Job Karma – the 8th ritual
February 1, 2012
Cinematic Ambient Post Industrial suna pe cat de ciudat pe atat de interesant. Polonezii de la JOB KARMA (www.jobkarma.pl) vin in premiera in Romania sa ne prezinte ideea lor muzicala, in seara de 18 august si, probabil, cunoscatorii stiu deja despre ce stil e vorba. Mai mult, tot acesti muzicieni se ocupa de un renumit festival polonez, dar mai multe aflati din interviul de mai jos.
Buna, Macieck si Aureliusz! Cum e iarna in Polonia? Este poate perioada voastra preferata a anului?
“Buna, Doru. Anul acesta am avut o iarna destul de deprimanta – ploaie si vant… imi aminteste mai mult de toamna desi zilele sunt scurte… nu, cu siguranta nu e perioada mea preferata a anului. Prefer primavara sau toamna insorita.”
Cum este viata pe la voi? Am citit ca sunteti singura tara europeana care a reusit sa aiba un trend pozitiv in contextul crizei economice… Deci, nu aveti recesiune acolo?
“Ma tem ca e propaganda tipic mass-media. Desigur ca viata in Polonia este mult mai buna decat, sa zicem, acum 10 ani (ca sa nu mentionez perioada comunista pe care inca mi-o amintesc) dar este totusi viata din Europa de EST. Nu resimtim recesiunea atat de mult deorece nu am trait niciodata atat de luxos precum partea de vest a Europei. Un profesor polonez obisnuit castiga de 3 ori mai putin decat unul grec. Suntem deprinsi sa economisim.”
Job Karma… un nume ciudat si niste cuvinte pline de contradictii…. ar trebui sa ma gandesc la trimiteri biblice sau la altceva? La lumea moderna in care traim si faptul ca e necesar sa ne compromitem zilnic sufletele?
“E doar un nume de trupa. Il poti interpreta in ambele feluri: ca fiind karma negativa a lui Iov din Biblie, sau karma cuiva indoctrinat de un loc de munca sclavagist intr-o corporatie, in numele ‘succesului’ sau al ‘carierei’.”
Cinematic Ambient Post-Industrial suna mai mult decat atragator dar de asemenea confuz… Te rog sa-mi spui mai mult despre acest stil, despre originile lui… da-mi cateva exemple de trupe care te inspira…
“Am creat acest univers din propria noastra nevoie de a arata cat de importante sunt filmele pentru noi, pentru muzica noastra si pentru concertele noastre. Muzica trupei Job Karma are accentele dramatice specifice filmelor si a fost adesea descrisa ca fiind ‘un film pentru auz’. Post Industrialul ne defineste muzica, la baza careia se afla: instrumente electronice, sintetizatoare analoage, generatoare de sunet, computere, sample-uri etc… Adevarata muzica industriala s-a nascut in anii ’70 si cei care-au inventat-o sunt: Throbbing Gristle, mai tarziu SPK, Clock DVA, Cabaret Voltaire, Test Dept, Einsturzende Neubauten, Esplendor Geometrico. Genul Industrial a evaluat si a creat mutatii diferite, precum: Industrial Ambient, Noise, Electro Body Music, Power Electronic, Dark Ambient. Influentele lui pot fi regasite chiar si in Neo Folk!”
Sunteti o trupa destul de veche in aceasta scena, pentru ca ati inceput sa cantati in 1997, ca duo, acum sunteti trei. Imi poti da mai multe detalii despre aceasta trupa, despre istoria ei?
“Am inceput ca o trupa alcatuita din 4 membri: 3 muzicieni si un producator video. Acum suntem 2 muzicieni si un producator video. E dificil sa fii obiectiv in ceea ce priveste muzica si stilul propriu, asa ca permite-mi sa citez ce a scris Rafal Kochan despre Job Karma in ‘Enciclopedia muzicii industriale’, vol III:
‘Debutul lor se bazeaza atat pe sunetul instrumentelor si dispozitivelor analoage si digitale (generatoare acustice), dar si pe ritmuri circulare specifice trance-ului. A castigat un renume considerabil prin reprezentantiile lor audio-vizuale, prin imaginile si videoclipurile create de Arkadiusz Bagiński, un artist in domeniul artei grafice, al interpretarii live si pe partea de video, colaborator permanent al grupului. Desi solide din punct de vedere stilistic si continuand primul lor album, urmatoarele lor creatii au fost imbogatite cu texturi Ambient mai sofisticate, extrase din filme si dialoguri din documentare, transmisii si piese radio.
Trupa foloseste o varietate larga de mijloace de expresie, de la structuri electroacustice elaborate in mod sintetic si sample-uri, la ritmuri sau chiar melodii distorsionate sau procesate. Prin intermediul muzicii lor si al imaginilor si videoclipurilor pregatite si selectate cu atentie, cauta sa trateze subiecte precum elementele disfunctionale ale societatii contemporane, razboiul iminent si anihilarea, sistemele politice si religioase daunatoare, dar si declinul incet al tuturor valorilor, datorita comercializarii progresive a vietii cotidiene a individului si a societatii.’”
Dar in ceea ce priveste discografia voastra, ce ne poti spune? Fiecare album se axeaza pe concepte diferite…
“Pana acum am lansat 6 albume complete de studio, doar ‘Tschernobyl’ este un album conceptual. L-am inregistrat dupa o calatorie la Cernobil. Muzica a fost coloana sonora a unui film realizat intr-o zona inchisa. Celelalte albume sunt reflexia starilor noastre emotionale, pot diferi una de alta pe masura ce ne schimbam.”
In iunie veti lansa un album nou, in colaborare cu SIEBEN. Cum va suna acesta? De ce ati decis sa lucrati cu Matt?
“L-am intalnit pe Matt cu ocazia celei de-a treia editii a Festivalului Industrial Wroclaw, in 2004. De atunci am cantat de multe ori impreuna. Intotdeauna cand canta Job Karma, Matt ne insotea pe scena si improviza, si noi faceam acelasi lucru in timpul concertelor Sieben. In 2010 am petrecut 3 zile in Estonia la festivalul Darkland Fire. Era extrem de frig si intreg orasul Rakevere era acoperit de zapada, am stat de vorba ore in sir si, in timpul unei discutii din acele seri reci de iarna, am decis sa inregistram un EP. La inceput nu ne-am gandit la un proiect nou, ci la o colaborare, un split, ceva de genul Job Karma vs Sieben. In primavara aveam 4 melodii noi, rezultatul a fost interesant si intreg procesul de inregistrare (schimbul de fisiere, de idei pe internet) a fost nou si ne-a inspirat pe toti. Prima persoana (cu exceptia sotiei mele) care ne-a spus ca materialul era prea bun pentru a fi irosit intr-un EP editie limitata a fost Albin Julius. El ne-a sugerat sa inregistram un album de studio, si asa am facut. Albumul va fi lansat pe 25 mai, prin Redroom.”
Festivalul industrial Wroclaw de la voi e foarte cunoscut persoanelor interesate de acest gen de muzica. Ce ne puteti spune despre el?
“Organizam WIF incepand din 2001, la inceputul lui noiembrie. In acest an va avea loc a 11-a editie. Concertele mari au loc la Gothic Hall, care a fost o capela gotica veche. Avem fani care vin la Wroclaw din toata Europa, si am avut peste 150 de trupe prezente la festivalul nostru, printre care amintim: Psychic TV, Nurse With Wound, Clock DVA, Carter Tutti, Esplendor Geometrico, Merzbow, Tuxedomoon si multe, multe altele.”
Cum a fost ultima editie? Care sunt regulile pe care le respectati atunci cand decideti line-up-ul fiecarei editii?
