Chymera “Vertigo”

If you travel among the techno circles, it’s likely you’ve already heard the name Chymera. For those who don’t, Brendan Gregoriy is the Irish-born, Berlin-based producer behind the moniker that has been causing a splash through his electronica-leaning productions, killer DJs sessions and sensational live sets. He’s gearing up to put out a full-length through John Beltran’s Dada Records under a new ambient alias, Merrin Karras. But before his new project drops, Chymera sweeps in with his debut for My Favorite Robot, which sees Gregoriy handing over a stunning four-track EP, Other Worlds, to the Canadian imprint.

Taking up the second spot is “Vertigo,” and in true Chymera fashion, it’s a cinematically inclined slice of artistry. Clocking in at eight minutes, dizzying synth lines and shiny stabs disrupt your equilibrium, while climatic arpeggiations make you feel like the world is whirling around you. I’d label this one as the ideal sunrise set selection, or simply a great way to start your day.

Available May 11 via My Favorite Robot.

Was there one particular moment in the recording or mixing process of this track that made you feel as though you were creating something pretty damn special?
I get that moment with a lot of music I make. While I’m making it, it sounds like the best thing in the world. Unfortunately, the next day when I listen to what I’ve made, I realize it’s a piece of crap. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case with this one.

How do you measure the success of a track?
There’s three ways of measuring the success of a track:
1. What it means to you
2. What it means to others
3. What avenues it opens for you

From a personal viewpoint, some of my favorite tracks I’ve ever made have had little or no impact on others. And some of the tracks that I don’t care about so much have been big tracks for other people. There’s a cross-section between them all, and I would say that “Pump,” released on Cocoon in 2010, is one of my own personal favorites that others also like a lot. It got me a lot of gigs, and a lot of people that I respect like and played it, too. I never get sick of playing it in my sets, and I still get questions about it.

Creatively, how did the work on this track stack up to previous studio sessions? Was this more challenging to complete than others?
It came together quite quickly and effortlessly, actually. I start every track the same way. It’s just firing ideas out in the studio and hoping that something will stick. Some days are better than others. On a good day, the initial hook of the track will come together really quickly. On a bad day, I’ll be banging my head off the keyboard for a few hours and nothing happens. Fortunately, this came about on a good day.

I started with the bassline—if I recall correctly, I played it using Ableton Push. At first, I had lots of reverb and delays on the bass; it was sounding quite grungy and muffled, in a good way. But I took them all off, and it worked a bit better in the mix. All the other elements came together quite quickly. I knew I wanted to use drum machine percussion and simple patterns. And I wanted some synthy elements, so I added the stabs and pad. I think the whole thing was finished in a few hours. The mixdown and arrangement, though, took a few months. I played it out in my live sets a lot and then made some minor tweaks until I nailed it. It wasn’t any more challenging than others to complete.

What’s your favorite sound/synth/effect/etc. used here?
The bassline is from my Vermona Mono Lancet and is the main hook; I modulate the filter and release throughout the whole track. I use it in my live sets and in my studio. It’s such a versatile synth, considering it’s so simple. The company is also great to deal with. I highly recommend it

Have you played this one out in any of your sets? If so, what was the response?
Yes, I’ve played it in most of my live sets in the past few months since I made it, usually as an opening track. The response has always been great, from the moment I tease the bassline in. I knew I was onto a winner.

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