Interview: Empress Of

15 Apr 2013 — Parker Bruce

Having just released her new EP Systems on Terrible Records/Double Denim last week, Empress Of aka Lorely Rodriguez took a literal roadside break en route to her next California show to chat with us about a few things or two, talking about her inaugural SXSW experience amongst other things - such as the motivation her musical peers give her. Empress Of is currently on tour with Jamie Lidell. Tonje Thilesen snapped a few photos of her after her show at Bardot in Hollywood. 

Read the interview after the break.

What was your SXSW experience like?

It was [my] first SXSW so it was pretty hectic. I didn’t really know what to expect but I think the coolest part about being at SXSW was meeting all the other bands, making friends with them and watching them do what they do. 

What bands did you meet that you were super psyched to see?

I was really stoked to see S O H N. I actually met him and had no idea what his music sounded like and then we were just chatting it up and then he was like ‘Yo, you should come see my set tomorrow at four,” and I was like ‘Okay.’

You just played a show in LA. Was that kind of like a homecoming show of sorts?

Yeah, I’ve never played in LA before [even though] I grew up there, so that was awesome. My mom came. We were opening for Jamie Lidell and it was so packed. [The] LA crowd is really good; very receptive.

What’s the difference from the Brooklyn vs. LA crowd?

(laughs) Well, I don’t know. I guess in New York it’s different because I live there so when I play, a lot of my friends would come out, so it was just like meeting a bunch of new people and seeing how they react to the music. I think they were into it. It’s cool to play music to people who aren’t really familiar with it, because most of them are there to see Jamie Lidell.

This all has happened really fast for you, almost like a flurry of excitement. What has that been like? 

I put out Color Minutes as kind of an introduction, [and] things have happened really fast. Mostly it’s just [about] making the right decisions. I like living in New York just going to shows all the time and being surrounded by people. Just like the Chairlift guys or Twin Sister, I feel really motivated because I see these bands making amazing music and playing great shows. I feel like I’m on a highway. I am on a highway right now.

Literally or figuratively?

I feel like I’m on a highway and I’m moving really fast so hopefully the momentum keeps up.

Some of your music reminds me of these epic, swaying ballads from the 80s. Is that an influence?

Yeah I’m definitely influenced by the 80s. I was listening obsessively to Julee Cruise for a while. She sung a lot of the Twin Peaks soundtrack. And her music is kind of like really sentimental, slow, feminine, emotional. It’s definitely a vibe with Empress Of, but it’s not the whole thing. It’s not the whole sound that I’m going for but with the couple of songs that I’ve put out, I definitely channel the emotional, feminine aspect of that. (...) I’ve been fortunate enough to have Patrick from Chairlift mix my EP. His influence is on the record definitely with how he hears things and I totally stand by them. I think they’re amazing artists.

I was listening to "Don't Tell Me" and it sounded like Sinead O’Connor, like “Nothing Compares 2 U”. Would you describe your music as 'feminist'?

It’s not feminist. It’s feminine. I like the quality of describing something as feminine…That’s how I hear it. The ballad “Don’t Tell Me” kind of embodies that.

I see a sentimentality aspect since you're stuck with a feeling of being vulnerable; it kind of makes me feel nostalgic in a way. Is that something you identify with? 

'Vulnerability' is a good way to describe how I feel about my live set right now. I’m just figuring it out as we’re playing, and I feel like being really vulnerable on stage is a good thing because I don’t know what I’m gonna do the next minute. Am I gonna cry? Am I gonna rip my hair out? (laughs) I don’t know.

How did you get involved with Terrible Records?

Ethan Silverman [founder of Terrible Records, ed.] came out to one of my shows. Then Chris Taylor [co-founder] found my music online and texted Ethan, telling him to come to my show, and Ethan replied that he was already going. I met him and I was like, 'Double Denim’s gonna release my EP in London'; [so] we started discussing about putting it out in the US too. They've been really awesome to work with, and I love all the artists that are on their label. Chairlift is on [Terrible Records] as well as Solange, Twin Shadow and Blood Orange.



In a way, do you feel that you're all are kind of working within the same aesthetic?

Maybe. I feel like [Terrible Records] was a starting point and then [the artists] kind of developed their sonic identity; their sound. This EP that I’m putting out is kind of on the path to where I’m going. I’m just going to keep on developing.

Are you working on your full-length now?

I haven’t started working on it yet. I’ve written one or two songs that are definitely gonna be on there; we’re just playing them live right now. But I haven’t started recording anything yet. I think I’m going to do that when I come back from tour.

Interview: Sister Crayon

03 Apr 2013 — Ashley Canino

Sister Crayon is the Oakland-based duo of Terra Lopez and Dani Fernandez. After their debut in 2011, Bellow, and a lot of touring last year, the two spent last fall recording their follow-up Cynic. The five-track EP is a confessional piece, approaching topics most personal to both members. Ahead of the release, we talked with the duo about the experience of creating Cynic and a look at what is next.

Cynic is out April 16 via Fake Four Inc.

Cynic, as its name implies, is a lot darker than Bellow. Did you set out to make a grittier EP or did the subject matter just take you there?

Terra: We went through some really tough times and situations while writing and recording this EP. I knew before it even began that the EP was going to be dark, that it was going to be heavy, and that because of that, that our new work would be a lot more honest and a lot more serious than Bellow. Over the last two years since Bellow was released, so much has happened in our individual lives as well as with our music. It was a really exhausting, frustrating, overwhelming time and I think the songs were written because they needed to be. I clung to these songs in order to get through the day, some days.

Was there any discomfort for either of you in composing and recording such a revealing album? [For Dani] What was it like creating around an experience that wasn't necessarily your own?

Terra: There was an urgency in writing this record that I had never personally experienced before. I was unafraid of being brutally honest with myself, about my family, etc. I knew that I had things to get off my chest, experiences I needed to find some closure in and I used this opportunity to do that as best as I could. When writing "Meager Leavings", the lyrics just flowed out in one sitting. That usually doesn't happen for me but I think it needed to get out. I tracked the vocals in one take (during pre-production) and sat back and sighed in relief. Now, looking back at it I feel somewhat anxious about others hearing this track in particular but at the same time, I'm relieved because I want to be able to be completely open like this. I want people to relate if they can-and if they can't, to at least know that I'm just trying to get through the day like the next person.

