Every now and then, a new band makes
you sit up and take notice: you feel the synapses in your brain charging with a
new creative energy, goosebumps appear on your arms and you feel almost
paralysed as a new song takes another unexpected yet pleasurable musical turn. For me,
Into Grey is one such project, an act which only begin releasing songs at the
very end of 2019 but has quickly become a name on everyone’s lips. Whereas most
of the bands featured on this blog so far this year (Sonsombre, Then Comes Silence,
Antipole etc) have already well-established careers developed over several
critically-lauded albums, Into Grey has so far released just one 5 track EP,
plus a further half dozen songs only available digitally (so far) on Soundcloud
and Bandcamp.
Based in the state of Indiana in the
USA, Into Grey is the work of just one musician, a thirty-something named
Jermaine, who creates a distinctive post-punk sound which is a perfect marriage
of lyrics of alienation and despair over a beautifully stark low-fi
darkwave/coldwave musical backing which has unpredictable twists and turns
melodically to elevate the songs well above the scene norm. The debut EP (available for "name your price" at Bandcamp), an
usually strong set of five songs, deservedly received rave reviews on both Jö Claverie and
White Light/White Heat websites as well as making many podcast playlists.
Jermaine’s deep vocal and the Joy Division inspired backing calls to mind a
more muscular and up-tempo version of Suffering For Kisses’ Forever Waiting debut, another classic of dark melancholia but with occasional added claustrophobia caused
by the more detuned, string-bending, atonal effects which recall classic Sonic
Youth/My Bloody Valentine musical alchemy.
Since the EP’s digital release in
February, Into Grey has released a further six songs at roughly monthly
intervals, with the latest two, Frailty and Bloom ample evidence
that as the project sound matures, the essential elements remain: a syncopated
drumbeat, a driving bass with a mind of its own and some shimmering guitar work
providing the framework for a reverberating, confessional baritone vocal, a
unique combination of the best the 80’s had to offer, with elements of the
classic sounds of the Factory, 4AD and Merciful Release record labels that were synonymous with the best music of the first generation.
I took the opportunity to contact
Jermaine to discuss how he writes these hymns of despair and to discover more
of his plans for the project, and was delighted when he agreed to take part in
“Ten Questions to …” for this blog.
With the likes of Antipole, Second
Still and Red Velvet Deception having created wonderful twenty-first century
guitar-based coldwave classic albums, Into Grey look set to join this elite
group, but for now we must be content with their excellent offerings available
from their Bandcamp site.
1.You’ve
been involved in the music scene for about fifteen years. What kind of projects
were you involved in before starting Into Grey towards the end of last year?
Before I started Into Grey I was in a few very
short lived Goth bands that never really got past the jam session period. After
spending a good ten years in a handful of bands like that I really just stopped
looking. The area I live in is not really making the music I enjoy either so I
decided to just make it myself out of frustration.
2.Your
influences list includes some of the usual suspects (The Cure, Joy Division)
but also French coldwave legends Asylum Party. What was it about their sound
that attracted you?
I feel what attracts me to the bands you’ve
mentioned, and specifically Asylum Party, is that their sound encapsulates the
atmosphere of a time I’m nostalgic for and a scope of emotions I think we all
can relate to in a way. These bands speak to me on a level that not a lot of
other styles of music really can.
3.The
Peruvian label InClub Records are going to release a CD version of the debut
EP. How did the link-up come about?
When I started releasing tracks, I made a Facebook
page and Instagram for the project as a way to engage with the community more.
InClub contacted me around the time my song Poison released; we’ve been
in touch ever since. They've been really helpful and I'm grateful they took the
time to reach out to me.
4.You’ve
been very active during the lockdown, releasing a new track every month since
the debut EP came out in February, six in total. The first four had the same
artwork on Bandcamp and were more up-tempo and dance-floor friendly, whereas
the most recent two songs are darker and feature different artwork. Do you
intend listeners to see the songs in groups like that?
I did not initially intend that when I was writing
them out. Once the EP was finished I felt like I needed to tell a different
story and express it from a different angle. Using different artwork to set the
new tracks apart felt like a good way to signify that.
