Transient Vortex

Malaysia's Transient Vortex are on a mission to take listeners to an altered state of consciousness.  Join us as we voyage into the musical ether with Sugs and Samlaleo of Transient Vortex. 

Hello there Transient Vortex, please introduce yourselves:
Hi! We're Sugu (a.k.a Sugs) and Samlaleo Singh.
 
Give us a brief musical history of you guys:
We're both from rock outfits previously - Sugs was in a band known as My Pet Alien whilst Sam was from Sean Olsens & electronica outfit Herb Vendors.

How did you come up with your name?  What does it mean exactly?
Sugs came up with the name.  when Sugs and Sam hooked up in Dec 2004, we were initially known as Mutant Pop Damage.  However, along the way, we somehow found that the name didnt quite suit us and the music coming from us was actually much deeper.  The name Transient Vortex was meant to symbolise something where we "take listeners to an altered state of conciousness".  It's like being placed beyond space and time or being taken into a vortex for as long as the music lasts.  I guess we eventually came to find that the name Transient Vortex suited the kind of music we produced very well, although people in Malaysia are still having probem with its pronounciation...
 
What's the battle plan?
The battle plan for us is to keep on producing good electronica.  Have nothing less than 10 hit singles in Malaysia and definitely abroad (in countries where electronica is received well such as UK, Germany...Europe etc).  Play as many gigs/shows 'till we both drop dead and ultimately become an outfit that is distinct in its sound and approach.  Like having a trademark to Transient Vortex, whilst always remaining humble about the whole thing... rather ambitious isn't it?

Who are your musical influences? 
Sugs is into - Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Tool, Kyuss, Depeche Mode (my gods), New Order, Howard Jones, A Ha, BT, Pendulum, Roni Size, Goldie, Nik Kershaw, Paul Van Dyk, Armin Van Bureen, Tears for Fears, Keane...

Samlaleo is into - similar stuff, but he's more into the spiritual realm of music - world music, folk music and artists including Talvin Singh, Transglobal Underground, Fink, Jenna G and Snow Patrol.
 
How would you describe your sound?
Raw, edgy, melodic and serene ... with breaks.... 
 
Let's talk set ups - what are you guys currently using?
We're both currently using HP Pavillion's TX1000 Sputnik Laptops.  We use a 8 channel mixer , a midi controller Axiom 25, a Yamaha CS2X.  Sequence the tracks with Ableton Live or Traktor DJ Studio.  Samlaleo does the sequencing whilst i filter and play the keys live.
 
Are there any messages you want to get across through your tunes?
Though its rather difiicult to convey our thoughts and emotions purely through music alone (without lyrics to assist usually unless its a vocal track) i guess right now, the message would be - we're trying to do what any other independent music acts are doing.  To get ourselves heard, exposed and appreciated.  Personally, i would want to to get across that there are no boundaries in maximising a talent that you have and it's no crime to let that talent be heard, known and ultimately be appreciated.

What are your vices? 
Hmmm...tricky.  We dont do drugs, thats certain.  Booze yes. Samlaleo is the drunkard (hahahaha!!) ...nehh...just kidding.  We drink during events/shows... but it's usually under control.  I guess our worst vice would be smoking!
 
What excites you guys?
Seeing people dance to our music and of course Jessica Alba excites us tremendously.
 
What does success mean to you?  Anything specific you want to achieve through music?
Success for us would be getting to a stage where Transient Vortex would be a household name kinda thing.  No more struggles for recognition. Our music being accepted and appreciated by the masses with no changes,alterations or giving in to something we dont wanna make musically just to get known.  For us success would be when or if someone ever came up to us and told us that we inspired him/her to make music.
 
How much of your shows are played live.  Be honest!  Further, how do you keep an electronic act visually appealing to an audience?
Most of the keys, filtering and melodies are played live.  The sequencing is usually for the drum parts and the basslines.  Pads,synths,strings and leads are usally played live. 

It is however a bit of a problem for us when it comes to 'keeping our music visually entertaining' as we havent got into live visuals at the moment - though we're working on it with some people.  Its usually just Sugs and Sam with our heads down, engrossed in our Laptops and putting all our energy into giving out our best performance -solely through our own music being played live.
 
Favourite gig so far?
The gig where Transient Vortex played to a live crowd of  about 7000 people (or more) during the new year's eve elebration at ONE UTAMA in Malaysia.  Dec 2005.  People were rocking to all the tracks off our debut album "Timelines Between Separation".
 
The perfect crowd is...
A crowd that digs every kind of music!  Especially ours.  That beats all the hassle doesn't it?!
 
What's your policy on groupies?
Would love to have them BUT these days, we're too engrossed with our daily lifes and our music.  We're usually quite focussed plus we're currently happily attached lads.
 
Any rituals you guys go through together before playign a show?
Yes - its a ritual for Sugs to be worried sick about my gear and the soundsystem.  whilst Samlaleo's ritual is to constantly calm me down...  
 
What bits of gear would be next on your shopping list?
The Andromeda synth, an electronic drum set and a MAC... and also a bloody good pair of monitors!!
 
What does breaking outside of Malaysia's music scene mean to you?
Right now breaking out of Malaysia is a great deal for us.  We're pretty focussed on that and somehow we feel that would be the only way to ensure Transient Vortex's survival in the electronic music industry.
 
Tell us about the Impulse event you guys are due to play.  What can fans expect?
We're all geared up and excited about the event to be honest.  The people can look forward to some new tracks - some hard drum & bass, and also a couple of vocal tracks with Syarul of Love Me Butch and possibly with Mc Vandal.  Also guitarist Rithan of Deja Voodoo Spells is a possible collaborator with us for the event.  We're gonna rock the house with some heavy and melodic stuff.
 
What's the best thing about your home town?
Theres good food everywhere!
 
And the worst?
Mat rempits!  Crazy and dumb  motorcyclist mother***k*rs!
 
Your favourite Asian bands (locally and regionally)? 
Love Me Butch, Cosmic Space Munkeys, B4C, China Red, Che-la-core, The Works, Seven Collar T-Shirt, and also Electrico from Singapore.

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Check out Transient Vortex on AMP and catch them live at Laundry Bar, KL for Junk's Impulse event on the 28th July.
 

Responses[2]

Posted by AMP Ed on July 12, 2007 3:24:15 PM HKT #

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RHEZNA   ( 11 months ago ) # hi... pelase vote me rhezna