Central Indiana is a vast, endless horizon of cornfields, farms, and the occasional city strewn in for good measure. If you’ve ever been to West Texas you’d feel right at home in this Midwest pocket of agriculture, small town life, and the feeling of being nowhere and everywhere in just a single glance. Interstate 65 is the main artery that runs north and south in Indiana, taking you from Chicago to Louisville. In the middle of this asphalt vein is Indianapolis; state capital and home of Kurt Vonnegut, Wes Montgomery, and ambient/new age/drone record label Past Inside The Present.
Ambient music over the last few years has seen a resurgence and re-evaluation. What was seen just a decade ago as mere background noise for spa treatments, TM retreats, and post-hippie magical thinking has been given new life and meaning by artists like Tyresta, City of Dawn, Cat Tyson Hughes, marine eyes, and From Overseas to name a few. Ambient/new age/drone are still – at the core – about the journey within. But less about Chakras and transcendentalism and more about finding a kind of inner peace; quieting the external static that permeates the head and heart. Better living through artistry and circuitry.
One thing all those aforementioned artists have in common is record label Past Inside The Present. They’ve all released heady albums with this Midwest forward-thinking label. Label head/musician/composer zakè is the North Star when it comes to that world. Along with a handful of other independent record labels and fellow composers/creatives, zakè(aka Zach Frizzell) has given ambient/drone music the proper light it deserves and has established PITP as one of the premiere record labels of the ambient world. And, in my opinion, will eventually be looked at in the same regard and respect as institutions like Windham Hill, CTI, Blue Note, and ECM.
I discovered PITP’s vast discography via Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Sea and their album Liberamente back in 2020, which was released via Danish record label Azure Vista Records. Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Sea is a supergroup of sorts in the ambient drone community, comprised of zakè, Marc Ertel, and Damien Duque. They have all released various albums in other iterations on Past Inside The Present, as well as other forward-thinking labels. Liberamente led me to Past Inside The Present, which led to this engaging and wonderful sound journey which I’m still very much on.
I was honored to sit down and talk all things ambient music with zakè; from his early years discovering NIN and Pearl Jam via laser light shows, to playing drums as a teen in hardcore bands, to having his mind blown the first time hearing Eno’s Music For Airports. And of course the importance and gift of collaboration in the ambient community. Grab a cup of coffee and check our conversation out below.
J Hubner : What was the first record you heard that rewired your brain? That record that opened the door which allowed you to understand that music could be more than just background for a road trip. And this can be anything, not just pertaining to ambient/drone music. Like, as a teen something that knocked your socks off.
zakè : Man, there were so many introductions and music that really hit me and it is a bit difficult to really name that one record. I will give you a short story about a specific time-period leading up to an album that completely blew my lid when I was young.
My cousin is about 8 years older than I and we were super close. It was back in the early 90s when we spent a lot of time together. He would frequently make me mix tapes, most of which included the sounds of Pearl Jam, Melvins, Stone Temple Pilots, Helmet, Nirvana, etc. Some of those songs just cracked. I still enjoy many of them today. Music was an important part of our friendship and I think he really enjoyed turning me on to new music.
There is a museum in downtown Indianapolis that used to host ‘laser light nights’ that had music accompanied by a light show in their ‘CineDome’ which just opened up back in 96’. They had these shows every Saturday night and we decided to pull up and check out which album they were featuring for the evening on a muggy summer evening. It just so happened the lady at the ticket booth said that the featured music for the evening would be by ‘Nine Inch Chairs’, which my cousin and people around us started laughing. Of course, they were doing a feature on the beloved album ‘The Downward Spiral’ by Nine Inch Nails of which at that time was still running strong and very popular in 96’. My cousin wasn’t much of a fan, but since we were there, we might as well snag the tickets and chill.
Yoooooo. That album messed me up in the best way possible. It was loud, it was heavy, it was dark, and hit me like nothing else has ever hit me. Rewired? Heck yes it did. And that is where my obsessive collecting and listening began. In the 90s maxi-singles, cd singles, import singles, cassette singles, etc. reigned supreme. I had to get all of them. Even if the title had the exact same songs; one was a UK pressing, the other a Canadian pressing. Didn’t matter, had to have it.
Then I entered the world of Radiohead shortly thereafter. Same forementioned museum. A year later. 97’. OK Computer. And would you believe it, their spread of all the lovely singles, imports, cassettes, etc. had to be collected as well. From an early age to present time, Radiohead is played weekly. Perhaps one day I should share a picture with you my NIN and Radiohead collection. It’s pretty glorious.. and the song Creep still sucks.
J Hubner : At what point did you shift from being a devourer of music to a maker of music? What did you start out playing? Do you remember your first music project?
zakè : I always made mouth noises and hummed. All. The. Time. My parents gave me an ultimatum, “If you PROMISE to stop making mouth noises, we will buy you a drumset”. I agreed and that’s when music making really began. I was in school band in middle school, but all the music was dumb and boring (pre-teen/teen talking here). With a kit in my room and a tape deck, it was ON. In percussion class, we got the shitty bells and a practice pad. Tossed the pad, but found use with the bells. I would record a simple melody, loop it, and then play drums with it. Man, what I would do to hear those tapes now!
First ‘official’ band I joined was a power-violence / punk outfit in high school (think pg.99, orchid, saetia, etc.). We were awful and it was awesome. The last band I played drums in was PILLARS, which included Marc Ertel, who now releases music with me and Damien Duque as Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Sea. Marc also released his debut solo album [overtures] on PITP and we have another upcoming album by Marc in queue on HSP in February of this year. Marc joined me in February of 2023 to play the “Live at the Gothic Chapel’ event with the brethren Kevin Sery and James Bernard- also available on PITP.
