Today we’d like to introduce you to Jess Prainito.
Hi Jess, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been experimenting with music for as long as I can remember. Before producing, I grew up learning any instrument I could such as drums, bass, guitar, piano, and orchestral instruments. I remember spending a lot of time learning how to play songs from just listening because It was faster than reading music or tabs. I accidentally discovered the FL Studio Demo during the LimeWire era when I was in 7th grade, which was what really changed my perspective on music.
In between first discovering production and fully focusing on my own project, I spent a lot of time playing bass or guitar in different bands and performing around Detroit. I’d spend endless nights in studios recording songs that would never be released. This reoccurring experience I had with bands made me want to work on my own.
Around 2018 was when I began to focus on building my own sound and direction which led me into developing Glowing Void as a solo project.
After hundreds of unfinished ideas, completely dropping the project for a few years and selling all of my gear, I decided to give it another go writing songs using only Ableton Live which is how I finished my debut EP Mutating (released by SIC Records). My production process today is a combination of Ableton Live and hardware synthesizers. I like blending digital production with hardware because it makes me feel more physically involved in the process.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road by any means. There were many challenges for me like finishing tracks, refining the technical side of production, figuring out how to create the sound I was envisioning. Early on, I spent a lot of time experimenting without fully understanding how to properly control things like low-end and overall mix balance, which can really make or break electronic music. I actually just learned how to sidechain this month which made me sick because that’s such a basic production technique, I should have known how to do that by now. Challenges continue to reveal themselves after the fact, but that’s what makes this fun for me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My project, Glowing Void, exists somewhere between techno, industrial electronics, and atmospheric sound design. My debut EP, released earlier this year, has been described as cyberpunk and EBM-inspired. The material I’m currently working on is evolving beyond that direction, pulling from a broader set of influences while still keeping the ethereal textures and atmosphere that I love most.
I’m proud of myself for finally being able to complete music that became a physical release, and I’m so grateful to have this experience.
I think what sets me apart is that I handle every part of the project myself, including writing, production, mixing, and mastering. Because of my background playing different instruments and years of experimenting with sound, I naturally blend many influences together while still keeping a strong atmospheric identity.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Most of my growth came from online resources, tutorials, and a strange drive to keep going after making many unfinished tracks. One of the most important things for artists is to keep experimenting and trying new approaches, especially when things don’t fully work out.
For networking, I’d suggest to find other artists who resonate with you, reach out, and start building real conversations that can lead to meaningful connections. Many artists see each other as competition, but I think there’s more value in collaboration, sharing ideas or doing peer reviews. At the end of the day, you will likely need each other more than you think.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sicrecords.bandcamp.com/album/mutating
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glowingvoid?igsh=eHZ0YjExbGcwNDVr&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/0vUxTlkyhow?is=9cATEDVPLv3_yqgX
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3SAzJYaXp2iOGL8EstrY4W?si=8LKvx2DIRmC-hviGzuhgFw
