Bonsai – Rule Of Two EP + Interview

On March 18, 2021 by ocedm

Back on Steyoyoke are techno duo Bonsai with an entrancing and atmospheric EP titled “Rule of Two”. The three track set from the record label, which was founded in Berlin in 2012, also includes “Forward Unto Darkness” and “Ancient Home”. Ryan Hubert and Tim Glusko, who first started out in 2016, show their production skills with brooding soundscapes and spellbinding melodies.

Read on for an interview with Bonsai as they discuss how they met, how they linked up with Steyoyoke, and what the process was like in creating the EP!

What’s up Bonsai, appreciate you guys answering a few questions today! With everything that went on in 2020 (and still continuing to this day), how was the year for both of you?

The year was very interesting. On one hand we produced a lot; working on our craft everyday.  We were able to finish and release some music we are really proud of. We even have a couple of other releases set for later this year.

On the other hand it was really emotional, a lot of changes. Tim moved across the country to his new home in Los Angeles solidifying the home city of our Bonsai project. He moved here so we could be in the studio TOGETHER but the pandemic has really put a pause on that so our process hasn’t changed much yet. We both work full time jobs still, so we have to balance a lot. We are just ready to be playing shows and spreading love to club goers and music lovers.

With one of you from Los Angeles and the other from Washington, D.C., how did you two originally meet and decide to become a duo?

We were both in San Diego for a time, for similar reasons, and met at an Eric Prydz show of all places. We were in a similar social circle and ultimately bonded because of how “different” we were from most other people. We were at dance music shows to connect with like minded individuals and escape stressors of everyday life. Some people live to party, but to us, shows are our life force.

The Bonsai project was born out of sheer happenstance. Tim was moving BACK to Washington DC and wanted to save some money by bringing the club to our apartments. Less than one year in (2016) and we had already earned a finalist position in the “Awaken Ibiza” DJ competition. We started DJing together as best friends and realized we touched more people than we expected with our blend of ethereal soundscapes and emotional leads. Bonsai was born.

Your new “Rule of 2” EP is out now on Steyoyoke. How did you initially connect with the record label and decide to release with them?

Ah, yes, thank you! We are so PROUD of that record. You could say Steyoyoke runs in our blood. We have been huge fans of the Steyoyoke imprint for a long time, maybe 5 years or more. It is a label we had always dreamed of being a part of; it is a true “Artist’s Label”, very forward thinking, really high quality sounds. We had only been producing music for about a year or so, and finished the track “Rue Meslay” (also on Steyoyoke) with a talented producer friend of ours. We could only think of ONE label that fit its sounds. We held our breath and submitted the track through the demo email. We thought it was going to be rejected because we had heard stories of how particular the label is, but Soul Button and the rest of the A&R team loved it. From that point forward, we do everything we can for them. Steyoyoke and other labels like it are family oriented. Soul Button and his team signed us, the people behind Bonsai, not just the tracks. For us and our ideology, we have always searched for mentors, so reaching out and talking to artists and label heads comes naturally. We truly want to find a home not just a label to release on; more importantly than the music are the long lasting relationships you forge along the journey. We believe everything happens for a reason, and because of that we have really learned to trust the process. Our music always ends up where it belongs. Love, music, fate.

How long did the EP take from conception to the finished product? Were there any stumbling blocks or obstacles to overcome?

That’s a good question, the EP took a long time to start. We had submitted a few other EPs to the label that were not the right fit; there were maybe…12 tracks or more submitted to the label before the “Rule of Two” EP was accepted. Including all of those rejected submissions, it took all of 2020 to return to the label. Not including those rejected submissions, the EP, from start to finish, took about 6 months. We learned to really slow down and focus on each individual sound. That was a HUGE turning point for us and our music.

We finished “Ancient Home” first and struggled with cohesion on the next 2 tracks. We found that completing a full length EP for a top tier label was a much different process than a single. Creating cohesion was a really rewarding accomplishment we achieved in 2020.

Can you tell us what’s on the horizon for Bonsai in 2021?

Ah, well can’t say too much. We prefer to work quietly and let our work speak for us, but since this was so fun…we have a couple of other releases slated for this year, we are working on some EPs for 2022, and we hope to be playing more shows when it is safe to do so later in the year. There should be a BIG one in LA once the country opens back up. We have yet to play a BIG show in our NEW home city, and we are VERY excited at the prospect of that. Playing with some of our Steyoyoke Family will be pretty exciting too!

Favorite song of 2020: Soul Button – Awaken The Soul ft. Photographs (Nick Devon Remix)

Best track to play at peak time: Yotto – Nova (Original Mix)

Producer(s) and/or vocalist(s) you’d most like to work with: Nick Devon, Woo York, EarthLife, Agents of Time, Meg Myers, Delhia De France

Upcoming artist(s) to watch for in 2021: We are LOVING the music coming from Browncoat, Grammik, and Kalmer right now. We expect big things from them in 2021.

Check out Bonsai’s “Rule Of Two” EP below and give the guys a follow!

Bonsai – Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / SoundCloud

Buy / Stream

Bonsai – Rule Of Two EP Tracklist:

01. Bonsai – Forward Unto Darkness (Original Mix)
02. Bonsai – Rule Of Two (Original Mix)
03. Bonsai – Ancient Home (Original Mix)

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