Artist Profile: SerpentEyes

Spending much of his youth immersed in online gaming spaces, TJ Hannon aka SerpentEyes discovered his expressive spark in digital art forums. Many creative gamers connect by designing signatures – the art banners that contain the titles of virtual gaming rooms. Developing graphics from an early age laid the groundwork for one of SerpentEyes’ many roles within the growing WiddFam label.​

“Gaming, art forums and signature design are great ways for folks to get involved and show what you can make. I got pretty decent with Photoshop after using it for a few years,” says SerpentEyes. “More recently, managing WiddFam has given me the opportunity to use those skills I learned a decade ago by building album art.”​

At 18, SerpentEyes moved from Huntsville, Alabama to the Bay Area in California to live with friends from the web. His roommates introduced him to electronic music culture, opening his eyes to the endless possibilities of digital mediums and event curation.

“The part I had been missing the whole time was the community aspect,” says SerpentEyes.​

Returning home to Alabama in 2017, SerpentEyes routinely engaged with The Widdler’s regular Twitch stream, strengthening his networks within virtual spaces. He also gained performance experience by mixing with Sub.FM, expanding his reach among dubstep circles around the globe.

​Alongside industry peers like Sutehx and ZiEK, SerpentEyes now curates for the WiddFam collective. He’s helping evolve a new wave of reflective dubstep reminiscent of old-school 140 tunes. Drawing inspiration from dons like Sepia, TRUTH, Gisaza and Bukez Finezt, SerpentEyes is central to reigniting classic dubstep, keeping aflame the unmistakable sounds of this genre’s mid-late 2000s golden age.​

One of many ways SerpentEyes is marking musical milestones is by leveraging his creativity to uplift ongoing anti-oppression efforts in and beyond electronic scenes. Much like Background Noise’s (BGN) broader focus on honing creative expression to abolish oppressive structures and rebuild a just world, WiddFam is dedicated to divesting from the policing and carceral systems designed to disproportionately affect Black, brown, and Indigenous communities.

In September 2020, WiddFam raised $300+ for Black Lives Matter, a decentralized movement against structurally anti-Black incarceration and police brutality. This initiative mirrors the BGN fundraiser via Bandcamp in June 2020. Revenue raised through the 'Common Ground Compilation' benefitted the Black Visions Collective, a Black-led organization that helps trans and queer people of color access human rights like food, shelter, and medicine.

​SerpentEyes is proud to be among a cohort of values-first music collectives harnessing the power of unapologetic expression to render oppressive structures obsolete.​

“I think our top priority is to use the power of electronic creativity to change the financial prioritization of ‘war and police’,” says SerpentEyes. “We need to reinvest in education, rehabilitation, and bringing unity to different religions and beliefs.

”On an industry level, WiddFam’s unique formula shares some overlap with BGN’s signature mission to bring up-and-coming talent into the fold. Providing equitable support to early-career musicians builds a more inclusive scene in which all artists have a fairer chance to achieve their goals and realize their dreams.

“I think BGN and WiddFam share similarities in our unique missions – to spotlight people who may otherwise lack industry access or who may tend to shy away from opportunities,” says SerpentEyes. “Good music is meant to be heard.”​

SerpentEyes admits from personal experience that self-promotion can be challenging, especially in a world increasingly characterized by the Internet and instant gratification. Part of the expertise he brings to WiddFam is helping artists more effectively market their music and build their brands.

“I think more now than ever, living in an age of instant gratification means it can take more time to build your skills and visibility. And most artists, understandably, are scared of the idea of managing social media and promoting themselves. It can feel like an endless hill to climb,” says SerpentEyes. “I wasn’t very active in promoting my own music until I grew more accustomed to doing so for other artists through WiddFam.”

From gaining tangible industry skills to increasing his inner confidence, SerpentEyes is gradually cultivating his standout style. And listeners worldwide are taking note.

“My favorite thing I’ve heard about my music is that someone used it to basically blow-out their soundsystem – the fact that my bass music on full blast all night literally broke their speaker,” says SerpentEyes, a SUBPAC stan who finds joy in folks experiencing his music at full capacity. “Shout-out to Mobster from Discord.”

​From digital communities to in-person functions, SerpentEyes has seen electronic scenes change throughout the last 5 years. He’s observed some collective obstacles that he strives to transform through leading by example.​

“I think there’s a lot of faux-spirituality in our music scenes, but I don’t think it’s exclusive to music. Rather, since music is almost a purely emotional experience, it can be easy to get things mixed up,” says SerpentEyes. “I produce with many concepts inspired by spirituality and meditation, but I’ve never tried to make the claim that my music is inherently spiritual or can substitute for it.”

​With these lessons learned, SerpentEyes is strengthening his ability to stay true to his style and prioritize producing the sounds he loves most.​

“I think when we go from making art for ourselves to making art solely for an audience, we lose the passion we once had for production. I don’t think anyone can make something for the enjoyment of others and feel genuinely fulfilled if they can’t enjoy it themselves,” says SerpentEyes. “I make music for myself first, and other people second. I want my art to resonate with my listeners the same way it resonates with me."

This article was originally published through Background Noise.