5.Are
these new songs going to get a physical release as follow-up EP or is there an
album planned?
I do plan on the next release being a full album
and I would love to do a physical release for it if the opportunity arises.
I’ve just begun working on it, so I’ve got some time to figure that out.
6.You’ve
recently joined Josh Kreuzman on his Twice Dark project, which seems to be as
prolific as Into Grey in terms of new song releases. Do you prefer
collaborating with other musicians or having full control over a project?
Honestly all of it is very new for me, I enjoy
making music on my own, but I love working with other people as well. Having
full control is great but can also feel like a double-edged sword. When working
with others it feels like there's more opportunity to stumble across a great
idea organically, and it's always more fun to explore stuff like that with
other people and share the excitement. When you’re by yourself it's pretty much
just you being excited by yourself.
7.There’s
a dark thread through your lyrics, from melancholic musings about lost love to
tales of abuse and despair. Do you write from personal experience or do you
adopt different personas for each song?
Both, the EP was very personal, and it was from the
perspective of the person then and the person now removed from that time. I'm
not that person anymore, but they never really left. I just wore him for a time
to remember clearly what I wanted to share.
8.Your
vocal lines are deep, echoing, almost half-whispered and tend to range only
over a couple of notes, with a very distinct timbre and a distinctly
confessional tone. When you’re writing a new song, do you start with the lyric,
the vocal line, the backbeat or a guitar riff?
I start with a guitar riff followed by the bass and
then drums; vocals are always the very last piece I put down. I usually don’t
have a topic in mind when I start writing, the music always evolves and invokes
what I need to say.
9.There’s
often a beautiful melancholy in your songs, usually in the guitar lines which
contrasts with the occasionally discordant bass and the stark simplicity of the
drum sounds. Is your intention to make the music match the emotional
claustrophobia of the lyrics?
Honestly the music is the driving force of the
emotion of a track since lyrics are the last piece to be created. A lot of the
time I go in with a certain lyrical style in mind, but it always comes out
different because of what the music pulls from me.
10.You
have advertised on the net for other musicians to join Into Grey. Are you
hoping to take the band on the road? What other plans do you have for the
project?
Yes, a bit before I had an EP in mind I did look
for others to join the project, but it didn’t quite pan out. My goal is to play
live shows and go on tour. I really want to make videos for my songs as well
but right now playing live is the main goal.
Thanks to Jermaine for answering my questions, and watch out for new Into Grey music soon!
[NDLR Pour les lecteurs francais - l'interview se trouve en bas de la page, au-dessous de la version anglaise - merci!]
Glasszone have
made a distinct impression on the « wave » scene over the past three
years, with a series of impressive releases each offering the same high quality
mix of shimmering coldwave guitars with a pulsing backbeat. 2019 album Garden
of Glass raised the project’s profile further, with the driving guitar riff of
Loving Destruct in particular drawing attention to the strong melodies and
quality songwriting that have become the band’s hallmark.
Apart from the
fact that they are based in Orleans in west central France, little was known about
the band, whose physical and digital releases came packaged in stylish covers revealing
little about the project, much in the style of early gothic legends such as Joy
Division and The Sisters of Mercy, adding to the air of mystery.
With music very
much in the French coldwave style, drenched in lightly distorted/reverb guitar layers
and very broadly based on the highly original timbre of The Cure and And Also
The Trees, both incredibly popular in France in the late 1980’s, the Glasszone
sound with its low-key, non-descript vocals and drums is also reminiscent of some of the more
blissed-out elements of shoegaze.
The summer of
2020 has seen the release of a new EP, Restless Nights, whose title track
begins with a repeated bass note and builds up into a classic gothic rock riff
which will be familiar to those who enjoy The Sisters of Mercy’s up-tempo hits
like Lucretia, My Reflection or Train. Second track
The Lighthouse is equally powerful although despite being half the pace, with
beautiful yet powerful layers of reverberating guitar constructing a lush
soundscape. The Last Time is arguably the strongest of the four, with a classic
coldwave earworm of a syncopated chorus, with another strong melody bringing
the excellent EP to a close on As Darkness Falls.
