Spotlight Interview: Shifterhead on Synthwave, Sci-Fi Roots, and the VR Magic of Somnium Space

Fresh off his electrifying performance at the Neon Bunker during Somnium Space’s Spotlight Sessions on October 11 – where he blended gritty rock riffs with retro synthwave to captivate a virtual crowd – we sat down with Shifterhead, the Monterrey-based musician who’s turning cyberpunk dreams into sonic reality. Known for his passion for technology and immersive VR experiences, Shifterhead opened up about his personal journey, the influences that shaped his sound, and why virtual worlds like Somnium Space are revolutionizing music. Here’s our in-depth conversation.

Somnium Times: Can you tell us about your roots? How has growing up where you grew up influenced your love for technology, sci-fi, cyberpunk, and synthwave?

Shifterhead: My roots are mostly my dad’s influence. From watching him listening to his rock music laying on the floor with a couple of old speakers beside his head to watching him bring the newest technological advancement home and being so excited you couldn’t not feel it too (the Ipod was the most mind blown I ever saw him be). He passed away right before the smartphone taking over the world and I often wonder what he would think like: “Hey dad, I just had a gig inside a virtual world, with my wireless VR headset” he would lose his mind. And all that came from his love of sci-fi which I absolutely got from him. He had a whole collection of short sci-fi story compilations, I read them all and now I feel like I am gonna be lucky to see some of them come to life, so yeah, that is where that stuff comes from. Synthwave came a lot later.

Somnium Times: Your bio describes you as a “músico loco por la tecnología” (musician crazy about technology). What sparked that passion, and how does it shape who you are as an artist?

Shifterhead: Well I already mentioned my father, where a lot of it comes from but I guess I also developed this kind of drive to experiment with stuff even though I am not that tech savvy. I see people creating games, robots, you know, really cool stuff and I wish I could do that, maybe I will some day but ever since I got access to the internet I went looking for stuff and I always found something that seemed impossible before and immediately wanted to try it like, I dont know, when I was a kid it was console emulation (I was a Genesis kid, it blew my mind), freakin Napster, M.U.G.E.N., things like that then when I got older it was amp sims, virtual instruments, DAWs and all that jazz. I remember one time I figured out how to send MIDI notes to a virtual instrument using a playstation controller. Even got a paid gig with that setup, lol, crazy times.

Somnium Times: How did you first get into music? Were there specific video game soundtracks or cyberpunk movies that inspired you to start creating your unique blend of rock and synthwave with retro synth sounds and those gritty guitars?

Shifterhead: I started with an acoustic guitar my dad gave me. Took basic lessons then kind of stopped for a while until I was about 16 years old and saw a friend play Guns n Roses songs perfectly, specially those solos and I thought to myself “I NEED to do that”. We ended up having a metal cover band and I became the typical metalhead who likes Metallica and wears jackets with holes on it, you know the type. I remember telling the band that we should do our own songs but they never wanted to, like, they were afraid or something. So I started on my own and man, my first songs sucked, haha, as I imagine is the case for many non-music schooled musicians out there. Then college started (I decided I wanted to be a veterinarian) So I went to vet school and music started to be left behind. Flash forward a few years and music is still a hobby but school is starting to get real and then, my dad gets sick, he passes and I am left with the realization that life is too short and If I become a vet, I can’t truly become a musician. So I dropped out, much to my family’s dismay so we kind of disconnected and I had pretty much no money and got a bit lost, not gonna lie, but I studied music production through whatever I could find online.

To not make this a whole auto-biography, I ended up using those skills to record other artists and make a bit of money whle working on my thing which was a blend of electronic music (something easy to create with only a DAW) and the distorted guitars I’ve always loved from my dad’s classics to my metalhead days. Then I met a synth player and we made a duo called Moebius Project. He was the one to introduce me to the marvels of synthwave, so I learned what I could then played THE games that influenced me above others and that was Hotline Miami and Hotline Miami 2. That soundtrack was inspiring man and the game was fun AF so that’s pretty much how I got there.

Somnium Times: What draws you to virtual reality as a medium for music and performance? In your view, how does VR change the way artists connect with audiences compared to traditional live shows?

