Name: Benjamin Malka aka Onelight
Nationality: French
Occupation: Producer, DJ
Current release: Onelight's "Feel Like God" featuring Brook Baili is out now.
Recommendations: Ableton Live is obvious. Fabfilter Pro-Q 3 is a must too! Also a Microkorg can be your best friend for real!

If you enjoyed this Onelight interview and would like to stay up to date with his music, visit him on Instagram, Facebook, bandcamp, and Soundcloud.

The views of society towards technology are subject to constant change. How would you describe yours?

I feel that technology is more and more in the center of society nowadays. Although we can live without it (somehow), it seems that it's quite everywhere and clearly affects the way we behave as humans. In a good and a bad way.

I grew up in the 90s with the rise of the first home computers, video games and mobile phones. I have always been geeky, although nowadays it is all moving very fast.

What I always say is that we have to be in control of technologies and it should not be the other way around. Otherwise it can be a real issue.

What are currently your creative goals and how are technologies helping you reach them?

My goal is to make the best music I can, enjoy it and be proud of it. Crafting my own style and sound is probably the most difficult thing to do but that's also the goal on top of everything.

Clearly without modern technologies I would not be able to do what I do. So I'm being very thankful for that. If you have ideas today, modern software and music tools can allow you to do everything you want.

How and for what reasons has your music set-up evolved over the years and what are currently some of the most important pieces of gear and software for you?

Honestly the evolution of software has been tremendous. My set up is overall the same since I started music production in 2015.

Ableton Live is the key for me, with a Korg synth, alongside digital synthetizers like SERUM, Jupiter, Korg M1 and more recently Fabfilter Pro-Q 3 for the mix part. I am always trying new pluggins and new things but my basic set up remains the same.

It always has to start with ideas though. According to me, without ideas, you can't do anything even with the best equipment on earth.

Have there been technologies which have profoundly influenced, changed or questioned the way you make music?

I would say Abbleton Live. It gives me so many opportunities. It is such a fantastic tool!

From my point of view, the three key factors which have driven music technology over the past decades are mobility, affordability, and (easy) usability. How important are these for your own work – and did I miss any?

I totally agree with these three points. That’s the reason why I started producing. Mobility because you can work from home a lot without having a big studio. Affordability of course. And usability makes things much easier and faster.

It always has to start with good ideas though.

Technology is usually associated with innovation and progress. Are these also important considerations for your music? What is the relation between innotative tools and "innovative music"?

The source of my inspirations is always linked to the latest music and the most innovative one. So it is indeed very important to me to constantly refresh my inspiration.

Although it's also very good to know the basics as my big brother always said to me. Sometimes I am quite amazed to go back and listen to artists like David Bowie or Riyuchi Sakamoto for instance, who were so innovative at their time and still relevant today.

Innovative tools to me are meant to help you create innovative music. This is the way!

Late producer SOPHIE said: “You have the possibility with electronic music to generate any texture, and any sound. So why would any musician want to limit themselves?” What's your take on that and the relevance of limitations in your set-up and process?

I am such a big fan of Sophie. She influenced me so much. My music would not be the same without her.

I totally agree with her! I just might need some more time to push things forward. Time would definitely be my biggest limitation.

The choice in creative tools can be overwhelming. Are there ways to deal with- and embrace this wealth and channel it to support your creative goals?

It is, most definitely! If I had to give any advice, I would say that what matters most is the creative idea you have in the first place. Once you have it clearly, you can move forward.

I guess it's good to go to the most simple way to start. A computer, a software like Ableton and a keyboard, and then the world is yours!

The sound sculpting capacities of current music technology are remarkable. So is the abundance of high-quality and ready-to-use samples. Which of these do you prefer and what does your process of working with them look like?

I’m clearely more into sound sculpting That’s how you can create your own identity.

Samples are indeed interesting but they should not be the center of your art. If I use one, the goal has always been to make it my own. Twisting it as much as possible. Adding some effects, reverbs in order to change the whole color of it.

Within a digital working environment, it is possible to compile huge archives of ideas for later use. Tell me a bit about your strategies of building such an archive and how you put these ideas and sketches to use.

I always make a visual moodboard before starting a song. Then I collect some songs or snippets of these I like related to my idea. And then I go to the studio.

I try to be very effective when I have an idea. So I don’t have a lot of sketches and archives. It's all in my head otherwise.

In many of our 15 Questions interviews, artists have emphasised the happy accidents as a result of human imperfections and unreliable machines. What's your view on this and how does an element of surprise enter your productions?

I totally agree.You have to leave the door open to imperfection because perfection doesn’t exist anyway.

Production tools can already suggest compositional ideas on their own. How much of your music is based on concepts and ideas you had before entering the studio, how much of it is triggered by equipment, software and apps?

90% of my music is based on concepts and ideas I have before going to the studio.

Sometimes the limitation is due the different type of sounds I want to blend and how much it's connected to my sound and vision. In order to make it relevant with my universe. Because I always want to blend musical genres.

To some, the advent of AI and 'intelligent' composing tools offers potential for machines to contribute to the creative process. What are your hopes, fears, expectations and possible concrete plans in this regard?

I have mixed feelings about AI but my engeeners are telling me about it more and more. Seems like it can be a very good tool if you have the right vision for it. It can also help you to go faster in the process I guess.

Not to be placed in the wrong hands though.

Technology has continually taken on more steps of the compositional process and "creative" tasks. From your point of view, where does "technology" end and "creativity" begin?

They have to be combined all the way for the best result!

If you could make a wish for the future – what are developments in tools/instruments you would like to see and hear?

Maybe something that combines everything all at once. Which is already the case a little bit.

Every tool than can help you create with precision what you had in mind in the first place is always something I’m down for!