Times are changing recklessly and some new kids are taking over, digital kids, video game and software adults who feel at home in this increasingly digital world. One of them is Boris Keković, a musician who has been composing music for video games and animations for some time, but he has just released his first piece of music that was not made for any other project, but he created it for himself, his first single "Strange Place", which can be listened to on the YouTube service, and which he says was created spontaneously.
"I made the first sketch at the beginning of the year and soon after that I decided to devote myself more seriously to the idea. I've been waiting for a long time to release the first single and the natural need for it just came, so it will be the first thing I compose next", he reveals in an interview with "Vijesti".
Composing music for video games came naturally to him, says Keković.
"I've been playing them since I was a child, and it's my favorite art, along with music. My own brother once, when I was younger, asked me what I wanted to do and I answered - to make music for video games and animations (laughs). I think it was only then that I thought a little more deeply about what I said, but it turned out that I really wanted it."
That's how Keković combined the beautiful and the useful - he has an official education behind him, because he attended the "Vasa Pavić" music school, majoring in solfeggio and guitar, and in addition he learned to play the drums and compose on the keyboard, and soon threw himself into making music. for home video games. He is currently working on a mobile game and his first EP could be born from it, since he plans to make five compositions.
“I have decided to be more active in terms of releasing music and I would like to release an EP soon. Since I don't stick to genres and only do what I feel at the moment, I will most likely release only singles at first and try to do some animations, visuals and music videos for them," he explains.
His first single is already hard to categorize, it's sonically colorful and maybe the closest to the works of musicians like Four Tet and Aphex Twin, although that's not a close enough description either. When it comes to the mentioned project he is working on, he says that it will be characterized by the retro wave and synthwave undertones of the 80s and 90s.
"I don't stick to genres and I plan to keep it that way, so my sound will vary from song to song. Basically I like sophisticated things, music that has some meaning and is made from the heart. I've been composing since I was 13 and music is a part of me. "I experiment and listen to everything", Keković points out and says that he was influenced by a colorful array of artists, from the Beatles to Prodigy and Korn and the rap of 2pac, House of Pain, Cypress Hill to the British rock of Radiohead and Joy Division, and the inevitable electronic geniuses Vangelis and Brian Ina. Of the video game soundtracks, the one from the game “Final Fantasy X” had a special influence on him.
With his friend Dušan Martinović, he is working on a mobile video game that will be free on the Google Store - Dušan does programming and game design, and Keković does music and sound design. He says, however, that great things can still be expected from him, because he has entered into what he says is a serious project, which he is not allowed to talk about yet.
Keković's previous works can be heard on platforms such as YouTube, Bandcamp, Instagram, Facebook, and on his official website www.boriskekovic.com.
The question remains whether it is possible to make a living from this job in Montenegro as a freelancer, which Boris is? He thinks he can, although a big obstacle is the way PayPal works in our country.
"Everything else is cool and I think it's possible if a person makes an effort. I am globally focused, not local, and will continue to be so. They are slowly starting to make video games and create teams in our country, and that makes me very happy. I hope that we will soon see the flourishing of the video game industry in Montenegro", says Keković. For example, the video game industry in the US is worth more than the music and film industries combined. Keković would like to use his creativity more widely than video games, he is open to collaboration, so he would be happy to work on a series. If the story is good, he says. “Soundtrack for 'Mr. Robota' is great and also influenced me a lot. Movies don't appeal to me too much at the moment, but who knows", he leaves that option open as well.
Everything is possible today with a computer
As a new, digital generation has grown up in Montenegro, there are more and more musicians who create electronic music in the broadest sense of the word, creating with the help of computers, software... As a result, in recent years in our country we have had an electronic boom, a hip hop scene is getting stronger, while rock and roll is mostly stagnant. In addition to numerous other factors that influence it, it is certainly important that technology and software have become more available and cheaper than ever, while the band is an expensive hobby - as MC Scysi once said. In addition, modern technology allows artists to express themselves, rather than looking for other people to put together a band.
"Today it is much easier and more affordable to make your own studio than before. The entire production moved to the computer. Everything has been digitized and all effects have moved from hardware to software and thus everything has become more accessible to people around the world. The Internet has become the main source of knowledge, and it has made many things easier for people," confirms Keković.
However, that doesn't end the job in itself, he assures that it takes a lot of learning, investment and sacrifice.
"I have been involved in production for almost four years, and only recently have I felt that my skills and knowledge are at a satisfactory level. So whoever plans to do music has a difficult path and a lot of work waiting for him if he wants to achieve something more serious", says Keković.
He gave up on bands a long time ago. It suits him to compose and produce his own songs. It took time, but he says it was worth it. However, once he has the material to perform, he would like to assemble a band to perform his works.
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