Meet Ted Melikian, Singer and Producer with 2 Bit Radio

I always like the opportunity to turn the spotlight on new music on this blog, so I was glad to chat with Ted Melikian, the singer and producer from 2 Bit Radio, a new electronic funk band.

I listened to their new song "Satellite" and enjoyed it. It has funk, and Ted's voice is so smooth that it also gives you a nice, chill feeling. I'd describe the song as something with a definite groove to it: you can feel the bass, and you can also just really feel the love and enthusiasm of the artist going into the music. If you like music that makes you want to dance, definitely give this band a listen. They might remind you a bit of Daft Punk or Depeche Mode, but really I think they have their own unique sound.

1. How is the single, "Satellite," different than tracks you've released in the past?



Whenever you compare new music to music created in the past, there is a difference. People change, you know--they grow and learn. So the music evolves, too. In our first album "Dirty Time," my mood at the time was reflected more so in those tracks like in the songs "Beverly Baller" and "Never Understand." It's been more than four years since I wrote those songs, and I have a better studio for producing and have really studied and focused more on the sounds of funk, groove, and melody for "Satellite" and our future release, "These are the good old days." 

2. What's your process like for writing new songs? 



It might not be for everyone, but this is how my brain works it out. I start with the music composition. Layer it with synth and guitar parts. Create the chorus, and write the lyrics for the rest of the song. Then add percussion and add more sounds. By the time I'm at this point, many weeks/days/hours have passed, and I'm either loving how it has come together or going crazy over some part that's not perfect yet. I love the process, so I can't complain. Music is my life.



3. When it comes to working with someone like Eric Racy to have a track mixed, what's that collaboration like?



It's good. He is very professional, a great communicator. I hand over my .wav files and I leave it to his discretion to mix it. He adds his touch, and when I get it back, it's definitely better. If there's any adjustment I'd like made, he delivers. He's a cool guy on the phone, too, easy to work with.

4. What are your plans for the coming year?



We are still working on the rest of the songs for the second album, so that's how most of this year's time will be spent. We'll promote "Satellite" for a few months and make the official music video soon. Then again for "These are the good old days." We played 44 shows following our last album release in 2012. We plan to have another strong tour again when this second album is finished.


5. Where should people look to keep up with your latest releases?


You can go to our official website www.2bitradio.com
. You can find our music, tour dates, videos, and photos there. 
And as of right now we are giving our fans a free download of "Satellite" exclusively on soundcloud.com/2bitradio. 
We are also on Facebook and Twitter, so please look us up when you're there.

Thanks, Ted!