SPOTLIGHT: IVAN4SURE
Meet Ivan4Sure and tune into his new EP “Dating in London is Impossible”
When you look back at where you were emotionally at the start of making this EP, how different does that version of you feel to who you are now?
Honestly, that version of me was a bit clueless and very stressed, especially production-wise. It was my first time not just writing or composing songs, but actually building them from the ground up. I had to make a lot of bad songs to arrive at something good, but through that process, it became almost like a muscle skill. By the end of the project, I felt capable of doing it all myself, and that changed everything.
There’s a strong sense of intimacy running through the EP. Did you consciously decide to be that open, or did it reveal itself as the songs took shape?
The “oversharing” is really the charm of the concept. I wanted to tell the story of my early twenties, how memories live in my head, how I archive them emotionally. It felt important to be open in that way, even if it’s uncomfortable at times.
How do you decide what parts of your life become lyrics and what stays private?
I’m definitely not sharing all the details! That’s actually one of my mottos for this year. I might be explicit, but once the story clicks, the lyrics can’t really be changed. There’s a line where it has to stay honest without becoming everything.
You self-produced the entire project. How did working in that way affect the honesty of the music?
It was incredibly freeing. Of course, there were moments in the studio where the pressure hit. No one’s setting up a recording for you, you have to troubleshoot why the drum mix bus isn’t working. But that pressure is also a gift. It’s part of learning a new skillset and trusting yourself.
Were there particular sonic or artistic reference points guiding you?
I was really inspired by British electronic artists, ambient DJs, and more mainstream alternative albums. I loved C, XOXO by Camila Cabello. I listened to a lot of work by the producers behind it, and that definitely fed into the process. And I can’t forget the Scandinavian music scene either; that atmosphere and approach played a role too.
The production often feels very physical - bass-heavy, close, sometimes even uncomfortable. What kind of response were you hoping to create for the listener? More than anything, I hope people catch onto the storytelling beyond the instrumentals or the mix, if that’s something they’re interested in. My goal was never to fit the general public. I wanted to feed a niche, the kind of listener who will come back to it and replay it.
Do you see this EP as a release, a confrontation, or a starting point?
Something in between. I’m glad to share it with the world, but it feels more like I had to release this EP in order to step into my role as an artist. It’s part of the legacy I want to build.
How do you hope people spend time with the EP?
Ideally, on AIAIAI speakers in a pub in Dalston…joking, but also not really. Or on a cycle ride from North London to the Spurstowe Arms. That’s how it should be played.
Was there anything you were afraid to put into the project, but did anyway? Sometimes when I listen back to old demos, I hear really strong ideas that didn’t make it in. I’d love to rework some of those for live shows this year, but we’ll see where that goes.
What has this EP given you permission to do next?
Finishing it helped me discover a new way of creating music, which is already shaping what comes next. For now, I want to stay in the Hackney fog! That’ll be the follow-up and the closure of this era.
After finishing the EP, what feels different about the way you approach making music now?
My taste has sharpened, and so has my desire to make better things. This project was made across different DAWs, locations, plugin families, stock sounds, and microphones: it was perfect for exploring all of that for the first time. Next time, I want a simpler approach, a different workflow. But audio engineering is a never-ending story anyway.
Listen to “Dating in London is Impossible” here.
