I had the pleasure of talking to Dan Butler, better known as Techno Mage. A multi-talented artist, who does much more than ‘just’ making music. The new album will be released tomorrow (November 10th) and is called ‘Hexproof’, so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to dive deeper into this music, his passion for video games, and all other things that make Dan tick.
Techno Mage
Before we dive deeper into the album, can you tell us a bit about yourself and who Techno Mage is (or are)?
It feels like all roads have led me to this project. Techno Mage is a melting pot of all the things that are important to me, both as an artist and as an individual. For example, the synth and chiptune elements are a callback to the electronic music I heard as a kid—which was mainly from MS-DOS-era PC games. Those soundtracks (e.g., Tyrian, Jazz Jackrabbit) really opened my eyes to what music could be, even if I wasn’t consciously thinking about songwriting. By the time I heard the term “chiptune,” I had already been exposed to it through keygens, but discovering artists like Bit Shifter and Nullsleep gave me a sense of direction and made me want to incorporate some of those ideas into my own work.
Talking about soundtracks in this way made me reminisce about the past. I used to play a lot of Jazz Jackrabbit and distinctly remember those soundtracks as great music. I hadn’t thought of them as chiptune until hearing you say that, so I should dive back into those. And while we’re on the topic of albums; could you tell us more about your upcoming album scheduled for release on November 10 – Oh hey that’s today! What can listeners expect from it, both musically and thematically?
I’d love to. The album has eleven songs and is called: “Hexproof,” which is a direct nod to Magic: the Gathering. In MtG, creatures with hexproof can’t be targeted by other players’ spells and abilities. This definition ties directly into the album’s underlying narrative—which has served as a conceptual framework for Techno Mage since the project was born. The story in this arc follows the titular Techno Mage character, an arrogant freelance hacker whose hubris puts them in the crossfire of an omniscient megacorporation and an underground group of truth-seekers.
I’m a huge Magic: the Gathering nut, so I’ll need to look into that before being sucked back into the heroes and villains of the planes again. And it’s this conceptual narrative behind your music that I find intriguing.
Can you elaborate a bit more on that theme? Like, what are the main sound characteristics of Techno Mage?
As for what Hexproof sounds like, this one has many of the characteristic Techno Mage staples—dynamic melodies, crunchy guitar, chiptune arps—but this time, there’s a lot more… Menace. Some of that comes from the narrative, but there’s also a swathe of new sounds like djent/argent style metal, hybrid orchestral soundscapes, and industrial.
Featured Artists:
That’s a very broad spectrum of genres you try to combine with ‘Hexproof’. And it’s not just that, since your album features several talented artists like ‘gwEm’, ‘Shubzilla’, ‘YURA’, and ‘Utelo’. Can you share how these collaborations came about and how they contributed to the album’s sound and message?
Absolutely. I’ll start with gwEm since you mentioned them first. Gareth and I have been in talks ever since I played his music on my old radio show, Chiptune Night. While tuned into one of his weekly Twitch streams I casually voiced my interest in collaborating. He cordially agreed and I eagerly hammered out a workable concept. He then quickly (and competently) iterated on it, bringing his brand of homegrown Atari ST to the table along with some very expressive lead guitar work. I found that we had a really organic chemistry and he was wonderfully easy to work with.
As for Shubzilla and YURA, both of them are actually very close friends of mine. At one point, we were all working together in the same office. The work was pretty unfulfilling so most of us developed a comradery to help us get through the day. Soon, we were all familiar with each others’ interests and passions. Anyway, this was about the time that Shubzilla went on to pursue a full-time music career while also raising a newborn—talk about god mode. She continued to be involved in my life and I tried to make it out to her shows whenever life would allow it. Eventually, I got to a point with Techno Mage where I was ready to start playing live shows. She was gracious enough to host me at a monthly music event that she and her musical partner (Bills Beats) organize through a local cafe. Suffice it to say, we support each other wherever we have the means and a collaboration was only a matter of time.
Big shoutout to Shubzilla and Babyzilla for doing what she does (and Bill Beats for rocking Noir Grime together with Shubz). But to get back on topic, what about YURA and Utela?
With YURA, on the other hand, I didn’t discover their passion for singing until a bit later. If memory serves, they started recording choir vocals for the album and that’s where I heard what they’re made of. It became clear that this was a person who shouldn’t be singing backup—they should be front and center, singing lead vocals. So when the time came to find a vocalist for the chorus of “Ironsight,” the decision was a no-brainer. That choice was even easier given their sincere, unrelenting support for Techno Mage. In so many ways, they’re the “superfan” that all musicians dream of having and I’m so blessed to also call them my friend.
