https://www.audiotool.com/user/pogtopia179/ took third place in our People’s Choice Featured Artist voting. His sound spans the full range of contemporary popular music — often noisy, sometimes melodic, always distinctive. With a mix of experimental textures and a clear sense for structure and mood, his tracks stand out through both energy and detail. A great journey from a bit of a handful to one of the leading voices of his Audiotool generation. Congratulations on a well-earned third place, @elow!

Interview

About: Elijah Faust https://www.audiotool.com/user/pogtopia179/

What's good My names Elijah Faust, you guys know me as https://www.audiotool.com/user/pogtopia179. I'm from Slidell Louisiana right above New Orleans. I was born in Mississippi but grew up here and met amazing people. I mostly grew up with people of all sorts of talents and quirks and quickly realized that I wanted to do music almost my entire life. My father introduced me to music through a keyboard he had long before I was born and helped me learn the piano at just 3 years old. After that I just kept to it, and later down the road in 2021 discovered that I can make music outside of something I) was comfortable. Thus being born Pogtopia179 on audiotool. iIdid have an account before in 2019 called "lxrdwxvy" but had no idea about anything on the site so I took music seriously as elow. I for sure wouldn't be where I am today without my best friends Noah Cheng, Daniel Mejiad, Jaime, Sel, and Eli (iykyk). I'm thankful for everyone I met on this app as well. It pushed me to continue even at low points and boosted me up during my highs. Some hobbies I have are skating (skateboarding and rollerblading), trampoline tricking (at the moment I work at a trampoline park and just learn a triple backflip), hanging out with real life friends, playing Terraria and Geometry dash for hours outta the day, fishing, and there's much more but if you're interested just ask.
But that's right, the part you actually care about. Many may agree or disagree but originating from Chicago where my family is from my favorite pizza is deep dish pizza where the cheese is at the bottom and the sauce on top (you can be disappointed I don't care) p.s. pineapple is weird.

Describe the style of music you produce

I would have to come and flat out say, I'm an experimental type of guy. I can't stick to one style and make many different genres. That being said, some of my favorite have to for sure be Jazz, Hip-hop, Trap, Breakcore, Drum and Bass, Botanica, Ambient, Hardstyle type of EDM (Camellia is a prime example and I will continue to look up to them), ROCK such as chiptune rock, indie, etc.. and there's this one thing i make that's not really supertrap but its really squishy and unique. (comment down below what the technical name is if you know what I'm talking about)

What is your musical background and when did you start making music?

At the age of 3 with my father ofc. But even after that I picked up the saxophone for band and played for 8-9 years getting decent at it making it to all-state for Louisiana. Now I just play for fun and enjoy it when i can. I also recently got an electric drum set that I should learn and make music at my friends house [ I showed him audiotool as well].
Another main point about my history is that instead of focusing in school, I ALWAYS made music in class on audiotool and got a LOT of recognition around my school as "The Beat Maker" or "The Beat Boxer", etc.. iIeventually sold my first beat my sophomore year as a supertrap track for $20 lol.

How long have you been using Audiotool, and how did you discover it?

As I said Above, 2021 is when I truly settled on audiotool finding the community and interacting with everyone and some of the users that helped my find my way were guyy, itxmi, taiko (joining around the same time) jj, and cory (these people are my big inspirations to me in my past for sure). I know im not the only one for this on but a youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HurUi3dnI0M from ishywon with a goofy ass thumbnail. If I wouldve never seen this, I doubt I wouldve found audiotool and had a spark for music my high school and jr. high years.

What is your favorite Audiotool device and why?

Many people might answer for me and say the Audiotrack but I this I would have to defiantly say the Heisenberg. Even though I'm not the biggest sound designer I still enjoy the countless drafts I have of just one or two Heisenbergs to experiment on and just generating melodies. I definitely recommend playing around with it when you have beat block or writers block just to hear new sounds from a couple of tweaked knobs.

What is your favourite trick in AT/What technique do you always use?

This is literally the one I use every time even outside of audiotool. SOUND SELECTION. being most specific towards beginners, if you have a sound that is low quality, don't use it and expect good results. even after mixing and mastering you could get some ok sounds but sound selection is key to becoming better and understanding your art. If we are talking about tracks and things of that nature, detuning things is a big one. it gives my tracks some wonky feels and overall sounds nice to me especially on saws or synthesized sounds and even sounds you would never expect it to sound good on.

Have you ever had a writer's block? If so, how did you deal with it and what do you recommend to your colleagues

Absolutely!!! Making the same damn thing can be extremely exhausting and boring. the last time I had writers block was like 6-7 months ago but learned a trick to overcoming it. This may not work for everyone but making music at least an hour a day. you don't have to post them either and it can sound like the most vile, despicable thing ever (done it too many times) but the point of this is to get used to your daw and when you do have an idea to make something, you will be one step closer to achieving your dream song right on the top of you head and directly from your fingertips. Another good thing is stepping out of your main genre/style and make something completely new that you've never made before. And before you go and say, "Well erm Elijah, I've made like EVERY genre and there's nothing else to make. What then?" https://www.pinterest.com/pin/492649948096402 this isn't even including the new, recent genres and styles we know today. Go make some music already

What has helped you the most on Audiotool to improve and widen your musical horizon?

