: Sub-Pop, I like that, it’s an interesting take on the fluidity of genres, and the social construction of sound. The instrumentation on the album, is this all you?
Tim: Yeah, every synth, piano, guitar and bass line. Some sounds I hand designed myself. You get bored using the same sounds other producers use, so I created my own sound palette. Songs like Ludes, Bloom…, and Grey Land, have some of these synths from my library.
Stanley: On “Woman” you use this really interesting clip of a professor talking about the science behind pop/popular music, in which they talk about why we like certain songs. What were you trying to convey with that clip?
Tim: It’s the reason why I put a barcode on the front. The album kinda rebels against current commercial appeal. I understand how to make “hits” but I rather experiment with hits than make similar vibes to stuff that exists.
The song is titled Woman, and there's an audio clip about commercial viability in music. I think they go hand in hand. She's describing commercial beauty, one of the largest social constructs we've placed on women in particular.
The cover art for Maxey's Baeland inspired by Mi-Sex's Computer Games
Stanley: What do you want listeners to take away from your Baeland?
Tim: Nothing in particular. I just want them to feel a wave of emotions. It can mean different things for different people. If anything I would like for them to continue with me as I grow as a composer.
You purchase Tim's album here. Also, follow Tim on Instagram!
