In the heart of Detroit, a city that has long been synonymous with industrial innovation and musical revolutions, a new force is emerging. Meet Veldt, the sonic architect who is about to disrupt the circuits of the music industry with his debut album, “Distributor,” set to drop on September 26, 2023, under the esteemed banner of Venaeform Records.
Veldt’s journey into the realm of electronic music is a unique one, influenced heavily by the metallic and industrial sounds that surround him in his day job. Drawing from his experiences and surroundings, he has channeled these sonic textures into a rhythmic chamber that’s brimming with electronics, serving as a potent conduit to a vast array of influences, including the realms of Rhythmic Noise, Industrial, and Techno.
Residing in the very heart of Detroit, Michigan, Veldt is not just an artist but an integral part of the city’s vibrant musical landscape. His close partnership with Industrial Detroit speaks volumes about his dedication to the industrial music scene. Together, they are breaking new ground, disrupting established norms, and forging a path that’s distinctly their own.
In a captivating fusion of artistic realms, Different Exhibition, the avant-garde music label, has unveiled its latest and most ambitious endeavor to date. For their seventh exhibition, they embarked on a journey to harmonize the genius of Caravaggio’s “Crocifissione di San Pietro” with the sonic landscapes crafted by the Italian sound design virtuoso, Nothing Is Real.
This groundbreaking project features three original tracks by Nothing Is Real, each intricately woven with the threads of Caravaggio’s timeless masterpiece. To add an extra layer of electrifying intensity, Surit, the formidable member of the legendary duo NX1, contributes a powerful remix that promises to push the boundaries of techno.
The centerpiece of this synergy is Caravaggio’s iconic “Crocifissione di San Pietro,” an oil-on-canvas masterpiece meticulously painted between 1600 and 1601. This revered work of art finds its sanctuary within the Cerasi Chapel of Santa Maria del Popolo, a hallowed space in the heart of Rome.
For those seeking to delve deeper into the visual inspiration behind this audacious project, Different Exhibition invites you to explore their social media platforms, where you’ll discover a treasure trove of information about Caravaggio’s masterpiece.
Mark your calendars for September 16th, 2023, the date when this remarkable collaboration, aptly titled “Chiaroscuro,” will be unleashed upon the world in digital formats. As genres blend and art transcends its traditional boundaries, Different Exhibition once again takes center stage in the world of electronic music, creating an experience that is both visually and sonically extraordinary.
Red Deviil. Hailing from Chiapas in Mexico, the duo consists of Guni Ca and Blak G. They define their style as “raw & fat” with influences from EBM, techno, and industrial.
Their work is nestled on the catalogues of labels such as Detriti Records, OSM Tapes, Haunted Space, N.I.M. Tapes, Soil, Pildoras Tapes, Miseria Records, Surface Reality, and upcoming music on SHISHI, Intervision, and Body Musick.
They also own and founded “Astro Bar Chill”, a club based in Tuxtla Gutierrez, focused on underground electronic music.
TF: What was the turning point in your life, where you have decided to fully delve into electronic music?
RD: We decided when we were younger at our first rave party, we saw each other on the other side of the stage, transmitting our feelings through music to the crowd. After that we started djing in 2011 at the local clubes and parties in Mexico city. It took us a few years to solidify our sound.
In 2018 we started at the same time two new projects: Red Deviil and Astro Bar Chill (our club based in tuxtla gutierrez, chiapas). In 2020 we signed our first EP called “Akerbeltz” … So now we keep working fully on both projects. if you haven’t listen us yet, now is a good time.
TF: Does Red Deviil has some rituals before start producing?
RD: To be honest we don’t have like a ritual or have an exact “method”, but we found the way. We work on the sounds until we got some fresh stuff.
TF: Can we talk about the hardware? What is the first synthesizer you have ever played? Do you have your favourite instruments or devices?
RD: The first synth we got in the studio was the Roland Aira TB3, then a friend gave us a boss Dr. Rythm DR-660, also we use an old radio from Panasonic for recording some atmospheres, and the vocals are recorded in a basic microphone Sure SV-100.
TF Could you tell us a bit more about your future projects?
RD: This year we are recording new material and waiting for some new releases to come out, also we’ll continue bringing artists to Astro Bar Chill … and planning a “Red Deviil” tour in Europe … so if you are interested send us a message.
