Coming from an extensive education in cinematic sound design and music engineering, Stereo_IMG (Patrick Haggart), has been gathering his knowledge over the last two decades and is continuously challenging and defining himself in the world of sound. His disciplinary self taught approaches are also behind his drive to discover the road less travelled in the world of electronic music production.

MiLLENNiAL caught up with Stereo_IMG to learn more about what inspires his music and what he has prepared for this year’s MUTEK.

What is signature about your music?

Half the time I am making dark industrial Techno and the other half I am making more ambient experimental music. Sometimes the two blend together and I feel like that middle ground is the Stereo_IMG sound. An other element that is signature is in the process, I make electronic music using very few synthesizers. I like to capture sound using microphones and manipulating them to sound electronic. This makes the sounds infinitely richer, unique and raw.

What is your relationship to Montreal? (i.e. do you live here, have you moved here, did you used to live here)

I was born in Montreal, but I grew up in Vancouver. Once I graduated from sound design in film school I knew it was time to move to Montreal where the music scene is thriving. There is so much going on in Montreal at all times it’s hard to keep up. What I love though is that the music scene is very inclusive, there’s room for everyone and this city is littered with tallent. Also the pace here fascinates me. The dynamic of switching from slow paced hibernation of winters to the fast paced frantic need to party in the summer makes it the perfect place to breed creativity. 

Name your three favorite sounds.

1. I am really in love with the sounds that emanate from glass. It’s extremely musical even though so few instruments are made of it.

2. Electro magnetic fields. Every electronic device creates them and with a special microphone you can listen to these fields. It’s a super trippy hidden world of sound.

3. The kick drum in every shape way or form. It’s the basis of so much electronic music and it’s just so primal and effective.

Which genre of electronic music do you most identify with and how do you see it changing over the next few years?

My favorite label that’s been put on my music is “Fringe Techno”. My hope for the future of techno is that producers keep looking to push the genre into the future as it was always intended to sound like instead of recycling the same old drum machine and synth sounds. 

What excites you about performing at MUTEK and what can we expect from your set?

It is very exciting to me to have a place to present more out of the box ideas and to have an environment where electronic music can be viewed more as a fine art. I have been attending MUTEK since I moved to Montreal 5 years ago and every year since then it has been the greatest source of inspiration for not just me but many musicians in the scene. I am super honoured to finally be able to contribute to this festival. 

To learn more about Stereo_IMG or catch his set at MUTEK, be sure to follow him on Facebook & Instagram.