Shifterhead: At first it was just the awe of being inside games and experiences. My first VR experience was a Samsung Gear VR my uncle had and I was already mind blown. Little did I know that was nothing compared to what came next. After the pandemic I got a Quest 1 and that’s when I experienced the crazy world of social VR in VRChat. Went to some open mics and then I decided I’d try to participate. The first time I got in front of people in VRChat I was surprised I was feeling as nervous as I get in real life stages. That is crazy. That’s when I realized it was a real thing and I wanted to see how to do more of it. By then I was again on my own as a musician but I met my current partner and she has been key to what I am doing as she is one of my biggest supporters, collaborators and inspired a lot of the songs I have now as Shifterhead. This is gonna sound strange but I don’t like going to concerts in real life, yeah I said it, specially festival rock concerts are some of the most uncomfortable experiences I’ve ever had. Of course some people like the mosh pits and that craziness but I just want to enjoy the music, you know what I mean? Virtual reality fixes that as you can be ultra comfy anywhere but still be dressed up in VR as well as enjoy the music or the people at the volume you so desire. For the artist it also allows you to get closer to the audience without worrying too much about hacklers and bad vibes. It’s easier to block people than to kick them out of an IRL venue. I also absolutely treasure that VR makes it possible for people to feel more comfortable socially and physically or be/look the way they want. I think that’s liberating and I’m here for it.

Somnium Times: What was your experience like performing at the Neon Bunker in Somnium Space? What stood out for you? Any memorable interactions from the event?

Shifterhead: Best…gig…ever. Seriously, I mean, I’ll always try to do better and better but for me it has been “peak” as the kids say. Somnium Space is starting to have something special going on and you wanna know what stands out? It’s the people, man. At a point I was playing live, someone summoned a flame behind me, I had a couple ripped tigers as backup dancers, a couple pole dancer anime characters just dancing their hearts out. People putting actual money for me on a tip jar, do you know how hard it is to get tips, let alone paid as an unknown musician in my city? We are lucky if we don’t have to pay to play here..for real. Not even mentioning the people who create these worlds and programs that let us do these things, bro, respect.

Somnium Times: How do you envision the future of music in virtual spaces like Somnium Space developing? Do you think we’ll see more hybrid events blending VR with real-world performances?

Shifterhead: I fully believe there will be a moment where a thousand people concert will be possible in VR and all the possibilities that come with it. The only thing stopping that is hardware and some technology advancements. I mention that cause as much as I enjoy playing in VR, it’s not the most comfortable way to play (with a headset on my head) and though I could just take off my headset and play while my avatar lays there or stands still, I want to have the full immersive experience. I don’t have quite that yet as I have to make the virtual environment transparent so I can see real life but there will come tech some day that lets you use your hands in VR exactly as you would use them in real life, heck, I may not even need a real life guitar in the future as a virtual one might do the trick. I believe that.

Somnium Times: Tell us about your latest album “Firefly”. Can you talk a bit about it and how it builds on your rock and synthwave roots?

Shifterhead: Firefly is a bit experimental in the sense that I went outside the comfort of the home studio I built and lived in for a long time. It was made on a simple desktop PC with a small audio interface. No acoustic treatment in this place but we now have AI that can clean up reverb and noise from a recording, no matter how awful the acoustics are. I wanted to prove to myself it worked and it seems it did. The name comes from a single inside that album called “Firefly” about someone invertedly travelling to a distant future where AI took all jobs and people just..exist.

Somnium Times: Can we expect more performances from you soon, perhaps more in VR or a return to Somnium Space? What else is on the horizon?

Shifterhead: I have one coming on the 18th of October in real life where I use the headset to drive my avatar on a screen as I play my music live. It’s called “Pelea de Robots” in Saltillo, Coahuila and yeah, that means Bot Fights so it’s very cyberpunk stuff. Other than that I am down to play anywhere I am allowed to or invited inside Somnium and am planning to make my own little hybrid gig of my own, maybe try to bring some IRL artists to play for us in VR too. That would be awesome.

Somnium Times: If people want to follow you and dive deeper into your universe, where can they find you and your music?

Shifterhead: You can find me as Shifterhead on any music streaming platform and as OneMoreBenjamin on Youtube where I just talk about and play VR as much as I can (in Spanish cause I’m Mexican, did I not mention that?). Here are some links to anyone interested.

SHIFTERHEAD
https://open.spotify.com/intl-es/artist/7rRRr5F8NmDVdPDqAmtIsO?si=8_GXRYeBQv-KRJspVLYFbA

ONEMOREBENJAMIN
https://www.youtube.com/@onemorebenjamin

On a Last Note

Shifterhead’s story is a testament to how personal passions and cutting-edge tech can converge in Somnium Space where boundaries dissolve and creativity thrives. With his album Firefly out now and hybrid gigs on the horizon, he’s poised to light up both virtual and real-world stages. Dive into his synthwave world today – stream his music, catch his upcoming Pelea de Robots show on October 18, and keep an eye out for his return to Somnium Space. For more metaverse insights and events, stay tuned to Somnium Times.