Following the release of their latest single, “Modern Tragedy,” featuring Julia Church, Los Angeles electronic DJ trio Cheat Codes sits with Variance's Ethan Ijumba to discuss their journey of transitioning to self-releasing music and the creative freedom it brings. The trio also discusses working remotely with artists like Julia Church, and shares their excitement for upcoming milestones, including a new live show and more music releases. From experimenting with new genres and reflecting on a decade-long career, Cheat Codes continues to push creative boundaries while staying true to its dynamic sound. Be sure to scroll below to read the full interview, and listen to “Modern Tragedy” on all digital streaming platforms.
Ethan Ijumba: So recently, you guys have transitioned to self-releasing your music. How has the experience been in comparison of releasing music independently compared to your past work?
Matt Russell: It's a lot more work, but creatively getting your hands dirty in every aspect of the release is a good feeling. You’re essentially running a little company, and all the execution falls on you. So there's definitely pros and cons. But it's a good learning experience to see behind the curtain. We also started the group self-releasing records, so I think there's excitement about that as well.
EI: You've collaborated with a wide range of artists across different genres. Is there a specific musical direction or style you’d like to explore or experiment with in the future?
Trevor Dahl: Definitely going for more of a euphoric sound at the moment, but we don’t like to put ourselves in boxes. We collaborate a lot so many times just combining their sound with ours creates some unexpected ideas we wouldn’t have expected. With modern tragedy, we were aiming to make something that would sound perfect in a movie soundtrack, the ending climax, but also something that could work in a club setting. We’ve been testing it out on the road for a few months now.
EI: Your latest single features Durban-born and London-based, platinum-selling artist Julia Church. What was the collaboration process like with her when working together?
KEVI: She’s super sweet; we’ve been communicating through the internet, sending files back and forth. We’ve even been filming a little video for the song, she was in the UK, and we were in Italy, so it will be interesting how everything comes together. But doing things remotely is always a challenge we’re up for, especially when they’re such amazing artists.
EI: Aside from that, as a group, what would you consider your next major milestone or accomplishment? Is there something specific you're aiming to achieve?
TD: We just love creating, and we’re blessed to have been able to do that professionally for over ten years now; as a group, we’re best friends, so it's such a fun situation to be in. We feel like thats an accomplishment within itself. We have a new live show with new visuals we’re working on and at least 12 more songs coming your way. It could turn into an album, but we’re not quite sure yet.
EI: When approaching artists who haven’t previously worked in dance or electronic music, how do you tailor the creative process? Do you find a BPM or production style that suits them, or do you look for a melody or verse that complements their vocal range?
TD: Yeah, I would say the latter. Building the song around the vocals is usually the first thing we try. A lot of artists in different genres are surprised by how they sound in dance BPMs, and most vocals can be sped up and still sound great and fresh, but we never force anything.
EI: Speaking of experimentation with different genres, your last album, One Night in Nashville, featured collaborations with several country artists. Are there any other genres you're planning to explore for upcoming projects?
MR: We haven’t worked with any K-pop artists; that would be cool, I think it would be a pretty seamless transition.