Eager to find out
more about the past, present, future of Glasszone, I contacted them on Facebook
and was delighted to find that Judi (who is the sole member of the studio band,
although he has enlisted support for forthcoming live work) was only too
happy to become the latest respondent in this « Ten Questions to… »
feature. The interview was conducted in French, and so for the first time on
the Goth/Post-Punk Revival blog we are able to offer a multi-lingual
experience (with the original French version following the English translation below). My grateful thanks to Judi for his time and for his thoughtful
answers.
Glasszone’s
releases are available via Bandcamp and are very highly recommended.
1.You
have a very distinctive sound, with well-structured songs built around a unique
coldwave guitar tone, a more shoegaze low-fi vocal and powerful basslines over
a drum machine background, all done solo by yourself in the studio. Tell me
about the Glasszone sound : what is your process for composing the songs? What
comes to you first? And how do you get to your unique guitar timbre, in other
words, what are your favourite guitar effects/pedals?
I don't have a
particular songwriting method. An individual track can be created either from a
bass line, a guitar riff or a rhythm. I build the rest up as I go along. As I
compose, record and arrange everything myself, it is easier to structure and
find the right sound for each song.
As far as the "Glasszone sound" is concerned, I have several models of guitar and a six-string bass that
gives this very particular, very Cure-esque sound. I only use BOSS pedals:
distortion, overdrive, flanger, chorus, phaser, delay / reverb on an old H/H
transistor amp which has the distinction of having a very neutral and clear
sound. This allows me to obtain the desired sound more easily without being too
affected by the "grain£ of certain amps (like Marshall for example). 2.Your
music is often described as ‘coldwave’, undoubtedly in reference to the
“greats” of the French scene of the 80s, like for example Jad Wio, Tanit or
especially Mary Goes Round. Were you influenced by groups like these?
To tell the
truth, I haven't listened to too much French coldwave except for Asylum Party
and Corpus Delicti.
The major
influences of Glasszone are especially The Cure and Christian Death, as well as
the coldwave/post-punk/goth/batcave scene of the 80’s.
3.You
have just released a new EP, with a main track with a harder edged sound, which
is simultaneously more oriented towards the dance floor whilst also having a
« rockier » sound. Is this indicative of the future musical direction
of Glasszone songs?
Yes, it’s true to
say that the last EP seems more punchy, but it does not in any way reveal a new
musical direction. The fact that these songs are concentrated on the same EP
perhaps highlights this « rockier » side. In addition, songs like Loving
Destruct and Skeletal Bodies are also very hard-edged. But no, I'm
not going to harden the tone.
4.You
started a new project this year, Ex Visio, which played a more energetic style
of music, more punk than post-punk, but you've just announced that you’re
stopping it. Why will you no longer pursue this project? Will any elements of
that project make their way into new Glasszone songs?
Those songs were
composed and recorded very spontaneously. I preferred to release these songs
under the name of Ex Visio because being more punk, they were not in the
Glasszone style. I did not really try to push this project forward, it’s just a
kind of hobby for me.
There are still
some demos from this session that have not yet been used, so maybe they will
come out one day. 5.You
have also recently started a new side project, Urban Ballet, this time a duo with a female
Portuguese singer. Will these songs be released anytime soon?
I am actually currently
working on two side projects: Zone 73 and Urban Ballet.
Zone 73 is a
darkwave project composed of William (who is also Glasszone's bassist for the
stage) and myself. For this project, William composes and performs all the songs, as I only have the role of additional musician and arranger.
Urban Ballet is a Gothic rock project. For this project, Alexandrina writes
the lyrics and I compose the music. She has a powerful voice which gives a
certain charm to the compositions and brings a lot to them. The geographical distance and the coronavirus lockdown have meant that this project has taken a little longer.
For both projects,
the plan is to release either an EP or an LP. 6.You
decided to sing in English for the Glasszone project, as is the case for your
other projects. Why not sing in French?
The choice of whether
to sing in English or not did not really arise. Even though I realized that my accent
wasn’t perfect and that I wasn’t a great singer, it seemed obvious what to do.
