Ilko Birov is a multi-instrumentalist and singer, with whom we had the pleasure to work with some time ago. He grabbed us so much with his music and professionalism that we still set him as a good example in the studio. We invited Ilko to tell us more about himself and his love for music. In addition to exciting news for a new album and a list of favorite music, see what else he told us:

When did you start playing music and how did you decide to start?

I was in eighth grade when I started playing every day. It helped a lot that I had a guitar at home, too much free time, few friends and listened to a lot of music. Playing is one of the few things that still gives me the feeling that I'm doing something meaningful. 

 

What is music for you? What did she teach you?

I have always had an affinity for languages ​​and I consider music to be my favorite. It is the universal language with the most dialects. Music was the first thing I showed self-discipline about. And thanks to her, I realized that with consistency and perseverance you can only have good results - there are no shortcuts.

 

Who is your favorite artist or the one who has touched you the most? An album? A song?

Usually in answer to this question I give an improvised, thematic top 5 or top 10. So: 10 albums on existential themes (numbering is just a formality, they are all favorites):

10. Carrie and Lowell - Sufyan Stevens

09. For the Sake of the Song - Townes Van Zandt

08. Pink Moon - Nick Drake

07. Funeral - Arcade Fire

06. Slow Riot for Zero Canada - Godspeed You! Black Emperor

05. The Wall - Pink Floyd

04. Either / Or - Elliott Smith

03. The Sound of Perseverance - Death

02. How I Loved You - The Angels of Light

01. Joe’s Garage - Frank Zappa

 

What are you working on right now? A new project, single, album, other?

I'm currently working on a few things: writing music for a feature sci-fi film, arranging songs for a fellow composer's children's album, preparing songs for a new EP (coming out around mid-2021), rewriting the lyrics to one of the latest demos on my phone ( the song is called "Easy Rider") and I'm recording videos for a free video course called "Getting Started in the Guitar" (coming to my Youtube channel soon).

 

 

What inspires your work?

It is not something specific. I have many influences - musical and not, which in different ways find a place in my music. Lately, one of them is the painting of a Plovdiv artist, Strahil Penev, another is the duo Rene / Makaronov.

 

What is most important to you when choosing a recording studio?

In a sense, the recording studio is an instrument, just as an orchestra and the hall in which it plays are instruments. There is a close connection between a musical performance and the place where it takes place. Of course, the people who are there also have an influence on this. As the saying goes, people make the place.

 

How can working in a recording studio upgrade a song or an album?

In order to get a good music product, all the elements of the "production line" must be made of high quality. I've learned by trial and error that the story "we'll fix it in the mix" never ends well, especially if you don't have a clear idea in your head and haven't worked on it enough. In this sense, the recording process is like a piece of marble that you are expected to turn into something good.

 
Which phase of the recording and post-production is the most key to achieving a good end result?

All phases are equally important when striving for a good end result.
For example, one of the purposes of mixing is to separate the basic elements so that everyone can hear clearly and have a place in the mix. However, if it is composed / arranged shoddy, we will have an unnatural sound.
Many of these principles come from the time before we had sound recording, from classical music. One of the master composers who wrote about this is Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, in his book Principles of Orchestration.

 

What is the most memorable event you had in a recording studio?

Maybe the awkward silence after the producer in a studio played the drums he had added to his head (in a very different style) to one of my songs and told him it sounded awful.

It sounded awful!

 

What services does he use in Urban House Studio and what are your impressions?

In this studio we recorded and post-produced the album Happy. The whole experience was extremely positive for me and with two thumbs I recommend the place -. We were a team all the time and we worked on the same wave. After several failed attempts with the album in other studios, I finally found myself in the right place, so without Urban House, there would be no Happy.

 

 

What do you like most about Urban House Studio and why would you recommend it?

Without hesitation, I recommend Urban House Studio, because everything sounded great, and the attitude was personal and professional. One of the musicians - and a longtime collaborator who plays on my album, Konstantin Kuchev, recently released an album with Zora Koleva, recorded at Urban House.

 

What are your musical goals and dreams?

Some of my musical dreams are to compose for theater, for games, as well as to write music for other artists. One of my main goals is to keep playing music.