“Ceea ce am remarcat este ca in fiecare an, dupa festival, spunem: Ooo! – aceasta a fost cea mai buna editie WIF de pana acum!! Ha ha. E un sentiment minunat si o mare satisfactie.
Prima regula pe care o respectam e: varietatea. Vreau sa zic – imi place sa invit trupe care interpreteaza genuri de muzica diferite, desi din aceeasi estetica industriala. Acesta e un lucru pentru care festivalul nostru e cunoscut: eclectism. Deci in timpul unei seri poti vedea pe scena trupe care canta Industrial, Power-electronics, Neofolk, Experimental, Dark Ambient, Rhytm’n Industrial, EBM dar si legende Cold Wave sau Post-Punk.
Un alt lucru e calitatea muzicii in contextul interpretarii live. Credem ca genul de spectacole ‘un om cu un notebook’ pur si simplu nu mai sunt interesante, si incercam sa minimizam genul acesta de concerte la festivalul nostru. Promovam interpretari live multimedia si, inainte de a decide sa invitam pe cineva, ne place sa-l vedem live.
De asemenea, cautam trupe unice, originale, care nu canta des in aceasta parte a Europei.
In final, dar nu in ultimul rand, incercam sa nu repetam artisti din anii precedenti. Uneori e foarte greu insa, desi au trecut 11 ani, sunt multe trupe care merita vazute si nu au cantat inca la Wroclaw. Pentru editia de anul acesta, ii vom invita pe: KILINK, SECTION 25, ROME, PORTION CONTROL, AIT!, DDAA si multi altii.”
Veti canta la DBE 4 pe 18 august. Ce stiti despre acest mic festival? In comparatie cu al vostru, nu e axat doar pe Industrial si subgenurile acestuia. Poate acest lucru sa fie un avantaj sau nu? Sa vezi, la acelasi festival, impatimiti ai Metalului discutand cu fani de Electronic, NeoFolk, Post-Punk sau Cold-Wave?
“Suntem obisnuiti sa cantam pe scene diferite. Cu Job Karma am cantat la evenimente de Gothic Rock, ca si de Avangarde Electronic sau Noise pur. Uneori ele au loc in galerii de arta, primarii, cladiri abandonate sau teatre imense. Intalnim public diferit cu reactii diferite. Poate din cauza formulei noastre audio-vizuale, preceptia este la un nivel diferit si nu trebuie sa fii un fan al ‘Industrialului’ pur ca sa gasesti ceva in care sa te regasesti.
Un alt lucru e ca aceeasi oameni si prieteni pe care ii stim de la WIF participa si la concerte de Thrash Metal, Ethno, Neo-Folk sau Avangarde. Deci nu exista un impediment real sa amesteci genurile in timpul unui festival.”
Ce stiti despre Romania?
“Am facut drumetii in Muntii Fagaras acum 2 ani – frumosi munti, natura salbatica, am intalnit multi oameni prietenosi, de asemenea imi amintesc berea buna – Ciuc si Ursus si vinul – Drakula *rade*.”
“Am vizitat partea de nord a Romaniei acum 4 ani. Doua saptamani de mers pe munti, auto-stop, calatorii cu trenul… Au fost momente minunate pentru mine si prietenii mei. Oameni foarte draguti, o ospitalitate calda si unica, natura pura a Carpatilor de Est. Am inceput din Ucraina – fosta granita romano-poloneza – prin Bucovina (am vizitat satele minoritatilor poloneze), muntii Rarau-Giumalau, terminand cu Maramuresul. Nu am avut nicio problema, a fost doar o calatorie etno-turistica. Sunt bucuros ca am sansa s-o compar cu regiunea Transilvaniei.”
Ati ascultat trupele de la DBE 4?
“Sa fiu sincer stiu doar de Of the Wand And the Moon si am auzit de alte cateva nume.”
Descrie-ne putin trupa voastra live. Ce ar trebui sa ne asteptam de la JOB KARMA pe scena? De ce sunt atat de importante detaliile vizuale?
” Asa cum veti vedea, toate partile audio si video se combina. Compunem pentru un videoclip anume si videoclipul este pregatit special pentru o secventa audio. Merge in ambele sensuri. Majoritatea povestilor video facute de Arek sunt pregatite pentru evenimentul multimedia numit Ritual, deci toate secventele video au o poveste si un background. El mixeaza animatii cu fictiuni artistice jucate de actori profesionisti – toate dublate de un sunet si un ton unic. Nu va voi descrie mai multe detalii. Vom fi fericiti sa vi le prezentam la DBE.”
Ce fel de muzica ascultati in prezent?
“De exemplu Industrial si muzica similara (Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, Test Dept, Coil, Psychic TV), Neo Folk (Sieben, Current 93), New Wave/Post Punk (Wire, Savage Republic, Minimal Compact), Ambient (Tor Lundvall, Apoptose, Bad Sector), Psychedelic ( Neu!, Sand, Ashra, Hawkwind), Synthpop (Kraftwerk, Human League), muzica Pop de calitate (Kate Bush, Air, Yello), dintre noutati: A Place to Bury Strangers, The Soft Moon, de fiecare data:Swans.”
“Ne concentram puternic pe muzica noastra in perioada asta. Deci ca sa fiu sincer – in principal ascult ceea ce inregistram ca 7JK – coproductie muzicala JK si Matt Howden de la Sieben. Munca noastra e aproape gata, deci acum avem timp sa ascultam toate melodiile si sa incercam sa le aranjam intr-un mod sensibil si atractiv.”
Aveti prieteni in Romania? Vor veni sa va vada in Transilvania, poate?
“Nu am prieteni in Romania. Dar am avut un raspuns pozitiv pe internet cu privire la activitatea noastra ca JOB KARMA si la festivalul WIF, deci asteptam cu nerabdare sa-i intalnim la DBE si sa aflam punctul lor de vedere cu privire la ceea ce cantam si interpretam live.”
Va multumesc pentru aceasta scurta discutie. Ne vedem in cateva luni…
“Si eu iti multumesc, ne vedem cu totii in august, asteptam cu nerabdare sa ne reintoarcem in tara voastra frumoasa si sa cantam la DBE!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDuamLrw0ns
Ianuarie 2012
Cinematic Ambient Post Industrial sounds dreadfully interesting. The Poles of JOB KARMA (www.jobkarma.pl) are coming en premier in Romania to introduce their compositions to the DBE public, on the evening of the 18th of August. Those who are into the genre already know what I am talking about. More than that, the musicians are part of a famous Polish festival, but let us stop here with the introductions, so you can discover more in the following:
Hello, Macieck and Aureliusz! How is the winter in Poland? This is your favorite period of the year, maybe?
” Hi Doru. This year we have a quite depressive Winter – rain and wind…it reminds more of an Autumn although the days are short… no it’s definitely not my time of the year. I prefer spring or sunny autumn.”
But how is life in Poland? I read you are the only European countries who managed to escape the economical crises… So, you have no recesion there?
“I’m afraid it’s typical media propaganda. Of course life in Poland is far better than let’s say 10 ago (not to mention the communism time that I still remember) but it is still life in EASTERN Europe. We don’t feel the recession so much because we have never lived so luxurious as in the West part of Europe. An average Polish teacher earns 3 times less than a Greek one. We are used to saving money.”
JOB KARMA… you have strange and paradoxical name… Should I be thinking of Biblical connotations or something else? Maybe you wanted to express the idea of modern life and how it compormises our souls every day?
“It’s just a name of a band. You can translate it in both ways: as a bad karma of a biblic Job or a karma of people being brainwashed by the slaver job in corporations in the name of a ‘success’ and ‘career’.”