TF: What are some artists (past or present), Whose work really excites you?
RD: Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, Curses, Ancient Methods, Phase Fatale, Marsman, Terrence Fixmer, Marcel Dettman and we like to support most of the “body music” new school.
Please tell us about your musical influences? Give us a chart, please
RD: 1. Front 242 – Headhunter 2. Nitzer Ebb – Murderous 3. Room 506 – Drop Out 4. Phase Fatale – The Size Of God 5. Hocico – Starving Children 6. Stonith – Mort Vivant.
TF: Can you tell us about the mix made for The Forgotten?
RD: In this podcast we played most of the tracks from close friends (producers & labels). A pair of our tracks. You’ll listen the sound we like. Also we wanted to say many thanks to Edgar Paz (owner of The Forgotten) for support us.
Cheers from Chiapas, Mexico … enjoy it.
Liste exclusively our 302th episode.
Tracklist:
1. Panzer – Morgoth [Area Z out soon]
2. Spinal – Mentiras [Pildoras Tapes out soon]
3. Yansyet – Subliminal [Khoinix]
4. Kenny Campbell – Lies! [Barro out soon]
5. NZM99 – Analogia [Persephonic Sirens]
6. IV Horsemen – The Shadow’s Whispers [Aufnahme + Wiedergabe]
7. B1980 – Metal Enclosure [Mosaique]
8. Magnum Opus – Indigo Eclipse [Frenesia out soon]
9. Red Deviil – K L I G VL A [Detriti Records]
10. Unconscious – Blood [Detriti Records]
11. GBxCL – Dies Iræ [SHISHI out soon]
12. Alpha Sect – Metallic Leather [CSC Records]
13. Pedrolino – Antics (Swærm Remix) [N.I.M. Tapes]
14. Red Deviil – 69 [SHISHI out soon]
15. Curses (Edit) – Body On Body [Self Release]
16. Univac – Object At 9 [Pinkman]
17. Velax – Your Own Choice [Industrial Insights]
18. Erika – Dicha Momentanea [Tensa]
Artist links: Facebook // Astro Bar Chill // Soundcloud.
In the world of electronic music, artist Marco Gabbani has made a name for himself by seamlessly blending a diverse range of influences into his creations. His unique ability to weave elements from genres like metal, tribal, and world music into electronic and techno compositions has earned him a reputation for musical innovation and a distinct sonic identity. In this exclusive interview, we delve into Marco’s musical landscape and the evolution of his sound, as well as the intriguing concept behind Arboretum Records, a label he co-founded.
TF: You developed quickly a vast range of techno forms, always remaining deeply coherent but blurring the lines in the same way. How would you describe your musical landscape?
MG: Well, as you said, you can track back many different influences in my musical landscape, as they all were little pieces of my personal musical path and evolution. This is even more clear when it come to my productions.
There you can clearly spot for example some metal or tribal, world-music influences which come from the time I was playing in bands or from the pagan music culture of south Italy, blended into a more Electronic or Techno track form.
More in general, what i love the most is to create a temporal bridge between this two worlds, ancient and future. I guess that’s the best key which you can interpret my music with.
TF: Could you sum up a bit what led you to create Arboretum? What was the main idea behind the label?
MG: Arboretum was born in the 2014 as a collaboration between me and the visual designer Andrea Familari / Fax. The project was born with the idea of creating a dialogue between contemporary electronic music and visual art in order to give home to all the music laying in the grey area between clubs electronic music and sound-art for galleries or movies.
Back then we thought to conceptually engages the Arboretum (Botanical Garden) as a metaphor that mirrors the often controversial state of things between humans, technology and nature.
TF: What are the forthcoming projects for Arboretum?
MG: We will release next fall the second chapter of “Spectral Decay” a compilation project born in 2018 with a lot of new exciting names. Later on we will have a collaboration EP by two of my favourite artists in the scene right now, followed by very interesting remixes.
TF: After this first one, how do you plan to build your productions in the future ? Does it represent a turn or will you stick to the same perspectives?
MG: My upcoming “Terrarium” EP will be released on vinyl on VOIDANCE next fall. Besides being quite different production-wise this work still carry on some of the aesthetic proposed in Sycomore Ep which was released in 2015 alongside Kerridge Remix, as i wanted to propose a natural evolution of my sound.
