For Torley Wong (aka "A Techno Kid"), there can only be such lifelong passions he's captivated by as music, more music, and staring at a girl in his mind's eye who's wearing a neon pink dress with green trim ("It reminds me of being in love," he emotes over a cup of oversugared coffee). An awfully hyper but down-to-earth lad, he started this composing music thing when he was 8 and he's been playing piano as early as 3 years young. Back then, of course, he was big into the classical heavies and reckoned himself to be an admirer of such greats as J.S. Bach and Claude Debussy. Now 19 years old in the spacetime continuum with formal classical training in his toolbox, he recently decided to expand his horizons and explore a very different spectrum of the musical universe — "techno", a general term for the futuristic form and function that is electronic music. Influenced by the likes of Aphex Twin, Robert Miles, Moby, and even Yanni while innovating his own unique sound, he proclaims his love of diversity — for example, he appreciates just about every genre of music from alternative to zydeco — and cites his lack of self-imposed limits as fundamental to his artistic approach.

"If you want to label my music," Torley declares, waving his hands around like a conductor of pure energy, "I reckon you could get away with calling it 'Orchestral Techno/Intelligent Dance Music'. Erm... it's all about infectious melodies marrying experimental techniques! I know it might seem like a paradox at first glance, but these are two possible sides of the fence, really, overcoming their differences by dropping all prejudice to unite as One. Am I being too lofty?" Lofty, perhaps, but this is the stuff dreams come true are made of, as you can hear for yourself. The third-party-proclaimed Techno Jedi Master (also the name of his #1 Internet hit single) is not only humbly cautious to the point of a friendly paranoia that makes you feel like an old friend the moment you get to know him, but insightful as well. "I have to stay focused, I have to be a dreamer but a doer too. Living a positive lifestyle is absolutely important in conquering adversity, and from that stems doing your own thing and listening to where your destiny wants you to go. Trust your thoughts + feelings, and believe in yourself."

So, what's Wong been up to recently? You can always read his press reviews (see http://www.torley.com/praise.htm ) if you're curious to find out what some of his more recent achievements are, including: being a YTV Achievement Awards! 1999 - Instrumental Finalist, having his tracks featured as top picks on just about every major Internet music site from MP3.com to Rolling Stone to Riffage, winning "Best QuickTime Music Video" in the Macworld Musical Mac contest... and to say the least, the beat goes on and on. All in all, he's been sitting back (like the modest slacker he is) and taking things really easy because the harsh reality is that he's nothing more than a fun-loving genetic deviant/simple man. He philosophically muses, "I love my music, like all creators of the sonic art and science should. Unloved music will separate itself from its creator, just like a man and a woman will divorce when they don't love each other anymore. So it's love, as mushy as that may sound, and I'm in love with what I create. But I'll still need a [human] wife when the time is right for me to be committed to her... thank God for the precious relationships in your life!"

Not your typical bedroom producer, that's for sure. He doesn't even know how to work turntables (although he highly respects DJ culture), and in an electronica era where technical skill often overshadows soul, his musical methods are at least as spiritual as they are scientific. But whether you agree with A Techno Kid, Torley Wong's love-obsessed attitude towards life or not, he's unquestionably a fascinating, friendly personality to watch out for in the years to come.