About
Kase Avila has long been a cornerstone of the Sydney music scene; his brand of ebullient and soulful beats have been filling dancefloors and bedrooms of hip-hop heads for the better part of a decade. In 2019 he released his first ever LP 'Soul Calibre', a project that also marked his debut on renowned label Low Key Source. His latest project 'Minerva' signifies Kase's continuing ambition to preserve the purism of hip-hop while simultaneously pushing its boundaries with one kick, snare, and key at a time. Kase is also a prominent figure in the streetwear scene in Australia, being one of the founding members of the renowned CAPSULE Store.
Q&A with Kase
- What inspires your creativity?
- My family and friends. I am very blessed to have an amazing cast of people around me. They have a positive aura that also oozes a tonne of creativity. It's hard not to be inspired when I am constantly surrounded by it on a daily basis.
- Music is only one part of your creative outlet. What are the other things that get you up in the morning?
- I have a strong passion for anything related to design. I love taking photographs, particularly in editorial fashion. I currently help a couple of friends who run small retail businesses with their editorial content. I also have a degree in Industrial Design and dabble in a bit of design in my spare time. I love basketball and sneakers and sometimes combine both in my own art. I've been known to draw a couple of sneakers here and there as well!
- What are some important lessons you've learnt in your music career thus far?
- To be true and genuine and to be careful about ‘trends'. It's easy to latch on to what is popular but people can easily see through it. Your passion and hard work will generally outshine everything else.
- What's one thing you would like people to take away from your style?
- To have fun. Once it doesn't get fun is it even worth it any more?
- Do you have any creative mentors or someone who has influenced your work?
- The biggest inspiration for me is a hip hop producer named J-Dilla. He was a pioneer for that boom-bap 90's hip hop style. He was an innovator and influential when it came to sampling. His drum programming, chord progressios and basslines were on a different level. He was so ahead of his time and is somebody that everybody still tries to mimic and aspire to.
- Any advice for up and coming music producers?
- To trust the process and to be patient. Don't be phased about not being heard and not getting the attention you think you deserve. Have clear intentions. Are you doing it for yourself? Or are you doing it for the props? Most importantly, don't rely on social media to give you satisfaction. The only person you need to validate your work is yourself.
- When you first saw the Alpha 7C, what was your first impression?
- The form was something to behold. The size combined with the two-tone finish was something that drew me in straight away. It had a sense of nostalgia with an ode to classic point-and-shoot bodies but then had all the new digital full-frame capabilities that blew my mind.
- Is there a feature of the Alpha 7C that is going to benefit your photography?
- The size! It's a little pocket rocket. I can tuck it into the pouch pocket in my hoodie and carry it around everywhere without it being obtrusive. The autofocus, particularly in video, will also help me when I'm making my music videos for social media as well. It's a must-have for those who dabble in multiple creative fields.
