Hailing from Southern California, we’ve recently seen the rise of one particular artist; Wes Pierce. While Wes is from San Diego, CA, he has spent his life becoming well-traveled and educated while constantly using his platform to channel the emotions of culture around the world from his own lens. This style of interpretation and curation is a diamond in the rough; giving the ability to shine and provide a light on the depths of emotion and life that listeners feel and experience every day.
Through a series of releases and shows with Insomniac, Space Yacht, and Nervous Records, we’ve received so many tracks and sets from Wes Pierce this year so far. This is just the beginning of a long and stellar career from Wes.
Read through the interview with Wes Pierce below:
INTERVIEW
Allison: What inspired you to traverse into the genre of UKG & house music?
Wes: This is such a fun question to answer. I had been unknowingly listening to Garage for several years before I technically discovered what it was. Always makes me chuckle. I’ve been a huge fan of Disclosure since discovering dance music to begin with and during COVID, I watched Guy [Lawrence] produce on stream for that first solid year. I went to Icon Collective right after that, which is where it all sort of clicked. That’s when Garage was defined to me as a genre. I had a friend show me all this music that was classified under “NUKG” and “UKG”. I never looked back.
At the time I was making all kinds of music, but I was right out of the military, going to Icon on my GI bill, soul searching I guess. I was introduced to the tiniest spectrum of UK dance music and it changed my life. I started listening to tons of UK dance music, not just garage. It was like finding treasure lol. From then on I was living and breathing everything I could find. It’s hard when you’re on the other side of the world, but we have the internet, and if you really want to learn about something, you can find it.
A: Can you walk us through your creative process when you’re producing music music that evokes such strong emotions and connections? Do you channel any of your own emotions and experiences into composure?
W: Ok I gotta say, I always make what I feel. I always tell a story even if it’s not apparent. I overly conceptualize everything, like, re-imagine yourself in a place and make music you think would be there. At this point I would go and find some ambient recording of rain in Japan lmao. But seriously, I only put out music that comes from a place of true sincerity. It’s not even mine, it’s an idea that was floating around, I happened to pick it up and put it in tangible form because I been grinding in Ableton for years. Even still, it’s never perfect. but the point is, we get blessed with ideas, and as musicians/artists/storytellers/you name it, we get to transcribe that idea in a DAW and bring it to a speaker system or headphones.
A: How has traveling abroad influenced your perspective on the music industry and on the individual culture within garage & house music?
W: It’s definitely broadened it. Dance culture is a lot different there and to see it from afar is one thing. If you have the ability to go to place and seek out a type of music that isn’t as accessible back home I think it’s invaluable to take the leap, even if it’s alone. It definitely changed my life once again and reaffirmed my love for UK dance music and how fancy free the culture is. Especially on the garage side.
A: What advice would you give to aspiring musicians or producers who want to incorporate travel into their creative process?
Prioritize it. It’s the difference between imagining and experiencing something. If it’s between an out-of-state festival or something like that, set the money aside and make that trip to England, Europe, Japan!! I know it’s easier said than done but you can always go in the off months like winter for example and still find what you’re looking for.
W: Lastly, what can fans and listeners be excited about in the future? What is next for you to look forward to from listeners?
Well from here I’m steady releasing, more gigs as well. Safe to say that if you are at EDC this year, pull up to the Dunkin’ House on Sunday at 8pm! Proper UK tunes and a bunch of fun unreleased stuff. Super stoked to make the festival debut at EDC. Never been. Gonna be one for the books.
Stay connected with Wes Pierce:
Soundcloud | Instagram | Spotify
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