Dani: I think "Meager Leavings" was the most honest song we had ever written. I was really taken back with how honest Terra was being but at the same time I loved it because that's how I want all of our songs to be. I want our audience to connect with us on a real level and to maybe relate to what we have been through and/or still going through.

What was your approach to incorporating both live and electronic instruments?

Terra: Dani and I really wanted to focus this time around on beats, sub bass, and vocals. We knew that we wanted to focus on having a good balance of live drums (via Omar Barajas) along with heavy MPC and SPD beats (via Dani). We wanted the beats to be the most important musical element on this record so we took a lot of time with that. Our producer Wes Jones did such an incredible job understanding how to balance the live and electronic aspects and make the songs as dynamic as possible. I wanted this record to be a raw representation of how our live show is – intense and heavy. I want people to feel what's going on on this recording.

Can we expect the full-length due out late this year to be as heavy, in topics and sound, as the Cynic EP?

Terra: I'm really looking forward with the full length to explore more in vocal dynamics and with electronic beats. We are leaning more towards the electronic aspect for the full length because it's something we have always wanted to do and I'm really excited to explore that realm with our producer. I really want to get lost in sound and focus on vocal melodies, harmonies, etc. As far as heavy topic material, I'm not sure. I do tend to write when I'm going through shit but I'm really going to try to challenge myself and not be afraid to write some lighter material. That will be my challenge to myself-hold me to it!

Will you spend a good part of 2013 touring? Are there any particular shows you're excited for?

Terra: You know, we spent most of 2012 touring so we will be playing dates to support the EP release but I think our main focus will be writing and recording the full-length. We love playing live so we will play as much as possible but I'm already thinking of the full length and how we can make that happen as soon as possible.

I'm really excited to share the stage with Shlohmo and Jeremih on April 5 in San Francisco  and we are also putting together some West Coast dates for the EP release. I can't share just yet!

Have other Bay area artists influenced the way your sound has developed?

Terra: We are still pretty new to the Bay Area so I'm not sure if I would say that any artists from here have influenced our sound but the area and our neighborhood where we live sure has. Living in Oakland, we are challenged and exposed to so many different elements and people. I defintely think living here will have a huge influence on us musically-maybe lyrically. Living here has enabled us to hide out and work on music every day though. We still don't know too many people here so we haven't gone out much. I do have to shout out to Dose One, Jel, and Odd Nosdam though. They have influenced me for years and they all live out here.

Interview: Jan Rohlf of Polymorphism/CTM

22 Nov 2012 — Warren O'Neill

Focused on forward-thinking club music, Polymorphism aims to pump life and modernity back into the somewhat sterile House/Techno dominated Berlin club scene. Previous events have showcased labels Hippos In Tanks and 100% SILK, but this time the focus is set on Hyperdub and their artists King Midas Sound and NFOP regular Hype Williams (aka Dean Blunt & Inga Copeland). We talked to one of the organisers, Jan Rohlf, ahead of the event's fourth installment at Berghain tonight.

What are the origins of the Polymorphism events and what makes them unique?
Jan: When we started preparation for the next CTM festival which is coming up in January, we began to analyse what we feel is the state of music culture at this very moment. We had the feeling that we are dealing with an overwhelming wealth and variety of music of all sorts, and we were thinking, 'why is it that way and where does it come from?' Basically, Polymorphism started as an offspring of these inquiries leading towards the festival. The idea was that instead of having these strict subscenes that are bound to specific aesthetics and genre ideas, we would like to focus on artists and labels that do the opposite: ones that try to include as many influences and aesthetic forms as possible, to be "polymorphic" in a certain sense. Nowadays we are exposed to more and more material, influences and cultural artefacts than ever before, because we have high digitization, [access to] the internet, and open archives. We wanted to engage in these open-ended processes where we have no limits. This is the idea behind Polymorphism.

The Polymorphism line-ups seem to be mainly UK and US artists, is there a reason for this?
Jan: I feel that this hybridity is something that in Berlin, or maybe even in mainland Europe, is not there. This is quite a broad statement, but Berlin is still kind of stuck: if you are making a refined step within a certain formula it can only be boring. You need certain reckless people to make some experiments, and it might sound stupid or kitsch, but they just want to test new ground. That's what I feel we are missing in Berlin. It's not that there is no-one doing it; but for the majority it doesn't work that way.

Why were Hype Williams and King Midas Sound chosen for Polymorphism #4?
Jan: Hype Williams are artists that, I feel, "browse the world" so to say. They take whatever is interesting for them and stitch it together or mould it in their own unique way, and are artists that you can't pin down to a certain style. They are people who try to throw smoke bombs and play with the audience and the media's expectations. If you follow the career of Kevin Martin [King Midas Sound] and see all he has done in all his 35 years; going from his free-jazz project God to post-industrial electronics with Justin Broadrick and Techno Animal, or  onto his dancehall stuff; King Midas Sound becomes more like nocturnal poetry. So he is also very diverse in his approach.

Any strange request from Hype Williams?
Jan: Definitely, it was quite a process! What they wanted from us changed constantly, [and] even in the last few days before the concert we had to find some new things for them.

Will there be any more Polymorphism nights before CTM?
Jan: We are working on some ideas for April or May but the same ideas will feed into the festival. People who like Polymorphism will also like the stuff at CTM.

Details of tonights event can be found here.

Interview/Exclusive: Production Unit

14 Nov 2012 — Henning Lahmann

Like its acclaimed predecessor ICU Tracks, Dave Donnelly aka Production Unit’s latest work There Are No Shortcuts In A Grid System puts heavy emphasis on concept and coherence. This time however, the Glaswegian producer abandons the bleak, skeletal techno that characterized the last album in favor of an unexpected turn towards withdrawn, glacial hip hop. The piece is composed of two parts that both reflect on the idea of being forced to operate within the confines of a predetermined structure, and each new track is conceived as a remix of its preceding one, taking up recognizable elements of its precursor to mess around with and manipulate – an ambitious concept that works out marvelously. With its sparse beats and gritty synth pads, second track “Further Uncounted Steps” thereby sets the tone for the whole, truly fascinating operation. (co-premiere with Ad Hoc)

Read an extensive and immensely insightful interview with Dave Donnelly about his album after the jump.

