INTERVIEW | Amirali Discusses New Album ‘Trial & Error,’ Evolving Creatively, & More

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Many artists may ask themselves, why am I creating music? For Amirali, who’s just recently released his first full body of work in over eight years, those reasons have changed. His album Trial & Error has a very different vibe than his previous, club-focused 2012 project, In Time. The creative evolution, he says, is just a natural part of being an artist.

Not only did we very much enjoy the new sound, but we were intrigued about the path that led him from In Time to Trial & Error. Today, Amirali’s music features more elaborate rhythms and compositions instead of the four-to-the-floor club grooves from years passed. We were able to sit down with Amirali to discuss his growth and how he’s been living differently in 2020.

Check out our conversation with Amirali below, as well as the stream to the new album. Enjoy!

Amirali – Trial & Error

Current favorite artists: Oneohtrix Point Never, Kelly Moran, Sarah Davachi, Arca, Nicolas Jaar
Most recent Google search: Teiresias
Favorite studio session snack: I usually drink tea when I’m working and most of the times I forget to eat as time passes quickly during the sessions.
Favorite quarantine pastime: Definitely cooking, it’s a hobby of mine and I do it whenever I want to lift my spirits, it’s very therapeutic. I also managed to write and finish 2 of the key tracks of the album during the quarantine.

Congrats on a brilliant new album release with Trial & Error. What does that title meant to you exactly? 

Thank you. I didn’t have a dynamic setup in the studio as I was constantly changing things around, trying different routings and techniques to compose these pieces, it was basically a trial & error process, sometimes things worked and sometimes they didn’t.

We enjoyed this album as much as your previous project back in 2012, In Time. How have you changed as an artist in that 8 year span? 

As an artist, you tend to evolve from time to time otherwise there’s really no point of pursuing it, at least that’s my attitude towards being a creative. My mentality towards music has changed quite a bit; I think 8 years ago I made music to impress first and love second but now it’s the opposite. I think my latest work demonstrates a much more evolved, mature and sonically sophisticated artistic statement on a completely new production level. A little bit less like a record you would create in your bedroom.

At what point during those 8 years did you begin working on Trial & Error?

The oldest track on this album was made back in 2015, and the reason it took some time to finish this record was because of the shift from making club music to what you are listening to on the new album, which introduces a completely different environment. I still enjoy playing in clubs but my heart has slightly shifted towards live settings. Who knows maybe I’ll go back to making club records one day; I mean if people can dance to my music that’s great but if they can’t that’s also fine.

This project seems to focus more on breakbeat drum patterns this time around. What prompted that shift in direction? 

It wasn’t really a conscious decision. I would just get bored very quickly if I stick to one way of working or one style of music, it just doesn’t work for me like that; there’s no rulebook when I’m in the studio and I’m inspired by so many different types of music that I’ve been listening to since I was very young.

What is one of your fondest memories while working on this album? 

I changed 3 continents to finish this album; it was partially recorded in Canada, Iran and the UK. Moving my studio from one place to another could be one of the highlights during those years, although it wasn’t always a pleasant experience.

What’s the best way to listen to Trial & Error?

In a dark setting with a proper sound system, no phone or laptop speakers.

If you could play a set at any location in the world, where would it be?

I’ve been wanting to do a show in Tehran, where I was born and raised until I moved to Canada when I was a teenager – I was actually considering it last year, but then a lot of things happened in the country recently that I decided to put a hold on it for now.

Pretend for a moment that coronavirus has miraculously disappeared. What’s the first thing you’d do?

I would probably move away from the city life and go live somewhere in nature. I just can’t stand living in big cities anymore.