New Orleans-based producer Landon Zeringue, who releases music under the moniker Landoni, recently released his debut EP Steps. Mixed Mantra sat down with him to discuss his first project, attaining a positive state of mind through melody and his dream set.

MIXED MANTRA: How long have you been planning your debut?

LANDONI: Probably since my freshman year of college. I was like, “Man, when I get some free time, I want to put an EP together.” I didn’t really start working on it until June, when I got back from Europe.

MM: What was your favorite track to work on?

L: That’s so tough. I would say they were all fun to work on. They were just different vibes. But “Globe” was really fun to make. I think “Globe” took me probably three days in total. It was just like everything was clicking and every idea I had sounded good. I didn’t have to take anything out.

MM: One of your tracks is titled “Eunoia.” What does that mean?

L: It means “a happy state of mind.” It’s like people are trying to reach that state of mind when they meditate. It’s basically what everyone is trying to reach when they’re getting rid of anxiety or depression. It’s just being content where you are and happy with your mental health.

MM: What does the title of your EP mean to you?

L: I wanted to find a name that meant something to me and had a purpose. I thought “Steps” fit well. It’s the steps into the future with my music.

MM: What’s the story behind your stage name, Landoni?

L: When I was a kid, my sister was having surgery and I stayed with my cousins at their house. I was eating mac and cheese every day. Eventually, we had this giant pan of mac and cheese and I just wiped out. I was young. Since then, my cousin has been calling me Landoni. And then with my cousin being around my friends, my friends started calling me Landoni. It’s a good, goofy name.

MM: Who are your biggest musical influences?

L: I listen to a lot of electronic music, ranging from Flume to Odesza and Louis the Child. Jerry Folk. Big Wild. I grew up on a lot of ’70s rock, like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and The Who. So, for me, I guess that’s why my music is so melodic.

MM: Do you have a specific process when you’re producing your songs?

L: For “Globe,” I was just playing on the piano one day and I could just hear everything that I wanted to put in it in my head. Once I was able to play it on piano, I just went and started recording everything else. “Eunoia” started with the piano, as well. “One Day” started with a guitar. It’s really just experimenting.

MM: What would your dream set look like?

L: Ideally, I would love to do a beach set. One the beach during sunset playing all of my relaxed, mellow songs. My ideal set would have a piano. I want somebody to come and have a cinematic feeling where it’s almost like a plot with the energy — it’s going up, it’s going down, it’s telling you a story. For me, it’s about taking somebody out of life for a moment to throw away their troubles and enjoy the story.