There Are No Shortcuts In A Grid System is out November 19 via Broken20, digitally and as a strictly limited collector's edition on a customized USB stick featuring additional content. Pre-order now over here.

What was your original intention behind There Are No Shortcuts In A Grid System?

Dave: At the very start it was meant to be a simple hip hop beat tape, just short two or three minute jams for release on Broken60, our tape sub-label, but after I'd written the first couple of tracks I realised that I wanted what I was making to flow naturally so I shut off the idea and just wrote whatever came to mind. Historically I've tended to work with certain codifications for a project or given myself a particular stylistic remit, and I wanted to break out from that. Conceptually I thought of it as a hip hop album until I'd finished the first half; when that was complete I was able to take a step back and realise it didn't quite fit that mould, but I had to deliberately stop myself from applying some other overarching theme to it. I always do that and I end up straightjacketed.

Once the whole thing was written it seemed obvious that it wouldn't sit well on tape - there is too much 'digitality' and it needs a clear high end. We're determined not to release music on tape that isn't proactively embellished by the format, so we looked into digital formats instead and settled on a custom USB stick.

It's quite different from your earlier works, and you had told me on Twitter that it was basically “just for yourself”. Did it start as some kind of personal exercise or etude?

Dave: Maybe more of a meditation or conversation with myself than an etude, like a conversation I'd have with myself to figure out what I was like, though I only started to realise that was what it was once I was already in that mode. As soon as I'd done those first tracks I resolved to write it just for me - the way I described it to myself was that I'd write something on the false precept that the only ears that would ever hear it were my own. I suspected that no-one would like it as a result, and I resigned myself to that. As it turns out there have been some good reactions so far, so maybe there's a lesson there, but it's important that I don't fixate on other people's positive reactions any more than I would have on their negative ones. It would be pretty hypocritical otherwise. I wrote it for me and if anyone else finds some worth in it then that's great for them but I don't want it to colour my understanding of it. "I don't own your ears and you don't own my brain" is the way I've caricatured it.

The two parts or sides to me feel musically rather detached from each other. What's the connecting narrative for the two parts and for the work as a whole?

Dave: That comes back to the original tape format - I wanted it to have two 'sides' and once it was written that way there was no undoing it. For me the connecting narrative is this idea of understanding myself better by switching off the exterior forces and letting my subconscious make the decisions for me. There are definitely some strong autobiographical points in there, but I'm not sure how much relevance they'd have for other people. For example, I used to count my steps in groups of four when I was a child, just really as something to occupy my mind and perhaps also because most music is in groups of four beats so it's easy to do if you already have an internal soundtrack (and I have perfect pitch so there's always an internal soundtrack). I included the four looped counting steps in the intro and then returned to that at the end with single counted steps of "one, one, one" to signify my approach to most things now - work on what's in front of your nose at all times, basically. Deal with what's most immediate, the first step first, and everything will be taken care of. There are lots of personal elements like that in it. There are also tracks that seem to me to be deeply imbued with particular people's personalities but again that probably holds little relevance for other people.

They're definitely separate though, the two sides. The narrative for the first part follows the title 'There Are No Shortcuts In A Grid System', and for me is about working within the confines of a structure - in this case, the way of developing each track from the former track. I guess it also signifies the process of learning my trade, that is how to produce music and create something that's listenable. The second half is subtitled 'There Is No Grid' and for me is a bit more esoteric. There's much less quantisation, use of microtonal tunings at points, a general feeling of looseness that attempts to convey something otherworldly. Hence the title is about what happens when you take the rules you've previously learned and consciously ignore them. I was reminded of something in the Roth book 'Everyman' where an art tutor gets angry at students who all want to paint abstracts. He thinks that you first have to learn about form and precision before you create abstracts, to prove that everything you've put in that abstract is expressly intended and not just a lazy way of explaining sloppy work.

You've said that each track is a remix of its preceding track - how exactly do I have to imagine the recording process? What was your starting point? What kind of alterations did you employ, and with which aim in mind?

Dave: Well I've always really enjoyed remixing, even though I don't tend to be asked all that often. It's a very easy way to get started on something because the canvass isn't blank from the start, so I applied that to the writing of an album. I would either take something from a previous track and mess with it until I had the basis for a new track, or else (more often) I would have realised when I was finishing a track that there was an element I could manipulate in a certain way. I had a fairly clear idea of the arc of the album from early on so I was able to plan ahead in that way to an extent, sometimes adding bits to a track because I knew they would then lead on elsewhere, like the sub-bass line in 'The Next Step' that becomes the basis for 'The Next Ish'. I didn't employ a regular method of moving constituent parts from one tune to the next, there were various ways - keeping some of the drum sounds, putting chords from one into some sort of sound mangler, or at times just using one old part untouched in another setting.

There are some musical references in the press release. However, could you elaborate on the hip hop influences that are prevalent in the first part? What role does hip hop play for your music or has played for your development as an artist?

Dave: I didn't want those references in the press release at first, as I prefer music writing to be done more evocatively, but my writing process was a bit like "this could do with some Req-style beats, some SND jagged melody would work well here" so it was right that the PR reflected that. Hip hop is probably the one genre I've consistently listened to for longest. Some others I've fallen out of favour with and then returned to semi-nostalgically but hip hop's been a constant. I love Req, I think he's the most underrated producer in the world and I could listen to his stuff all day long. It's got a real humanity to it even though on the surface it's these b-boy MPC jams. He was also really inspiring when I read an interview quote from him, something along the lines of "you can never delay making music on the basis that you're getting this new toy next week or that bit of equipment soon; you need to work with what you have now or you'll delay it forever." I've made loads of hip hop influenced tunes in the past and the influences are many: RZA, Bomb Squad, DJ Krush, Neptunes when they're not trying to get you into bed, Anti Pop, Depth Charge, a guy called Kaman Leung who should get more love, older Timbaland, and El-P, who's the man.
I try to add a bit of cutting and scratching to my DJing so it has some of the energy of hip hop. Something like a techno set really benefits from that sort of a boost, or so I think anyway. I generally abhor smoothness in music, I think it's the most unfairly feted aspect of all. People are all the better for their imperfections so I don't see why music should be any different. I like some grit usually, in whatever form that takes, and that feeds through into our label ethos at Broken20.