And I think the songs would be different with lyrics in French. 7.What
do you think of the post-punk scene in France right now, with Closed Mouth, Je
T’Aime and Human among others?
There is a real
post-punk scene, but unfortunately it’s still a little too underground. It's a
shame, because we realise that there is still an audience out there interested
in this type of music. It must be said that in France, there is a real lack of
musical diversity. 8.You have said that some Glasszone songs have roots in songs you first wrote in the 90s.
Do you think you will revive more of those old songs in the future?
Some songs were
written in the mid-90s and early 2000’s, mostly demos recorded on cassette. I
also have riffs and unfinished demos lying dormant on my PC. I tend to record a
lot. I sometimes listen back to them and work on them to make more finished
songs. This is what happened for Pictures of the Past and Autumn Dusk
for example.
9.You
did a somewhat surprising cover of an Ultravox song, Dancing With Tears In
My Eyes, and also (less surprisingly) Crowds by Bauhaus. Do you plan
to do more covers in the future?
I like doing
covers, I think it's a good exercise in itself. And it also allows you to
discover certain songs from a different angle.
For example, for the
Ultravox cover, I used the rhythm of the original version on top of which I put
guitars and a fairly punchy bass. I realised that this song was much more post-punk
than it would originally appear.
I’m thinking of doing
more covers, in fact I already have a few ideas… 10.You’ve
done some interviews with a French internet radio station (Radio Arverne) which
has been a big supporter of Glasszone, and you will be playing ‘live’ for them
next month (July 19th). Are you planning on doing any more stuff online during
this lockdown period? And will there be a CD release for the new EP Restless
Nights?
In fact, the
radio show will be Glasszone's first live performance !
I also plan to do
one or more concerts online, which could be interesting. Glasszone remains an
invisible group for the moment and I think it's time to give it a real image.
A CD version of
the new EP is planned as well as a release on different online platforms
(deezer, spotify, Itunes ...).
1.Vous
avez un son très distinctif, avec des chansons bien structurées autour d’un ton
guitare coldwave unique, une voix plutôt shoegaze et une basse puissante sur un
fond de boite à rythmes, et vous le faites tout seul en studio. Quel est votre
processus pour composer les chansons ? Quels éléments arrivent en premier ? Et
comment arrivez-vous à votre timbre guitare, c’est-à-dire quels sont vos
effets/pédales de préférence ?
Je n’ai pas de
méthode de composition particulière. Chaque titre peut être crée soit à partir
d’une ligne de basse, soit un riff de guitare ou un rythme. Le reste est
construit au fur et à mesure. Comme je compose, enregistre et arrange tout
moi-même, cela est plus facile pour structurer et trouver le bon son pour
chaque chanson.
Pour ce qui est
du son Glasszone, je possède plusieurs modèles de guitare et une basse VI qui
donne ce son particulier très curesque. Je n'utilise que des effets BOSS :
disto, overdrive, flanger, chorus, phaser, delay/reverb sur un vieil ampli à
transistor H/H qui a la particularité d’avoir un son très neutre et clair. Cela
me permet d’obtenir plus facilement le son souhaité sans qu’il soit trop marqué
par le grain de certains amplis (comme Marshall par exemple).
2.On
traite souvent votre musique de coldwave, sans doute en référence aux “grands”
de la scène française des années 80, comme Jad Wio, Tanit ou surtout Mary Goes
Round par exemple. Vous avez été influencé par ce genre de groupe ?
A vrai dire, je
n’ai pas trop écouté de coldwave française hormis Asylum Party et Corpus
Delicti.
Les influences
majeures de Glasszone sont surtout The Cure et Christian Death, ainsi que la
scène coldwave/postpunk/goth/batcave des années 80.
3.Vous
venez de sortir un nouvel EP, avec un morceau principal avec un son plus
endurci, à la fois plus orienté vers la piste de danse mais un peu plus rock
aussi. Ce sera le sens des futures chansons de Glasszone?
