Melodic Machinations -Lyrically Speaking : Slighter

Monday 24 July 2023

Slighter

Although routinely collaborating with other musicians, Dark Electronic act Slighter is primarily a solo act. He describes himself more as a brand than a band and the project as an “umbrella that holds under it my musical ideas”. Slighter started in music as a kid eventually gravitating towards electronic music as a teenager in the 90s. Exposure to 90s acts that were exploring what a lot of pundits and trainspotters termed Progressive music in the time of Electronic Dance music, like Underworld, Leftfield and Fluke, resulted in Slighter realizing that “darker voices like my own, could fit inside Dance tracks.” This in turn inspired Slighter into bringing vocals into his work.

The reason for choosing the performance name Slighter was, according to the musician, “The typography of the word ‘SLIGHTER’ just really popped for me. There’s no real story or anything, it wasn’t a nickname but just a name I could adopt that stood out to me. And again, I liked the way it looks.”

When asked about his style Slighter explains ”Im not sure I define myself by a particular style” He describes his music as having cinematic tones and a cultivated atmosphere. Slighter admits “I really enjoy exploring that side of electronic music. I’ve always gravitated towards darker and moody vibes and that translates across the majority of my work as Slighter.”

When it comes to songwriting Slighter admits he isn’t really interested in telling stories or projecting messages but mostly it’s a form of self-expression for him. Believing that the best art is interpreted by the audience, Slighter says “I write songs that mean something to me, or as catharsis.” He believes that the timeless connection that music provides with an audience comes with writing songs about humans and the human condition.

After attending CALARTS for graphic design came the realization for Slighter that music would become his long-term career. His abilities in graphic design have helped shape the aesthetic and image of his albums and music.

To stay inspired musically and grow as an artist Slighter is a fan of music and enjoys listening to artists that push the boundaries and surpass genre trappings. Slighter considers growth as an artist a journey and says “ I don’t think of my creativity reaching a point where it will stop growing. I’m looking at things differently and trying to make sense of myself through artistic expression.”

Wanting Slighter as a project to come across to the audience as art and not a person or persona Slighter does not engage heavily in social media, resolving instead that “if there is something I feel I want to connect with my listeners about, I’ll make a note of it.” Not sure yet how Slighter might evolve in the future he explains “I’m not really sure yet. I am fresh off the album which took up all my creative bandwidth for the last year or so. I’ll get back to you on that! I will say I’d love to do more remixes; those are always fun to do.”

For those unfamiliar but curious about listening to the music of Slighter he says “If you like the darker and moody side of electronic music, I’m your guy!