Super Future on Finding the Flow State & Healing Through Music
Sound and movement play a crucial role in the healing process for music fans. In fact, Nick Rowland, better known as Super Future, considers music to be a universal healer.
From his “Ass Throwers Anonymous” mixes with Wreckno to his downtempo sunrise sets, Rowland creates music on all sides of the sonic spectrum. His intention, however, always remains the same — to provide a space for healing within the art.
If you were introduced to Super Future through his 2021 album Equilibria released with SSKWAAN, you’d be excused for associating his sound exclusively with dreamy downtempo bass. Although his blissful sunrise sets have garnered a powerful reputation as a perfect transition into daylight after nocturnal festival celebrations, other Super Future sets take a much different form — often radiating banging club energy.
In talking with MP3 MAG, Super Future simply refused the notion of being boxed in.
“My music can express all the feelings of wanting to shake your ass, throw down and have fun,” said Rowland, who spoke with the producer onsite at this year’s WAKAAN Festival. “At the same time, some of my music is there to help you find yourself musically and spiritually.”
This distinct versatility wasn’t always at the forefront of Rowland’s artistic endeavors. When he began producing electronic music in 2015, Rowland claims he was “just another dubstep kid.” Meeting and eventually marrying his wife inspired a subtle sexuality and romantic ethos in his sound and style.
Love has a funny way of changing perspective and igniting inspiration. In Rowland’s case, the budding romance with his future wife fueled an R&B ethos that came to define much of his work. Thankfully, you don’t need to be in love to feel sexy. Rowland believes feeling sexy is a human right; it’s a beautiful experience that belongs to any and everyone.
“No matter who you are, you deserve to feel sexy, whether it’s alone in your feelings or on the dance floor with all your friends,” said Super Future. “Cry a little bit, enjoy every aspect of this, but feel sexy because you deserve it.”
As sensual as Rowland’s music is, it’s also fluid and dynamic. Rowland’s main goal when he sits down to create is to harness whatever feelings he’s experiencing in that moment, whether those emotions are energetic or melancholy. He grabs onto inspiration whatever time of day (or night) it strikes, and he doesn’t let go.
One of Super Future’s keys to success is releasing emotions with a powerful purpose. According to Rowland, this also means inviting despondent emotions into your creative process.
“If you’re crying for days because something just happened in your life that’s really tumultuous, sit down and write music, write poetry, draw something,” Rowland said. “That sort of potency will show itself in some way and you just have to trust it.”
There are tons of ways to get in tune with your emotions, such as meditation and yoga, which Rowland has used for years to guide his spirituality. However, Rowland says the best art he’s ever created has “come out of thin air” during spontaneous moments of inspiration, often influenced by a psychedelic edge. These moments offer a glimpse into another realm entirely, one without time or space, known as the “flow state.”
Whole albums have been created to capture the feeling of the flow state (thanks, Tash Sultana). Mersiv’s record label, MorFlo Records, was also directly inspired by his experiences with that spiritual plane. Artists often talk about the flow state as a pinnacle of creativity; it’s a living, breathing entity as much as it is a feeling.
“’The flow state is like an animal,” Rowland explained. “You gotta give it space and let it have the ingredients it needs to run wild. You can only tap into it when it’s happening, but if you give that space the right conditions to create just because you love creating, that’s when the flow state presents itself.”
That’s what Liquid Stranger’s WAKAAN and SSKWAN labels are all about — giving artists and fans the freedom to express themselves without any preconceived notions; these labels are putting expression at the forefront of creativity and embracing a spirituality that’s deeply embedded in the sonic experience.
“WAKAAN gives people an avenue to feel [creative] without any pressure,” Rowland said. “I found WAKAAN during a time when I was coming to my ‘dark night of the soul.’ I realized that everything I thought of as a construct was failing and I needed to find some sort of truth… l think WAKAAN and SSKWAN give people somewhere to turn to during those moments. It’s a community where people feel like the spiritual process and the spiritual journey is a comfortable thing.”
As it should be. Spirituality and music have been intertwined for as long as history has been documented. Thousands of years ago, cultures and tribes explored this intersection through drum circles and transformational experiences. In the 21st century, WAKAAN and SSKWAN are continuing that ancient legacy through artists like Super Future.
Whether you’re dropping it low on the dancefloor at his live shows or diving deep into your psyche while his Moon Stone EP guides you to a calming reassurance, one thing is for sure — Super Future makes healing look good.
“The things that I want to convey in life are very simple. Follow your passion, find that flow state, and make sure you feel sexy. That’s what I want to help you find with Super Future’s music.”
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