The people. Itxmi this was a big one from me to you. you had a huge impact on my take of music and competition even for the feature awards thingie I'm filling out right now lmao. interaction and listening to different track from various artist help me discover a lot of new genres, open my ears to styles unlocking my own style of music, and even battling people to show the best you've got. Making rivals and having a competitive mindset has helped me a lot but on the completely alter ego of me you have the open eared and wiling to try any style of music (even if failed) to get up, learn from the mistakes, and make it even better the next time until you surpass what you've expected. Even if you have to put the mouse away and do something else (like touch grass) then do it!!! community is key or your music will never be heard by others .

What do you like most about Audiotool? Is there anything you would like to suggest?

The fact that out of almost every single daw you can work with artist IN LIVE TIME and the fact that this daw is COMPLETLY FREE and accessible anywhere from your computer, to you phone, to your Xbox, to your Samsung smart fridge xts pro 2160p Ultra hd screen to a 3ds internet screen (maybe not the studio but yk what i mean) if I did suggest anything it would to make a mobile feature and or app for the studio with optimization of course. It would most likely bring more users, more interactions from different locations, and a new take on what audiotool has to offer

Your message to the community:

Don't lose your spark. If you read this, I hope your spark is as big if not bigger than mine.
I love every person on this platform that I had a chance to meet so far and hope to do great things with you guys.

Social/Music Links

**Linktree: ** Everything is right here :
https://linktr.ee/Elow179

**Discord: **https://discord.gg/guS95P55yG
if you wanna join the Discord feel free. We welcome everyone :)

Edition Audiotool: @elow

Track #1:

Kurea - Irisu by https://www.audiotool.com/user/shadow_dawn_dj-5hadow/

9 minutes and 50 seconds worth of insanity. Absolute banger right here and this was the first song i’ve ever listened to on audiotool. I started to gather my edm style thanks to kurea, this song, and the style blessing my earlobes. If I had space to write a whole paragraph just for this track alone I would considering how amazing it is and how much it impacted my music experience. (Listen for sure)

Track #2:

ambivalence by https://www.audiotool.com/user/noah_cheng/

Listening to this track by itxmi created a major breakthrough in my music journey around this time. If I never listened to this I wouldn’t be where i am now for sure. Where to really begin. The lush pads are for sure creamy and beautiful. The piano touch just goes to show skill of placement and an ear for where things go and balance within the studio unlocking infinite creativity.

Track #3:

Battle of Gods. III by https://www.audiotool.com/user/isaacah1/ , https://www.audiotool.com/user/iuzi/ , https://www.audiotool.com/user/rbfl/ , https://www.audiotool.com/user/wutho/ and https://www.audiotool.com/user/mysterybloomer/

Absolute banger. My first time listening to the trap side of audiotool and the goats on here all in one track showing off their skills. Being younger I've always wanted to join the tapes and make my own part and I continue to look up to the artists who participated. Everyone has their own audiotool lore and mine started here <3

Track #4:

Without You. by https://www.audiotool.com/user/skittles761/

I had this song downloaded in my phone for the longest time on fucking repeat at age 14. I was obsessed to see this style of drill portrayed by Zack Reyes and started learning it myself. I just remember going to chicago with this song looping for 4-5 hours during the car ride and from there I told myself I will become the best drill producer. Too much nostalgia with this track for sure.

Track #5:

protected by https://www.audiotool.com/user/men4c3/ and https://www.audiotool.com/user/itsyahboi/

I was invited to this track :( Taiko created this whole thing and hearing it makes me so proud of how far we’ve came from 2022. (iykyk) This wave track to me represents a lot of piece in my life listening back over and over when I was sad, depressed, didn’t know what to do in my life, and later down the road how much this impacts the wave genre on audiotool. (such a banger) Love hearing the wave kings tracks everytime they drop and glad you could teach me your style.

Track #6:

Warframe - Menu Theme by https://www.audiotool.com/user/pogtopia179/

I know I know - “Oh elow… but…but… why didn’t you pick Big Ben?” Big Ben was the biggest joke ever, and I definitely didn’t expect that to blow up when it did. That being said, with this track I made fairly recently represents not just Elow but Elijah Faust. It mixes a LOT of little detail, showcases a lot of my techniques I've learned over time just being on this platform, and with this being one of my favorite game’s remix, it shows my love for ost music and creates a rabbit hole of tracks just inspired from this very song. Not to forget of course this wouldn’t be created without the collaboration of itxmi and guy’s track : hi by itxmi and guy. (edit : this could’ve been made better, but I like the imperfection. It helps me to see how far ive actually come knowing there’s a lot more to learn and become much better.)

Full Album