Nevertheless my current productions are moving fast out those prospectives, going more towards electro, breakbeat, ebm and grimes.
TF: Usually you play DJ sets in your presentations, do you plan to develop a live act?
MG: Besides loving Dj-ing, i often play live act, most of which are audio/visual show with the the visual artists Andrea Familari/Fax. Right now i am finalizing the live versions of my upcoming ep which i will present in clubs and festival from next fall on.
TF: What do you think is the role of new technology in composing music? Do you rely more on digital or analog sound?
MG: Technology as always being a primary actor in the electronic music scene and nowadays more than ever. About the digital/analog dilemma I personally rely on both, depending on what i am using such technology for. For example I love how analog/modular EFX or how analog synthetizers or guitars sound but in my prospective i couldn’t do much with it without a digital DAW or an Equalizer Plugin.
TF: How do you perceive the techno scene today? What are its strengths and weaknesses for you?
MG: In my opinion techno, intended as a cultural-scene made of human beings, has always been a powerful medium to rethink humanity and propose different models in matter of sexuality, civil rights and respect for diversities.
As direct consequence of this, many new music influences are coming across the original idea of techno but i guess that besides the subjectivity of each tastes, this is a natural process in art or culture as they attempt describing our reality and who we are.
Listen exclusively the 295th episode.
The Forgotten is delighted to have on the 281th episode the duo consisting of Stave co-founder of Standars & Practices Records and Karim Maas, leading dj / producer on the UK Drum & Bass scene. They celebrate with this recording their next release titled “Godless”, signed on the UVB76 label.
The culmination of a working relationship that started in 2019, “Godless” is the first full-length release from Jonathan “Stave” Krohn (also known for his work as half of Talker on Downwards) and Thomas “Karim Maas” Cooper. After a joint live p.a. with labelmates in Bristol (suggested by UVB-76 label co-owner Nick Callaghan) a shared interest in both Birmingham-influenced techno, as well as forward-thinking bass and breaks music, led to further collaborations, with Krohn and Cooper pushing rhythm tracks and loops back and forth from their home studios based out of Chicago and Bristol respectively.
TF: Tell us something about you. What’s your background? Where did you studied and who influenced you to explore musical processes?
Jon: I am a graphic designer and have been working in that field for some time now. My musical influences are pretty varied while growing up with rock and punk music. I was fortunate to have a group of friends that really got into music at a young age and we were always exploring different styles of music.
Tom: I studied at University in Bristol, lived there for 10 years or so and I’ve just recently moved up to Manchester. I’ve always been creating music in some way starting with various instruments as a kid and then moving more into electronic stuff as I got older, started clubbing and everything that comes with that lifestyle. I think the main people that have influenced me are the people around me. Like Jon I’ve always surrounded myself with creative people so I’ve never felt the need to look anywhere else for inspiration. There’s nothing more inspiring than one of your best mates showing you a new track and it blows you away.. Just pushes you on to better yourself.
TF: How is your live set up going to be? Any particular equipment? What’s your favourite track to play live and why?
We have been fortunate that the project was born out of being a live entity. We had no recorded output before our first show! And we both feel that really kinda captures the idea of the project. Tom will play a Tascam 4 track tape machine with a stack of tapes of sound and samples on top of a pretty basic Ableton Live set that I have constructed. Add to the mix a OP-1 keyboard, a small modular set up, Step Sequencers and a load of Effects pedals and you can basically recreate that Karim Maas & Stave live sound! Easy.
TF: What new hardwares did you apply to make ‘UVB76-LP002’ LP? Do you have a particular method while working in the studio?
So a bit of an introduction — Tom Cooper (Karim Maas) and myself Jon (Stave) met for the first time in Bristol during a UVB-76 Night. Nick from UVB-76 brought me over to play and proposed that Karim Maas and myself do a live set together. Naturally we thought it was a fantastic idea! Over email we passed ideas back and forth to what we thought would be a good outline of a set. We wanted to focus on it being totally an ‘improvised / organic’ hour of music. Intentionally we didn’t even rehearse beforehand. We had the opportunity to perform live again in Manchester and Berlin the following year and again, made sure that the sets would be totally improvised and spontaneous. From these performances we decided that we should ‘document’ the collaboration in some manner and a record came from that. ‘Godless’ was basically written roughly 2 years ago — and now is finally coming out!