Cinematic Ambient Post-Industrial sounds very attractive but also confusing… Tell me a bit about this style, about the its roots… give me some examples of bands that inspired you…
“We created this expression for our own needs to show how important are movies for our music and concerts. Job Karma’s music has this specific movie drama attached to it and has often been described as a “movie for the ears”. Post-industrial defines our sound – the basis for which are: electronic instruments, analog synthesizers, the sound generators, computers, samplers etc…the true industrial music was born in the 70 and her inventors areThrobbing Gristle, later SPK, Clock DVA, Cabaret Voltaire,Test Dept, Einsturzende Neubauten, Esplendor Geometrico. Industrial style evaluated and created various mutations such as: Industrial Ambient, Noise, Elctro Body Music, Power Electronics, Dark Ambient. You can find it’s influances even in Neo Folk!”
You are a kind of an old band in this scene. You started to play in 1997, as a duo, now you are trio. Can you offer me more details about your band, about history?
“We started as a 4-member band: 3 musicians and 1 videomaker. Now we are 2 musicians and 1 videomaker. It’s hard to be objective about your own music and style so let me refer You what about Job Karma wrote Rafał Kochan in Encyclopaedia Of Industrial Music VOL III”
‘Their debut work relied both on the sound of analogue and digital instruments and devices (acoustic generators), as well as on looped trancelike rhythms. They gained considerable renown for their audiovisual performances, the imagery and videos provided by Arkadiusz Bagiński, a graphics, performance and video artist, a permanent collaborator of the group. Although stylistically consistent and following on from their first album, their next works were enhanced with more sophisticated ambient textures, snippets from film and documentary dialogues, radio plays and broadcasts. The group employs a wide variety of means of expression, ranging from synthetically prepared electroacoustic structures and sampling, to distorted or processed rhythms or even melodies. Through their music and carefully selected and prepared imagery and videos they seek to deal with the dysfunctional elements of contemporary civilization, the looming war and annihilation, the inimical political and religious system and the slow decline of all values due to the progressive commercialisation of the day-to-day life of an individual and society’.”
But about discography? Each album had focus to different concepts…
“Till now we’ve realesed 6 full studio albums, only ‘Tschernobyl’ is a concept one. We recorded it after our trip to Tschernobyl. The music was a soundtrack to the movie made in a closed zone. Other albums are a reflection of our emotional states, they differ from each other as we are changing.”
In June you will release a new album, through a collaboration with SIEBEN. How will this new album sound? Why you decided to work with Matt?
“We met Matt on the occasion of the 3rd Wroclaw Industrial Festival in 2004. Since that we’ve played many times together. Always when Job Karma played, Matt would join us on the stage and improvise, we did the same thing during Sieben show. In 2010 we spent 3 days in Estonia at the Darkland Fire festival. It was freezing cold, and the whole city Rakevere was covered with snow, we talked for hours and during one of those cold winter evenings discussions we decided to record an EP. At the beginning we didn’t think about a new project, we thought about collaboration, split, something like Job Karma vs Sieben. In the spring we had 4 new tracks, the result was interesting and the whole process of recording (exchanging files, ideas through internet) was for all of us new and inspiring. The first person (apart from my wife) who told us that the material is too good to be wasted on limited EPs was Albin Julius. He suggested we should record the studio album and so we did it. The album will be released on the 25th of May via Redroom.”
Your Wroclaw Industrial festival is very known for the peoplewho are interested in this kind of music. What can you tell me about this?
“We’ve been organizing WIF since 2001, every year in November. This year it will be the 11th edition. The main concerts take place in the Gothic Hall, that used to be an old gothic chapel. We have fans coming to Wroclaw from all over the Europe and we had over 150 bands performing on our festival such as: Psychic TV, Nurse With Wound, Clock DVA, Carter Tutti, Esplendor Geometrico, Merzbow, Tuxedomoon and many many more.”
How was the last edition? What are the rules you respect when you decide the line-up of each edition?
“What we’ve noticed is that every year, after the festival, we are saying: Ooo! – this was the best WIF edition so far!! haha. It’s a great feeling and a big satisfaction.
First rule that I stick to is: variety. I mean – I’d like to invite bands that are playing different type of music even though still in industrial esthetic. And this is something that our festival is known for: eklectism. So during one evening You will see on the stage bands who play classic industrial, power-electronics, neofolk, experimental, dark ambient, rhytm’n industrial, EBM but also cold wave and post-punk legends .
Another thing is the quality of the music in the context of the live performance. We think that the “notebook-man-show” are simply not interesting any more and so we are trying to minimalize those kinds of concerts on our festival. We are promoting multimedia live acts and before we decide to invite someone – we’d like to see him live.
We are also searching for uniq, original bands who are not often performing in this part of Europe.
At least but not the last we are trying not to repeat artists from the previous years. Sometimes it’s really hard but still although 11 years has passed by – the are a lot of bands worth seeing that hasn’t played in Wrocław yet. For this year edition We invite: KILINK, SECTION 25, ROME, PORTION CONTROL, AIT!, DDAA and many others”
You will play at DBE 4 in the 18th of August. What do you know about this small festival? In comparison with yours, this is not focused only on Industrial and its subgenres. Could this be an advantage or on the contrary? Would it be weird to see Metal fans discussing with Electronic, NeoFolk, Post-Punk or Cold-wave fans on the festival grounds?
“We are used to play on various scenes. As Job Karma we played Rock Gothic as well as Avant-garde Electronic or pure Noise events. Sometimes it is in art gallery, city hall, squat or huge theatre stage. We had to face various audiences with various reactions. Maybe it is because of our audio-visual form – the perception is on different level and you don’t have to be pure “industrial” fan to find something for yourself.
Other thing is that the same people and friends we know from WIF attend Thrash Metal, Ethno, Neo-Folk or total Avant-garde events as well. So there is no real obstacle to mix it during one fest.”
What do you know about Romania?
“I was on trekking in Fagaras Mountains 2 years ago – beautiful mountains, wild nature, we meet many friendly people I also remember great beer -Ciuc and Ursus and wine –Drakula *laughs*.”
“I visited northern Romania 4 years ago. Two weeks of walking in mountains, hitchhiking, riding in trains … It was great time for me and my friends. Very nice people, warm hospitality and unique, pure nature (!!!) of Eastern Carpathians. We started from the Ukraine – former polish-Romanian border – through Bucovina (visiting Polish minority villages), Rarau-Giumalau Mountains, ending with Maramures. We had none problems, just ethno-touristic journey. I am happy to have a chance to compare it with Transylvania region.“
Have you heard some bands from DBE 4?
” Honestly I know only Of the Wand And the Moon, and heard few other names.”
Describe me a bit your band live? What we should expect from JOB KARMA live? Why are the visual details so important?
“As you will experience all video and audio are strictly combined. We compose for concrete movie and the video is prepared for the particular soundtrack. It works both ways. Most of the video story made by Arek is mainly prepared for the multimedia event called Ritual, so all the video has its story and its considered background. He mixes animation with artistic fiction played by professional actors – all armed with singular sound and tone. I will not describe much of the details. We will be happy to present it for you at DBE.”
What kind of music are you listening today?
“For example Industrial and similar (Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, Test Dept, Coil, Psychic TV), Neo Folk (Sieben, Current 93), New Wave/Post Punk (Wire, Savage Republic, Minimal Compact), Ambient (Tor Lundvall, Apoptose, Bad Sector), Psychedelic ( Neu!, Sand, Ashra, Hawkwind), Synthpop (Kraftwerk, Human League), good pop music (Kate Bush, Air, Yello), from news: A Place to Bury Strangers, The Soft Moon, every time: Swans.