Utelo and I initially met on the VirtuaVerse Discord server. We then noticed each other popping up in the other servers and we eventually connected more personally. Beyond featuring his chiptune project (8rix) on my radio show, we bonded over our shared love of Magic the Gathering and our experience as parents. At some point, he shared music from his other projects and a few featured throat singing. Once I’d decided that Hexproof needed choir vocals, I made sure to carve out a space for his guttural vocals. While recording, he would occasionally go off-script and create new material. On “OmniVision,” he really let his loose and I fell in love with the improvised tracks. Suddenly, he wasn’t just singing backup in the choir—now he was the featured artist singing lead vocals.
When Dan asked him about working on both Omnivsion and the choir parts for Hexproof, Utelo commented the following:
I am really pleased and super proud I got involved in this project. I wish it will spread and be heard because this is really deserved. I’m thankful to Dan for accepting to hear my suggestions and even using it even if it was not the plan, and even if the said plan was super detailed and clear from the beginning (thanks for that too, it was a real pleasure to work in such a context). You nailed it man ! Now let’s blast the Techno Magic everywhere !
Even more collaborations?
And it’s not just these artists mentioned above that you worked it. When we discussed the topics for this interview, you mentioned working with a choir. I found it fascinating that you collaborated with a choir featuring vocalists like Sam Mulligan, MegaBeardo, and 8rix. Can you tell us a bit about how this collaboration impacted your music, and what the creative process was like working with such a diverse group of vocalists?
Creating a full chorus for “Hexproof” was a unique beast. I got the idea while writing “Precognition” with gwEm. There’s a section in the first verse that I thought would sound really cool with a live choir… And then I started asking: “what about this song? What about this phrase over here?” So I started searching for singers in my music circles. Some, like YURA and 8rix, are good friends that agreed to contribute before I could finish asking. Others are folks I got to know a little better as a result of working on the choir.
The arrangement was pretty involved and the whole thing got a really technical treatment. Without a doubt, the most time-intensive part was editing. I think I spent 3 months alone editing over 300 choir tracks. With such a diverse cast of vocalists—each with varying degrees of proficiency, recording equipment, and vocal range—there was no one-size solution. If I were to do it again, I think there’s a lot I would do differently. At the end of the day, though, I’m really happy with how the choir sounds.
Hexproof 2.0?
Let’s circle back a bit because you also mentioned a cover/remix album with representation from a very broad spectrum of genres and artists. Can you provide more insights into this project? How did you choose the artists to participate, and what inspired the diverse selection of genres?
I haven’t announced it officially, but I have been pulling at that thread for a while now. I approached eleven different artists—all of whom I respect immensely—and asked them to reimagine Hexproof through the lens of their own musical sensibilities. In those preliminary discussions, I reiterated that I wasn’t looking for a copy-and-paste rearrange of Hexproof. The original songs are the uniting framework, but I wanted each song to sound like the artists covering them. In this way, the space was set aside to celebrate their work and to explore the broader themes relevant to Techno Mage. It’s really cool hearing all of the songs together because it’s such a well-rounded tracklist with representation in metal, industrial, orchestra, hip-hop, and—of course—chiptune.
Unique Physical Formats:
Your love for chiptune is a very clear one since your decision to release the album on cassette and NES cartridge is quite unique and something we love here at GamingBoulevard. Can you tell us something about what led to these choices, and what challenges or creative opportunities did you encounter in adapting your music for these formats?
The biggest considerations I faced in bringing Hexproof to cassette were inherent to the format: an “A-side” and a “B-side.” This limitation forced me to be particularly decisive about the track order. Whenever I curate any kind of playlist, I try to consider how the timbre and overall feeling of each song relate to its adjacent tracks. This was definitely true of Hexproof, but the necessity for an appropriate intermission meant I had to divide the album into two, distinct acts.
Porting Hexproof to the NES, however, was very involved. Since the NES makes its sounds primarily through programmable sound generators, a one-to-one port wouldn’t have been possible. In many regards, though, I didn’t want it to be. The NES has such a particular sound and I really wanted to lean into that. Since I regularly use FamiTracker as part of my workflow, the rearranging process was straightforward. It still took a while—mostly in regards to pre-production and converting the album to a format that could be flashed to cartridge. The final product, though, is something I’m really proud of and is something of a dream come true. I’ve wanted to release music on cartridge for a while and this felt like the perfect time and place to do it.
Music Videos?
So when we think of albums, we also think of music videos. A little birdie told me that the music video for “Ironsight” will have cameos. Very intriguing. Can you tell us more about the concept of the video and your experience working on it?
The video for “Ironsight” will be sort of abstract, existing somewhere between music video and lyric video. With how dynamic the studio track is, I wanted to ensure that the visuals matched the song’s intensity and movement. I decided on a digitally animated video that takes place entirely on a computer monitor. The imagery ties directly into the lyrics as well as the album’s narrative. Part of that story involves a band of freedom fighters who are being systematically silenced. These renegades will appear in the video as portraits styled to resemble database photos. The people in these photos are mostly family and friends—such as yourself! I can’t say for sure when the video will be unveiled, but I’m targeting November or December of 2023.