What about the titles of the album and the individual tracks, did you come up with them before or after recording the tracks? They come across almost as some kind of operating instruction, some advance concept to follow.

Dave: Glasgow has a city centre that's built on a grid, and local legend claims that New York was based on its grid system. I perpetually annoy my long-suffering wife whenever we walk through town by using the phrase 'There Are No Shortcuts In A Grid System', but it's true - you can zigzag all you want, you still have to go the same amount side-to-side and up-and-down. I started to like it as a signifier of pragmatism or acceptance of the simple way things really are even when it seems there's a more complicated story, and chose it for the album title after I had the first few tracks down.

I came up with the track titles just as I was working though the writing process. Track titles aren't generally that important to me so it's usually a reflection of whatever's in my field of vision or consciousness at the time, but I wanted these to flow in some way so there's an evolution of the words as it progresses, and so that it depicted my growth through the writing process and the album's gradual gestation throughout its length.  I would never previously have come up with a title and then written something to fit it, but I did have an idea of the way the album would flow so I had an inkling of how the titles would pan out too. Once I realised that it was moving towards the William Burroughs phrase that "nothing is true, everything is permitted" I knew how I could shape the end of the work, so really it all formed concurrently, words and music.

What kind of music has inspired you in 2012?

Dave: I had a terrible year as a musical consumer in 2011, and I really struggled to name ten things that excited me when asked. I had really railed against the notion of being a customer on a hamster wheel, constantly trying to keep up with "the new", and eventually I realised that as an artist it was counter-productive and as a person it was no fun. I decided to step out of that system and not buy so much music, and it's made me a much better musician I think. I'm certainly happier too. I felt like I was using up my money and energy just to hear yesterday's old new sound, such was the pace of change.

So in 2012 the short answer is "not that much". I love Shackleton, though, and his double release was a joy. It was great to see someone take on a grand project like that and really deliver. I'm generally very wary of grand gestures, having been guilty of trying to commit them myself in the past. Mark Fell is also a hero and I've loved everything he's done this year. He makes me poorer and happier with his prolific output, and although his influence is all over the album I hope I've managed to put my own slant on it as well. I've loved the two El-P albums this year, his own and the stunning Killer Mike album, and this year I got Req's 'Car Paint Scheme', which I'd always wrongly assumed was a compilation of stuff I already had on singles - picture my fanboy ecstasy when it turned out to be mostly stuff I'd never heard! Shabazz Palaces are a revelation because they're creating something different with hip hop that doesn't follow the mainstream and also avoids golden era cliches.

What's next for you, both with Broken60 and Production Unit?

Dave: For Broken60 we're moving onto TVO's 'Red Night Variations'. It's remixes of his 'Red Night' album, four by TVO himself and four by Covered In Sand. After that I think it'll be the beat tape along the lines of what we originally planned for my album, a split release between DJ Votive and Dour Tonic Input.

For Production Unit, I'm not actually sure. I'd like to release another techno EP because I really enjoyed making 'ICU Tracks' and I think there was a dry, restrained sound there that I can develop. I have about five tracks written but they don't quite sit together yet. I have some things planned under pseudonyms but I don't want to jinx them yet and one in particular will take an age to make it happen. I can see myself being dragged back towards the album format soon too, but for now I feel like I invested a lot of myself into 'There Are No Shortcuts In A Grid System' so I need to recharge those batteries a bit first. I've also been working on a live set so I'm hopeful that I can get that finished up and get some opportunities to play. I'm trying to build a performance environment whereby every set is written on the fly and therefore completely unique, but what that takes is practice, practice, practice. I used to do 'live' shows where I'd essentially press a button every four bars to bring something in or take something out, and I want it to be much more than that. Given my new resolve to make music for myself, I need to feel that a live set is really live so that I enjoy it as a creative endeavour. As long as I get something out of it I'll be happy, but by merry coincidence that seems to be when other people get most out of what I do so I think there's the root of something there. We'll see.

Video Premiere/Interview: The Garment District - “Miraculous Metal”.

17 Oct 2012 — Henning Lahmann

After releasing her excellent Melody Elder tape via Night-People late last year, Pittsburgh-based musician Jennifer Baron (formerly of seminal group The Ladybug Transistor), recording under her moniker The Garment District, returns with a new 7 inch, dropped this week by French imprint La Station Radar. Of the three tracks on the single, premiered last week over at Tiny Mix Tapes, one is the Sonic Boom remix of the Melody Elder song "Nature-Nurture". The b-side is comprised of two new instrumentals, "Miraculous Metal" and the sample-driven "Vigor". We're happy to exclusively host the video for "Miraculous Metal", created by Ryan Emmett, and to have had the opportunity to speak with Jennifer about her work and the thriving music scene of her home Pittsburgh. Read the interview and watch the aptly psychedelic video below.

You're from New Jersey originally right, studied in Massachusetts, and spent quite some time in Brooklyn - so what brought you to Pittsburgh, and how would you describe the scene over there?

