Like His Name Suggests, Light Year is Eons Ahead with the ‘Bell Trax' EP

By drawing influences from the past, Jordan Feller, known as Light Year, is redeveloping his sound through his new EP, Bell Trax. Feller says that the audial warmth found in vintage tape recordings inspires him and the EP's title track, "Bell Trax," is a clear expression of that infatuation. It's a neatly wrapped, infectiously melodic piece of techno. "I wrote the lead line with the very first synth I ever bought, a Korg Ms-2000," says the Australian producer. "Honestly, it's one of the most versatile pieces of gear I've ever used. I recommend it to everyone."

Feller attributes his musical alteration to a heightened awareness of other cultures. "I think where I've lived over the past few years has had a major influence on the Light Year sound. The project started in Sydney with the goal was to write music that would be effective in clubs in Sydney," he says. "Within twelve months, my partner and I were touring the USA and Europe. These places opened my eyes to so much music and culture, which matured my taste. That maturity over time has been pretty evident in my output. If you listen to those early EPs compared with the most recent releases, they sound worlds apart."

Bell Trax is Feller's third release on the Berlin imprint Exploited Records. "I have always followed Exploited. Years back, I sent them some music and they loved it," he says. Feller's former release, 2014's Never Know, was a release which saw him transition to subtler sounds. Bell Trax is similarly complex. "I wrote this EP when I returned home from living in the UK for 18 months, so there is a definite sonic influence coming through with the crunchy drum sounds and rolling house and techno grooves. I've also recently started working primarily with samples again," he says.

Along with his musical style, Feller has redefined his studio setup as well. "I tend to write better when I have a few pieces of gear and some nice monitors. However, having done this for a few years now, I firmly believe that all the gear in the world won't automatically result in amazing music. Endless knobs and sounds can sap creativity faster than anything else," he says.

By resulting to borrowed studio space, Feller has consequently returned to his roots. "I've started to primarily sample sounds, which is how I used to work when I first started writing music. I understand my creative process a lot more these days, so I recognize that these limitations actually allow me to work faster. I feel like my music has become a little more organic, too."

For those trying to establish themselves in the dance music world, Feller offers solid advice. "One of the most important aspects of making it these days is to have a clear plan and strong connections that can get your music heard by the right people. I let my taste dictate where I go with dance music and try not to be overwhelmed with what everyone else is doing or what hyped genre is currently trending," he says.

For the past six months, Feller has been residing in LA, lapping up life on the West Coast and performing throughout North America. "The scene over here is much better in general than people give it credit for," he admits.

Despite his retro equipment, Jordan Feller is proving himself to be light years ahead.

Bell Trax EP is out August 3rd on Exploited.

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