Meet Temporex

(Interview by Ashley Flamenco)

Meet Temporex: he’s a 17 year old solo artist from San Diego who makes chill music with catchy (sort of) electro-pop beats. His work is probably best listened to on a cloudy day and it’s something that anyone who’s experiencing heartbreak or ever feeling a bit lonely can totally relate to.

Last weekend, I got the chance to chat with him about his favorite artists, his hilarious side project (Tony Splendid), what inspired his album “Care” and what elicited him to begin writing music.

Quick Qs:

What are some artists you’ve been listening to lately?

Definitely King Krule–both King Krule and his Archy Marshall project. And Sean Nicholas Savage; I really like his older albums like “Other Life” and “Bermuda Waterfall.” Oh and Puma Blue.

What’s your dream festival lineup?

Okay, so I think I’d like to have Tyler, The Creator as the headliner and I’d give him his own stage to decorate and stuff. Same with King Krule and I’d also have Connan Mockasin, The Garden, Mild High Club, Rex Orange County, Nick Hakim and maybe even Soft Hair if Connan is willing to play the set–that would be so amazing. If there were no money restrictions, I’d want to help everyone decorate their stage–that would be so cool.

What’s your favorite Tyler, The Creator song?

Off of his recent album, I really like “Foreword,” “See You Again” and “November.” I cried a whole bunch, three individual times, when I first listened to “November.” I really can’t choose one though, I have at least three favorites off of each album, I think.

Who would you love to collab with?

Honestly, I don’t know. I’m really working on my own sound right now and trying to get more experience for my own solo project. So I really don’t have an answer to that. Maybe Lil B; I want to produce for him, that would be pretty funny.

Do you have any interests besides music?

Yeah, I’m actually going to college for graphic design. I also want to be able to design clothes, pillow cases, furniture and weird things like that. I’m capable of making stuff, it’s just producing a lot of clothes and being able to ship them everywhere, that’s kind of difficult for me. I still gotta figure some stuff out. I’ve also been trying to teach myself animation and it’s a struggle but hopefully I put out a video or something soon.

(Drawing by Temporex)

Actual Qs:

What is it about artists like Tyler, The Creator and King Krule that you idolize?

Tyler is capable of doing everything and anything he can think of pretty much. For me, having that type of freedom would feel amazing, especially having millions of people support literally everything you do. With Archy, he can pretty much morph his style into any genre. He released a song under Return of Pimp Shrimp and it’s almost disco-ey in a sense; that song’s amazing and it’s nothing like what he does on his King Krule project or “A New Place 2 Drown.” He went from making semi-dark guitar music to writing like lounge/house music? I think. But either way, it’s amazing.

What types of emotions do you hope to evoke in your listeners through your work?

I don’t really go for any emotion, but I hope that whatever I write can help other people know that they’re not alone in a certain situation and that there are probably hundreds of other people that feel the way they do. So if anything, I’d like people to feel comfort or happiness. But I might go with emotion for my next project. I don’t really know yet.

When and how did you find your passion for music?

I remember I heard some songs by Jerry Paper and I’d listened to “Cherry Bomb” (by Tyler, The Creator) a bunch and I loved the songs so much that I just really wanted to try it on my own to see if I could make anything but I couldn’t and for some reason I kept trying hahaha. And then I wrote “Care.”

How did you start making music? From what I’ve read (and what you’ve implied), you didn’t have much musical experience when you first began so was it difficult to come up with stuff or do you think you picked everything up pretty quickly? And where did you start?

Well, I took drum lessons when I was younger but I don’t think I could play a real drum set now. I think that taught me rhythm and tempo or something, but I think when it came to keys, I watched a bunch of YouTube videos and learned chords that way. Early on, I sort of taught myself by trying to cover some songs and then really badly failing and then I’d just turn my mistakes into something and that would just be it. But I really have no idea how I picked up piano that quick; I think it just was all that I did for at least six months, maybe a year.

I’ve been listening to Tony Splendid lately (by the way, I love his lyrics, they really made me crack up) and I know he’s meant to be a joke but I was wondering if this side project began as a result of trying to create Temporex songs?

Hahahaha. They started as a joke and then I created a whole persona around it. I’d make really terrible tracks and I’d rap over them like a cocky SoundCloud rapper. I really only showed them to my friends at first but then I decided to release a whole album of it because it was really fun and refreshing to make. I’m surprised that people are actually listening to him.

What music related goals do you hope to achieve within the months to come?

I really want to start working on an album or at least have a song to start with that I’m happy with. Writing has been tough lately because I haven’t been very inspired and I’m kind of over my own personal style. Nothing feels good enough for my own personal standards; having something that I’m happy with would be cool. And I really want to make friends with other artists like the twins from The Garden or King Krule. They all seem so cool, I want to hang out with them even though I’d be awkward and shaky.

If you don’t mind me asking, is there a specific person you wrote the album “Care” about or does it have to do with multiple experiences with love and/or relationships?

It’s about multiple experiences where the person who I was seeing was confused or just kind of mean?? I guess. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain but I used to have crushes on some stupid dummies. Thank god for my girlfriend though, she’s amazing.

What’s your favorite track of yours and why?

I really like “Okay,” I think it’s because I can relate to it the most now since I’m going to be moving to a place where it’ll be harder to see my girlfriend. But the strings and everything in that song are so nice. It was really refreshing to make because I’d never made a song using guitar before and I’d like to continue using it, I just need to learn how to play better.

Do you have any upcoming shows?

Unfortunately, no. I’m getting ready to move up to Valencia next weekend. I don’t think I’ll have any shows anytime soon but you’ll definitely know about them.

Any advice for young aspiring musicians out there?

Make sure to do your best to sound like yourself. Don’t make what you think people want you to make. There’s an ear for everything.

You said that you’re trying to work on a new project. Are you able to give us a description of this project or how it may be different from “Care” or is it still too early to tell?

I’m trying to push myself towards working on a new album but right now, I’m still trying to learn more in preparation for it. When it’s complete (and when I start), I’m hoping it will blow everyone away, including myself. It’s going to have way more complex compositions. I’m tired of looping, and maybe if I do a really good job, everyone who hears it will say “Oh shit, WHAT? This is Temporex? Oh man.” When I release it, I’m gonna try to release a music video along with a single too. But that’s me thinking too far ahead, who knows if I’ll ever even be able to start it.

Lastly, is there anything you want to discuss that I didn’t bring up or do you have any final thoughts?

Hmmm…I don’t think so. Thank you for this, this was nice!!

Haha thanks for letting me interview you!