With his previous release (and not be confused) Anima.exe Sampler back in 2019, ARKTKT wields a fresh comeback with Anima.exe. The new EP features some collaborations with vocalists Naomi Banks and Madison McFerrin. ARKTKT's distinct production style compliments the 2 vocalists with a fresh futuristic aura - A release not to be missed.

Hey man, thanks for jumping on some questions with us. So what’s the story behind Anima.exe, we notice that your previous release also shares the word ‘Anima’, what’s the relation?

The entire Anima.exe universe came to me while I was watching nineties anime, specifically ‘Ghost in the Shell’. The show’s concept of combining human consciousness and technology sent me on a youtube/google rabbit hole. I began to read up on Psychologist Carl Jung’s ‘Anima and Animus Theory.’ The definition of Anima really resonated with me, how it’s described as the inner feminine side of the male consciousness. All of the features on the projects are from strong women.

Additionally, when you run a software program, chances are that program will have a ‘.exe’ extension if you’re on pc. When you push play on the projects, you’re essentially running a program. I want people to look at my music as an extension of myself, my feelings and emotions. When you listen to Anima.exe you’re listening to what I was going through when I created these songs. Anima.exe Sampler was really meant to be a sneak peek into the universe that is Anima.exe EP.

The tracks you did with both Madison and Naomi are truly something else. How did these tracks come to be? And what kinds of tools are you using to produce?

The story of “Mantis” actually started back in 2017. I was tapped to work on some records for the homie Bridget Kelly. One of those records happened to be the original instrumental for Mantis. The beat ended up sitting on my hard drive for years until 2019-ish when I decided to update it. I sent it over to Naomi and she just killed it. She’s very talented, it was a really seamless collaboration.

Amethyst was the last record I recorded in a recording studio, back when the world was “normal”. Madison had just got back from a Euro tour and I was lucky enough to link with her before shit hit the fan. We’ve always really gelled in the studio, even though a lot of time had gone by since we last worked, we picked up right where we left off. Amethyst was probably the second instrumental I played her then she immediately caught a vibe and began writing. We knocked the whole song out in a few hours and the rest is history.

2021 is right around the corner, anything you can share with us?

WE MADE IT. This has been a hellscape of a year but we’ve made it through. I feel as though I’ve found my creative voice this year, can’t wait to unleash it all come 2021. I plan to put out more singles and collaborations every few months. There’s definitely a mixtape in the works. Keep it locked.

Anima.exe is available to buy now.