Now & Next: SCHiLLiNG

Now & Next is a quick-fire interview series built around two simple but telling questions. We ask artists to reflect on where they’re at in their career and creative journey, and where they’re headed next. For each answer, they pick two tracks: one that sums up where they’re at right now, and another that hints at where they’re going. The artists also drop a few lines about each track, giving us a peek into their creative mindset.

now and next BANNER SCHILLING

Now & Next is a quick-fire interview series built around two simple but telling questions. We ask artists to reflect on where they’re at in their career and creative journey, and where they’re headed next. For each answer, they pick two tracks: one that sums up where they’re at right now, and another that hints at where they’re going. The artists also drop a few lines about each track, giving us a peek into their creative mindset.

SCHiLLiNG Q&A

Where Am I?

Right now, I'm in the thick of it, dealing with a lot of inner chaos. Life’s been throwing a lot my way, both with the grind of finishing my next record and with personal, extra-musical challenges that have been eating up all my energy, at times sending me to dark places. Despite it all, music’s been the one thing that's always stayed with me, like a lighthouse cutting through a stormy night (I always love a good stormy night btw), calming down the darker thoughts. It’s the first time I’m writing about these not-so-easy moments in a format like this, and honestly, I’m glad for it. On the flip side, I’m also glad to finally put out my new project. Following up from Brute EP, it’s going to be dropping on Apparel Tronic again. I can’t wait to share that part of me with the world.

Where Am I Going?

As for where I’m heading next? Honestly, I’m taking things as they come. I’ve learned not to over-plan too much, it just doesn’t fit how I operate, how my brain works. My biggest challenge for the future is to be prepared for whatever it holds, whether that’s good or bad, without losing clarity and, at the same time, trying to maintain a bit of grace, kindness and calm. For now, my focus is on being here, now, taking things day by day, step by step. Musically, I’m diving into some new spaces, but I’m staying true to the roots I’ve built. In terms of tracks that symbolize my direction, I’d probably pull something straight from my new record. It feels like the most honest reflection of where my sound is headed, but I cannot yet.

Track (Now):
Error Subcutáneo
Lolo Grams

"Lolo Grams by Error Subcutáneo is the perfect reflection of where I am musically and emotionally right now. Dark, raw, experimental. Lolo Grams really taps into that deep, shadowy place where I find myself drawn to creatively and, of course, brings me back to what’s my favorite place: a place where there are drums. I’ve always leaned towards the darker side of rhythms, and this track just embodies that side of me to a tee. It’s the perfect soundtrack to the turmoil I’m used to host in my head right now."

Track (Next):
Jaco Pastorius
Portrait of Tracy

"So I’m choosing "Portrait of Tracy" by Jaco Pastorius. It’s a continuation of that moody aesthetic I always go for, but with an added sense of simplicity and evolution. The idea that the future belongs to the past resonates deeply with me as time is not a straight line we move along, but rather a circle, a dimension that loops back on itself. What lies ahead has already been shaped by what’s behind, and in some way, we’re always living in echoes of things we've already known. That’s why I choose this song. It captures that cyclical feeling, where the music pulls from the past to create something that feels both familiar and brand new at once. Then there's beauty. To me, the beauty of things, especially in the details, is everything. Jazz, with its improvisations and shifts, embodies a kind of raw, spontaneous beauty. It’s impossible not to be moved by it if you’re sensitive to beauty like I am. It speaks to something timeless, where every note is a response to the past and a glimpse into the future, all unfolding in the present moment. That’s what makes it magical. As for the “future”, I cannot know where I'm headed, but I surely want to feel like I somehow belong to this dimension we live in."

Where Am I?

Right now, I'm in the thick of it, dealing with a lot of inner chaos. Life’s been throwing a lot my way, both with the grind of finishing my next record and with personal, extra-musical challenges that have been eating up all my energy, at times sending me to dark places. Despite it all, music’s been the one thing that's always stayed with me, like a lighthouse cutting through a stormy night (I always love a good stormy night btw), calming down the darker thoughts. It’s the first time I’m writing about these not-so-easy moments in a format like this, and honestly, I’m glad for it. On the flip side, I’m also glad to finally put out my new project. Following up from Brute EP, it’s going to be dropping on Apparel Tronic again. I can’t wait to share that part of me with the world.

Track (Now):
Error Subcutáneo
Lolo Grams

"Lolo Grams by Error Subcutáneo is the perfect reflection of where I am musically and emotionally right now. Dark, raw, experimental. Lolo Grams really taps into that deep, shadowy place where I find myself drawn to creatively and, of course, brings me back to what’s my favorite place: a place where there are drums. I’ve always leaned towards the darker side of rhythms, and this track just embodies that side of me to a tee. It’s the perfect soundtrack to the turmoil I’m used to host in my head right now."

Where Am I Going?

As for where I’m heading next? Honestly, I’m taking things as they come. I’ve learned not to over-plan too much, it just doesn’t fit how I operate, how my brain works. My biggest challenge for the future is to be prepared for whatever it holds, whether that’s good or bad, without losing clarity and, at the same time, trying to maintain a bit of grace, kindness and calm. For now, my focus is on being here, now, taking things day by day, step by step. Musically, I’m diving into some new spaces, but I’m staying true to the roots I’ve built. In terms of tracks that symbolize my direction, I’d probably pull something straight from my new record. It feels like the most honest reflection of where my sound is headed, but I cannot yet.

Track (Next):
Jaco Pastorius
Portrait of Tracy

"So I’m choosing "Portrait of Tracy" by Jaco Pastorius. It’s a continuation of that moody aesthetic I always go for, but with an added sense of simplicity and evolution. The idea that the future belongs to the past resonates deeply with me as time is not a straight line we move along, but rather a circle, a dimension that loops back on itself. What lies ahead has already been shaped by what’s behind, and in some way, we’re always living in echoes of things we've already known. That’s why I choose this song. It captures that cyclical feeling, where the music pulls from the past to create something that feels both familiar and brand new at once. Then there's beauty. To me, the beauty of things, especially in the details, is everything. Jazz, with its improvisations and shifts, embodies a kind of raw, spontaneous beauty. It’s impossible not to be moved by it if you’re sensitive to beauty like I am. It speaks to something timeless, where every note is a response to the past and a glimpse into the future, all unfolding in the present moment. That’s what makes it magical. As for the “future”, I cannot know where I'm headed, but I surely want to feel like I somehow belong to this dimension we live in."