How about starting with a little introduction, tell us about yourself!
My name is Israel Suttles, and I am a music producer and DJ using the stage name HOLYLAND. I grew up in the Washington D.C. area, where I began playing percussion/drums when I was 10 years old, but I knew that I wanted to do more with music.
When did you start making music? What was your main motivation?
I had been listening to electronic dance music for years and, when I was 16, my friend introduced me to the world of electronic music production. I quickly fell in love with the process and the sounds that I could create using only my laptop. I started to deep dive into the way that some of my favorite artists created their masterpieces. For example I would pay attention to how Avicci created Levels and Without You. I tried to replicate the way he, and others, worked. It has now been 7 years since I started producing music, and I can now replicate some of my favorite dance hits. It taught me a lot about music production and gave me the groundwork on how to make my own remixes and original work.
I started producing music 7 years ago as a hobby because I found the experience to be enjoyable. The actual process of designing the sounds and arranging the songs is extremely therapeutic. It's like a puzzle where I have to figure out where all the pieces fit together so that the finished track sounds the best it can. Now, on top of still enjoying the process, I want to give listeners music they can dance to and, especially, music that THEY enjoy listening to. Knowing that people do listen to my tracks and that they enjoy them, is all the motivation I need.
What software and tools are you using to create your songs? Which part do you enjoy the most during the creation process?
When I began producing 7 years ago, I started on Garageband, the program that came with my Apple laptop. I quickly reached my cap for creativity and what I could make using it, so I upgraded to Logic Pro X, which is Apple's professional software. I use many plugins, but my main plugin for sound design is Xfer's Serum. I use Serum to create the vast majority of the synths and basses, and other sounds, like guitars and plucks that I use.
My favorite part of creating a song... is the whole thing! From first opening up a blank new Logic project, to the finished mixed and mastered track, the whole process is great. Sometimes I do not know what a new project is going to sound like until a certain moment of clarity, where everything clicks together and I realize what the track is going to be and how it will sound. That moment of clarity is always special because I now have a vision in my head of what I want the song to be and how to get there.
Is there something currently in the making? Can you tell us more about it?
I am currently working on several original tracks that I hope people will vibe with and enjoy. I have been working on a song titled Light Comes Up. It is about the idea and feeling of opening up to, and falling in love with, someone over a short period of time. It will be released this Friday, the 27th!
What are your future plans, in let's say 3-5 years ahead?
Looking ahead to the future, I want to grow my fanbase. I have released several remixes recently that have done very well on SoundCloud (my remix of Swedish House Mafia's Heaven Takes You Home has racked up over 21,000 listens), and I want to capitalize on that with original music. Like I said earlier, I am producing several original songs that will be released in the near future. In the next 3-5 years I have three goals. Complete and release my debut album, be signed to a label, and go on tour. However, my biggest career goal is just to keep creating music that people enjoy! My motto is Just Vibes, because all I want is for people to vibe with my music.