Jennifer: I was born in New Jersey in a beach town called Neptune. We lived in various beach towns when I was little: Asbury Park, Bradley Beach, Ocean Grove. I think that is why I am so drawn to the ocean. While most children here play in playgrounds or parks, our playpen was the sand and sea. I grew up in Pittsburgh, where we moved because my dad was transferred by Sears. I went to Mount Holyoke College in western Massachusetts, where I studied Art History & English Literature and was a DJ at WMHC South Hadley 91.5 FM, and where there was a terrific music and art scene. After that I lived in New York City, mainly in Brooklyn, for ten years, and decided to make a change when I moved back to Pittsburgh and had the opportunity to work at the Mattress Factory, a renowned museum of contemporary art and residency program. I make music in something of a cocoon. I completed this new 7 inch and Melody Elder basically in a vacuum of my own mind, blocking out some of the hazards that can sometimes be associated with any scene. Some of my close friends I feel most connected to personally and creatively actually live in places all over the world. That said, I am a social creature, and can be quite communal by nature; everyone is impacted by and thinks about their surroundings—whether they admit it or not. A sense of place weighs heavily on my mind, and I feel deeply that people should feel like they have multiple homes. My first true love affair with a city occurred when I lived in NYC. Now I am very compelled by Pittsburgh’s amazing topography, art scene, architecture, authentic neighborhoods, thrift shops, and record stores. One of my favorite things about Pittsburgh is its remarkable role in America’s music history, in terms of jazz, soul and funk (Kenny Clarke, Billy Strayhorn, Gene Ludwig, Henry Mancini, Beaver Harris, Roger Humphries), rock and roll (Fantastic Dee-Jays, Swamp Rats, Bo Didley's guitarist The Duchess, Todd Tamanend Clark, The Cynics) and 1950s/1960s pioneering DJs, teen dance clubs and pop hits. This is where tastemaking DJs such as Terry Lee, Mad Mike and Porky Chedwick created hits for many obscure groups and where songs like Tommy James's "Hanky Panky" were literally revived and made into hits—so music is in this city's fabric. The mix of grittiness and green here fuels my desire to make music. Pittsburgh’s architecture inspires me, with the Alcoa Building—our country’s first aluminum skyscraper—H.H. Richardson’s jail and church, and modern and Brutalist buildings by Mies van der Rohe and Paul Schweikher, plus Frank Lloyd Wright masterpieces, and signature row houses built for steelworkers. People are surprised to learn that Pittsburgh is home to amazing sprawling parks, dramatic funiculars and vistas that are actually quite European, and you can get lost in the wilderness in state parks one hour from the city. Cities need these characteristics and so do I. In the past few years, I have seen inspiring shows here by Demdike Stare, KWJAZ, Spencer Clark, Dolphins Into the Future, Wet Hair, Khaira Arby, Hamiet Bluiett, Onra, Ducktails, Jandek, Bert Jansch (RIP), Van Dyke Parks, Spectrum, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Moodymann, Zombi. Thanks to an industrious arts collective, Pittsburgh is now home to VIA, an annual new media and music festival, that hosted the world premiere of RVNG Intl's FREAKWYS Ensemble (James Ferraro, Laurel Halo, Daniel Lopatin, David Borden, Samuel Godin) in 2011. I feel extremely honored to have been invited to perform at the third annual VIA Festival, which culminated with shows by Gatekeeper and Moodymann and an after-party hosted by 100% Silk.

Compared to Melody Elder, what has changed musically for you on the two original tracks for the new 7 inch?

Jennifer: I will leave much of that up to the perceptions and imaginations of listeners, and to you, to create your own experience out of my music. When I write music, I don’t concretely or consciously think about what might be changing or about a message or influences. I try to focus on listening to what is in my head and interpreting and giving it form via sound, instrumentation, melodies, and texture. My hope is that it takes on a new life that is out of my control cerebrally. I genuinely hope that meaningful relationships and visceral connections are formed between listeners and my music. When writing, I listen closely to a composition to figure out what is the most authentic way for it to be given a permanent record in sound and try to shape the melodies and structure I hear as they develop naturally. Sometimes there is improvisation involved, and at other times my process is highly calculated.

Why only instrumentals?

Jennifer: I have always been very interested in relationships between sound, instrumentation, melodies, and texture, as made by a wide variety of instruments--from my own experience in previous bands to '60s and '70s horror films to BBC Radiophonic Workshop pioneers to contemporary installation art, and an overall hyper appreciation of found sounds around me in daily life. Much of Melody Elder, which is a 40-minute tape, is instrumental music, so to me "Miraculous Metal" and "Vigor" are natural extensions of that album, with new elements of course, and they reflect my personal sensibilities in terms of writing and recording music. I wrote "Miraculous Metal" soon after I released my tape on Night-People, and am thrilled that is has found a home on vinyl, alongside a remix by one of musical heroes. I think the three songs work together almost like a mini-album, and that they explore a variety of my interests as far as making music. I love film scores and incidental music, and the idea of stretching what the traditional definition or perception of a composer is in pop culture.

Where are the samples on "Vigor" taken from?

Jennifer: "Vigor" includes an assemblage of audio snippets I recorded over several months' time in my western Pennsylvania environment. I constantly document sounds that interest me--for whatever reason. Regional dialects, computerized voices--experiences in places ranging from public parking garages to public access television. I love putting these random fleeting and sometimes surreal moments and experiences of sound into new contexts that are permanently recorded. I also like exploring the intersection of the public and the private via sound communication. "Vigor" is special to me because it is a long distance collaboration with Kevin C. Smith (The Artificial Sea), who is a circuit bender/sound artist now living in Oakland, California. I recorded a lot of Melody Elder with Kevin while he was living in Pittsburgh in 2011.

About the video, is Ryan Emmett a friend of yours in Pittsburgh? Did you take part in the creative process?

Jennifer: Ryan Emmett is a Pittsburgh-based artist who is a friend of mine. He runs an experimental tape and limited-edition release label called Dynamo Sound Collective and performs as Hunted Creatures. His creative output includes video, sound, performance, music, DJing, design, illustration and event curating. I asked Ryan to collaborate with me on my video presentation for the VIA Music & New Media Festival, which took place in Pittsburgh, October 1-6, 2012. The Garment District was invited to open for Julia Holter at The Andy Warhol Museum during a VIA audio-visual showcase. Ryan put together our video production using my existing videos, and he also created new videos for two of my new songs, including "Miraculous Metal". I sent him images and video footage to consider, and he created new imagery, and we bounced ideas of of each other over before he created the final video for the song.

And...what's up for you next?

Jennifer: My new 7 inch and video are officially released this week, and I also just submitted a new song to a digital compilation being organized by the great label Moon Glyph. This fall and winter I will be finishing up new recordings that I started over the summer. Some of the songs feature full band arrangements, including drums, guitars and bass. It’s been satisfying to hear the songs take on a new life. I also continue to record new stuff at our totally lo-fi Golden Mountain Frequencies home studio.