“We are strongly focused on our music these days. So to be honest – I mainly listen to what we are recording as 7JK– musical coproduction JK and Matt Howden from Sieben. Our work is almost finished so now we have time to listen all the tracks trying to put them together in a sensible and attractive way.”
Do you have friends in Romania? They will come to see you in Transylvania, maybe?
“Personally I don’t have any friends in Romania. But we have very good internet response about our activity as JOB KARMA and WIF festival so we are looking forward to meet them at DBE and search for their point of view on what we play and show live.”
Thank you for this short chat. See you in a few months….
“Thank you and see you all in August, We are looking forward to back to your beautiful country and play at DBE!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDuamLrw0ns
January, 2012
Isole – the 7th ritual
January 30, 2012
ISOLE (http://www.forevermore.se) este o trupa suedeza de Epic Doom Dark Metal cu o istorie impresionanta, de peste 20 de ani. Ultimii ani au adus cu ei si cateva albume ISOLE interesante, sub emblema Napalm Records, care le-au adus trupetilor o vizibilitate incredibila si un interes impresionant din partea fanilor. Deoarece noul album are un mix foarte inteligent de Doom Metal cu Dark si Progressive, am decis sa invit trupa sa cante la DBE 4, in seara de 17 august. Am si stat de vorba cu doi muzicieni, haideti sa aflam cateva mici detalii:
Salutari baieti! Aveti o istorie lunga de 20 de ani in spate. Privind in urma, care e diferenta dintre scena Doom de acum si atunci?
J: “Salut! Da, 20 de ani lungi de depresie si disperare, hahaha. Cred ca scena Doom Metal a trecut de la un manunchi de trupe la inceputul anilor ’90 la un gen underground masiv. Doom Metal nu e un gen mare nici in zilele noastre, dar in ziua de azi chiar avem numeroase trupe ce au destul de mult succes.”
Tocmai ati lansat un nou album numit “Born from Shadows”. Ai putea sa imi dai cateva detalii despre aceasta lansare si poate cateva cuvinte despre conceptul din spatele acestuia?
J: “Intunecat si progresiv. Albumul nostru cel mai intunecat de pana acum! Am folosit cateva ingrediente ce nu le-am folosit inainte. Sunetul s-a imbunatatit mult de la ‘Silent Ruins’ si masteringul de care a fost responsabil Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia, Swallow the Sun, etc) a facut acest sound al naibii de grozav! Asa ca daca nu l-ati ascultat pana acum, va puteti astepta la ceva destul de bun!”
Stiu ca planuiti sa lansati un album de aniversare a 20 de ani de activitate.
C: “‘Born from Shadows’ este albumul ce a marcat cei 20 de ani de existenta si am inclus cateva piese de pe legendarul nostru demo “Waves of Sorrow” din 1994 pe versiunea 2LP. Am mai avut si o petrecere de lansare/ aniversare a 20 de ani/ casatorie in decembrie aici in Suedia pentru a sarbatori toate acestea.”
Majoritatea presei considera ca noul album este influentat de trupe ca si CANDLEMASS si SOLITUDE AETERNUS. Sunteti de acord?
J: “Hahaha, asta e ceva mereu mentionat si dezbatut. Bineinteles ca suntem influentati de Candlemass si Solitude Aeternus, amandoua sunt trupe geniale, dar ne-au influentat mai mult in prima jumatate a existentei noastre, in timpul erei ‘Forlorn’. Azi, suntem influentati mult mai mult de trupe din alte genuri. Cred ca motivul pentru care sunam cum sunam azi este faptul ca ascultam toate genurile de muzica, dar avem tot Doom Metal la baza. Nu incercam sa sunam ca o alta trupa, notam ce ne vine in minte si in cele din urma, fiecare avand ceva de zis si adaugandu-ne propria amprenta, sunam a ISOLE. Dupa parerea mea, exista doar o singura piesa pe ‘Born from Shadows’ in care poti asculta influentele trupelor mentionate mai sus, si aceea este ‘The Lake’. Dar daca asculti mai de-aproape, numai inceputul si sfarsitul are o atingere cu Candlemass. Nu pot auzi o alta influenta reala in alta piesa pe acest album. Suna a ISOLE pentru mine.”
Aveti o trilogie de piese intitulata “The Moonstone” si conceptul din spatele acesteia este asociat cu dualitatea prezenta in toate lucrurile. Este aceasta o analogie cu ideile voaste de zi cu zi? Sunt binele si raul opuse sau aveti o abordare subiectiva a lucrurilor?
C: “Da, trilogia despre ‘Moonstone’ si ‘Shadowstone’ isi are concluzia in piesa ‘Born from Shadows’. E o tema clasica cu doua mari opozitii, ca si binele versus raul. Povestea in sine este inspirata de o serie de carti a unui autor rus numit Nick Perumov. Pentru mine, doua mari opozitii sunt foarte importante pentru a da gust vietii, in special cand vine vorba despre muzica si compus. Ai nevoie de ceva rau ca sa te faca sa te simti foarte bine si trebuie sa te simti foarte plictisit inainte pentru ca sa simti o mare bucurie. In timp ce compui, nu poti construi o piesa din bucati extrem de bune deoarece va face piesa neinteresanta, trebuie sa o controlezi pentru a construi o balanta cu parti mai putin bune pentru a evidentia partile ce chiar vrei sa sune bine… e destul de ciudat sa gandesti asa, dar cred ca este necesar.”
Ati lansat albumul “Silent Ruins” in 2009 la casa de discuri NAPALM RECORDS. Sunteti multumiti de colaborarea cu ei?
J: “Suntem foarte multumiti de ei! Este o casa de discuri destul de mare cu o retea buna si destui bani de cheltuit cand banii trebuie cheltuiti.”
Muzica voastra reuseste sa combine desertaciunea si disperarea existentei umane. De unde vi se trage inspiratia? Exista ceva trupe ce v-au influentat progresul muzical?
J: “Viata si moartea sunt surse de inspiratie destul de bune. Raul in lume este de asemenea o inspiratie buna. Piesa ‘Condemned’ de pe ‘Born from Shadows’ trateaza teribila chestiune a lapidarii ce are loc in unele parti ale lumii. Versurile sunt inspirate din filmul ‘The Stoning of Soraya M’.”
Stiti ceva despre Romania? Ati vizitat vreodata tara inainte? Si daca nu, ce v-ar interesa sa aflati despre noi?
J: “Nu am fost inca in Romania, dar stiu ca a fost Crister si mi-a aratat poze din acea calatorie. Stiu ce probabil stie toata lumea, contele Dracula si Ceausescu. E mereu distractiv sa vizitezi tari noi si nu cred ca de data aceasta voi fi dezamagit.”
Dark Bombastic Evening a ajuns la a patra editie. Ati mai auzit de festival inainte? Ce trupe din line-upul curent va face placere sa vedeti in cadrul eventului?
J: “Nu am auzit de festival pana cand am primit oferta de a canta acolo. Mi se pare foarte placut! Majoritatea trupelor nu se afla in directia mea muzicala, sunt genul de tip ce asculta Death si Black Metal, deci nu sunt prea agitat in acel sens. Dar e mereu placut sa iti petreci timpul cu oamenii si sa bei bere cu muzica in fundal, hehehe. Vom avea parte de clipe frumoase si vom cunoaste multa lume, sunt sigur!”
Va veti aduce ultimul album la DBE4? Dar merchandise?
J: “Bineinteles ca vom face asta! Vom aduce toate albumele si poate si vinyluri, daca vor mai ramane. Si noul tricou ‘Born from Shadows’ va fi accesibil si cred ca mai avem si patchuri cu logoul nostru.”