TF: How do you compose this tracks? Do you treat them like musical narratives or more like sound sculptures o images?
Since both of us live in different countries — the way we compose the music is through one of us starting an idea and passing it onto the other person. Sometimes it is as simple as one of us adding a layer and the track is done. Other times it can take many iterations of back and forth until we both feel that the track has an ending point. There are many drafts / demos / that we leave on and come back to. We probably have anywhere from 20 to 25 tracks going at one time — all in different stages of completion. I think a big part of the project is the idea of ‘making’. Where there really aren’t any ‘bad’ ideas — it is a process of evolving each track in a way to make it work. Since both of us come from varied musical backgrounds and influences that are not just electronic music, we feel that that idea of constantly producing ideas and fragments can eventually add up to something whole. A big part of this is how we produce music in the studio. Both of us really focus on outside the ‘box’ sound and recording. A lot of the material is recorded / sampled / from the studio environment — not in the DAW. I think it’s fair to say with this project and our own solo projects that the DAW is more of a recording device than a producing device, which translates into our live performance as well.
TF: Which aspects of sound do you examine recently? Is for you important the impression that your music produces on the audience?
I think we both feel that we have been very fortunate to team up with UVB-76 for our current solo and collaborative releases. NIck has always been a champion of really getting us to push the sound and ideas to really get the final output to be not in one particular direction or the other. As you can see with the roster of artists — there is such a wide variety of sound that makes up the label and why we feel that it’s one of the most forward thinking labels going. It has been a great opportunity for us to really produce what we want, knowing that Nick will put his full support behind it. Having that support allows everyone to not be too concerned about what impression it has on an audience. It’s for ourselves first and foremost.. If the audience likes it, great, if not.. No biggie really. That’s healthy as an artist, right?? to be able to be completely free to express what you want to hear, not what other people might like.
TF: What are the forthcoming projects?
We both are working on our own material and hope to have those records nearing completion but also have a 2nd LP in the works for this project.
Lokier, a multifaceted DJ and producer, skillfully navigates the confluence of industrial, EBM, and electro music, seamlessly weaving in the influences of minimal wave and Italo disco, among others, to create a sonic tapestry that’s uniquely her own.
As a resident at Revier Südost, the new bastion of music at Griessmeuhle, Lokier has left an indelible mark on the Berlin music scene. Even during the tumultuous start of the pandemic, this Berlin-based artist continued to shine, releasing a slew of tracks on esteemed labels such as VEYL and Mechatronica. Additionally, her remixes for artists like Inhalt, Arnaud Rebotini, and Drvg Cvltvre showcased her artistic versatility.
Adding to her impressive repertoire, Lokier recently unveiled her very own label, Light Strike, with the inaugural release scheduled for October 9th.
TF: When you look back to your career with all its highs and lows, can you imagine having done things differently? Is it more fate or choice?
LK: It was more fate I think. I mean, I was obviously passionate about it but things started to work out and it felt easier for me to keep doing this that anything else. It made sense for me to quit my other projects and jobs.
TF: Could you sum up a bit what led you to create Light Strike? What was the main idea behind the label?
LK: I wanted to create a platform where I can fully express myself. I realized whenever i’m working for other people or labels I adjust my sound to it and I wanted this time to create something for myself only. I felt that if I work for myself I would find the real me if that makes sense.
TF: What was your mindset when working on the ‘Preech’ EP?
LK: I was having a lot of ups and downs and with this EP I wanted to express more positive vibes or some hope that things can get better. The 3 tracks express my mental state like low, hopeful and energetic.
TF: Usually you play DJ sets in your presentations, do you plan to develop a live act?
LK: I would love to at some point. I don’t have plans at the moment but it’s something that I definitely consider doing sometime in the future.
TF: How do you perceive the techno scene today? What are its strengths and weaknesses for you?
LK: I see a lot of love and support and i’ve been meeting many amazing friends and talented people that inspire me to keep working. To me that is very important. As for weaknesses I would say are the people that lose ground and are in this for the wrong reasons, those that end up abusing their position. Fortunately is not the majority though.
TF: Any movie, documentary, album (not electronic music) that you would like to share with our readers?
