“I am intrigued by new ideas and approaches to art,” says emerging experimental music producer and DJ, Tshego Nyatlo, a prominent element in the new beat scene in Johannesburg, South Africa. His simple setup includes the compact USB audio interface, iD14.
“The preamps are great and have improved the quality of my recordings”
Just as comfortable working with visual as well as audio media, Tshego is a professional visual artist and designer by day, yet goes by the name of Micr.Pluto (pronounced Micro Pluto) when switching to his ‘audio art’: producing hip-hop infused electronica. “My workflow fluctuates a lot since I am constantly trying out new things, so it’s a bit hard to pin down,” he explains, indicating that his creativity extends to his methods. “I usually start with recordings/collecting sounds which become the foundation of my compositions and try and build songs around those.
“The iD14 fits well into my process because it’s portable and I can record anywhere, but also great for my home studio because I prefer to mix my own music most of the time. My setup is made up of Midi Keyboard, MicroKorg Vocoder, AKAI MPK, Korg PadKontrol, Monotribe and Audient iD14 soundcard,” continues Tshego, and describes what he appreciates about the iD14. “The preamps are great and have improved the quality of my recordings (which I do a lot of) and the interface is also user friendly which makes the working process so much better.”
“The iD14 fits well into my process because it’s portable”
Motivated by “the thought of having an infinite world of creativity to explore”, he is justifiably proud of having played many of the major festivals in South Africa without compromising his music, and particularly loves the energy of the city he calls home, Johannesburg. “It is enough to make me wake up and want to contribute something to it.”
Working on a whole set of collaborations at the moment, Tshego is focusing on a new EP to be released in 2017, as well as a compilation for his newly established label ‘Subterranean Wavelength’, which he also describes as “collective movement of artists showcasing the Sub-Saharan African experimental music scene”.
“never limit creativity”
To get a feel for Micr.Pluto’s vibe, try listening to the lead single from his EP, Dead Rainbow: Broken Shadows ft. Michaela Kruger, and then go and find him all over the internet: Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud, Mixcloud and Bandcamp. There’s even a mesmerising official music video to watch on YouTube. “I put artistic value before most things and never limit creativity,” says Tshego. Highly commendable goals.
