Nancy Sheppard 
Hi! For anyone just discovering your cinematic industrial world, how would you introduce the pixelgrinder project, especially through the lens of a standout track like ‘Lure Me In’?
A: I’ve noticed that many of my new fans and listeners are always surprised to discover that I have a hearing loss and I’ve been producing music using my cochlear implants. Even though it doesn’t always translate directly to my music style, I think it’s an interesting lens to approach the new album though.
Now that White Mask is officially out there, let’s zoom in on ‘Lure Me In.’ What was the initial spark or the first riff in the studio that made you realize you had something special with this track?
A: The opening riff loop in the intro was a combination of several samples, and kind of a happy accident. Originally, I didn’t plan on using it, but I couldn’t get it out of my head.
‘Lure Me In’ pulls together elements of dark electronica, EBM, and gritty synths. When you were building the rhythm and the driving atmosphere for this specific song, what kind of sonic space were you trying to drag the listener into?
A: I wanted to give listeners a sense of being chased and disoriented, but not in a horror movie sense – more like a cyberpunk hacker on the run.
The title ‘Lure Me In’ feels so evocative—it has this heavy undertone of digital enticement or cyber-allure. How does this track play into the wider album theme of the masks and personas people present online?
A: White Mask as a whole album really deals with the complexities and challenges of navigating the modern-day maze of internet culture. Putting on a “white mask” could refer to the anonymity of a YouTube comment section, or a face filter on an Instagram selfie, for example. In “Lure Me In”, I think the maze-like quality and addicting nature of social media can be applied literally to the lyric themes.
Your work is so heavily informed by your experience composing with cochlear implants and navigating sound in a unique way. How did that cybernetic perception directly shape the low-end weight or the spatial textures in ‘Lure Me In’?
A: As a listener, I’ve always been drawn to rhythm and texture first and foremost, even more so than melody. I think has been wholly shaped by my experience with cochlear implants, as I’ve learned to appreciate elements like dissonance and glitchy samples more than just straightforward melodic elements. I think this is a large part of why industrial music as a genre speaks to me so deeply when composing.
When you listen back to ‘Lure Me In,’ do you hear the echoes of massive inspirations like Nine Inch Nails or HEALTH in there, or do you feel like this track marks a moment where you completely carved out your own distinct lane?
A: I think there’s definitely some roots of Fragile-era NIN in this song, but I like to think I’m bringing something new to the table as well. I love combining crunchy industrial with soaring feminine vocals and I like to think this is one of my better forays at blending those two together.
You’ve made the move from San Francisco to New England. Did a specific late-night environment, city vibe, or change in scenery help spawn the moody, gripping tension we hear in ‘Lure Me In’?
A: Ironically, I live in a very rural area of New England, which is decidedly not very cyberpunk at all, but it does help my focus when getting into a creative zone and having a nice, secluded environment to make music in.
Comparing this to your debut album The Void Chamber, how do you feel ‘Lure Me In’ represents a shift in focus toward the present day and our modern tech-driven anxieties?
A: The Void Chamber was very experimental and entirely instrumental, which gave it a strange, atmospheric vibe. I’m still proud of that album as a debut, but I think this new release is more cohesive both in terms of sound and concept. It’s a more fully cyberpunk record and I think Lure Me In reflects that quite well.
When you picture people experiencing ‘Lure Me In’—whether they’re blasting it through headphones on a late-night commute or experiencing it live—what kind of physical or emotional reaction are you hoping hits them first?
A: It’s an intense song with a lot of energy. Imagine it’s the soundtrack to being paranoid and feeling chased!
Science fiction and transhumanism run deep through your visual and audio world-building. If ‘Lure Me In’ had a visual scene or a cyberpunk short film attached to it, what would we be watching on screen?
A: Probably a less violent version of Tetsuo: Iron Man! Either that, or imagine if Enemy of the State was an 80’s anime.
We’re heading into the final stretch of the year—with ‘Lure Me In’ and the full album making waves out in the wild, what does the rest of this year look like for you?
A: I just dropped a Halloween DJ set, and I’m planning on some singles for December! Also hoping for some future live shows in New England.
