Mark Redito is in the business of building beats that sandwich themselves between a Sega Genesis soundtrack and a J-pop dream sequence. He’s a rare combination of that which is both experimental and accessible for listeners with a palette for electro pop—like sugar on spaghetti. Wait, what?

Yes, sweet pasta and fried chicken work their way into Redito’s artistic motif. Redito was born and spent his childhood in the suburbs of Manila, Philippines, and his Facebook page is smattered with nods to Jollibee, a popular Filipino fast food chain that serves fried chicken, burgers, and spaghetti dashed with sugar. As a youth, he also dined on quirky Japanese pop music and American emo punk. After moving to Southern California in his 20s, he processed these roots through digital composition software. It turns out his penchant for oddball remixes meshed well with the burgeoning LA beats/Low End Theory scene pioneered by the likes of Flying Lotus, Nosaj Thing, and The Gaslamp Killer, where he is now squarely situated.

Redito earned a substantial following under the moniker Spazzkid, but recently decided to work under his given name. We caught up with the artist to talk about the name change, and his favorite eats and beats before he hits the road at the end of October.

Hometown: Manila, Philippines

Homebase: Long Beach, California

How does where you grew up influence the way you approach music?

A lot. The music I listened to growing up has really shaped my melodic sense, I think. I listened to a lot of Filipino pop as well as Japanese pop growing up. I also had a strong pop-punk and emo phase which I tend to still reference with my current productions.

You earned a following under the same Spazzkid, but chose to abandon that name and instead write and perform under Mark Redito. Can you explain that decision?

It was a long time coming. I have felt disconnected with the name for sometime now. Last year, a few people brought to my attention the word "spaz" being derogatory. I knew the power of words and I didn't want to use a word that can hurt a big group of people, hence the move to drop the name altogether and start using my name.

It seems you have a pretty healthy obsession with Jollibee--what is that all about?

For those not in the know: Jollibee is a Filipino fast food chain. It serves Filipino versions of American fast food. It is definitely comfort food and I consider it home. I recommend to get the fried chicken with a side of rice and gravy. Pour gravy on top of rice and enjoy!

Tell me briefly about how you got into making music.

I always been into music since I was a kid. I started playing drums at church at a young age then progressed to playing in punk bands all throughout high school and college. In between band practice, I'll record demos of my solo songs using my dad's old computer. I experimented with early versions of Ableton, Reason and FL Studio during that time and that led to me pursue a more electronic sound.

Is music your full time job now? What is a typical day like for you schedule-wise?

Yes. When I'm not touring: I wake up in the morning, have coffee, fire up my DAW and work on productions for a good two or three hours. After that I do some email work and chat with my managers for maybe two or three hours. I make it a point to listen to a new song every day and I spend maybe an hour a day on Soundcloud or Youtube just looking for inspirational fire music. I try to keep a healthy work schedule that starts from 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. Night time is reserved for hanging with my girlfriend or friends.

What is special about the LA beats scene that you're a part of?

A great sense of community and camaraderie. Most people I've met are down to earth, humble and very passionate.

Tell me about two main sources of influence--one musical, one non-musical--for you as of late?

Porter Robinson. Great pop songwriting with really lush electronic production. A non-musical inspiration is Whang Od, a traditional Filipino tattoo artist. I have been reading and watching books and documentaries about her as of late and I find her and her work having a deep impact in my personal identity.

What made you decide to tackle a Saosin remix, that seems pretty outrageous.

I've mentioned earlier I had an emo phase and Saosin was one of those bands that were pretty inspirational for me from that era. Funny thing is that I discovered them on Myspace years ago and now Myspace is featuring the track!

What represents the next level for you? Where do you want to take this? 

A world tour. Another full length. A movie score. I want to produce for a huge pop star. Also, my very own record label.