Side note, my very first appearance on stage was as a Misfits cover band, over 20 years ago. And yes, Marc Ertel played the bass guitar for that set. Ha!
J Hubner : Your label Past Inside The Present is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Did you grow up in Indianapolis? Or the Midwest? If so, how do you think growing up in the Midwest molded you as a musician? In-particular, Central Indiana has a lot of vast open fields that can seem to go on forever. That can be quite the inspiration for the ambient works you are known for.
zakè : I have been in Indianapolis my entire life. Indianapolis is such an incredible city. And all it takes is 15 minutes in any direction to see the infinite fields of farmland. There’s something solemn about those fields and the woodlands that are always near. Peace, comfort, simple living, and quiet. It is easy to find here. For 17 years my wife and children lived about 10 minutes south of downtown Indianapolis. We just recently moved about 20 miles west of the heart of the city, which put us in a sparse and quiet area. There are thick woodlands, creeks, small lakes, ponds, and fields all around us. There is a lot of inspiration out here.
J Hubner : How did you find your way to ambient/drone music? Who or what were some early influences in that world?
zakè : Early influences definitely came from my father. The man is an orchestral/symphony addict. We would regularly go see the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and almost always had music playing when I was growing up. My mother’s vinyl collection sealed the deal. Roxy Music, Miles Davis, and Brian Eno. I’m sure you can guess how this all converged together. Ha!
Early influences were the quiet interludes of some of the orchestral/symphonic albums my father would play, I wish they would just go on forever. When my parents moved to South Carolina, my dad gifted me all the cassettes, records, and cds that he amassed over many decades. It has been awesome to listen to all these albums again. Some sounds were locked away in my subconscious but when heard again, felt just like the day I heard it. Brilliant.
J Hubner : What are three albums in Ambient/Drone that you couldn’t do without? Albums you still pull magic from to help fuel your own art?
zakè : Terrible but necessary question! (terrible because it is SO HARD to choose). Music For Airports (first taste of ambient), Selected Ambient Works Volume II (sheesh. First time hearing it, I thought I was listening to beautiful ambient music made by aliens that were far superior to the human race)., and Their Refinement of the Decline (perfect album in every sense, came out when my wife and I met and was our soundtrack for years). No surprises here.
J Hubner : Your work is very collaborative. Besides Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Sea, you’ve released records with City of Dawn, From Overseas, 36, Wayne Robert Thomas, and James Bernard just to name a few. You release solo work as well, but the bulk of PITP feels very collaborative. Do you prefer solo or collaboration? Or do both offer something artistically and creatively for you?
zakè : Community is everything. Especially in our ambient music community. Collaboration is one of the most beautiful undertakings in my opinion. I see it as a way to grow closer to the artists you work with and respect; while taking creativity to an entirely new level. Collaborations bring out the best in people, both as artists and individuals. It is a shared journey, not walking alone. It deters isolationism. It celebrates community. We are all in this together.
I have been able to work collaboratively with some of my favorite artists and humans. There is a specific excitement that comes with collaborating. I can say I prefer it. It illuminates the best out of us and the creativity meter is at its highest. Splendid!
My solo works are not as frequent as the former, but I really enjoy working in isolation at times. Typically, solo albums are reserved for the times when it is hard. When life feels heavy. These projects resonate with a certain intimacy where I know the only path is for me is to walk it alone. Most recent solo endeavors include Lapis, Orchestral Tape Studies II, and Deep into the unknown, we shall endlessly roam.
J Hubner : Do you have a typical setup when composing works? Guitars through processing? Synths? Eurorack? I’m curious how you create your otherworldly sounds.
zakè : I take a somewhat unorthodox approach in creating music. Field recordings are at the top of the list, using various recorders and most times there are at least a half dozen recorded sounds weaved pleasantly together in most of my tracks. It brings out an organic fullness and is absolutely necessary with my works. Especially since most of my output is loop-based. So many things swirling at any given moment. I have some vintage machines that I tinker with and process through to give that familiar sound in my works. I never have focused on BPMs or make music that has guardrails if you will. I hardly use DAWs and find myself more into audio editing tools. It’s hardly perfect and there’s beauty to that.
J Hubner : What inspires you to create? People? Places? Experiences? The past? Looking to the future? All of the above?
zakè : Music is medicine. Music bonds people together. I have yet to find another outlet where the common goal is so globally celebrated, focused, endearing and inclusive. The people I have met from all walks of life is a testament that we all celebrate this together. We want it to succeed, just as all parents want to see their children succeed. Music is the purest outlet we have, whether as a listener or creator. It’s every day. It’s forever. It was yesterday. It is today. It will be tomorrow. It’s one of the only things we have left in this tired world.
J Hubner : What is it about ambient/new age/drone music that captures your imagination so much? I have my own reasons that I’m drawn to it. What are yours?
zakè : The boundless and the infinite. It is a genre that hits the soul deeply. It’s intimate, personal, and spiritual. I hear and see so much creativity in these genres. As an artist, it gives the listener a glimpse into my heart and soul. It promises that you aren’t alone. I’ll walk with you in your journey of life.
J Hubner : You’ve released music on your Past Inside The Present and Zake Drone, as well as with Azure Vista Records and most recently your album Lapis with Quiet Details. In a reasonably short amount of time you’ve amassed quite a discography and have made music with a varied and talented group of like-minded artists. What’s next for you as an artist and label runner? Is there a 5, 10, 20 year plan? Or are you just taking things one day at a time?
zakè : Each day anew. We aren’t promised tomorrow. We aren’t promised today. We plan for the future, but focus on today. There’s always a plan, yet we create like there is no tomorrow. There are a lot of wonderful things planned for all forementioned outlets. Hopefully the world continues to spin so we can share it with you all.
Get started on your journey. Hit up PITP and Zake Drone Recordings and get going.
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