Zodiak is a 19-year-old artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. His music sounds like being lifted into a tornado. It lifts you out of your seat, spins you around, and makes you dizzy. “Demoneyes” from his 2021 project “Blööddungeøn” hits your ears like a ton of bricks. It holds you underwater for its entire length and will leave you gasping for air. 

Cacophonous echoes, frenetic and saccharine synth leads, and extreme vocal performances have set his sound apart from others in the local music scene. He’s also known for his mosh-heavy live performances. Even the rehearsal for his upcoming show got so loud that the police threatened him with a noise citation.  

Ahead of his new release “Lust,” Zodiak and his close friend and booking agent Sebas spoke with Carbon Sound Content Director Julian Green to discuss Zodiak’s ethos as an artist, the intentions and process behind “Lust,” and the “Lust” release party that will take place in Minneapolis on Friday, July 8th. 

Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

How did you get started in music? 

What originally made me start was being a fan of Tyler (the Creator) as a youngin’ and seeing how he started making music. He just downloaded a program and started making beats. So, I downloaded FL Studio when I was like 12 and I started making beats. Then I started recording myself, eventually.  

Music is the only thing that makes me genuinely happy. Of course, other things in life make me happy, but music is the one thing I can turn to at any time and find genuine joy in. Whether it's just listening to music or making music, just any part of the process. That’s what keeps me going basically, the love of music and wanting to create new shit.  

Would you define yourself as a “rapper”? Most of your tracks are labeled as “Ambient,” “Electronic,” or “Alternative Rock.” 

I make a lot of different kinds of music. There's stuff that's not out that doesn't sound like anything that's on my SoundCloud... I don't know how I describe my music. Basically, I just smoke sometimes and... With my most recent track (“222gone”), I thought it was more electronic. That's just how it felt. 

Or with my song “Empire.” That's a rap song, but I'm damn near yelling the whole time. And with how the drums hit, it’s lowkey a rock song. But it's a rap song, you know?  

It's hard because I make a lot of different things. So, I don't try to label myself because I'm friends with a lot of different people that make a lot of different things, too. So, I never try to label anybody. I just make cool shit, in my opinion. 

One label that you seem comfortable with, at least for yourself, is “Vamp.” What does it mean to be a Vamp? 

Well, waking up at night or staying up at night... Staying up until the morning, bro... There are a lot of other things to being a Vamp, but you can listen to my music and find that out. Especially with this new tape, too 

But, I don't know... It's just cool as fuck. It’s just a cool-ass aesthetic. I was fucking with that shit since I was a kid with “Blade” and other things like that. 

What inspired you during the creation of your new project, “Lust”? 

A lot of life shit. I try to push my sound to the absolute best it can go. Every time I drop something I try to top myself. I just want to be better, and better, and better. 

This project was created where I'm sitting right now. I would just be here all day.  

When I say I'm gonna make a project, sometimes I completely deprive myself. For this project, I haven't been eating or sleeping. So, it was just raw. I tried to make it as raw as possible. 

(Depravation) gives clarity, for me at least. It gives me no bounds. Some people do it for religion and stuff and it gives them that clarity, too, you know? 

I just treat it as that. I treat it with respect and just try to go crazy. 

With “Blööddungeøn,” “saturdaymoonlight,” and now “Lust,” this has been a very consistent project run over the last year. What's inspiring this output? 

Before I dropped “Blööddungeøn,” I wasn't that consistent. Some things happened, and I got more time and my love for music sparked up again. I don't think it's ever gonna stop. I try to stay consistent. 

That's what the people want, bro. Sounds move so fast now that you got to keep up and you got to keep dropping. Some people aren't even up and they're waiting six months to drop something... That's not how it works.  

Music changes. That shit that you recorded a year ago that you think is so fire, you're gonna drop it and people aren't gonna like it cuz it's older, you know? 

Most of your music is only available on Soundcloud. Why do you use that service instead of Spotify or Apple Music? 

