Gravity Settings: Empathy, Dark Atmosphere, and the Search for a New Sound

Gravity Settings is a Ukrainian electronic music producer and DJ whose artistic focus is centered on atmospheric dark sound and experimental approaches to electronic music. His journey into music began in 2018 in the town of Novoyavorivsk in the Lviv region, where he started exploring music production and DJing after meeting fellow musician Ivan Hrytsyna (DJ ShON). What began with early experiments in FL Studio and small apartment DJ sets gradually evolved into a deeper study of music theory and sound design.

Today, Gravity Settings develops a sonic identity built around deep, dark, and immersive textures, combining elements of techno, progressive, and experimental electronic music. His track “Ping Pong” became an important milestone in his career after receiving attention from sound engineers and radio airplay, motivating him to continue developing his work.

In an interview with Drive Music Media, Gravity Settings spoke about the origins of his alias, his interest in dark sound aesthetics, the challenges of working in the music industry during wartime, collaboration with Ukrainian producer QUASAR-89, and his ongoing search for new sonic forms in electronic music.

Interviewer: Can you tell us how and when your musical journey began? What were your first steps in this field?

Gravity Settings: Learning to write music had been a dream of mine for my entire life, but it only began to come true in 2018 in the town of Novoyavorivsk in the Lviv region, far from my home in Sumy. At that time I had just broken up with a girl I loved very much. I started going to local nightclubs to listen to DJ sets.

In one of them — a club called Delis in Yavoriv — I met Ivan Hrytsyna (DJ ShON), who turned out to be from the same region as me. He was working there as a DJ. At that time I was writing poetry, while Ivan had long been involved in hip-hop and was beginning to produce trance music. He also had formal musical education.

We became friends, and over time he introduced me to FL Studio, where I began sketching my first demos. Later I started DJing at small apartment parties. From then until 2023, I spent years studying music theory and practicing track mixing.

Interviewer: Why did you choose the name Gravity Settings?

Gravity Settings: Gravity Settings is an alias that reflects my creative method: I literally “tune gravity” through sound.

There are several reasons for choosing this name:

Sound metaphor: The alias symbolizes controlling the atmosphere and weight of music. Just like in physics, “gravity settings” determine whether a track feels light and airy or heavy and grounded.

Professional activity: I not only produce original music but also record DJ sets, where managing the energy of the dancefloor is directly connected to changing the “gravitational force” of the space.

Individuality: The phrase highlights a technological approach to creativity (“settings”) combined with a fundamental natural phenomenon (“gravity”).

If someone asks me about it, I usually say: “I look at life through the lens of metaphysics. Gravity Settings is a function that doesn’t actually exist.”

Interviewer: Your concept revolves around dark music. Why did you choose this particular direction?

Gravity Settings: I’m drawn to psychological tension and a sinister atmosphere. Using minor keys, dissonant harmonies, and dark industrial elements gives my arrangements an anxious, sometimes even post-apocalyptic sound. I like bringing a sense of coldness into other people’s headphones.

The genre itself isn’t very popular, but that’s exactly where its exclusivity lies.

Interviewer: Which of your compositions is the most meaningful to you? Why?

Gravity Settings: The track “Ping Pong.” There was a turning point in my life when I stopped believing in myself. My hands were dropping, and depression was eating me from the inside.

At the same time, well-known sound engineers were reacting positively to the track and even analyzing it in their studios — some reviews are publicly available on YouTube.

The track was also played several times on live broadcasts of a popular radio station. That became the push and motivation I needed to keep moving forward and developing my music.

Interviewer: What challenges have you faced as a musician during the full-scale war?

Gravity Settings: The music industry during wartime is a field that works “in spite of everything,” where creativity intertwines with volunteering and the struggle for survival. Since I’m an empathetic person, I strongly feel these challenges — psychological pressure and emotional exhaustion.

Interviewer: Which collaboration with another musician became a transformative moment for you? Why?

Gravity Settings: My collaboration and acquaintance with QUASAR-89 (Oleksandr Halushko) became very important for me. He is a Ukrainian music producer, songwriter, DJ, performer, a participant in the Doranku Show on Kiss FM, a former resident of a well-known Ukrainian radio station, and the host of the Melodic Pulse Podcast. Most importantly, he’s a responsible, honest, and kind person.

Meeting him motivated me not only to release original music more often but also to record more DJ sets.

Interviewer: What projects are you currently working on?

Gravity Settings: At the moment, my team and I have just finished a track called “Snail,” which will soon be released on the Doranku music label, connected with Kiss FM radio.

I’m also working on a track in the high-tech minimal style, and I have a collaborative project with QUASAR-89.

Interviewer: Creating a completely new sound is almost impossible today, considering how many genres already exist. What does this process of experimentation look like for you?

Gravity Settings: To create something unique, you have to step outside familiar templates. You shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with arrangements, explore lesser-known genres, combine things that normally don’t fit together, twist oscillator sounds until they become unusual, and listen to a lot of international music from different genres.

Nowadays almost all music has already been invented, especially electronic music. It’s not an easy task. Sometimes I sit in the studio at night like a mad scientist, making endless, seemingly pointless attempts to “reinvent the wheel” until my brain feels like it smells like fried bacon.

The ashtray is always full, and I start thinking: maybe I should just produce existing genres — it would be easier to gain popularity. But popularity doesn’t really interest me, so I push those thoughts away.

During the day, I listen to different genres and look for their unique characteristics. Sometimes I mix genres, borrow certain sounds, and experiment. It gives me a starting point, but I still haven’t discovered the formula for a completely new sound.

Interviewer: What word would you associate with your own compositions? Why?

Gravity Settings: My tracks are best associated with the word “atmosphere” — or immersion — as well as related ideas like dark, deep, and space.

Dark (style): The title of my track “Dark City” and the general direction of my music point toward a gloomy, mysterious, and harsh atmosphere. It’s music that creates space rather than simply containing rhythm.

Deep (sound): Tracks released on labels like Aktum Records often have a deep, rich sound typical of Deep Techno or Progressive styles. It literally pulls you downward, reflecting my alias.

Space (feeling): I often use long synthesizer sounds that create the feeling of being in outer space — in a vacuum or a closed environment.

Gravity (weight): The name of the project itself refers to “tuning gravity.” The music often sounds heavy, with dense basslines that create a sense of physical presence — an atmosphere that either presses on the listener or envelops them.

In short, Gravity Settings’ music is atmospheric and dark, creating a feeling of deep immersion.

Interviewer: What mission do you see for yourself as a musician beyond the technical side of making music?

Gravity Settings: Creating a track — from writing it to performing it — is not just entertainment. It can have a deep influence on the emotional and intellectual state of the listener. Depending on each artist’s philosophy, this role can range from being a mirror of society to becoming a tool for therapy.

The key elements of my mission are: emotional resonance and empathy: helping people experience feelings that are difficult to express in words. Innovation and expanding boundaries: searching for new forms and sounds, which stimulates human imagination and the ability to perceive something new.

Connection and communication: music is a universal language that crosses borders and brings people together through rhythm.

The interview was written by Asya Radko. Pictures were provided by Gravity Settings