MONKEYMEDLEY by SpaceMonkeys for IT

This time Collab of Souls has landed in Italy.......

Siamo vivi o no? Vivi o no! (Are we even alive? Alive or not!)

As is my habit, when someone approaches me, I don't hesitate to write about collabs...

I'm just wandering around SoundCloud and I noticed that someone started following me somewhere in Italy, so I play the first track in the selection... and BANG, my head exploded, it sounded like Control Machete :D. Absolutely brilliant, even though I didn't understand a word, I immediately wrote a message via Google Translate...

The guys agreed, choosing one of my older beats called "IT".

IT is one of my very introspective beats. So painful and healing at the same time... and maybe that's why SpaceMonkeys chose this beat...

In their presentation, it is exactly what the title says: something animalistic and instinctive is combined and mixed with the absolute universe and things that cannot be fully described....

Here's something about their work, cigarette smoke, and why their music is actually just one big cynical laugh before death.

1. How did SpaceMonkeys actually start? And why the name?

WeRa AKAI, StillRoom.art

They were born from a desire to join forces against the current, disgusting vision of art. The name combines a primitive instinct (monkey) with something abstract and astral (space).

• Authentic response: The project started in 2023, from the willingness to join our forces again, against the actual, disgusting human vision of art. we all individually had a "music life" for 20 years or more, but never really integrated in the music system, and don't have any intention to be part of it now. We just share the same vision of art and enjoy making it together, the meaning of the name is to put together something primitive and instinctive (the monkeys) with something abstract and astral, probably metaphysical (the space).

• CZ: The project started in 2023 out of a desire to rejoin our forces against the current, disgusting human vision of art. We have all individually had a “musical life” for 20 years or more, but we have never really integrated into the music system and we have no intention of being part of it now. We just share the same vision of art and enjoy creating together. The meaning of the name is to bring together something primitive and instinctive (monkey) with something abstract and astral, probably metaphysical (the universe).

2. How do you create together – do you share roles or do you do everything as a team?

They are all rappers and producers, but Scissor is the main musical director.

Nabla and Tabonimous are voices, but they are completely free in their creations and switch roles.

• Authentic response: We are all rappers and producers but in this project the music direction and the production of the beats is for the 90% in the sharp hands of Scissor, Nabla and Tabonimous are the voices of the SpaceMonkeys, but in some episodes we also have Scissor on the microphone, Tabonimous or Nabla on the beat production, we are very free in the creation of the songs, we don't set limits or schemes.

• CZ: We are all rappers and producers, but in this project, the musical direction and beat production is 90% in Scissor's sharp hands.

• Nabla and Tabonimous are the voices of SpaceMonkeys, but in some episodes we also have Scissor on the mic, Tabonimouse or Nabla producing beats. We are very free in songwriting, we don't set limits or patterns.

3. What inspires you the most when making music – people, moments, emotions, or other artists?

Long discussions about everything from albums to movies. There's always something that turns on the switch for a new track.

• Authentic response: Usually, there is a discussion on every topic. We daily share our influences or impressions about this or that topic/album/movie/you name it, and we start talking for hours about that. And suddenly one of us claims something that triggers the switch for a new track.

• CZ: There's usually a discussion about every topic. We share our influences or impressions about this or that topic/album/movie/fill in the blanks daily and we start talking about it for hours. And suddenly one of us says something that triggers the switch for a new track.

4. When you first heard my beat/melody, what did you feel or imagine?

• Authentic response: something bittersweet. more bitter than sweet

• EN: Something bittersweet. More bitter than sweet.

5. How do you see music today – as a message, an experiment, or something in between?

Like a private moment that you end up sharing. Authenticity is more than what is being sold.

• Authentic response: A private moment, to share with someone eventually. We are aware of what music we like versus what sells. At this point in our lives, we convey that authenticity is the best we can give to ourselves and the few who care about our tunes.

• CZ: A private moment that we finally share with someone. We are aware of what music we like versus what sells. At this point in our lives, we communicate that authenticity is the best thing we can give ourselves and the few people who care about our melodies.

6. What does your creative process look like – calm or chaos?

Everyone has a different style, from constant flow to methodical study of metrics to playing with a sampler.

• Authentic response: We have a different approach to creativity. Tabonimous is in a constant flow state. Every rough verse comes from him, and many rhymes contain vivid images of a moment. Nabla takes the most methodical approach; every wait is worth it. There's constant research in the lexicon and the metric study. Scissor could fit in the middle. He spends a lot of time preparing templates, and when he feels inspired, he turns on the sampler or anything else and starts playing.

• CZ: We have a different approach to creation. Tabonimous is in a constant state of flow. Every rough verse comes from him and many rhymes contain vivid images of the moment. Nabla takes the most methodical approach; every wait is worth it. There is constant research into the lexicon and studying metrics. Scissor could fit in the middle. He spends a lot of time preparing templates, and when he feels inspired, he turns on a sampler or whatever and starts playing.

7. Do you have a favorite place or time when you like to create?

Nabla creates alone at night, Tabonimous where he can smoke, and Scissor with a laptop and headphones whenever he has free time.

• Authentic response: Nabla wrote in the night, in a barely lit room, alone. Pen, paper and killer beats (and beer). Tabonimous writes wherever he can smoke a lot of cigarettes. Scissor composes during different free times moments (in the afternoon or at late night) mostly with laptop and headphones. He tends to record any idea and then put everything in order on the sequencer

• EN: Nabla writes at night, in a barely lit room, alone. Pen, paper and killer beats (and beer). Tabonimous writes wherever he can smoke a lot of cigarettes. Scissor composes during various free moments (afternoons or late at night), usually with a laptop and headphones. He tends to record any idea and then arrange everything in a sequencer.

8. What does collaboration mean to you – musically and personally?

It can be both a joy and a pain. They keep their "monkey core" and collaborate with people who have similar tastes.

• Authentic response: Like any human interaction, collaboration can be joyful and a source of growth or it can be annihilating and annoying, we are happy in our simian core, we like to collaborate with artists who share our taste and our background but always maintaining our simian flavor.

• CZ: Like any human interaction, collaboration can be joyful and a source of growth, or it can be draining and annoying. We are happy in our simian core, we like to collaborate with artists who share our tastes and our backgrounds, but we always retain our simian flavor.

9. If your music could talk, what would it say?

That their lyrics are a cynical view of the world and a big laugh before death.

• Authentic response: In fact, our music speaks, and speaks too much! To put it briefly, let's say that our lyrics are a cynical look at today's world, a big laugh before death.

• CZ: In fact, our music speaks, and speaks too much! To put it briefly, let's say that our lyrics are a cynical view of today's world, a big laugh before death.

10. And finally, what is the biggest lesson music has taught you so far?

• Authentic response: Do not compromise!

Link to SOUNDCLOUD https://soundcloud.com/weraakai/monkeymedley

Link to SpaceMonkeys

https://soundcloud.com/spacemonkeysera