We sit down with Jean Vayat and Artaria, the dynamic Ukrainian duo behind Afterthat. Fresh off the release of their debut ‘Spread Your Wings’ EP on their newly founded label, The Book of Genesis Records, they share their journey from individual artists to a powerful collaborative force.
With influences ranging from classic rock to modern electronic giants like Skrillex, and a mission to create beyond the constraints of commercial rules, Afterthat is set to make waves in the electronic music scene. Join us as they delve into their inspirations, their creative process, and what’s next for this exciting project.
Stream and get your copy of the ‘Spread Your Wings’ EP here.
EG: Hi, Jean Vayat and Artaria, welcome to EG! Could you tell us a bit about yourselves and how Afterthat came to be?
Afterthat: Thanks for the invite. Each of us is an individual: Artaria and Jean Vayat. We’ve been close friends for a long time, sharing a studio where we’ve supported and inspired each other in our musical journeys. Over time, our collaboration naturally evolved as we produced numerous tracks together. Recognizing the potential of our partnership, we decided to channel our collective creativity into something greater than the sum of our separate talents.
EG: Your debut release, ‘Spread Your Wings’ EP, just came out. What inspired the creation of this EP, and what do you hope listeners take away from it?
Afterthat: This release is an experiment, a combination of our genres. In our humble opinion, listeners will catch a symbiosis of indie dance with progressive house and captivating vocals from Evelynka.
EG: Evelynka’s captivating voice is featured on your EP. How did this collaboration come about, and what did Evelynka bring to the tracks that made them special?
Afterthat: This is the story of a perfect match. It’s not our first collaboration and not the last one. Evelynka is a very talented artist, and we love working with her. Whenever she has the inspiration and shares her vocals with us, we tend to create something unique. She has a beautiful, captivating voice, and we know how to complement it with the music.
EG: Cherry provided a remix for ‘Spread Your Wings’ EP. How did you decide on Cherry for the remix, and how do you feel the remix enhances the original tracks?
Afterthat: Cherry is our old friend; we’ve always admired his style, sense of rhythm, and the slightly darker side of his music. We were thrilled to collaborate with him and see how the remix turned out. He uncovered our idea from another perspective in a darker, more aggressive, melodic way. Brilliant work!
“There are so many rules in this industry that create many obstacles for producers”
EG: The Book of Genesis Records is known for exploring deep electronic sounds and guiding listeners through a musical journey. How does this inspire your music-making and selection process for the label?
Afterthat: There are so many rules in this industry that create many obstacles for producers. Despite all the commercial rules, we want to make something interesting for listeners and allow others to develop and be heard.
EG: What can we expect next from Afterthat? Can you share any upcoming releases or projects with us?
Afterthat: A lot of work has been done, and even more is coming our way. New releases are not far off; we will share details at the right time. For now, we want to focus on our debut EP and thank our listeners for their support.
EG: What trends or changes are you most excited about in today’s electronic music landscape?
Afterthat: The electronic music landscape is volatile. What we see now is that it tends to have more melodic sounds. Even dark sounds are becoming more melodic, and vocals are used more often. Everyone is tired of the heavy sound.
EG: Who are some of your musical influences within electronic music and beyond?
Afterthat: That’s an excellent question! For Artaria, it would be old rock music like Scorpions, AC/DC, and Led Zeppelin. He always finds inspiration in old classics. With electronic music, Skrillex is very inspiring. As for Jean Vayat, he tends to seek inspiration from the old music he loved to listen to during his youth.
EG: Finally, what is your favorite track at the moment?
Afterthat: We love many tracks more than others, but we cannot define just one.
EG: Thank you so much for your time! We’re excited about Afterthat and look forward to hearing more from you.
Afterthat: Thank you for having us!
Stream and get your copy of ‘Spread Your Wings’ here.
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