Electronic producer Brian Ruskin has released under several aliases during his two-decade career, including Gears in the Rain, Escale (a collaborative project with Jiri Blazek) and Mental Health Consumer – the latter of which blends ambient, experimental, industrial and IDM textures.
Mental Health Consumer’s new album, The Echoes I Sent, is set to be released on EC Underground on 5 December, and will be exclusively available on Bandcamp before being released on other platforms.
Ahead of its release, 909originals caught up with Mental Health Consumer to chat about the new album, and his musical journey to date.
Hi Brian, thanks for talking to us. For those that aren’t familiar with your music, how would you describe Mental Health Consumer?
I’d describe Mental Health Consumer as ‘emotionally intelligent dance music’, reflecting a blend of ambient and aggressive sounds with an interest in evoking a spectrum of feelings.
The albums are conceptual and cohesive in style, but varied in genres, placing ambient soundscapes alongside progressive electro, live instrumentation over programmed compositions. My production name echoes this duality: a mental health consumer could be a taker or a receiver.
What was the inspiration behind your latest release, The Echoes I Sent?
The album theme is the transmission of music across distances, echoes fading over time, reflecting the transient nature of music and memories. The title also reflects my iterative process of creating and sharing sounds, the final products sometimes a distant echo of the starting inspiration.
The album has been described as a ‘deep dive into the psyche’ – how important is it to you to create an emotional journey with your projects?
Creating music is a cathartic tool for dealing with my own concerns and emotions. Track ideas and album concepts are driven by feelings such as melancholy, nostalgia, awe, and gratitude.
My goal is to evoke similarly strong emotional responses in listeners, and it’s thrilling to learn what that response is, whether as designed or stemming from the listener’s own experiences.
You’ve been producing music since 2006 under various aliases, including Mental Health Consumer, Escale and Gears in the Rain. How has your approach to music evolved over the years leading up to your current project?
My earliest productions were born from the joy of having access to tools to play and record interesting sounds. As a kid, I plugged keyboards into effects pedals and recorded to 4-track tape, semi-permanent and with limited chances for edits. DAW-based production allows unlimited tracking and editing, but exponentially more decisions.
Over time, I’ve developed my own unique style and focused more on composition, sound-scaping, and sound quality. The approach emphasises personal expression, informed by technical skills and my own limitations.
Your work spans ambient, experimental, industrial and IDM – what artists in particular have been most influential in the development of your sound?
Influential artists include Underworld, Orbital, The Chemical Brothers, Fluke, Marconi Union, Genesis, and Biosphere. I admire electronic producers who craft albums that feel cohesive, meaningful and take you on sonic journeys.
Unexpected Storm is a stand-out track on the album for us. It has an evocative title, was it inspired by anything in particular?
The track was inspired by a sudden tornado that spun up near where I live, so the sounds and mood try to reflect the mystery, danger, natural beauty, wildness and order. Unexpected storms can be personal, as well – a challenge or change of atmosphere to overcome.
The track’s effectiveness was improved by fantastic live drumming by Jesse Sprinkle and remixing by Dave Hall.
You use a combination of live instruments, field recordings, and digital audio tools in your productions – how does this blend of analogue and digital influence the emotional resonance of your tracks?
Analog recordings and live playing (e.g. guitar, drums, keys) add warmth and a human touch, the imperfections reminding the listener that a human is behind these sounds!
Digital tools expand sonic possibilities, enabling the creation of immersive atmospheres. Putting the live performances next to the programmed sounds results in a tension that hopefully captures interest.
Many of your previous releases, such as Too Warm to Be This Late, Too Chilled to Feel Secure and Early Spring Midnight Walks With Us explore the night-time hours and insomnia. What draws you to these themes from a creative standpoint?
Creating during late hours allows for exploration of troubled thoughts that keep me up at night, but can also offer solitude for reassessment. Nighttime sessions often fit my schedule better and I can channel the nervous energy or use the time and space for reflection and introspection.
You’ve sought to adopt an independent and fan-focused approach to your releases. How has this strategy shaped your creative process?
Self-releasing music can be an effective way to share with friends and explore how the music proliferates around the world to people I don’t already know. That mode of sharing matches my personal approach to creating.
Partnering with independent labels and platforms like Bandcamp has expanded my reach. The creative process is the same, but the details of distribution and marketing are more focused and intentional.
I’m grateful and excited that The Echoes I Sent is being released by EC Underground, a label that’s dedicated to supporting their artists and releasing interesting, quality music.
What’s next on the agenda for Mental Health Consumer?
Ongoing collaborations will help me improve as an artist and stay excited with the art and techniques of electronic music production. Creating is essential to my life for documenting what I’m thinking, feeling, and learning.
Future Mental Health Consumer albums will continue the themes of wonder and contemplation, set to a score of hopefully interesting emotionally intelligent electronic music!
Mental Health Consumer – The Echoes I Sent will be released on Bandcamp on 5 December. Click here for more information.
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