Interview with Led
If, before you leave? Out now on all platforms.
Participants: Izzy Izix, Luid Astute
Interviewer: Anthony Palumbo @anthonypalumbo_
Mixing Challenges [00:00]
Anthony: What was the hardest sound or mix decision to nail down?
Luid: In Watch You Cry, for me, the most promotable part where I'm yelling took us like five back-and-forths for him to get it right.
Izzy: Yeah, I don't really know how to mix his vocals like that. The way you want your vocals mixed, I don't always know that. Within the production process, I usually let you mix your vocals, and then all the other mixing happens through me.
Luid: You're very much a perfectionist and I hate that. But when it came to the yelling part, the part that made it so likable was how unprofessional it sounded. So for you, it was like an oxymoron.
Favorite Subtle Details [01:00]
Anthony: Okay, all right. That being said, what's one tiny detail that you love that nobody else would really think about?
Luid: For me, in the song Glisten, it's doing the least well in the EP, but it's my favorite. There's this part right before the chorus: "I fucked it up, yes I did." The way I scream that and the way it's mixed is so peculiar. Definitely my favorite part.
Izzy: Mine's also in Glisten. There's a synth part with three layers, kind of hard to hear, but it's blended really well. Also, in Watch You Cry and Where You Sleep, wherever there's a big dreamy soundscape, like the intros, there's always a sine wave sub anchoring it all.
Recording Techniques [02:00]
Anthony: What's one of the weirdest recording methods that you've used to get those sounds?
Luid: When I scream, I hold my body tight, standing up and bracing myself because it hurts my ribs so much every time. It's a weird habit. [laughs]
Izzy: Since the drums are VST, I use Addictive Drums 2. To get that shoegaze room sound, I set up a mic in the back of my room and record the drums being played on my speakers as a room mic layer. It adds realistic space and depth.
Go-To Gear [03:00]
Anthony: What are some of your favorite compressors, plugins, or pedals to use? Just overall equipment.
Izzy: I use AmpliTube as my amp sim. For reverb, I use the stock Studio One Open Air and all the FabFilter plugins like Pro-C2. I really like the Scheps Omni Channel Strip by Waves; it's one of my go-tos.
Growth and Experimentation [04:00]
Anthony: While working on this EP, did it teach you anything new skill-wise? Did you have to experiment more in certain areas?
Luid: In this EP, a lot of my older work didn’t use distortion and I didn’t yell as much. This one shifts from calmer, dreamy sounds to a more distorted, chaotic tone. That’s definitely something I’m leaning toward now.
Izzy: I learned so much about my production style. This EP took about six months from inception because I tried everything. Now that I’ve experimented with all the options, I actually know what I like and what sounds good.
Revamping the Old [05:00]
Anthony: Did any of the songs on this EP get reworked or reused?
Luid: Yeah, the song Organs. I recorded it in the summer of 2024. I wasn’t going through a breakup, but someone did me dirty. I made the song with a girl—very unrelated—but it came out a year later and found a good home on the EP.
Memorable Moments [06:00]
Anthony: What’s a moment from creating this EP that was unforgettable for you?
Izzy: I had a moment of euphoria when I realized I’d become good at mixing. Usually, I’d think, “What’s wrong with this?” But when I mixed Watch You Cry, I thought, “Wait, this sounds good.” That realization hit hard.
Luid: [laughs] When I was recording, my mom yelled from upstairs, “What the fuck are you doing?” She’s never heard me yell in my music. When I showed her the song, she actually liked it. I’ll never forget that.
Anthony: That’s a good feeling for sure.
Izzy: Listening to Glisten for the first time — that mix was insane. It felt emotional and complete.
Emotional Spectrum [07:00]
Anthony: It’s definitely a very emotional EP. What’s one emotion you haven’t figured out how to express yet?
Luid: Most of my songs are built around dread, agony, despair — I’m good at that. But I haven’t figured out how to write contentment or joy. I don’t know how yet, but it’s something I want to work on.
Future Direction [08:00]
Anthony: Where do we want to see Led’s sound go next after this? Another album, EP, singles?
Luid: We’re working on an album of my older work called Etirath. It’s stuff from 2023–24 that wasn’t produced the best, so I’m redoing it. Then we’ll do a completely original album. I also want to find new ideas since we’ve been reusing the same format, even if it’s still working.
Izzy: Yeah, I feel like Led’s always had an aura — mysterious but not personal. We’re trying to show more of your personality. Sonically, it’s heading toward pop punk with shoegaze influence — brighter tones, more major keys.
Visual and Concept Direction [09:00]
Anthony: Where do we see Led going from a visual standpoint? We want new sounds, but how will you display that?
Luid: The new album is going to be a concept project. I want to make a film about a ghost grieving a relationship with a part of himself he gave away. It’s going to explore identity and loss — basically a movie with music.
Izzy: I’ve been telling Luid to remake his old music forever. I’ve always loved it — it just needed better production. Now it’ll finally sound right.
Anthony: I love that. Anytime music and film combine, it’s magic. What does success look like at the end of all this?
Defining Success [10:00]
Luid: For me, success is being able to do music full time. I don’t care about being rich, just surviving off it. Making songs, recording, being around instruments — it’s pure bliss. That’s success: doing shows, traveling, living it.
Izzy: I agree. It’s about surviving through music and connecting with listeners who really understand what we make. Having people who hold meaning in your work — that’s true success.
Anthony: Couldn’t agree more. Anything else you guys want to share?
Luid: I think we’re good. That’s a wrap.