Electronic music producers Eris Drew and Maya (known as Octo Octa) utilize physical hardware and outboard gear to write their music, incorporating digital instruments and hardware synths.
Here is the kicker: instead of clicking around on a laptop screen, the duo set up face-to-face in the studio with separate hardware setups, treating computer software strictly as a tape recorder for multi-tracking and final mixing.
The Bottom Line
- Eris Drew and Maya utilized physical hardware and gear to construct their music.
- The artists collaborated like a traditional band, jamming in real-time across opposing sides of the studio with distinct instruments.
- The music incorporates unusual textures like a harmonica sample and mountain dulcimer recordings alongside classic Roland drum machines.
Analog Workflows and Band Dynamics in the Studio
When crafting their music, the creative process relied heavily on physical hardware. While software ultimately housed the multi-track recordings, the writing phase happened outside of the DAW. “You can’t use two mice on a DAW, right? Maya and I could each have our own setup, just like a band,” Eris explained, detailing how they arranged the studio space with a computer sitting directly between them.
I just proposed to @JeanGreasy and she said yes!
This physical separation fostered a true live-jamming environment. Maya operated gear on the right side of the room while Eris managed instruments on the left, looking at each other and improvising in real time. On the track “We’ve Seen Great Power,” Eris ran an MPC loaded with a harmonica sample, while Maya paired a Roland 606 drum machine with a Sherman Filterbank audio processor. This direct interaction kept the focus on physical performance.
Inheriting the Lineage of Ancestral Instruments
The duo intentionally sought out what they describe as “ancestral instruments”—classic pieces of hardware with deep histories embedded in electronic music culture. Rather than relying solely on samples, Maya utilized physical units like the Roland 808 and 909. These machines carry the sonic footprint of tens of thousands of past tracks, yet the pair used them to forge an original voice.
Physical aging also played a direct role in the sound design. One of their Roland 303 bassline synthesizers was acquired from a respected queer artist in Texas. Over decades, the internal circuits of that specific machine had drifted and aged, yielding an unpredictable tone that resembled an insect swarm. Utilizing gear with distinct lineages gave the project a sense of a shared timeline, comparing the inherited hardware to receiving a family quilt.
That raw, physical energy translates directly to live club environments. When DJ BMG dropped “We’ve Seen Great Power” during a set at System Activate, Eris noted that the floor erupted instantly as the dust kicked up, capturing a feral, rock-and-roll intensity.
Balancing Up-Rousing Raves with Bucolic Roots
While tracks like “We’ve Seen Great Power” lean into high-intensity rave dynamics—reflecting the artists’ experiences navigating political hostility as trans witches—the music also explores grounded, pastoral textures. “Song For New Hampshire” slows the pace down entirely, centering on Maya’s performance of a mountain dulcimer gifted by Eris, accompanied by layered vocal harmony.
The track serves as an ode to their home state, functioning as both a refuge and a complex space of retreat. While the rural landscape provides a vital connection to nature and local community, the area’s political shifts toward Trumpism have complicated that sanctuary. The resulting composition offers an idealized, hopeful portrait of a landscape under pressure.