LK: Since a few years i’ve been reading only and watching shows on spirituality and quantum physics. To me is very interesting and I can only recommend Dr. Joe Dispenza’s show Rewired if you’re into that!
TF: Can you tell us about the premiere track you publish with us? Any experience during the creative process?
LK: This track has the same name of the EP “Preech” which is actually the nickname of the love of my life a.k.a. my cat that lives in Mexico with my parents. I was with him when I started working on it and he was giving me hope which turned out to be the whole idea of the EP.
In the summer of 2016, the avant-garde musical landscape witnessed a remarkable fusion of cultures and sounds, all emanating from the visionary minds behind Bedouin Records. They unleashed a groundbreaking double album by none other than Ian McDonnell, better known as Eomac and a prominent member of the renowned Lakker. What began as a humble concept from the Dubai-based label soon transformed into a monumental project that would resonate across continents and genres.
The label’s initial idea was simple yet profound: provide McDonnell with a treasure trove of music hailing from the rich tapestry of the Arabic and Islamic worlds, serving as both inspiration and source material for his sonic alchemy. What transpired from this endeavor was nothing short of extraordinary. McDonnell embarked on a musical journey, crafting over 30 tracks that wove together elements of “Moroccan street music, songs from Baghdad, Islamic music from India, Sufi ceremonies,” each layer enriched by detailed notes on the instruments used and the profound meanings and cultural contexts that infused every source.
But the story doesn’t end there. As the post-production phase unfolded, Ian McDonnell crossed paths with Ricardo Soto, a young and visionary film director who would become an integral part of this creative odyssey. Together, they embarked on a cinematic journey, resulting in the creation of two official videos for the album. One of these films has now been unveiled to the public, serving as a captivating visual companion to the music in these times of profound global transformation.
TF: Those of us who are followers of your music, received the good news in 2016 of your length album signed in Bedouin Records. We also know about your broad release history, what makes this album of “Bedouin Trax” different? Do you had a particular method while worked in the studio?
Eomac: This particular album was different for me in that it came about from an invite from the label. They sent me a load of samples and invited me to make an album from them. The samples were all of folk and spiritual music from the Islamic and Arabic worlds. I dissected the samples, isolated individual sounds and loops and then created the album using those, and only those, as materials. It was super inspiring as the source material was so beautiful. In the course of it I wrote many tracks, 10 of which were released as Bedouin Trax, and there are more forthcoming in Bedouin Trax Pt.2 which is in the works.
TF: What is your relationship with visual arts as a artist and as an individual? moreover, could you talk about your favourite art works or even a particular art movement that inspires you?
Eomac: I have always had an on / off relationship with the visual arts. As a child and teenager I drew and painted a lot and I wanted to be a visual artist at one point. But as I grew music took over and I neglected visual art in a way. But recently I have reconnected with it through the making of music videos (Temple of the Jaguar for example) and an AV show for my ‘Reconnect’ album, collaborating with Sal Stapleton to realise the vision. So I’ve reintegrated visual art into what I do in some way, though music is still my main focus and means of expression.
There is no particular movement that inspires me nor do I have favourite artworks. There is a lot that inspires me but as with music (or any other art) the things that inspire me are a sense of authenticity / honesty of expression or an individual voice expressing something truthful about themselves rather than styles or movements. In personal truth lies universal truth and I always find that idea inspiring. Recently I found Yves Klein’s ‘Monogolds’ very interesting (I’d never seen them before) and I watched a documentary on Yayoi Kusama that was super inspiring.
Ricardo Soto: In my everyday life, I try not to make an actual difference between individual and creator, I just try to be receptive by observing the images offered by life itself. Our daily lives are rich in textures, landscapes, beings and forms that through our eyes may become transcendent and potential motives for creativity. As I see it, visual arts –and art in general— are the nourishment for a deep meaning of existence.
Surrealism is one of my favourite art movements; undoubtedly, a great source of inspiration. Its free association of subconscious elements faces us with symbols and concerns that lie at the bottom of our imagery. It is the movement that quintessentially honours our “irrational” side, and many times it shows us unknown facets of ourselves, maybe even more accurate facets of who we think we are.
TF: Can you tell us more about the conceptual link between human and natural order and the different media developed throughout the project?