Oui c'est vrai
que le dernier EP parait plus punchy, mais il ne révèle en rien une nouvelle
orientation musicale. Le fait que ces titres soient concentrés sur le même EP
fait peut-être ressortir ce côté plus rock. Par ailleurs, des titres comme Loving
Destruct et Skeletal Bodies sont eux aussi très durs. Mais non, je
ne vais pas durcir le ton pour autant.
4.Vous
avez entamé un nouveau projet cette année, Ex Visio, qui jouait une musique
plus énergique, plus punk que post-punk, mais vous venez d’y renoncer. Pourquoi
est-ce que vous ne poursuivrez plus ce projet ? Est-ce que vous en garde(re)z
des éléments dans les nouvelles chansons de Glasszone ?
Les titres ont
été composés et enregistrés de manière très spontanée. J'ai préféré sortir ces
chansons sous le nom d'Ex Visio car étant plus punk, elles n’entraient pas dans
le style de Glasszone. Je n'ai pas vraiment cherché à mettre ce projet plus en
avant, cela reste pour moi une sorte de récréation.
Il reste encore
quelques démos de cette session qui n’ont pas été exploitées, peut-être
sortiront -elles un jour.
5.Vous
avez récemment commencé un nouveau projet à part, Urban Ballet, cette fois en
duo avec une chanteuse portugaise. Est-ce que ces chansons verront le jour
d’ici peu ?
Je travaille
actuellement dans 2 projets : Zone 73 et Urban Ballet.
Zone 73 est un
projet darkwave composé de William (qui est aussi le bassiste de Glasszone pour
la scène) et de moi-même, pour ce projet, puisque je n'ai qu'un rôle de
musicien additionnel et d'arrangeur. C'est William qui compose et interprète
toutes les chansons,
Urban Ballet est
un projet Gothic rock.
Pour ce projet,
Alexandrina écrit les paroles et je compose les musiques. Elle a une voix
puissante qui donne un certain charme aux compositions et leurs apporte
beaucoup. La distance et le confinement fait que le projet prend un peu plus de
temps.
Pour les 2 projets, il est prévu des sorties soit en EP ou LP.
6.Vous
avez décidé de chanter en anglais pour ce projet Glasszone, tout comme pour vos
autres projets. Pourquoi pas chanter en français ?
Le choix du chant
en anglais ne s’est pas posé. Même si j’ai conscience que mon accent n’est pas
parfait et que je ne suis pas un grand chanteur, c’est paru comme une évidence.
Et je pense que les chansons seraient différentes avec des textes en français.
7.Que
pensez-vous de la scène post-punk en France en ce moment, avec Closed Mouth, Je
T’Aime et Human entre autres ?
Il y a une vraie
scène post punk, malheureusement elle reste encore un peu trop underground.
C'est dommage, car on se rend compte qu'il y a quand même un public derrière
qui est demandeur. Il faut dire qu'en France, il y a un manque réel de
diversité musicale.
8.Vous
avez dit que certaines chansons ont des racines dans des morceaux que vous
aviez écrits d’abord aux années 90. Est-ce que vous pensez réanimer encore de
ces chansons à l’avenir ?
Certains titres
ont été écrits dans le milieu des années 90 et au début des années 2000, ce
sont pour la plupart des démos enregistré sur K7. J’ai aussi des riffs, des
démos non exploitées qui dorment dans mon PC. J’ai tendance a enregistré
beaucoup. Il m’arrive de les réécouter et de les travailler pour en faire des
morceaux plus aboutis. C’est ce qui s’est passé pour Pictures of the Past et
Autumn Dusk par exemple.
9.Vous
avez fait une reprise un peu surprenante d’un titre d’Ultravox, Dancing With
Tears In My Eyes, et aussi (moins surprenant) de Crowds de Bauhaus. Est-ce que
vous entendez faire encore des reprises dans le futur ?
J’aime bien faire
des covers, je trouve que c’est un bon exercice. Et puis, cela permet de faire
découvrir certaines chansons sous un autre angle.
Par exemple, pour
celle d’Ultravox, j’ai repris la rythmique de la version originale sur laquelle
j’ai posé des guitares et une basse assez punchy. Je me suis rendu compte que
ce titre était bien plus post punk qu’il ne pouvait paraitre.
