Chris Bartels

Here&#39;s the thing. It&#39;s a mess. I&#39;m a mess. I write a lot of music. Under a lot of different names. I&#39;ve always been obsessed with music, and obsessed with making it. One week I can&#39;t stop listening to electronic-ambient, and that comes out in my <a href="spotify:artist:5vDfVxwAH8ANpuIKKxfOeq" data-name="Elskavon">Elskavon</a> project, which has been around the longest (since 2007-ish). The next, I&#39;m up in the indie-folks woods with <a href="spotify:artist:1wbQqpXNW8Li4GSLL1T5bQ" data-name="Dellwood">Dellwood</a>. Or I&#39;m back to my chillwave-fan roots, writing synthpop as <a href="spotify:artist:3IeaI931pLCF0gOhDKJyBX" data-name="Bora York">Bora York</a> or <a href="spotify:artist:46h4n1VSsQNg0Zy8HBrusM" data-name="Hi-Fi Cali">Hi-Fi Cali</a> or <a href="spotify:artist:5EM7ulvn7PYXKL8Nk2vB7t" data-name="Mantel Fox">Mantel Fox</a>. Or I&#39;m reliving my long poofy hair high school days where I blasted The Strokes &amp; Weezer out my old Honda Accord, and that comes out with <a href="spotify:artist:6uozvEFq6rmWXhkZ4K7NQf" data-name="KOATS">KOATS</a>. Cinematic ambient a la Sigur Rós &amp; Helios has influenced a lot of my work - not only <a href="spotify:artist:5vDfVxwAH8ANpuIKKxfOeq" data-name="Elskavon">Elskavon</a>, but also <a href="spotify:artist:0FXk0xKcMcLfLjkGduqGkn" data-name="Blurstem">Blurstem</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:75zYVoafqQWY1dV4NA2ppY" data-name="Sonant">Sonant</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2MYWpx5rSdVpo5rQT8NV0X" data-name="Brylom">Brylom</a>, or under my own name.

On an even more minimalist &amp; organic side, <a href="spotify:artist:0jgC3HsKV46vXA8wsaZFuP" data-name="Olma">Olma</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2cpa8rq1DM4WGuFdNHWUnP" data-name="illi mel">illi mel</a> &amp; <a href="spotify:artist:55v8ubshl6MYuYAxNUzKbh" data-name="Emerald Ancients">Emerald Ancients</a>. Sometimes the inspiration comes simply from writing with friends: <a href="spotify:artist:3x1W602gEQT1HmjOMNxQlI" data-name="Glass Echoes">Glass Echoes</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5p1G8MIi4mVf60qIoNnzOU" data-name="Mircadia">Mircadia</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:00XWpmsDY0cT2nvj5jQmuu" data-name="Lumado">Lumado</a>. A creative accident that blurs between lofi, hip hop &amp; synthwave started <a href="spotify:artist:0R3ReTW4uiZ2T8j0seCkMi" data-name="Mum Child">Mum Child</a>. Who knows, maybe there&#39;s another or a few hidden on the <a href="spotify:playlist:1kTT0oiYnUbe6P0ta9sWnB" data-name="Anthem Falls Selects">Anthem Falls Selects</a> playlist.

So yeah... it&#39;s a mess. I used to apologize to myself for littering the digital earth with music. No longer. I&#39;m doing what I love - what I&#39;ve always loved. There&#39;s no master plan. There&#39;s just music, and fun times with friends.

If you find yourself lost in the mess, know that I&#39;m grateful for that. Hope you&#39;re inspired to get a bit messy in your own creative obsessions.

-Chris