Unde va vedeti in 20 de ani?
J: “Hmm, in 20 de ani voi avea 54 de ani. Daca nu se va intampla nimic ciudat, cred ca voi face tot muzica cu ISOLE. Personal, cu siguranta inca voi face muzica si/sau inregistra, mixa si produce albume intr-un fel sau altul.”
Cunosti ceva trupe romanesti? Daca da, ce crezi despre ele?
J: “Nu cunosc nicio trupa. Poate cineva mi-ar putea recomanda cateva trupe cand ne intalnim la festival!”
Spune-mi ceva despre o zi obisnuita in viata ta. Ce faci pe langa muzica?
J: “Am grja de prietena mea si fiica noastra, ma duc la jobul meu plictisitor si daca mai am timp liber incerc sa lucrez la mixajele si masterele trupelor mele si cateodata ale altora. Munca, cam intotdeauna! Dar in ultimele 5 luni a trebuit sa stau mai mult acasa deoarece fiica mea s-a nascut in august.”
Multumesc mult pentru timpul vostru. Cateva cuvinte in incheiere pentru publicul Dark Bombastic Evening?
J: “Sper sa vedem multa lume si sa petrecem momente frumoase alaturi de voi toti! Ridicati-va pumnii, Romania! ISOLE va dobori DBE! Salutari!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGpGjneiwUk
Ianuarie 2012
ISOLE (http://www.forevermore.se) is a Swedish Epic Doom Dark Metal with an impressing history of over 20 years. The last years also brought with them a couple of interesting ISOLE albums, released under Napalm Records label, that brought the bandmates an incredible visibility and impressive interest from the fans. Because the new album has a very smart mix of Doom Metal with Dark and Progressive, I decided to invite the band to play at DBE 4, in the evening of August 17. I also talked with two musicians, let us find out some small details…
Hey guys, thanks for having us. You have a very long history of 20 years behind you. Looking back, what’s the difference between the Doom Metal scene now and then?
J: “Hi! Yes, 20 long years of depression and despair, hahaha. Well, I guess Doom Metal has grown a bit from just being a handful of bands in the early ´90s to become a big underground genre. Doom Metal isn’t that big of a genre today either, but today we actually have a bunch of bands that are pretty successful.”
You just released a new album called “Born from Shadows”. Can you provide some details about this release and maybe a few words about the concept behind it?
J: “Dark and progressive. Our darkest album so far! We have used some ingredients we’ve never used before. The sound has improved a lot since ‘Silent Ruins’, and the mastering that Jens Bogren (Opeth, Katatonia, Swallow the Sun etc.) is what made the sound fucking awesome! So if you haven’t already heard it, you can expect something really nice!”
I know you are planning to release an anniversary album to mark 20 years of activity. Do you plan to include something special?
C: “‘Born from Shadows’ is the album that marked our 20 years of existence and we included a couple of songs from our legendary demo ‘Waves of Sorrow’ from 1994 on the 2LP version. We also had a release party / 20th anniversary party / Marriage ceremony in December here in Sweden to celebrate all that.”
Most of the metal press agrees that your new album is influenced by bands like CANDLEMASS and SOLITUDE AETERNUS. What do you think of this feedback? Do you agree?
J: “Hahaha, that is something they always say and asks about. Of course we are influenced by CANDLEMASS and SOLITUDE AETERNUS, both are great bands, but they had much more influence in the first half of the life of the band, during the “Forlorn” era. Today, we are a lot more influenced by other bands and bands from other genres. I think the reason we sound like we do today is because we mostly listen to other kinds of music but we still have the Doom Metal as a foundation. We are not trying to sound like any other band, we just write what comes to mind and after all of us has had a say and put our personal touch to it, it sounds ISOLE. In my opinion there’s only one song on ‘Born from Shadows’ you can hear influences from the above mentioned bands, and that is ‘The Lake’. But if you listen closely it’s only the beginning and the end that has that kind of CANDLEMASS touch. I can’t hear any other real influence in any other song on that album. It just sounds ISOLE to me.”
You have a trilogy of songs entitled “The Moonstone” and the concept behind it is related to duality present in all things. Is this analogous with your own personal day-to-day beliefs? Are good and evil opposed or do you have a subjective approach on the matter?
C: “Yes, the trilogy about the ‘Moonstone’ and the ‘Shadowstone’ has its conclusion in the title track ‘Born from Shadows’. It’s a classic theme with two great opposites like good versus evil, for instance. The story itself is mostly inspired by a series of books from a Russian author name Nick Perumov. To me personally, two great opposites has something to do with my beliefs, I think opposites are very important to get flavor in life and especially when it comes to music and songwriting. You need something bad to make you feel really good and you need to have fucking boring before you can really feel joy. In composing, you can’t build a song of totally great parts because it will make the song flat, you need to get in control to build a balance with parts less good to elevate the parts you really want to sound good… kind of strange to think in this way perhaps but I think it’s necessary.”
You have released the album “Silent Ruins” in 2009 under the label NAPALM RECORDS. Are you satisfied with working with them?
J: “We are very satisfied with them! It’s a pretty big label with good network and enough money to spend when money has to be spent.”
Your music manages to blend the hopelessness and despair of human existence. Where do you draw your inspiration from? Are there any bands that influenced your musical progression?
J: “Life and death are very good sources of inspiration. The evil in the world is also a good inspiration. The song ‘Condemned’, from ‘Born from Shadows’ is dealing with the terrible matter of the stonings they do in some parts of the world. The lyrics are inspired by the movie ‘The stoning of Soraya M’.”
Do you know anything about Romania? Have you ever visited the country before and if not, what are you interested in finding out about it?
J: “I haven’t been to Romania yet, but I know Crister has, and he has showed me photos from that trip. I probably only know what everyone else knows, Count Dracula and Ceauşescu. It’s always fun to visit new countries and I don’t think I’ll be disappointed this time either.”
Dark Bombastic Evening has reached its 4th edition. Have you heard of the festival before? What bands from the current line-up are you excited about seeing perform at the venue?
J: “I hadn’t heard of the festival until we got the offer to play there. Seems to me it’s a really nice one! Most bands isn’t in my direction of music, I’m more of a Black and Death Metal guy, so I guess I’m not excited in that way. But it’s always nice to hang with people and drink beer with music in the background, hahaha. We will have a good time and meet a lot of nice people, I’m sure!”
Will you bring your latest album with you to DBE4? How about merchandise?
J: “Of course we do that!!! We will bring all the albums and maybe even vinyls if there’s any left of them. The new “‘Born from Shadows’ shirt will also be available, and I think we still have the logo patch to offer.”
Where do you see yourselves in 20 years time?
J: “Hmm, in 20 years I’m 54 years old, hahaha. If nothing strange happens, I think we will still do music with ISOLE. I personally will definitely still play music and/or record, mix and produce albums in some way.”
Do you know any Romanian bands? If so, what do you think about them?
J: “I don’t know one single band actually. Maybe someone can recommend some bands for me when we meet at the festival!”
Tell me about a regular day in your life. What do you do besides writing music?
J: “I take care of my girlfriend and our daughter, go to my boring day job, if I have any time left after that I try to work with the mixes or masterings of my other bands and sometimes other people’s bands. It’s pretty much work all the time! But the last 5 months I’ve had to be more at home because my daughter was born in August.”
Thank you very much for your time. Please say a few closing words to the Dark Bombastic Evening audience that is expecting to see you.