Zantilla:
I can’t wait to see how that will turn out. And it’s not the only ‘cameo’ you have planned for ‘Hexproof’. Next to the artists you work with, both on the tracks and in the choir, you also added session guitar work from Zantilla. That is an interesting addition. How did this collaboration come about, and how did it enhance the musical elements of the album?
A while back, Zantilla made a post about getting involved with other people’s projects. At the time, I was wrapping up pre-production on Hexproof and there were places I needed the touch of a session guitarist. I reached out, excited about the prospect of working with someone so skilled as both a songwriter and as a musician. To my delight, they agreed. They performed lead guitar on “Hollowpoint Havoc” using phrases that I wrote. They brought so much flavor to the song, though, and my expectations were obliterated once I heard their guitar tracks. Where they really got to shine, though, was on “Bleeding Edge.” Originally, I planned to feature vocals on this song, but by the time Zantilla got involved, that well had dried up. There was one problem, though: I was already attached to the instrumentation. The chorus needed a really expressive lead line, but I had gotten so creatively fatigued that I didn’t trust myself to do it justice. When I asked Zantilla to step in, they took it and ran—and the song is so much better for it. Now it feels really complete, and I owe so much of that to Zantilla’s special breed of shred.
I think it’s fitting, or natural, to see so many different blends from the spectrum put into your work. If we look back over the years, your music has evolved and embraced various genres. How do you feel your sound has developed, and what has influenced these changes in your musical style?
I think the decision to go darker and heavier is a reflection of my headspace. It also has a lot to do with the art that interests me. I find myself really drawn to work that invites deep conversation–especially when there’s an open-ended quality. Music, in particular, is most interesting to me when it’s hard to categorize and when it tells a compelling story. Even as I grow and evolve, though, I think the spirit of my work remains the same.
Games!
Since we are also a gaming website, let’s talk about games! You’re not only a musician but also working on a text-based adventure game. Could you share some details about the game’s concept, storyline, and how your experience in music and storytelling influences your approach to game development?
I won’t call myself a game developer by any stretch of the imagination. I am a novice when it comes to coding but I can muck around in an assembly-based engine with enough documentation and generous hand holding. My friend, Lisa (aka Lethal Lisa), is the brilliant programmer behind Nightcrawler, a compact text adventure engine that can compile to a tiny form factor. I knew I wanted to release the game on 3.5″ floppy disk so this was part of the criteria when I approached Lisa to create Nightcrawler. While I developed the skeleton of my game, she graciously worked through my feature requests, fixed my bugs, and continued adding nice-to-haves. What we ended up with is a really robust engine that can do all kinds of neat things.
The original hope was to have the game launch alongside the album, but life happened and I had to make some tough choices. Right now, it’s about halfway finished. The crucial bits are functional and now I’m working my way through the creative writing (which is the most time-consuming part). The story will be a more literal transcription of Hexproof, following the Techno Mage character as they seek out answers and revenge. I can’t say exactly when it will be released, but I’m excited to share it.
It does sound like something that would be right up our alley. I find it fitting that your love for game soundtracks makes its way into both your musical project and game project with Hexproof and Nightcrawler. Let us know when the game is in a playable state, we would love to take a look at it!
Future Projects & where to find Techno Mage!
With such a diverse and creative approach to music, can you give us a hint about any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re excited about?
I haven’t started pre-production on my next, major release and I’m not exactly rushing to it at this point. Hexproof was a lot of work and I’m ready to take smaller bites. In the immediate future, there are a lot of artists I’ve been eager to collaborate with. I would also like to work on cover songs and smaller releases like singles and shorter EPs.
Outside of Techno Mage, I will be resuming work on a soundtrack I’m scoring for buuuu bunny games. The game is called Fissh and is being developed for the Playdate handheld console. The score is entirely chiptune and is a huge departure from what I usually make. It’s been a lot of fun, though, and I’m eager to get back to it. Beyond Fissh, I was asked to curate songs for a chiptune/chip-adjacent compilation album in celebration of music created by trans and non-binary folks. The compilation is being organized by Game Genie Sokolov and will raise money for The Trevor Project and Transgender Europe (TGEU). In the coming months, I may be producing on a very rad nerdcore/electronic artist’s upcoming material. I won’t share too much as it’s not set in stone, but it should be a really cool project if it pans out.
That sounds cool! Hopefully, it will pull even more people into the scene and raise money for a very good and valid cause on the side. Where can people find you and your music?
Anywhere you listen to music, but if you want to show some love, the best places are my website (technomagemusic.com) and Bandcamp.
And the final question we ask everyone who joins us for an interview! What is your favorite console and game?
Being a fan of old games, I always break this answer into two parts: retro and modern. My favorite retro game is Shatterhand for the NES. My favorite modern game is Blasphemous. As for consoles, I have a soft spot for the NES. Its library is pretty diverse and there are some really killer soundtracks.
We want to thank Dan for his time and encourage you all to check out Hexproof! It’s out now and streaming on Bandcamp and available on his website!
