Two music producers who happened on each other by chance, and by chance they connected, and then both happened to release some of their most personal and strongest work a week apart. Like a zoom convo they had before when just getting to know each other, they decided to sit down and record themselves talking about the albums they just released, and managed to capture an honest look at the two producers relating over their soundtracking of family.

Support the artists by purchasing these albums at:
 
https://illpoetic.bandcamp.com/album/portfolio-i-as-serious-as-your-life

https://mediumzach.bandcamp.com/album/bad-by-myself 

They're also streaming everywhere music is available online.

Follow @mediumzach on IG/Twitter, and check out mediumzach.com for videos, news, merch, etc.

Follow @illpoetic513 on IG/Twitter, and check out illpoetic.com to stay up to date on everything he has going on!

Soundtracking Family: Medium Zach & ill poetic interview each other about their albums.

From the new EP "Valued Input" (2014) - produced by Medium Zach.
Featuring MaLLy, Metasota, & Slug (of Atmosphere).

Stream/Download Here: https://soundcloud.com/mediumzach/sets/valuedinput1

More Than Superman ft. Slug (of Atmosphere)

Live In Color ft. MaLLy

Upward ft. Metasota

Free Download Here: https://mediumzach.bandcamp.com/album/best-friend-remix-instrumental

Produced by Medium Zach

Mastered by Alec Ness

I was 10 when the first Brandy album dropped in '95. Like many, I was captivated by her sound. This funny story I've carried through my life is I actually wrote a letter to the fan club address listed inside the CD.

Later, I received in the mail this 8x10 black and white glossy photo, signed "Much Love, Brandy", right as the show Moesha was about to premiere, so it says Moesha on it. This is one of only two autographs I've ever received, and still have.

Then decades later, in 2019, my friend & artist Tish Jones came by the studio because we were talking about doing some work and she had an idea about doing something with Brandy's "Best Friend" song & concept, and right away, we we're able to share our love for that era and music. So, of course, I was game.

This might've been one of the first times where I listened to a song, figured out a couple of the chords, rearranged, and reinterpreted it into something completely new. Kind of opened up a door for how I can make music that night, and it has since inspired the direction I've been heading more recently, diving more into playing instruments, but trying to keep the aesthetic of sample based music.

The beat started to collect dust, and then I wondered "would Brandy actually sound good on this?" So I synced up the vocals, touched up everything, and once I listened back - I definitely felt like that funny, creative, fifth grade Latino kid stuck in rural Minnesota who was dreaming big, would be proud if he heard this today.

It's been a fun journey. I appreciate you joining in on the ride.

Brandy - Best Friend (Medium Zach Remix)

from @BigQuarters' album "Party Like A Young Commie"
available on iTunes & http://bigquarters.bandcamp.com

produced by medium zach

Piano - Paul Collier
Live Drums, Electric Guitar, & Bass - Arit Harvanko
Vocals - Mankwe Ndosi

When The Head Connects With The Body

every week.
new beat
made on
the spot.
broken
down for
you in clips.

#beatstory

catch the newest episodes on instagram or snapchat 
via the author @mediumzach

episode twelve

episode fourteen

episode sixteen

Download + Stems

Problem Solver

Turn Down

feeling the weight of everyday, knowing our time here is so short, inspires me to give my #allatonce.

new single by me. a piece of me i’ve wanted to share with you all for awhile. ✌🏽❤️

📷: much appreciation for my friend @cameratom who helped bring this visual idea to life.

All at Once

Engine

lyrics written & performed by I Self Devine (C. Mkali)
produced & engineered by Medium Zach (Z. Bagaason)

cover art: 
"Universal Solidarity" (2020)
painting by José Parlá
joseparla.com | instagram.com/joseparla



"The Disruptor Suite" is one of many creative reflections from democracy TBD, a series of scenario planning working groups designed to help the Democracy Fund keep pace with the rapid and unpredictable changes to social, political, and economic systems. Democracy Fund wanted to start thinking through how the current pandemic, racial unrest, and election concerns might spark a cycle of disruption and reorganization. Which aspects of our democratic system might prove more resilient, and which might be fundamentally altered.   This working group consisting of architects, professors, journalist, organizers, urban planners, strategists, futurists, artists, policy directors, and researchers were led by Democracy Fund, Dot Connector studio, and 8 bridges workshop in two facilitated discussion sessions.   The first session was around events that could trigger systems level disruptions. Participants picked a disruptor to think and imagine across the STEEP+C sectors which is looking at the possible intended/ unintended negative and positive impacts of a disruptor from a Societal, Technological, Environmental, Economic, Political, and Creative lens.   In the second session there was reflection on the potential impact of a given disruptive event using the Democracy Funds Healthy Democracy Framework. The disruptor chosen for this song was defunding the police state. The soundscape created by Medium Zach is a suite consisting of six parts capturing all of the elements of the STEEP+C sectors. This song was done in the spirit of Gang Starr’s “I’m the Man”, and “Speak Ya Clout”  .

Medium Zach

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