J: “Hope to see a lot of people and have a fucking good time with you all! Raise your fists, Romania! ISOLE will doom DBE! Cheers!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGpGjneiwUk
January, 2012
PG. Lost – the 6th ritual
January 26, 2012
PG.LOST (www.pglost.com) este o trupa suedeza de Instrumental Ambient Post-Rock de toata frumusetea care va veni in Romania pentru prima data si va sustine un concert la DBE 4, pe data de 18 august. Ar fi timpul sa aflam cine sunt cei patru muzicieni si care sunt ultimele noutati din tabara lor.
Salut. Multumesc pentru ca ai fost de acord sa facem acest interviu. Tocmai am intrat in 2012. Cum a fost 2011 pentru voi?
“2011 a fost mai linistit din partea noastra si am avut timp sa stam si sa discutam schimbarile ce vroiam sa le facem. Dupa turneul european din ianuarie, am luat o pauza si mai tarziu, in primavara, am inceput sa compunem piesele pentru albumul urmator. A fost placut sa ne reinoarcem in acel proces creativ, sa compunem piese de la zero. Am lucrat la ele cand puteam si am realizat versiunile de preproductie de indata ce au inceput sa prinda contur.
Majoritatea toamnei/iernii a constat in inregistrari, mixaje, aranjamentele designului, marketing si asa mai departe. Si bineinteles, pregatirea turneului din acest an.”
Post-Rock-ul mi-a oferit mereu cele mai vivide experiente. Iubesc acel sentiment de disperare si abandonare combinat cu acceptia stelara suprareala oferita de muzica. De unde va inspirati? Experientele de viata sau poate ceva dincolo de dimensiunea umana?
“Probabil putin de peste tot. Viata in general, familie, prieteni, muzica, filme, calatorii, turnee, natura, munca, tot ce ne inconjoara. Cu totii avem idei si emotii diferite despre muzica ce o facem si rar discutam acest lucru unul cu altul sau cu altcineva. Nu e nevoie sa le discutam in trupa, deoarece ne stim bine unul pe altul si ajungem mereu pe aceeasi pagina. Chiar daca se schimba cu timpul, e firesc pentru noi.
Si daca tu spui ca-ti ofera ‘cele mai vivide experiente’, nu vrem sa temperam acest lucru. Credem ca experienta ta muzicala devine mult mai puternica daca insemnatatea sau sentimentul vine din interioriul tau.”
Sunetul vostru a progresat de la tonalitati mai light spre ceva foarte intunecat, greoi si abstract pe ultimul vostru material, “In Never Out”. Tranzitia a avut loc si in viata voastra reala? Asta v-a inspirat?
“Bineinteles ca suntem siguri de faptul ca lucrurile ce au loc in viata noastra ne coloreaza sunetul, dar de fapt, nu am analizat acest lucru la propriu. As spune ca la inceput, sunetul pg.lost a fost mai plin de speranta, naiv si cu trecerea timpului, a devenit mai agresiv, incarcat cu mai multa nervozitate, dar si mai matur. Se pare ca am devenit mai batrani, haha! Nu asta vreau sa zic. Mai exista in noi o parte inca adolescentina, juvenila, copilaroasa, numeste-o cum vrei, dar avem aceasta trupa de 8 ani deja si am crescut impreuna, atat muzical cat si ca oameni. Nu suntem atat de nesiguri de cum am vrea sa ne fie sunetul.”
La ce va ganditi cand compuneti o piesa? Cum are loc procesul creativ pentru pg.lost?
“Incercam sa nu ne gandim atat de mult. Aproape fiecare proces de creatie a unei piese incepe cu o fraza muzicala, un ritm de tobe sau o melodie ce vine de la repetitii sau este adusa de unul dintre noi. Mai apoi o cantam iar si iar, improvizand de cum progresam, spunandu-ne unul altuia ce e naspa si ce nu e. La sfarsit, este o piesa. Poate dura cateva ore sau cateva luni. Nu batem in cuie despre ce e, pana mai tarziu, cand avem fiecare opinia proprie. Asta e una dintre frumusetile acestei muzici. Poate fi despre orice si nimic, depinde total de cine o asculta.”
M-au interesat mereu in mod special ilustratiile voastre. Sunt foarte stranii si misterioase – in special cea pentru “In Never Out”. Cine face ilustratiile si ne-ai putea spune cateva cuvinte despre semnificatia copertii?
“Valentin Mellström este fratele lui Kristian (ce canta la bass) si a facut multe ilustratii pentru noi. A realizat toate copertile albumelor noastre (inclusiv versiunile vinylurilor), exceptand cea a EPului ‘Yes I Am’. Modele de tricouri, postere, chestii pentru web si multe altele. Am lasat mereu chestiunea ilustratiilor lui Valentin deoarece are indemanarea necesara si avem incredere ca va face ceva ce i se potriveste muzicii noastre. Probabil el ar trebui sa fie intrebat despre simbolistica copertilor.
I-am dat muzica cand am avut o inregistrare propriu-zisa a acesteia si mai apoi el a venit cu conceptul de design, exceptie fiind ultimul nostru album. De data aceasta, a avut ideea generala si schita inainte sa incepem inregistrarile. Deci s-a putut si invers, noi inspirandu-ne de acolo. Cat despre muzica noastra, cu totii ramanem cu impresii diferite de la imagini, deci ne concentram pe impactul vizual, cat de bine arata.
Daca vreti sa vedeti mai multe lucrari ale lui Valentin, vizitati www.mlstrm.com.”
Cred ca exista o diferenta majora intre cum trupele Post-Rock suna pe CD si live. Avand in vedere acest lucru, va place sa improvizati pe scena? Credeti ca improvizatia este un aspect important in muzica in general?
“Cu pg.lost, cand o piesa este repetata pentru un concert sau turneu, tindem sa ne tinem de program, exceptie fiind cateva diferente in lungime daca prinzi senzatia in o anumita parte. Cand compui piesa, e o alta poveste. Mai apoi, pentru noi, improvizarea este esentiala. Dar chestiile ce suna bine in sala de repetitii ar putea fi schimbata pentru a incapea pe inregistrare si bineinteles, si invers. Incercam mereu sa obtinem ce e mai bun in ambele cazuri.
Poti fi un compozitor excelent, dar daca nu oferi muzicienilor spatiu de desfasurare, totul devine transparent, rigid si plictisitor. Tot asa, improvizarea prea multa live poate strica o piesa. Linia este foarte subtire, dar da, credem ca improvizatia este un aspect important al muzicii in general.”
Dati-mi cateva detalii despre noul album, stiind ca este terminat… Descrieti muzica, conceptul, piesele…
“Nu vrem sa dezvaluim prea multe. Albumul se numeste ‘Key’ si contine 7 piese, avand un total de ca 50 de minute. Vom pune in curand o piesa pe Internet ca teaser, pana la lansarea acestuia pe 4 mai. Odata cu piesa, speram sa avem un teaser si cu vizualizarile noastre noi, ce sunt facute chiar acum, de catre directorul britanic Craig Murray (www.youcameinhereasstranger.com).
Va suna ca pg.lost si poate nu atat de mult ca pg.lost. Am incercat sa adaugam mai multe elemente in acest material si sa experimentam fara a innebuni, hehe. Acesta este ca ‘In Never Out’, mixat tot de Magnus Lindberg (www.magnuslindberg.com) ce a facut inca o data o treaba minunata.”
As vrea sa stiu ce trupe v-au influentat in timp ce ati crescut si ce trupe va influenteaza si in ziua de azi muzica?
“Registrul muzical ascultat si ce ne-a influentat e destul de larg si diferit intre noi si e greu sa cuprindem totul. Unii dintre noi iubesc chestii ce altii le urasc. Vedem asta ca ceva pozitiv deoarece ne ofera un bun mixaj in abordarea muzicii pe care o cream. Dar e foarte greu si sa punctam exact influentele noastre.