What was the idea behind the video?

Ryan Emmett: The song gave me a sense of slow drifting and travel. American road trip films and German Krautrock have a big influence on me to begin with, so I really enjoyed incorporating images of clouds that I shot on a plane trip from Olympia, WA to San Francisco, CA. Formally, I tend to focus on layering, texture and chance happenings with a lot of my work. Natural glitches are embraced and editing takes on an improvisational nature that reflects back into the final images. To create something dream-like can’t be overly planned! The Garment District 7 inch is out now via La Station Radar, with the artwork done by Seattle-based collage artist Jesse Treece, who used pages from Jennifer's vintage magazine collections to hand construct the intricate collages featured on the record's front and back covers, and labels. Order your copy over here. Melody Elder is available digitally via bandcamp.Stream all three tracks of the 7 inch below:

Interview: Unknown.

07 Jul 2012 — Henning Lahmann

If you've been reading this blog on a regular basis during these last couple of months, you might have encountered the repeat of a specific name, Unknown, the anonymous producer we've covered in a total of seven times ever since his/her first uploaded track, #001. Behind the regular veil of anonymity, Unknown talks to us in this first-ever interview about future plans, influences, and the reason why he/she decided to separate identity from music. Over e-mail, of course. -- In your first-ever mail to us, you said that you’ve made music before, and that you want to remain unknown for now as people will listen more openly when they don’t know who you are. What kind of music was it that you’ve produced before Unknown, and have you released anything of it? Was it vastly different from your output now? Yeah I've released several stuff and still continue to do so. Some of the stuff was a sort of, a "predecessor" to the Unknown tracks - but it just wasn't getting listened to because it differed so much from the things I was doing as myself. After doing the whole Unknown thing, the music actually gets listened to for what it is. Hence why there's nothing giving away any "clues" or "suggestions" about the tracks, just the bare minimum. It's nice to have people focus on the music without worrying about anything else. Do you plan on remaining anonymous? Now that people have heard some of your stuff and obviously dig it, what’s the benefit you see for yourself by doing so? Yeah I'm happy being anonymous. This whole thing is completely about the music and I really want to keep it that way. Does it really matter who I am? Will it actually add anything finding out? The benefits are just that. People focus on the output and take what they can from that - as it's all they have to go on. I couldn't be happier with how people seem to be taking it so I plan to continue this way. It's nice keeping it special. In the last couple of years, probably starting with Burial, there have been a lot of electronic producers who at least initially wanted to disguise their identity, Holy Other probably being the most prominent recent example. Would you say that attitude is also connected to the kind of music that is produced in some way? Yeah I would definitely say so. With the anonymous thing you've got to keep everything tight, but it also means you don't have to worry about anything other than focusing solely on the music you're making. With this music especially, it can be about what's not there as what is. The space and the distance. You've definitely got to have the right mindset to make it, it can't really be forced or there won't be any real connection with it. It's all about making that connection. Who are your main influences musically? I think it's impossible to start naming people or the list would never end. I suppose there are real obvious influences like Burial. Though I really like the likes of The Album Leaf. He makes stuff I've been going back to for years. His track "Twentytwofourteen" completely blew me away. It's an absolute rollercoaster of emotions. Then at the opposite end there's A Made Up Sound's stuff which I've been really into. It's just got this sound that when you're listening to it you know "I've never heard something like this". His track "Take the plunge" was great. I played it to a friend before and they just didn't get it at all. I think musical influences is an impossible question to answer. I grew up listening to literally every type of music, it'd be so hard to pin-point certain artists. Are you or would you consider yourself being part of any “scene”? I've never really given thought to that to be honest. There's a load of insanely talented producers all releasing quality music. The likes of Lapalux, Jacques Greene, Dauwd etc. are all pretty flawless at the minute. I don't quite know where I'd' fall within the entire scene, but it's still coming together so I'm sure time will tell. What’s your recording setup? Believe it or not it's just my laptop, soundcard and headphones. It gets the job done. You work with samples a lot, if I’m not mistaken. Where do you find those, what’s your main source? I get them from all over the place. Whether it's episodes of a show I watch or some random vocal I've stumbled upon on Youtube, or simply a random one hit sample. You can make almost anything sound decent with a bit of work. Some of the fx I'd use are actually vocal samples, just stretched and worked on until it's completely unrecognizable from the original sample - it ends up being something you can't put your finger on. You’ve told me you’re currently working on something big. Could you say what that is? Unfortunately I can't say anything at this point. But it's pretty exciting. Have you talked to any labels yet, or has anyone contacted you with the desire to sign you or release your material? If so, who? Yeah I've spoken with several places actually. Don't want to name names as nothing is set in stone with an actual release yet. I found out that my remix for Ryan Vail will be released at the end of July, alongside remixes by Brokenchord and some other guys. So that will be the first track you'll be able to buy. What’s exciting about music in 2012? Now that everybody is connected and has access to nearly anything online, the music that's breaking through now is music by people you would never have heard before, and it's great. In the last 2 days I've been listening to a friend of a friend, who it turned out made music and they were unbelievable. Been listening non-stop. Even with the Unknown stuff, I've only been doing it for 2 months and the response has been incredible - for which I'm very grateful. The only downside could be that there is SO much stuff out there it isn't always going to cater to your tastes. That's just the way it is. Got to be open to listen to it all, because there's definitely some seriously good stuff out there worth discovering. How does your life look like besides making music? Pretty heavy weekends and a lot of Frasier. What are your plans for the future, musically and otherwise? It's all music looking forward. Working on more tracks and hopefully getting a release sorted. Of course, the "Something big" I can't mention..-- Photo credits: 1: Sean O'Neill 2: Jacqueline Douglas 3: David Shawe

