Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Kavet.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jacob. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I was lucky enough to be born in the year 1990. Nothing like stuffing a red Sony Walkman portable CD player into a huge pair of Lee Pipes, and lacing up a fresh pair of Soap shoes for a long gnarly grind sesh. Growing up in that decade was real cool, man. My pops would take me to Tower Records every weekend and we would spend hours searching through records and CDs. I would buy the albums that had the most interesting artwork, without any idea of what the music would sound like. Always been really open minded and this method of discovery exposed me to so many weird different types of music. I love it all.
I always knew I wanted my life to be about music. Started playing instruments when I was about eight years old. Loved the guitar, drums, bass, even played the clarinet in middle school band. Never thought I would get into making electronic music. I played in a handful of hardcore & emo bands through my early twenties. In 2010 I went to an audio engineering school in San Francisco with the intentions of recording bands for a living. Ended up really sucking at that, but during my year at school I got into writing MIDI and composing beats in Logic. Made a ton of weird, poorly mixed experimental trap and instrumental hip hop for the next couple years. Couldn’t really find a distinct sound so I took a few years off from music production, which ultimately was a blessing.
Traveled through Europe for two weeks and experienced extreme electronic music for the first time at clubs like Tresor in Berlin, Fabric in London. Over the next few years I totally fell in love with this new wave of what I like to call internet music. Its an exciting time where absolutely everything is available to us through the internet and it has really opened up a whole new world of weird creative experimental electronic music. Starting attending a lot of bigger shows and festivals and found the inspiration I needed to get back into producing music.
I kind of just fell into my sound, the songs I was now creating had a uniform sound, an aesthetic. It was something I could put a name on. BOSTN. Sample-based music with saturated low end, crispy percussion, chopped up acapella elements from old Memphis and dirty south rap songs, a sort of nostalgic hip hop sound with a modern twist.
A lot of my music features a certain heaviness that is tied to my roots in hardcore and heavy bands. I had a strong love for rap and hip hop growing up too though, Three 6 Mafia, Binary Star, People Under the Stairs, Dre, Em, Mobb Deep, NAS, Ghostface, Dilla; all these guys played a huge role in my childhood, and I think it comes across in my music. In 2018, I put out two albums, ‘Need No Luv, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2, and an EP titled ‘Voicemail.’ All are available on Spotify/Itunes.
Just moved to LA a month ago to push myself and my sound. Been working on a lot of exciting new music, entering the realms of experimental bass music & house. Expanding my horizons this year, I don’t want to pigeon hole myself into a particular sound. My musical taste is so diverse, and I’d like to try my hand at a little of everything. Playing a couple music festivals this year which is really huge for me. Trusting that one thing leads to the next and if I stay true to myself and my art the doors will keep opening.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Oh man, definitely not. I feel doubt all the time. I see so many artists much younger than myself doing so much more than me. It’s easy to fall victim to comparison and get down on your art. I have had more than one computer just completely die, lost a lot of work. The balance of making money and making music has always been tough.
After a day of work, I probably don’t feel the inspiration to create. You really can’t force creativity, it comes when it comes, and you can only hope when it shows up you have the time to do something about it. Some of my biggest struggles in the past handful of years have actually helped my creative process a lot. Break-ups usually become the breeding grounds for my best work.
As it turns out though, and I find this to be true with all forms of art or really anything – nothing can be mastered. All you can do is your best, continue to push yourself and seek knowledge & growth. I don’t need to be rich or famous. If I can pay my rent with my art and get the opportunity to play my music out to a crowd somewhat often, my dreams will have come true.
Moving away from my life back in San Francisco has been hard. I feel pretty lonely out here, but I trust in the process and hold my optimism close.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Producer/DJ BOSTN, for now, I am an independent artist. All my music is conceived, produced, mixed, mastered, and released by myself.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up in the suburbs San Carlos, 20 miles south of San Francisco, I loved all things outdoors. Collecting bugs and rocks, finding bones in the canyon behind my childhood home. I wanted to be friends with everyone – especially anyone who wasn’t treated well.
In school, I would always try to be good to the kids who got picked on. Empathy is really important to me. We all have interactions with other humans and are quick to think – oh, this is how this person is, or who they are.. but really we all are living our own equally complex web of experiences and realities, what you experience with one person is only a reflection of them in that very moment.
I really care about feelings and emotions. Genuine connection with others is unlike anything else, and I value that a lot.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.soundcloud.com/bostn64
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @bostn64
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/bostn64
- Other: tiny.cc/bostn_spotify
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
