Start Listening To: Body Meat

Explore the inspirations, creative processes, and personal insights that have shaped Starchris and discover how Taylor navigates the chaos and catharsis that defines his music.

Welcome to an exclusive Q&A session with Chris Taylor, the creative force behind the dynamic and genre-defying project known as Body Meat. Hailing from New York, Chris Taylor is a musician whose work transcends conventional boundaries, blending elements of electronic pop, IDM, club music, and even metal to create a sound that is uniquely his own. With his upcoming debut album, "Starchris", Taylor delves into a world heavily influenced by the immersive storytelling of video games, crafting an auditory experience that challenges and rewards listeners with its intricate, evolving soundscapes.

For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from, and about the music you make?

I’m Chris Taylor I have a project called Body Meat that I make things with. I live in New York. The kind of music I make can change at any point but right now it’s electronic pop music.

Your upcoming debut album, "Starchris," seems to be heavily influenced by the world-building potential of video games. How did this influence manifest in the creation of the album, both sonically and conceptually?

Video games, specifically the role-playing type, informed this new album a lot. In the way storytelling can take many different forms. In some games, you can find deep lore within a simple item description. I tried to do that with sounds. To build a world with all of these distinct pieces, destroy them and bring them back smaller or bigger. I’m saying much more with the sounds I use than I am with my actual vocals.

I also use this inspiration to create a different palette for each song. I wanted it to feel like you are entering a different level with a different landscape and challenge. I found shifting genre more reasonable when I thought about it in that context. It allowed me to go extremely big and then erase it all directly after. In a game, that’s how you build tension- you force the player into a pressure point and really test what they’ve learned. Usually, this is a boss, or in some games an actual choke point in the level design filled with higher-tier enemies. Then reward them with a moment of peace. And onto the next.

"High Beams," the first-level boss fight in your album, merges pop melodies with elements of nu-metal and trap. Can you walk us through the creative process behind this track and how it fits into the overarching narrative of "Starchris"?

This is the first pressure point. I wanted to make something that would change dramatically halfway through. I feel like you either really like this change or don’t care for it. But it sets you up for what’s really coming in the rest of the record. These changes can come out of nowhere. I also really felt like screaming on a song. I’ve never done that on a Body Meat album before. It felt great.

The protagonist's journey through "Starchris" is described as a transformative hero's journey. What themes or messages are you exploring through this narrative structure?

I don’t really see it as “one hero’s journey,” I don’t even see this person as a hero. I think I see it as someone trying to survive this world, and make it through to become something greater. That’s why the album cover is four people. Four different pieces that have to learn to become one powerful force. In a JRPG this would be a tank, a healer, a mage, and a damage dealer. One of these alone isn’t enough to get through the game. You have to utilize each important piece. I explore the narrative through each fragment's perspective.

Your music has been described as genre-defying, blending elements of IDM, club music, experimental pop, and even metal. How do you navigate between these diverse genres while maintaining a cohesive sound?

Oh, that’s very kind to say—I don’t think I navigate it very well, to be honest, I don’t even try! I actually love when it’s jarringly different from song to song/part to part. I like a lot of music that slams things together in this unforgiving way. In most artistic mediums I always gravitate towards the stuff that plays with that, I’d like to think most people do. People aren’t that boring.

Could you delve deeper into the storytelling aspect of your music? How do you incorporate narrative elements into your songwriting process?

As I mentioned above, I try all types of things to weave a narrative in. But I do try to keep things as ambiguous as possible because I like stories where you can get something different out of it than someone else. And then you can come together and combine theories. That’s more fun.

The video for "High Beams" features intricate visual storytelling, mirroring the complexity of the track itself. How important is visual accompaniment to your music, and what role does it play in conveying your artistic vision?

The visual aspect, especially the videos, is hugely important to me. I feel like I can convey much more of what I’m feeling that way. I write things sometimes just for a specific visual in mind that I want to pair it with later. It’s also the one aspect where I’m not just completely alone and I get to work with some of my closest, most talented friends. Visuals with sound really give me a new context for what I’ve made. There are songs that I couldn’t stand until I made the visuals for them.

You've mentioned that your music is about finding catharsis amongst chaos. How does this theme of catharsis manifest throughout "Starchris," and how do you hope listeners will connect with it?

My life is so hectic and stressful, it’s hard not to represent that within the music. I think on a base level most people will be able to relate to this. I literally try to destroy the song in moments to reflect that feeling of being completely overwhelmed, and being able to have that control in sound is so freeing. We all need peace but you have to reckon with your own chaos to get there.

Your previous releases as Body Meat have explored unique sonic territories, blending trap production with influences from Ethiopian and funk music. How does "Starchris" build upon or diverge from these previous projects?

"Starchris" is the culmination of all that I’ve learned. Every technique, every drum beat, every note.

Can you share any memorable moments or experiences from your recent performances at SXSW, particularly your Body Meat Lost Odyssey club night in NYC?

The DJ night was so fun, I’ve never used CDJs before that. I got to play with some really close friends who are much better DJs and I was so nervous. But it became really fun after a few songs. I played some really out-there stuff and I’m probably the wrong person to have as a DJ but I really loved it. A lot of people were there as well which was a huge surprise.

As far as Austin, I didn’t participate in SXSW because of their dealings with the US Army. I don’t support that and I wanted no part of their festival. But I did play some amazing non-SXSW shows. People were very kind. I saw a lot of love for Palestine at those events which was great. Please free Palestine.

Your music often feels like piecing together debris from unpredictable genre clashes. How do you embrace this sense of unpredictability and chaos in your creative process?

I just make what feels good in the moment. If it moves me, it’s right, genre irrelevant.

What do you love right now?

What I love right now is that I’m going to be a father in October. I love knowing that I’ll get to create songs for them.

What do you hate right now?

Time constraints.

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?

The Isley Brothers' "3+3"—reminds me of driving around with my dad. It was his birthday yesterday. I need to call him.

Finally, what do you hope listeners will take away from "Starchris" after experiencing the album in its entirety?

Honestly, I think I used to have a deeper answer for this but I hope people just enjoy it. I hope that maybe somewhere they feel different, maybe they want to make something too. It’s funny though, I don’t know if I’ve ever felt the need for anyone to take anything away from my music. Everything I make is so purely for me to process my life through that I’m surprised people gravitate towards it at all. I try to never place those expectations on this stuff. It’s not the point.