Asa ca vom face totul mai usor si vom enumera cateva din trupele ce le-am ascultat cand eram tineri si le mai ascultam si acum uneori. Nu ne influenteaza muzica atat de mult, cel putin nu in masura in care credem. Nu sunt intr-o anumita ordine si nu va vom spune cine si ce a zis. S-ar putea sa fie si cateva nume jenante aici:
Nirvana, Iron Maiden, Kiss, Radiohead, Dream Theater, Entombed, Genesis, Megadeth, Pantera, Refused, Phoenix, The Hellacopters, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Foo Fighters, Jamiroquai, Pink Floyd, Queens Of The Stone Age, Soundgarden…
Am putea continua la nesfarsit…”
Percepeti muzica ca viind ceva eliberator? Care sunt sentimentele ce le experimentati cand cantati live?
“Absolut! Eliberator cand o asculti si mai eliberator cand canti. E diferit de fiecare data, dar cea mai tare senzatie este cand, dupa ce concertul s-a terminat, nu iti poti aminti exact ce ai simtit. Asta e sentimentul eliberator de a fi unul cu muzica. Si dupa te simi foarte fericit. E ca un drog uneori…”
Post-Rock a fost de multe ori etichetat ca un trend muzical de hipsteri. Ce crezi si simti in legatura cu acest fapt? Ma intereseaza si cum ati descrie propria voastra muzica.
“Nu ne pasa daca muzica noastra este etichetata ca fiind ‘muzica de hipster’. Nu ne pasa daca muzica noastra nu este ‘destul de hipster’. De fapt, oamenii o pot eticheta ca ‘grindcore cu o atingere de trip-hop si o farama de folk’ daca ei cred ca i se potriveste, nu ne intereseaza. Nu am inceput sa cantam aceasta muzica din cauza unui trend. Ne place si vine ca ceva firesc pentru noi. Nu vedem nicio rusine in a ne numi muzica Post-Rock, asa ca facem asta de fiecare data cand lumea ne intreaba ce fel de muzica cantam. E mai usor asa. Si daca cineva nu are idee de ce este Post-Rock, atunci gasim ceva ce suna asemanator. Instrumentele, melodiile, dinamica, lungimea si asa mai departe…”
Daca ati fi naufragiati pe o insula pustie si ati putea lua cu voi doar 3 albume cu voi, care ar fi acestea?
“Asta e o intrebare grea. Daca ne-ai intreba peste o saptamana, probabil ai primi un raspuns total diferit si nu am putea cadea de acord cu totii, asa ca vei primi un raspuns de la fiecare dintre noi. Trebuie sa spunem ca dupa ce am fost intrebati anterior lucruri asemanatoare, nu mai suntem rusinati de selectiile lui Martin.
Gustav: Jay Reatard ‘Watch Me Fall’, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives ‘Behind The Music’, Bon Iver ‘Bon Iver’
Kristian: Radiohead ‘Ok Computer’, Beck ‘Sea Change’, The Black Keys ‘Brothers’
Mattias: Iron Maiden ‘Killers’, Beach House ‘Teen Dream’, Nasum ‘Inhale/Exhale’
Martin: Dream Theater, ‘Metropolis pt.2′, Lok ‘Naken, Blästrad och Skitsur’, Enya ‘The Best Of’”
Ce faceti in viata, pe langa muzica?
“Mattias lucreaza la un centru de tineret comunitar, jucand ping-pong si mergand in excursii la gradina zoologica si lucruri asemanatoare. Pana acum, a fost antrenor de box timp de noua ani. Merge bine cu pozitia lui de director general la pg.lost. Nimeni nu se pune cu el, haha!
Kristian lucreaza la o asociatie educationala, ajutand trupele locale la inregistrari si obtinerea unor concerte. El mai inregistreaza si mixeaza pentru trupe mai mari in timpul lui liber.
Gustav este tehnician si sunetist independent. Acasa, lucreaza si ca regizor pentru Norrköping Symphony Orchestra.
Martin lucreaza part-time ca profesor de percutie si ansamblu la diferite scoli. Mai canta si muzica de rahat pe bani, miselul!”
Numiti cateva carti ce v-au influentat perceptia despre lume in timp ce ati crescut!
“Nu suntem mari cititori, din pacate. Am fi putut fi oameni mai destepti. Si benzile desenate ce le-am citit nu ne-au influentat perceptia atat de mult, haha!”
Veti canta pentru prima oara in Romania in august.Aveti cateva cunostinte despre aceasta tara si daca nu, ce v-ar interesa?
“Imi pare rau sa iti spun ca nu avem prea multe cunostinte despre Romania. Cred ca e si bine, si rau. E mai interesant sa mergi acolo pentru prima oara cu o minte deschisa. Cand le spunem oamenilor ca mergem sa cantam in Transilvania, cumva ii impresioneaza, hehe. Suntem interesati de lucrurile ce ne intereseaza de obicei cand mergem intr-o tara noua: cum este lumea, climatul, mancarea, peisajele, traditiile. Lucruri esentiale…”
Dark Bombastic Evening a ajuns la a 4a editie. Exista trupe pe lista ce v-ar placea sa le vedeti live?…
“Pai, The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble ar fi interesanti de vazut. Cred ca va fi o seara minunata in general cu multe experiente live placute.”
Multumesc pentru timpul acordat. Ne vedem in curand in Aba Iulia. Ultimele cuvinte va apartin.
“Multumim! Si multumim pentru oportunitatea de a veni in Romania pentru prima oara. Asteptam asta cu nerabdare si speram ca si voi. Ne vedem in august!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BCg3OUjXxk
Ianuarie 2012
PG.LOST (www.pglost.com) is a beautiful Instrumental Ambient Post-Rock Swedish band that will come to Romania for the first time and will play a show at DBE 4 on the 18th of August. It’s time to find out who the four musicians are and what are the latest news in their camp.
Hey guys. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview. We just entered 2012. How was 2011 for you?
“2011 was a bit quieter from our side, and we had time to sit down and discuss what changes we wanted to make. After the European tour in January we took a breather and later in the spring we started making the songs for our upcoming album. It was nice being back in that kind of creative process again, making new songs totally from scratch. We worked on them whenever we could and made pre-production versions according as they started to take form.
Most of the autumn/winter has been about recording, mixing, fixing with the cover design, marketing and so on. And of course managing everything with the touring we’re going to do this year.”
Post-Rock has always provided me with the most vivid of experiences. I just love that feeling of hopelessness and abandonment combined with the surreal stellar acceptance the music provides. Where do you draw your inspiration from? Life experience or maybe something beyond the realm of man?
“Probably a bit from everywhere. General life, relationships, family, friends, music, movies, travelling, touring, nature, work, everything that’s around us. We all have our different ideas and emotions about the music we make and we rarely discuss that with each other or with anyone at all. Between us in the band it’s not needed because we know each other so well so we always end up on the same page. Even though it changes with time, it comes very effortless for us.
And as you say that it gives you ‘the most vivid of experiences’ then we don’t want to temper with that. We believe that your experience of the music becomes so much stronger if the meaning or feeling of it comes from within yourself.”
Your sounds have progressed form lighter tones to something very dark, heavy and abstract on your latest release “In Never Out”. Did this transition happen in your real life as well? Is this what inspired you?
“Of course we’re certain that things that happen in our lives color our sound, but actually we have never really analyzed it properly. I would say that in the early days of pg.lost the sound was maybe more hopeful, naive and as time has progressed it has become a bit angrier, loaded with more anxiety but also more grown up. Sounds like we’ve become bitter old farts, haha! That’s not exactly what I mean. There’s still a big adolescent, juvenile, childish, call it whatever you want, part in us but fact is that we’ve had this band for around eight years now and we have grown together, both musically and as human beings. We’re not as unsure on how we like our sound to be anymore.”