Ricardo Soto: Each one of us conceives the experience of life in a unique way. When we think of the human in front of the natural, we might feel part of an extraordinary and unrepeatable event; at the same time, we are reduced to insignificance and ephemerality. Each mind is a micro-universe. A portrait aims to express the essence of a particular person’s cosmos, therefore creating a perpetual record and turning the person into an enigmatic experience, capable of triggering in the observer questions originated from a powerful gaze or a specific face.
The media developed for this project were simple. We had two days of filming in which we conducted an exhaustive search through fragmented expression built by Eomac, facets and states that intertwined to project the character of that particular moment.
TF: And last but not least, could you tell us a bit more about your future projects?
Eomac: Lots of work incoming. As mentioned above there is Bedouin Trax Pt.2 dropping on Bedouin Records in the near future. I also have an EP with an amazing MC that will be announced really soon, another conceptual EP based on field recordings which will be announced with the first single this summer, an album in the works for end of this year / start of 2021 for which I’ll develop a new AV show and a tape release under a new pseudonym ‘OMIC’ on the label Forgot Imprint also coming this summer.
Also, there’s new work on the way from Lakker and other collaborations Lena Andersson and noeverything. There’ll be some new releases on Eotrax soon too.
Ricardo Soto: At the moment, I find myself more focused on cinematographic projects. I am about to finish the post-production of my first feature film, “El canto de las moscas” (The Singing of the Flies), a fiction that talks about the metaphor of darkness in the time of the Mexican Revolution. I am also on the process of writing two more feature films that are intimately related to music. The first one takes place within the field of classical music, and it’s a questioning of the abilities of human memory. The other one will be inspired by some aspects of the Techno scene, the starting point being an essay about the concept of “happiness”. On the other hand, I don’t rule out the idea of working on future collaborations in the music world if they allow me to continue my visual experimentation.
TF: To say goodbye, what can you tell us about the video premiere you publish with us? Any experience during the creative process? Why “Portriat” track?
Eomac: Ricardo came to me with the idea after we had met in Berlin. He was shooting the video for Demian Licht’s ‘Domina’ at the time and after that he proposed we shoot a video for one of my tracks. He wanted to do it in a different way though. Instead of shooting a traditional music video he suggested we do it as an artist portrait soundtracked by my music. We chose the track ‘Entrance’ which is the opener of Bedouin Trax as I had just released that album and that track in particular resonated with Ricardo and he had very clear ideas of how he interpreted it visually, which in turn resonated with me.
It was a fun experience to shoot. We spent the day at Teufelsberg in Berlin shooting different expressions of my face and body to reflect the moment and the music.
Ricardo Soto: Eomac’s “Portrait” was born in a free and spontaneous way, after we met in Berlin in 2016 through Demian Licht. We decided to work together to carry out this audiovisual exploration, starting from improvisation but also taking the concept of “balance” as the core. I remember we gathered before the recording, and I told Ian how the track “Entrance”, in the Bedouin Trax album, triggered in my mind the image of something cyclical and of the abstraction of harmonious states. That could be our joint search for the video’s visual plane.
I could say that, for me, Eomac’s music has the perfect balance between light and darkness, it elicits unthinkable and extraordinary landscapes. From the first moment you listen to him, you plunge into a deep state that may lead you to confront yourself.
Music – Eomac – “Entrance” / Bedouin Trax
Director, Cinematographer & Editor – Ricardo Soto
Cast – Ian McDonnell
Production Assistant – Pedro de Santiago
Production Company – Migala Films
Label – Bedouin Records
Country – United Arab Emirates, Germany, Mexico, Ireland.
Photo: Fernanda Mattos
The French-born, Berlin-based artist is an accomplished producer, live act, label-owner of Dame-Music and DJ, stunning crowds with her vinyl sets Bloody Mary encompasses all aspects of an established electronic musician: she’s a vinyl DJ, she’s a producer, she performs live, and she’s been running the label Dame-Music since 2010.
2020 shows no signs of slowing down: a full collaboration EP with Cardopusher is set to drop in February, including a remix from Sarin. This will be followed by a double vinyl release to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Dame-Music. The release will include tracks from label artists as well as some exclusives from special guests.
TF: Tell us something about you. What’s your background? Where did you studied and who influenced you to explore musical processes?