I get asked this question every single day in the DMs, bro. Everybody’s always like, “Bro, please, please put on Spotify!” 

After this tape gets at least 5,000 views on every song, which shouldn't be too long, I'm gonna post my whole discography on all platforms all at once and see what happens. 

I’ve been keeping it on SoundCloud because I like how SoundCloud works. That’s how I've gained my following and it's worked so much so far. I just love SoundCloud, bro. It’s what I've been using since I was a kid. I want to grow my initial fan base there because that's how all the people that I originally looked up to built their original fan bases -- just through SoundCloud.  

I fuck with the UI and everything and how I can check who listened to my shit the most. Like, literally the single person that listens to my shit the most. 

It’s one of the few streaming platforms where you can have a direct connection with your fans. 

Literally, bro.  

There's a comment section and it gives me more of a connection because I listen to my music, and I look at the comments as they pop up to see what people are feeling. Sometimes a note hits that I  appreciate. Somebody's like, “Oh shit! This part right here is fire.” That's why I use SoundCloud.  

I also like the rarity factor. I could put something out and three people download it. If I delete it, they can repost it. Or, if I’m not feeling a track, I can make it private and make it back public whenever I want. 

I'm impulsive, too. If I make a song that I like, I'm probably gonna drop it the next day. You can't do that on other platforms. That’s another reason why I stick to SoundCloud. 

How do you want people to feel when they listen to “Lust”? 

Like they’re floating. It depends on what you're doing. You go the deepest, darkest depths if you want, or you could just be floating. You could just vibe and walk around at night or sunset. 

There's stuff for everybody on this tape. I’m really happy with how it turned out. It's my favorite of all three projects.  

Sebas, 19, is a local show promoter. He is a close friend of Zodiak’s and advises him on his music and books shows for him in Minneapolis and across the country. He joins the conversation to give details about the “Lust” release party that will take place in Minneapolis on Friday, July 8th. Zodiak along with Zongoso, 4K Ultra, and special guests are slated to perform. 

What can people expect at the “Lust” release party on Friday night? 

Sebas: Raw energy and a good time. This is a group release of emotion. People have been going through a lot of stuff recently. This party is going to be the time to let it out in a safe, semi-controlled environment. 

Zodiak: People yearn for this shit. That's why I love performing. It feels great to see the reaction from people. It’s the best feeling ever.  

People should expect a lot of fun. Everybody can let loose because nobody's judging. That's why I love our shows. Everybody's just there to have fun. It's never a problem. Unless it’s what the police, but that's it. 

As I hear you two describe this environment, the word that comes to mind is “cathartic.” It almost seems connected to the recording environment that you described earlier. Even though not sleeping, not eating, or moshing is painful, these are things people do to find clarity like you were talking about. 

Zodiak: Exactly. 

What can people expect from you two in the future? 

Sebas: (We want to) take this environment we created and keep expanding it. Give people a safe space. We want the shows here to be like how punk shows were for kids in Cali in the ‘80s -- a place where you can go let everything out, have a fun time with your friends and be safe, not judged.  

This is a global thing we're trying to work on. When I look at what I want to do and places that I want to see (Zodiak) go... It's bigger than all of us. The mission we're on right now is bigger than all of us. It’s gonna take the masses figuring it out, even though they might not at first. Once they catch on, that's when things will start to get crazy for us. 

I’m trying to plan a tour for (Zodiak). Four or five cities to get to the out-of-state fanbase. The show we did in LA was fun, and in Orlando, too... It’s something we think about a lot. To hear someone that you’ve never seen in your life sing the words to your song is the craziest feeling. 

Zodiak: Bigger and better things, man. I'm trying to grow. I want to be the biggest artist ever. I want to do a lot of cool shit. I want to travel the world, performing music and spreading a message. I just want to top myself every step of the way, honestly. 

Zodiak will perform at the “Lust” release part at 615 SE 12th Ave in Minneapolis on Friday, July 8th. 

Stream “Lust” on SoundCloud. Follow Zodiak and Sebas.