If you've been reading this blog on a regular basis during these last couple of months, you might have encountered the repeat of a specific name, Unknown, the anonymous producer we've covered in a total of seven times ever since his/her first uploaded track, #001. Behind the regular veil of anonymity, Unknown talks to us in this first-ever interview about future plans, influences, and the reason why he/she decided to separate identity from music. Over e-mail, of course. -- In your first-ever mail to us, you said that you’ve made music before, and that you want to remain unknown for now as people will listen more openly when they don’t know who you are. What kind of music was it that you’ve produced before Unknown, and have you released anything of it? Was it vastly different from your output now? Yeah I've released several stuff and still continue to do so. Some of the stuff was a sort of, a "predecessor" to the Unknown tracks - but it just wasn't getting listened to because it differed so much from the things I was doing as myself. After doing the whole Unknown thing, the music actually gets listened to for what it is. Hence why there's nothing giving away any "clues" or "suggestions" about the tracks, just the bare minimum. It's nice to have people focus on the music without worrying about anything else. Do you plan on remaining anonymous? Now that people have heard some of your stuff and obviously dig it, what’s the benefit you see for yourself by doing so? Yeah I'm happy being anonymous. This whole thing is completely about the music and I really want to keep it that way. Does it really matter who I am? Will it actually add anything finding out? The benefits are just that. People focus on the output and take what they can from that - as it's all they have to go on. I couldn't be happier with how people seem to be taking it so I plan to continue this way. It's nice keeping it special. In the last couple of years, probably starting with Burial, there have been a lot of electronic producers who at least initially wanted to disguise their identity, Holy Other probably being the most prominent recent example. Would you say that attitude is also connected to the kind of music that is produced in some way? Yeah I would definitely say so. With the anonymous thing you've got to keep everything tight, but it also means you don't have to worry about anything other than focusing solely on the music you're making. With this music especially, it can be about what's not there as what is. The space and the distance. You've definitely got to have the right mindset to make it, it can't really be forced or there won't be any real connection with it. It's all about making that connection. Who are your main influences musically? I think it's impossible to start naming people or the list would never end. I suppose there are real obvious influences like Burial. Though I really like the likes of The Album Leaf. He makes stuff I've been going back to for years. His track "Twentytwofourteen" completely blew me away. It's an absolute rollercoaster of emotions. Then at the opposite end there's A Made Up Sound's stuff which I've been really into. It's just got this sound that when you're listening to it you know "I've never heard something like this". His track "Take the plunge" was great. I played it to a friend before and they just didn't get it at all. I think musical influences is an impossible question to answer. I grew up listening to literally every type of music, it'd be so hard to pin-point certain artists. Are you or would you consider yourself being part of any “scene”? I've never really given thought to that to be honest. There's a load of insanely talented producers all releasing quality music. The likes of Lapalux, Jacques Greene, Dauwd etc. are all pretty flawless at the minute. I don't quite know where I'd' fall within the entire scene, but it's still coming together so I'm sure time will tell. What’s your recording setup? Believe it or not it's just my laptop, soundcard and headphones. It gets the job done. You work with samples a lot, if I’m not mistaken. Where do you find those, what’s your main source? I get them from all over the place. Whether it's episodes of a show I watch or some random vocal I've stumbled upon on Youtube, or simply a random one hit sample. You can make almost anything sound decent with a bit of work. Some of the fx I'd use are actually vocal samples, just stretched and worked on until it's completely unrecognizable from the original sample - it ends up being something you can't put your finger on. You’ve told me you’re currently working on something big. Could you say what that is? Unfortunately I can't say anything at this point. But it's pretty exciting. Have you talked to any labels yet, or has anyone contacted you with the desire to sign you or release your material? If so, who? Yeah I've spoken with several places actually. Don't want to name names as nothing is set in stone with an actual release yet. I found out that my remix for Ryan Vail will be released at the end of July, alongside remixes by Brokenchord and some other guys. So that will be the first track you'll be able to buy. What’s exciting about music in 2012? Now that everybody is connected and has access to nearly anything online, the music that's breaking through now is music by people you would never have heard before, and it's great. In the last 2 days I've been listening to a friend of a friend, who it turned out made music and they were unbelievable. Been listening non-stop. Even with the Unknown stuff, I've only been doing it for 2 months and the response has been incredible - for which I'm very grateful. The only downside could be that there is SO much stuff out there it isn't always going to cater to your tastes. That's just the way it is. Got to be open to listen to it all, because there's definitely some seriously good stuff out there worth discovering. How does your life look like besides making music? Pretty heavy weekends and a lot of Frasier. What are your plans for the future, musically and otherwise? It's all music looking forward. Working on more tracks and hopefully getting a release sorted. Of course, the "Something big" I can't mention..-- Photo credits: 1: Sean O'Neill 2: Jacqueline Douglas 3: David Shawe

Interview: Jakob Olausson.