BM: Hi guys! Thanks for the invite. Well, I started listening to electronic music when I was a teenager. I was going to illegal rave parties in the south of France and I started buying the records I was listening to on the weekend. I’ve had a special attraction to vinyl (of any genre) since a young age. If I had to name someone who influenced me it would be Laurent Garnier, as he did so much for the techno scene in France back in the 90’s. He had a real voice and was even on national TV standing up for what he believes in.
TF: What do you think is the role of new technology in composing music? Do you rely more on digital or analog sound?
BM: I like working with hardware gear while jamming in the studio. In my opinion, it’s more fun like this, and I love that I can actually make music while standing up and dancing to get into the groove. After that, I record into my DAW (I use Ableton). This is the moment when I sit to arrange, process and mix the track. These days I’m more patient while working with my computer than I used to be, that’s maybe the reason why I now record my instruments with less external effects on them. I like spending time working with software effects. To be honest I don’t really care about digital or analog, but more about my creativity and the final sound that comes out at the end.
Photo: Marie Staggat
TF: What new hardwares did you apply to make ‘Conformity Kills’ LP? Do you have a particular method while working in the studio?
BM: Usually I start working on the bassline(s) and jamming with my hardware gear for the rest. I only record if I have the direction of the track in my head. I don’t like having many loops in my laptop (I hate it actually, lol..) Regarding the Conformity Kills EP, for my part I made the 2 acid lines with my Xoxbox. I added some FX noises with my PRO II and used mostly the TR 707 for the drums.
TF: Which aspects of sound have you been examining recently? Is the impression that your music produces on the audience important for you?
BM: Spending time in the studio over the years makes me feel more and more confident while exploring new sounds. I’m in the studio almost every day and I love to work on different styles of music. For the last few months, I’ve been working on abstract sounds and using a lot effects. I normally like my club productions to sound raw but I also love to use a lot of effects while working on projects not oriented for the club. I hope to share these new projects and music with you one day.. who knows.
TF: In this EP you had a deep collaboration with Cardopusher. What time did you need until you sorted things out and started working effectively together?
BM: The idea to work on the project came when we first met last year, as we spent the day talking about gear and music production. Regarding the EP, we didn’t actually work in the studio together as we don’t live in the same country. We sent files/projects to each other online, and we did the full record really quickly, as we both work fast. Both of us took part in the whole production process, from recording and arranging to the final mix.
TF: Our typical question … any book or movie that you would like to recommend to the public to feed your creative side?
BM: Charles Baudelaire – “Les Fleurs du Mal” (The Flowers of Evil). I was heavily influenced by this amazing book during the time I was working on my first album “Black Pearl”. I also named each track on the LP after poems from it.
TF: What are you working on now? What ideas or plans do you have for your future work?
BM: 2020 is a special year as I’m celebrating the 10 year anniversary of my label Dame-Music. A double vinyl is actually under construction, including tracks from label artists and some special guests. This special edition will be out in the summer and will coincide with a series of label nights in my favourite clubs around the world. I’m currently working on a new live set and on some other projects for friends for their labels … More news coming soon!
TF: To say goodbye, what can you tell us about the premiere track you publish with us? Any experience during the creative process? Why Sarin for the remix?
BM: I asked Sarin to do the remix as he is one of my current favourite producers. He added his own touch to the original track “Out Of Control” which already has a strong identity. I like the way that he didn’t use much of the vocal, but kept the 2 original basslines. I think his remix is brilliant!
TF: Thank you dear! …
Listen exclusively, “Out Of Control (Sarin Remix)”.
Drawing from Post-Punk, Black Metal and Industrial, the French producer and live artist has returned to his roots, a crossover between the warehouse rave scene of the 90’s and industrial music, mixing Belgian EBM influences with post-modern, modular-engineered Techno. Alongside regularly hitting clubs, warehouses and spaces with his live and hybrid performances, he’s maintained a consistent release schedule, featuring across numerous DIY labels, as well as the illustrious Sonic Groove with two EP’s and most recently on revered German industrial imprint, HANDS with the new “State Of Play” EP. He is returning to Adam X’s Sonic Groove with a second, full-length album, called ”Senestre”.
TF: Tell us something about you. Where did you studied and who influenced you to explore musical processes?
CG: When I was a teenager I was very much into metal, I was looking for the most violent music I could find. At university at the end of the nineties, some friends introduced me to a very old-school music software and I got instantly hooked. From there it’s been a long process of self-teaching, of trial and error.
