Meet DRESDEN7 | Musician | Visual Artist | Photographer | Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with DRESDEN7 and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi DRESDEN7, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
Persistence and perseverance fueling my creativity and passions have been crucial to my success. No matter the circumstances, you must harness the strength and passion within yourself to persevere in the face of adversity. Life can often be cruel and relentlessly unforgiving, so it’s absolutely critical to work hard and turn negatives into positives. My father taught me this essential life-lesson at a very young age when competing in baseball, wrestling, and martial arts. The most recent example would be the unprecedented impact of the current pandemic and the negative fallout inherent to it. When the pandemic hit, I did everything in my power to turn a negative into a positive by using the lockdown to focus on creating. My passion for music and art during this time acted as a catalyst to produce some of my best work and became the most prolific time of my career. Finally, staying focused on what matters most in life is a habit instrumental to my life. Success isn’t measured by recognition and money, or by what others think of you. It’s measured by truth in the manifestation of rewarding personal happiness and fulfillment.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an electronic musician, abstract visual artist, and photographer based in Los Angeles, California. My music compositions and artwork are deeply rooted in arcane symbolism, esoteric spirituality, biomechanical surrealism, archetypal metaphors, and tribal abstraction. My music style is a hybrid of abstract, dark ambient beats interlaced with hypnotic, industrial-trance soundscapes and cinematic-atmospheric, metaphysical dissonance. My work is often described as a journey through “sonic alchemy and sensual chaos”. Each song can have an average runtime of 17 minutes transitioning across multiple stages meant to extract the thoughts, allegories, and emotions hidden in the subconscious mind of the listener. This auditory sojourn is intended to be an experience catalyzing creativity and imagination within the listener along the way.

With a background in neuroscience and a passion for history, spirituality, and philosophy, my music and art infuses scientific principles and emergent technologies with symbolic imagery inherent to spirituality throughout human history. It speaks to how the ever-expanding integration of technology will affect the human condition, especially from a spiritual standpoint. The work interweaves a complexity of themes deeply rooted in the premise that all sentient beings share a common, Akashic thread. My production design incorporates the sacred, resonating power of symmetry and geometry, while simultaneously fusing futuristic, science fiction elements with arcane wisdom and esoteric truths throughout all ages.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
After living in Los Angeles for 22 years, there are far too many amazing places to list. But here are a few of my personal favorites:

Espresso/Cafes:
Deus Ex Machina, Venice
Blue Bottle Coffee, Hollywood
La Colombe, Silver Lake

Drinks:
Sunset & Vinyl
Death & Company
Seven Grand
Raspoutine
La Descarga

Dining:
Gwen’s Specialty Butcher Shop & Restaurant, Hollywood
Osen Japanese Izakaya, Silver Lake
Asenebo, Studio City
The Griddle Cafe, Breakfast
Randy’s Donuts, LAX

Movie:
The Arclight DOME, Hollywood

Hotels/Vibe/Views:
The Millennium Biltmore Hotel, DTLA
NOMAD Hotel, DTLA
71Above, DTLA
The Historic Farmer’s Market at The Grove

Bookstore:
The Last Bookstore, DTLA
Taschen, Beverly Hills

Museums:
The Getty
Getty Villa

Japanese Hobbies:
The Jungle in Little Tokyo

Santa Monica Mountains/Dining/Atmosphere:
The Old Place
Saddle Peak Lodge
Inn of the Seventh Ray

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my ShoutOut to my beloved parents, Bruce and Kay Ann Wanzie, for their endless and unwavering love and support in my life. They gave everything of themselves, and more, to their children in order to see them safe, supported, happy, and fulfilled. Words could never describe the sheer level and extend of my blessings and gratitude – I love you always. I would like to further dedicate this ShoutOut to my two magnificent and extraordinarily, beautiful children, Ayla Shea & Kyden Dane, who’s radiating light always warms my heart and illuminates my life. I love you both, endlessly.

Website: dresden7.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dresden7/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dresden7Art/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/a5dMIuW2VO4

Other: BANDCAMP: https://dresden7.bandcamp.com/ SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/dresden7art APPLE MUSIC & ITUNES: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dresden7/1548899995