Interview: CASTLEBEAT on his latest album, his record label and more
To kickstart our new flagship project, we and Keiko caught up with West Coast-based indie-pop sensation Josh Hwang (aka CASTLEBEAT) to discuss his musical journey. An avid pioneer in the lo-fi scene, Josh also established his own independent record label, Spirit Goth, promoting new talent. As of now, he has released 3 albums, the most recent one being ‘Melodrama’ (released October 2020). Josh shares his experiences of being an independent musician and gives advice to anyone wanting to pursue a career in music.
1. What is the meaning behind the name CASTLEBEAT?
I don’t think there’s a specific meaning behind the name, it just came to me one day. I wanted to start a lo-fi dream pop project backed by retro drum machines so I think that’s where the “beat” part came from. Castles are kind of vintage so I thought it fit well.
2. Have you always wanted to make indie music? Who were your favourite artists growing up?
I started playing guitar in high school & didn’t get into writing music until a few years after. Once I discovered Garageband on my laptop, I got obsessed with trying to write/record indie rock. Growing up I listened to all kinds of music, it wasn’t until late high school I started listening to “lo-fi indie” music artists like Wavves, Beach Fossils, FIDLAR & classic artists like Joy Division, The Cure, The Chameleons.
3. You established your record label ‘Spirit Goth’ back in 2016, what would you say has been the most rewarding and challenging aspects of setting up an indie-label?
The most challenging part about starting an indie label is getting that initial momentum to start growing. Back when I was starting out, I would curate playlists featuring different indie artists. This was an easy way to get some traction for the label & sometimes talk with the artists we feature. This is how I connected with Vansire probably back around 2016 or so.
The most rewarding aspect of the label is being able to help other indie artists spread their music. Now that we have a bit of a following, it’s a lot easier for us to get results for our artists & keep new music flowing for our listeners.
4. I love your music video for ‘I Follow’; I’m sure you know about the remake video created by ‘i’m cyborg but that’s ok’ (a YouTube channel that combines vintage film snippets with indie music). What are your thoughts on the video? Do you think it fits with your original vision for the song or does it offer a different perspective?
I think it’s a great video edit & for some reason it’s become a main CASTLEBEAT discovery point because of the amount of views. The fun roller skating vibe from the video lends itself well to the song & I think people get some type of nostalgic feeling from it that’s hard to describe. (Edit: the remake video includes a roller-skating scene from 1991 romantic comedy film ‘Career Opportunities’, starring Jennifer Connelly and Frank Whaley.)
5. What is the sentiment behind the song ‘Falling Forward’? I associated a lot of personal memories (and Twin Peaks of course!) with it but am curious about the original story behind the song.
There’s no specific meaning to the song as goes with most of my songs, but I think I just wanted to create a dreamy feeling like the start of a new relationship.
6. When you are producing new music do you have a set writing schedule, or is the entire process quite experimental in terms of writing whenever you feel inspired?
There’s no schedule, but I do try to sit down and write songs as much as I can. Mostly just rough melody/hook snippets that I’ll later decide if there’s potential build into a song.
7. As an indie-musician, what advice would you give to artists who are currently struggling because of the ongoing pandemic? Has the pandemic affected your creative process, and if so how?
I think musicians can get caught up in all the tiny details and make less progress as a result. I’ve learned it’s important to go with your gut and move quickly when writing/mixing. It helps keep things fresh and creative. Because of the pandemic, I’ve been at home more and I guess haven’t maybe been experiencing “normal” life as much to draw inspiration from.
8. What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?
I like watching cheesy Korean dramas. (Edit: WHICH ONE!???)
9. What artists are you currently listening to?
Wham.
10. What are your plans for 2021, will you be releasing any new visuals for your latest album ‘Melodrama’?
No plans for videos or anything like that, I kind of just want to focus on music. Currently I’m putting together new music & moving on to what’s next.
To end our first ever article on Medium, we’ve just discovered a little secret for you — Josh shares the same zodiac sign as Kitti (our little Pusheen)!
If you enjoyed reading this article, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram — we share song recommendations, track reviews, concert videos and more! Special thanks to CASTLEBEAT and his team and Keiko for making this happen.