TF: When you look back to your career with all its highs and lows, can you imagine having done things differently? Is it more fate or choice?
CG: I took a ten years break from producing “hard” electronic music from 2006 to 2016. I have no regret and I don’t ponder past choices but my “career” would probably be different If I had not been out of that particular game for so long.
It was my decision and I’ve made numerous other hard calls in my life and I just live with it.
TF: You haven’t given much interviews and you remain quite discreet despite of the recognition your productions and contribution to the techno culture. Do you think that an excessive media exposure tends to cause harm to music?
CG: I don’t think “traditional” media exposure can really harm music in underground genres. Nobody in the scene is a pop star that would be recognized in the street by hordes of fans because of interviews and such. The real danger is in social-media where fame and exposure have come to be totally dissociated with music.
Artists are more and more getting booked based on social-networks metrics and not on artistic merits and that’s of course really bad for the music.
Just like reality shows have created “stars” with no particular skillset, instagram has created festival headliners with no special talent for music but great at self promoting.
TF: Which aspects of sound do you examine recently? Is for you important the impression that your music produces on the audience?
CG: I think for the past 2-3 years I’ve been trying to focus more on the pre-mastering side of production, not so much on sound design of individual parts but on global impact of the whole mix of elements.
As I mostly play live sets it’s very important to me that my music has the same level of energy as a DJ set. During a night too often live sets sound a bit weak and boring in comparison with great DJs in my opinion.
TF: Which do you think is the role of new technology in composing music? Do you rely more on digital or analog sound?
CG: Technology has enabled us all to easily start producing music. 25 years ago you needed a ton of expensive equipment to make a track no better that what can now achieve with a smartphone. I’ve started my musical journey with sampling and I have kept it up. I use a lot of digital sound generators (mostly in eurorack modular).
I have tons of gear and great analog equipment too but i tend to use analog mostly for processing, filtering, distorting … When I create with my analog synths I end up them sampling it anyway. In my live rig only 25% is analog.
TF: Can you tell us more about ”Senestre” ? How do you feel in being able to create a special connection with Sonic Groove?
CG: I started producing the album at the end of April 2019, the first track I did was Trve Cubic Black Pyrite, which is probably the most black metal inspired track I have done so far. Then I did Sirius light, an occult metaphoric track about the need of massive changes in our society. From that point I had a clear idea of what I wanted to develop in “Senestre” a mix of occult references and an expression of rebellion against the governing powers.
Adam X gave me a platform with Sonic groove that has allowed me in one year to really define what Crystal Geometry is about. Thanks to him I had the opportunity to produce three records in that time and I think I’ve been going with each of them further in my own direction.
Sonic groove being a legendary label it gave me the credibility I needed to reach a larger audience and for that I will always be thanks-full.
TF: Nowadays It is a hard time around the world on social-political issues, So, what is the argumentative discourse of the album? What do you want yo tell us?
CG: States imprison peoples for their ideas, use the police for coercion and repression even is so called democracy, take control over territories where nobody wants to be under their rules.
The global capitalist system based on growth is destroying the planet and people are ruining their lives at work.
Most officials are only looking for their own interests and those of their class they are no longer representing peoples if they ever were.
Inequality is on the rise, I won’t list the countries where people have been rioting this year but we are about to witness the end of an era and it will certainly be painful. People must emancipate themselves from alienating structures, a new world will be built on the ruins of this one.
All of these themes are covered one way or another in “Senestre”.
TF: What is the first synthesizer you have ever played? Do you have your favourite instruments or devices?
CG: When I was 10 I had a Yamaha PSS-390 for christmas (http://bit.ly/33BqXQg) I have used it for my first hardcore productions until I broke it in a circuit bending attempt.
Even if I don’t use it much for my Crystal geometry project. I really love the TB303. On the modular side I love the ER301 so much that I bought two, it’s a sound computer, a sampler, a synth an FX, almost anything you can imagine.
TF: Our typical question … any book or movie that you would like to recommend to the public to feed your creative side?
CG: I really love David Lynch work and I think the third season of twin peaks is a work of art and more particularly the 8th episode.
TF: Thank you!
Exclusive listen to ‘Open The Gate’.