What do you think of when composing a song? How does the creative process happen for pg.lost?
“We try not to think too much. Almost every process of making a song starts with a riff, a drumbeat or a melody that has come from just jamming or someone of us brings it to rehearsal. Then we play it over and over, improvising as we go along, telling each other what is shit and what is not. In the end there’s a song. It can take a few hours or a few months. We never pinpoint what it’s about until maybe later and then we all have our own opinion. That’s one of the beauties of this kind of music. It can be about everything and nothing, it’s totally up to whoever is listening.”
I always took a particular interest in your artwork. It’s very eerie and mysterious – especially the one for “In Never Out”. Who does the artwork and could you say a few words about the meaning of the cover?
“Valentin Mellström is the brother of Kristian (who plays bass) and he has done a lot of designs for us. He has done covers for all our records (including the vinyl versions) except for the ‘Yes I Am’ EP. T-shirt designs, posters, stuff for the web and more. We have always left the work of making the design for the records up to Valentin because he’s got the skills and we trust him to make something that we feel fits our music. He would probably be more suitable to ask about the meaning of the covers.
We have given him the music when we’ve had a proper recording of it and then he has come up with the design except for this time with our next album. This time he had the general idea and draft done already before we started recording. So it might have been the other way around that we found some inspiration from that instead. As with our music we all get different impressions from the designs so we mainly focus on the visual impact. How good it looks.
If you want to check out more stuff by Valentin, visit: www.mlstrm.com.”
I think there’s a major difference between how Post-Rock bands sound on CD and how they sound live. Bearing that in mind, do you like to do a lot of improvising on stage? Do you think improvising is an important aspect of music in general? Or do you like to stick with the script?
“With pg.lost, when a song is rehearsed for a gig or a tour we tend to stick with the script except for maybe some difference in length if you get ‘the feeling’ on a particular part. When making the song it’s an entirely different story. Then, for us, improvising is essential. But stuff that sounds good in the rehearsal room might have to be tweaked or changed to fit on a record and of course the other way around. We always try to make the best of it in both ends so to speak.
You can be an excellent songwriter but if you don’t give your fellow musicians some headroom it often shines thru and get’s stiff and boring. Then again improvising too much live can really fuck up a song. The line is very thin, but yes, we think improvising is an important aspect of music in general.”
Tell me all details about your new album, as I know this was finished… Describe the music, the concept, the tracks…
“We don’t want reveal too much. The album is called ‘Key’ and consist of 7 songs on around 50 minutes in total. We’re soon going to put one song on the Internet as a teaser until the release on the 4th of May. With that track we’ll hopefully also have a teaser from our new visuals, which is being made as we speak, by British filmmaker Craig Murray (www.youcameinhereastranger.com).
It’s going to sound like pg.lost and maybe also not as pg.lost. We’ve tried to get some more elements into this record and to experiment a bit without going too nuts, hehe. This one is, like ‘In Never Out’, also mixed by Magnus Lindberg (www.magnuslindberg.com) who once again has made a great job.”
I am curious to know what bands influenced you growing up and what bands still influence your music today?
“The range of music we listened to and has been influenced by is so wide and quite different between us so it’s hard to cover it all. Some of us love stuff that the others hate. We see that as something positive because it gives us a good mixture in our approach in making the songs we make. But it also makes it very hard to point out exactly where the influences come from.
So we’re going to make it easy and list some of the bands we listened to when we were younger and still listen to sometimes. They may not influence our music that much, at least not that we know of. This is in no particular order and we’re not going to tell who said which ones. There might be some embarrassing ones in here:
Nirvana, Iron Maiden, Kiss, Radiohead, Dream Theater, Entombed, Genesis, Megadeth, Pantera, Refused, Phoenix, The Hellacopters, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Foo Fighters, Jamiroquai, Pink Floyd, Queens Of The Stone Age, Soundgarden…
We could go on forever…”
Do you perceive music as being liberating? What are the feelings you experience when playing live?
“Absolutely! Liberating to listen to and even more liberating to play. It feels different every time but the best feeling is when you, after the show is done, can’t remember exactly what you felt. That’s a liberating feeling to be one with the music. Then afterwards you just feel really happy. It’s like a drug sometimes…”
Post-Rock has been often labeled as a hipster musical trend. What are your thoughts and feelings about this? I am also interested in knowing how you would characterize your own music.
“We don’t mind our music being labeled ‘hipster music’. We don’t mind our music being labeled ‘not hipster enough’. In fact people can label it as ‘grindcore with a touch of trip-hop and a dash of folk’ if they think it fits, we don’t care. We didn’t start to play this kind of music because of any trend. We like it and it comes very natural for us. We see no shame in calling our music Post-Rock, so we do that whenever someone asks what kind of music we play. It’s easier that way. And if someone doesn’t have a clue what Post-Rock is, then we just cook up something about how it sounds. The instruments, the melodies, the dynamic, the length and so on…”
If you were shipwrecked on a deserted island and could only take 3 music records with you, what would they be?
“That’s a hard question. If you would ask us in a week or so you would probably get a totally different answer and we could never agree on three together so you’ll get from each of us. Just have to say also that after being asked similar questions before, we just don’t give a damn about being embarrassed by Martin’s selections anymore.
Gustav: Jay Reatard ‘Watch Me Fall’, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives ‘Behind The Music’, Bon Iver ‘Bon Iver’
Kristian: Radiohead ‘Ok Computer’, Beck ‘Sea Change’, The Black Keys ‘Brothers’
Mattias: Iron Maiden ‘Killers’, Beach House ‘Teen Dream’, Nasum ‘Inhale/Exhale’
Martin: Dream Theater, ‘Metropolis pt.2′, Lok ‘Naken, Blästrad och Skitsur’, Enya ‘The Best Of’”
What do you do in life besides writing music?
“Mattias works at a community youth center mostly playing ping-pong and going on excursions to the zoo and stuff like that. He was until recently a boxing coach for nine years. Goes well with his position as CEO of pg.lost. No one fucks with him, haha!
Kristian works in an educational association helping local bands record and to get gigs. He also records and mixes for other professional bands on his spare time.
Gustav is a freelancing live sound and backline-technician. Back home he also works as a stage manager for the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra.
Martin works part-time as a drum and ensemble teacher at different schools and stuff. He also plays crap music just for the money, the sneaky bastard!”
Name a couple of books that influenced your worldviews while growing up?
“We’re no big readers none of us, unfortunately. We could have been smarter people. And the comic books we read didn’t really influence our worldview that much, haha!”
You are going to be playing for the first time in Romania in August. Do you have some knowledge of this country and if not, what would interest you?
“I’m sorry to say that we don’t have much knowledge about Romania. That’s both good and bad I guess. It makes it more interesting going there for the first time with a open mind. When we tell people we’re going to play in Transylvania it somehow impresses them, hehe. We’re interested in the things we normally are interested in when going to a new country to play. How the people are, the climate, the food, the views, the history, the traditions. Basic stuff…”
Dark Bombastic Evening has reached its 4th edition. Are there any bands on the bill that you would particularly want to see live?
“Well, The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble would be interesting to see. Think it’s gonna be a great evening in general, with lots of nice live experiences.”
Thank you for the time. See you soon in Alba Iulia. The last words are yours.
“Thank you! And thank you for the opportunity to come to Romania for the first time. We’re really looking forward to this and I hope you all are too. See you in August!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BCg3OUjXxk
January, 2012
