From the forests of Orcas Island to the cutting-edge stages of contemporary electronic music, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith has established herself as one of the most distinctive emerging composers in today’s musical landscape. With a background in classical music and a deep connection to modular synthesizers, particularly the legendary Buchla, a constant exploration of emotion has defined her career through sound.

Her latest album, GUSH, is an almost synesthetic journey that transforms everyday objects into entities with souls of their own. Through simple gestures like hiding, holding, or crushing an object with her hand, Kaitlyn found emotional impulses that eventually became songs.

We had the opportunity to sit down with Kaitlyn to discuss the creative process behind the album, how her abstract ideas translate into sonic decisions, her thoughts on the tension between electronic music and classical tradition, and how artistic collaboration enables her to expand in new directions. She also gave us a glimpse of how she’s preparing for an intense year of live performances and her ongoing relationship with the Buchla.

GUSH feels incredibly sensory and profound, touching on synesthesia, object personification, and deep empathy. What was the first impulse or image that sparked the idea for this album? 

It started with the song “Urges” and the impulse to “support” objects. I kept feeling impulses to either “support an object, reveal an object, or destroy an object.” I started making lots of videos of my hands hiding an object and then revealing it… or squishing something… or putting my hand underneath it to support it… It activated so many feelings for me musically… playing with this type of personification.

You’ve described GUSH as an invitation to experience “the genius of everything.” How do you translate that kind of philosophical idea into practical choices in the studio while composing?

It has always been my approach to trust that every sound and rhythm has the potential to connect and turn into something, and this album was less about making the album like that and more about leaning into that process to communicate a sentiment. In the past, I have used sounds to create empathy, but this time it felt different. It felt less like the sounds were creating the empathy feeling and more about the songwriting.

Tracks like Drip and What’s Between Us lean into danceable rhythms while still holding onto your introspective core. Do you feel like you’re stepping into a new musical phase, one that leans more toward the dance floor?

I like to go in and out of that on all of my albums, and this album has fewer polyrhythms, which is maybe making it feel more danceable!

Electronic music is often underrated by more traditional corners of the music world, despite its complexity and emotional depth. As someone classically trained, how do you navigate—or feel—that tension between those two worlds, if it exists for you at all?

It depends on what I am making. If I am making a composition, I tend to focus on blending so it doesn’t feel too electronic or organic and feels more like an organism of expression. If I am writing a song or producing a song, I focus on the isolation of sounds.

You’ve collaborated with artists like Suzanne Ciani and Joe Goddard, and now you’re also drawing inspiration from L.A.’s Vogue ballroom community. How do you choose your collaborators, and how do these creative relationships influence your work?

Most of the time, collaboration comes from friendship for me—either meeting in person and building a connection, writing to each other virtually and creating an invitation, or attending an event and creating a connection. Every collaboration inspires me and draws out different methods, expressions, and sounds from me. I love collaborating for that reason!

Your live shows bring another sensory layer to your music. What kinds of visual or performative elements are you exploring to make GUSH feel like a fully immersive experience on stage?

In the past, I have used accompanying visuals that are triggered by my synths, but this time, I am focusing on the songs themselves and emphasizing their sound in the live version and lighting.

The Buchla synthesizer has been a signature part of your sound. Are you still discovering new territory with it, or have you been drawn to explore other tools and instruments?

Yes! Always :) And I love using other synths and gear. :)

Lastly, if GUSH is a celebration of connection with the world around us, what new paths are you hoping to explore in your next project?

Oooo! I can’t wait to find out! I don’t usually go into it knowing—it often tells me as I am in the process, or happens spontaneously. At least for making albums… when I write music for other people or projects, I go into it differently.

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