Photo courtesy of the artist
Originally appeared on Irvine Weekly.
The daytime hustle of an artist does not define them. Ask them what they do and their secondary answer may include terms like “day job” or “paycheck,” but rarely “career.” It carries too much weight. It suggests that so-called work life is fulfilling and secure. It pretends that there is only one path in a world of infinite possibilities.
Small-time musicians often tend to confine their creativity to off-hours, usually after dark. Such is the case for Irvine’s Khue Bui, who works as a graphic designer for a boutique business development agency. When off the clock, he operates as electronic stalwart TheKhue. His recent album, The Quiet, was a product of the night and serves as his proudest release yet.
When looking to satiate his musical curiosity over a decade ago, Bui found a program called Acoustica Mixcraft on his desktop. For Mac users unfamiliar with it, Mixcraft is a Windows program like “Garageband, but a little more advanced,” according to the tinkerer himself. This was where his first forays into music production began. Through a great deal of trial-and-error, he eventually emerged with quantifiable skills that he would continue to hone ever since.
Sawdust & Gin 