01 Dec 2011 — Henning Lahmann

When the debut LP of Swedish songwriter Jakob Olausson, Moonlight Farm, was released by De Stijl Records in 2006, it encountered a cohort of distinguished music critics that was eagerly anticipating any record that could at least loosely be linked to the still prevalent "New Weird America" scene in underground pop music. And it surely did not disappoint anyone: Having been dubbed a "modern classic" by no one less than David Keenan himself, Moonlight Farm received more or less unanimous acclaim. Next week, five years after his debut, Jakob Olausson will finally drop his sophomore record Morning & Sunrise, another collection of eight rusty - if cleaner - folk gems, again an utterly brilliant effort that this time however does not seem to be at risk of getting sucked into any kind of hype maelstrom, which after all can only be to the artist's benefit. A few days ago I've had a little email chat with Jakob about his musical output. Read it below and take an exclusive listen to the breathtaking album track "Keep the Sky from Falling". NFOP: When did you start making music - and if there’s a reason, why? Jakob: I picked up the guitar as a teenager. My grandfather had bought me and my brother a guitar when we were kids, but it took me a few years before I, sparked by my growing interest in music, dusted it off and wanted to learn how to play myself. I started to record on a boom box some years after that, and released a tape in '97. Later graduated to a 4-track and then onto my trusty 8-tracker. NFOP: Your first album "Moonlight Farm" virtually came out of nothing and received a tremendous amount of praise - had you expected something like that? Jakob: I had no expectations at all. I was just happy to have my music out on a label I really liked. And it was a nice surprise that people actually were moved by the record. NFOP: A lot of critics have linked your music to the “freak folk” or “New Weird America” scene of the mid-noughties in the States. In which way do you feel attached to that scene? Jakob: I haven't really thought of that. It's nothing that keeps me awake at night. I'm probably too old to care about ”scenes” made up by writers. It's way more interesting with people who create their "own universe kind of scene" than the ones buying into every new thing. But maybe I'm just cynical. NFOP: Apart from modern fellows, which musicians inspire you most? Jakob: Maybe more inspired on a personal level by currently living humans. I don't get much musical inspiration from modern music, quite the opposite. Apart from maybe some hip hop. I get most thrills from cheap bargain bin records, and classic stuff like Dylan, Beatles, Neil Young and maybe even more so bands who tried to sound like them but on a really small budget. And of course TONS more. I listen to a really wide range of music. NFOP: Quite a lot of fuss had been made about the fact that you lived in rural Sweden and were a beet farmer by day. Would you say that this circumstance informs your music substantially? And, has any of this changed since the release of “Moonlight Farm”? Jakob: Since the release my first LP, I've moved to a bigger city. Mostly due to practical circumstances. I wouldn't say that it changed my life very radically. I still spend most of my spare hours at home. Playing guitar or recording, or making/eating good cheap food. I don't go out that much. NFOP: If you compare “Moonlight Farm” and “Morning & Sunrise”, what did you want to change, and in which way have things musically changed eventually in the time-span between both albums? Jakob: Recording ”Moonlight Farm” was a whole lot of trying out the possibilities of recording to eight tracks. I feel more confident singing now than I did before. The new record has bass and drums on most tracks, and I think it just sounds better. The two records sound pretty different. My interest and knowledge in recording, equipment and technics has really grown over the years. And it will be more apparent on the next record. Of course it's still all analog chain. NFOP: What’s next for you as regards touring and recording? Jakob: I record all the time. Lately a lot of quick instrumental stuff, too. Like a weekly exercise. I have a whole lot of songs im working on. It'd be stupid of me to talk about next releases as it'll most likely take quite some time till it'll be out anyway. And I hope to do some touring next year. There's been some talk. We'll see...I take it as it comes. I never take stuff for granted. Would be fun though! Morning & Sunrise is out December 6 on De Stijl Records. Jakob Olausson - Keep the Sky from Falling (exclusive)

When the debut LP of Swedish songwriter Jakob Olausson, Moonlight Farm, was released by De Stijl Records in 2006, it encountered a cohort of distinguished music critics that was eagerly anticipating any record that could at least loosely be linked to the still prevalent "New Weird America" scene in underground pop music. And it surely did not disappoint anyone: Having been dubbed a "modern classic" by no one less than David Keenan himself, Moonlight Farm received more or less unanimous acclaim. Next week, five years after his debut, Jakob Olausson will finally drop his sophomore record Morning & Sunrise, another collection of eight rusty - if cleaner - folk gems, again an utterly brilliant effort that this time however does not seem to be at risk of getting sucked into any kind of hype maelstrom, which after all can only be to the artist's benefit. A few days ago I've had a little email chat with Jakob about his musical output. Read it below and take an exclusive listen to the breathtaking album track "Keep the Sky from Falling". NFOP: When did you start making music - and if there’s a reason, why? Jakob: I picked up the guitar as a teenager. My grandfather had bought me and my brother a guitar when we were kids, but it took me a few years before I, sparked by my growing interest in music, dusted it off and wanted to learn how to play myself. I started to record on a boom box some years after that, and released a tape in '97. Later graduated to a 4-track and then onto my trusty 8-tracker. NFOP: Your first album "Moonlight Farm" virtually came out of nothing and received a tremendous amount of praise - had you expected something like that? Jakob: I had no expectations at all. I was just happy to have my music out on a label I really liked. And it was a nice surprise that people actually were moved by the record. NFOP: A lot of critics have linked your music to the “freak folk” or “New Weird America” scene of the mid-noughties in the States. In which way do you feel attached to that scene? Jakob: I haven't really thought of that. It's nothing that keeps me awake at night. I'm probably too old to care about ”scenes” made up by writers. It's way more interesting with people who create their "own universe kind of scene" than the ones buying into every new thing. But maybe I'm just cynical. NFOP: Apart from modern fellows, which musicians inspire you most? Jakob: Maybe more inspired on a personal level by currently living humans. I don't get much musical inspiration from modern music, quite the opposite. Apart from maybe some hip hop. I get most thrills from cheap bargain bin records, and classic stuff like Dylan, Beatles, Neil Young and maybe even more so bands who tried to sound like them but on a really small budget. And of course TONS more. I listen to a really wide range of music. NFOP: Quite a lot of fuss had been made about the fact that you lived in rural Sweden and were a beet farmer by day. Would you say that this circumstance informs your music substantially? And, has any of this changed since the release of “Moonlight Farm”? Jakob: Since the release my first LP, I've moved to a bigger city. Mostly due to practical circumstances. I wouldn't say that it changed my life very radically. I still spend most of my spare hours at home. Playing guitar or recording, or making/eating good cheap food. I don't go out that much. NFOP: If you compare “Moonlight Farm” and “Morning & Sunrise”, what did you want to change, and in which way have things musically changed eventually in the time-span between both albums? Jakob: Recording ”Moonlight Farm” was a whole lot of trying out the possibilities of recording to eight tracks. I feel more confident singing now than I did before. The new record has bass and drums on most tracks, and I think it just sounds better. The two records sound pretty different. My interest and knowledge in recording, equipment and technics has really grown over the years. And it will be more apparent on the next record. Of course it's still all analog chain. NFOP: What’s next for you as regards touring and recording? Jakob: I record all the time. Lately a lot of quick instrumental stuff, too. Like a weekly exercise. I have a whole lot of songs im working on. It'd be stupid of me to talk about next releases as it'll most likely take quite some time till it'll be out anyway. And I hope to do some touring next year. There's been some talk. We'll see...I take it as it comes. I never take stuff for granted. Would be fun though! Morning & Sunrise is out December 6 on De Stijl Records. Jakob Olausson - Keep the Sky from Falling (exclusive)