**By Mike Knight

Producer...Visual Artist...Student.
These are just a few words that describe Algorythm, an emerging artist of site and sound who's reppin NYC (by way of Clinton, Md). Recently, he took out some time to answer a few question about his album "The Remake", future projects, and just about who Algorythm is in general.

So how did you get your start making beats?
I always liked listenin to music so I figured why not try to do this shit myself…A while back I bought this cheap computer program and I just started by messin around with that…Mostly I did it for my own ears, just to see how far I could go.

Do you prefer the term producer?
Producer, Artist, don’t really matter to me…Its all creative.

How would you describe YOUR style?
I try to keep it soulful mostly…I’m more of a chill person so must of my stuff comes out reflectin that…every once in a while I get the urge to put out that gangsta joint or that club joint…nobody’ll ever hear those though.

What was your greatest motivation and inspiration for the new album “The Remake”?
My motivation for “The Remake” was the music that I sample from. …I make beats mostly using samples but to be able to fully claim anything as mines gets to be tough…Even though I sample something chop it up and flip it around or what not, its still a sample and the beat probably wouldn’t be the same without it…I think my samples are probably the real inspiration… “The Remake” is just supposed to capture that — recontextualizing old school funk and soul through hip hop…I mean where would most of these producers out here be without all that good old soul funk and jazz from 60’s – 80’s…I stay listening to the old shit…Even when I do stuff with out samples and just use my keyboard I try mimic the sound of that old shit.

There were no artist appearances on the album; do you plan on working with any in the future?
Originally when I came up with the idea I had planned on releasing it kind of backwards…I wanted to release the joint as instrumental first then later come out with a version with MCs on all the tracks. Technically that’s still in the process. The first one I think I want to do as a single is “The Jive” which I’m recording with “Substantial” of “Ef@mm.” He just kicked the verse on the phone for my the other day…its FIRE.

In today’s hip-hop industry, a rhythmic playground for some of today’s most influential and eclectic producers, who would say influences you the most?
If I had to say one person it would probably be Madlib but tomorrow it might be J-Dilla, then the next day, Kanye, then back to Madlib again, then Roy Ayers or somebody, who knows…I think it’s the collective of different influences that keeps me going…I couldn’t single one person out.

Besides music, what are some of your other artistic passions?
I do design, drawing, really anything that I feel inspired to create which changes every time I experience something new.

How does your music, or any music for that matter, play a role in your design work, if any?
I try to keep my music and my design kind of separated but of course they always find a way to link up somewhere. They’re two different processes for me so I try to deal with them separately.

What are some of your future projects?
“The Remake” reissue with all of your favorite MCs on it (hopefully)…I’m doing some more stuff with Substantial and UV + Ope Entertainment including beats for his radio drops @ a college radio station near you!!!…I’m also going to be doing some joints for his new LP and possibly with Ef@mm too…The next project coming out of Unlimited Vinyl is from “Insanate Bates” I’m doing a healthy amount of joints for that project…I think that’s droppin within the next few months…I’m workin on this R&B project with cat named “rnb” of UV too…definitely my more soulful shit on that one…look out for it real soon…Also I’m doing some stuff with spoken word artist “The Marxmen” of “The Cataclysm”…that one will definitely be official…I might be doing some joints with Cyra Unique, and his new mix tape…Hopefully, this project that I’m supposed to be doing with my original crew “Soul Department” will start moving soon…I might be workin out another album for summer time…I’m gonna keep the concept under wraps though… hope I ain’t forgettin anything…Other than that its just making as many beats as possible.

Any final comments or shout-outs?
Love peace and soul.
Peace to the whole UV(Ultraviolet) crew + Ope entertainment and they cousin’s the Cataclysm …make the face!!!, Peace to Soul Dept…time to get started. Peace to ANE Productions. Peace to my peoples in NY and MD/DC.