“Morning.Brew. Vol. 3”: An exclusive interview with The *tune^raider*

“I wanted this project to be intertwined with coffee culture. Something that you could walk into a coffee shop and listen to, something you could turn on during your morning routine.” - The *tune^raider*

It was a pleasure to recently interview The *tune^raider* about his new album! Earlier this month, he released his incredible new album Morning.Brew. Vol. 3 and I’ve been listening to it ever since! We discuss the making of the album, whether he’s a morning person, how much life has changed in the past few years and whether cereal can be eaten anytime throughout the day or not! Be sure to check out the new album at the end and continue to support his future work!

What was the inspiration behind Morning.Brew. Vol. 3?

I wanted this project to be intertwined with coffee culture. Something that you could walk into a coffee shop and listen to, something you could turn on during your morning routine. Overall, I guess I was just making a combination of two of my favorite things (music and coffee).

The songs on this new project and in your past work reference the morning hours and coffee. I take it you are a morning person?

Not really actually 😂. I think I admire morning people and the early hours more because it’s harder for me to be awake early, hence the coffee. It’s such a beautiful time of day though, when the birds are the only ones up talking outside. I love how quiet the world seems in the early morning.

Are you singing on “7:34.Am.On.A.Monday.”? If so, is that something you want to incorporate more of in your future work?

I am singing on there! I’ve done more singing on other music projects, and have kinda kept it to a minimum in tune raider songs. I enjoy singing a little bit from time to time though. If it’s something that people like to hear, I’ll keep sneaking in little verses from time to time!

I love the use of vocal sampling throughout the album. It gives a nice vintage feel to the songs. What role did nostalgia play in making this new album?

I love being able to channel vintage vibes into something new through sampling. I really focused on keeping a warm nostalgic feel throughout the entire album, trying to give it the tone of a classic record that you find in the basement. Also, I love it when albums have a very defined tone, and distinguish a sound that flows from track to track, almost like it’s just one long song.

Many of us live such hectic lives and we are often in a rush right when we wake up. Do you want your listeners to slow down and enjoy the morning when they’re listening to this project?

I personally have added a little bit of peace to my mornings while doing just that, honestly. I’ve been waking up and making coffee while listening to the demo mixes for this project for awhile and really hope that the people listening can share in that experience with me! There’s enough energy to the tracks to wake you up, but not too much energy 😂.

You released Morning.Brew. Vol. 2 in January 2020, right before the pandemic. How has life changed for you in the four years since and how has that altered how you approached making this new volume?

Life is VERY different. I’m married now, live in a different state, and have a dog 😂. Life is slower now than before, and I think that translates to how I make music honestly. I’m more intentional with curating a consistent sound than I was before, and I think that really shows in this project. I’ll always love the other morning brew projects, but this is definitely my favorite!

My favorite track is of course “Cereal.”. Let’s end the debate once and for all. Cereal can be eaten anytime during the day, right?

EAT CEREAL AT ANY TIME! If people can eat chips whenever why can’t we eat cereal whenever, it’s basically the same thing 😂.