There is something about Benjamin Zoll that is quintessentially un-Northwestern. He grew up in London and Switzerland, so maybe it’s an inbred thing. But if the Europeans aren’t responsible for Zoll’s fiber, then it is plainly a defect–abominable to many and glorious to few.
Ben Zoll produces music. For fun.
His secret? Zoll only takes on projects he likes. It’s as simple as that.
In June, Zoll will graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in economics and jazz studies. But neither class nor club prompted Zoll’s creations. The senior says production is “liberating” because he can toy with every aspect of a song. Synthesizers, samplers, effects—these are the devices that have seized Zoll since his senior year of high school. And they still have that hold on him, and often, for hours per day.
Perhaps Zoll is best known for his collaboration with NU rapper Jordan Looney. While he is drawn to the rhythms of hip-hop, Zoll also creates electro, chill, rock, DnB, folk, industrial, and experimental pieces.
Employment at a consulting firm in New York awaits Zoll next year. Nevertheless, he still talks of pursuing music. “I have no lofty life-goals,” Zoll confessed. What he doesn’t realize is that lofty expectations have been already set for him.
Alanna Autler
Ben Millstein
Matthew Alfonso
Nelson Fitch
Sam Brounstein
// INTERVIEW
Massive.tv: Why is producing so close to your heart?
Ben Zoll: I love producing music because of the incredible freedoms offered…. I can work to create pretty much any kind of sound or take samples from any song I hear. It’s pretty liberating to be involved in every single aspect of a tune from start to finish. It’s also pretty interesting to learn about different styles of music production and how that affects different songs.
M.tv: Do you ever find producing a burden on top of your other commitments?
BZ: For the most part, I only consider production a burden if I start hating whatever I’m working on. Since I usually do all of my production independently, I have the advantage of taking only projects I want. I rarely consider music production “work” so it can also be a nice break from whatever other commitments I might have at the time.
M.tv: How does your Jazz Studies major influence your producing abilities/style?
BZ: I think my work with jazz has contributed more to my producing abilities/style than anything else. Jazz is a very groove-oriented music in terms of the degree to which all the players have to be on the same page musically, whether improvising or accompanying. It is definitely important in music production to be aware of the interaction between all the parts of a beat and how that will affect the overall mood of the song. Also…I try to introduce at least some jazz harmonies into all of my work.
M.tv: For those un-cultured philistines who don’t understand what goes into “producing hip hop.” Please break it down for me!
BZ: To a third grader I’d say I make all the “music” of a song, which is pretty much true…in most of my songs, everything but the vocals is original.
M.tv: What’s Jordan Looney like? Why such a rapport?
BZ: Jordan Looney is great to work with and pretty open to new ideas which would probably scare away other college MCs. He’s serious about what he does, he loves what he does, and it definitely comes out in his lyrics.
M.tv: Did the friendship emerge before or after your partnership?
BZ: Our friendship did emerge following our musical interactions…back in the days of the old Hustle Group a few years ago we got together, I remixed a few old songs, and we’ve been working together ever since.
M.tv: Who are some of your favorite MCs?
BZ: Biggie, Aesop Rock, Q-Tip, Ghostface, Method Man, Lexicon, Talib, Copywrite, and sometimes MF Doom .
M.tv: What do you want to give the Northwestern community?
BZ: I would like to instill… an undying worship of my music so that I will never run out of fans.