Je pense faire
encore des covers, j’ai déjà quelques idées…
10.Vous
avez déjà fait des interviews avec une radio internet (Radio Arverne) qui vous
a soutenu, et vous allez jouer en live pour eux le mois prochain (le dix-neuf
juillet). Projetez-vous de faire encore des trucs en ligne pendant cette
période de confinement? Et y aura-t-il une sortie CD pour le nouveau EP
Restless Nights? Merci!
D'ailleurs, ce
sera le 1er live de Glasszone.
Je pense aussi
faire un ou plusieurs concerts en ligne, cela pourrait être intéressant.
Glasszone reste pour le moment un groupe invisible et je pense qu'il est temps
de lui donner une vraie image.
Une édition cd
est prévue ainsi qu’une sortie sur différentes plateformes (deezer, spotify,
Itunes…).
I first came across the band Raven Said with the release of their single
Fields of Frost about a year ago, a very pleasing-on-the-ear slab of traditional gothic rock, with many of the elements that make a classic of the genre: a
galloping introductory bass riff, inventive intertwining mournful guitar parts,
an echoing (and slightly pitchy) vocal, atmospheric keyboards and, of course, a
nagging hookline of a chorus.
The husband and wife duo from Yekaterinburg (situated just east of the mighty
Urals and Russia’s fourth largest city) had released their debut releases in
2017 with a slightly more synth-dominated sound, but they really moved into the
upper echelons of the current traditional gothic rock revival with this year’s
new album Beyond The Darkest Hour released through Secret Sin Records, fitting neatly into a distribution roster that includes Angels of Liberty, The Kentucky Vampires and Guillotine Dream. The new LP features ten tracks of melodic and dramatic yet subtle gothic rock
which builds on the classic template of the first and second generation bands,
creating a soothing yet slightly angular multi-layered minor chord guitar-dominated soundscape topped
with poetic lyrics steeped in Poe (as the band’s name would suggest) and other
masters of gothic literature.
Strong deathrock-tinged melodies like Bewitched, Lenore and She
Comes To Me broaden the palette further, whilst more atmospheric up-tempo
songs like Transparent Sorrow and Shadows on the Ceiling, Shadows on
the Floor have an alternative dancefloor sheen, giving the whole album an
accomplished and unashamedly romantic, almost Byronic feel, not unlike vintage second generations acts like Dronning Maud Land.
Listening to recent interviews with the band (on Obscura Undead for
example), it becomes clear that Raven Said is no weekend passion: Andrey and
Maria fully embrace the gothic lifestyle, and are as aware of the history of
gothic literature, film and music as any of their Western contemporaries, all of which infuses their songs with a depth which some purveyors of the classic goth
rock sound can lack. Their studious and painstaking approach to their
music-making has resulted in an album of impressive quality, and their
professionalism shines through in the finished product, the intricacy of the
arrangements only becoming fully apparent after multiple playings.
When the band agreed to take part in this “Ten Questions to …” interview
slot, I was confident that their answers would be considered, profound and
thought-provoking, and so it proved. Many thanks to Andrey and Maria, who like
so many artists have had the misfortune to release their best work to date
during the current pandemic, but have made the most of the opportunity to
spread the word via social media.
1.Your first project as a duo was a kind of
mediaeval-influenced neo-folk band, very different from Raven Said.
Do you think that any musical elements of that project
have carried through to Raven Said, and contribute to your unique sound?
Аndy: I am sure that it is. Moreover, this influence is
precisely secular early European music, music for dancing, music of minstrels
and court musicians. Of course, in modern tradition it is quite difficult to
understand how this music should be and how it was actually played. The
different elements such as polyphony, diatonic scale, multi-part structure of
the composition is often used by us (more often in interludes, drops). I would
say that this happens almost spontaneously, Maria and I try to achieve very interesting
results - for example, she often manages to create an additional voice melody
in a fairly dense melodic-chord concept. The standards of medieval music were
very flexible, the performers changed parts, something was forgotten, something
adapted to a specific place and time ... Yes, there are really many different
fundamentals in our music, we are often told about this, but this makes it
unique. The bottom line is to have the inner harmony of all these things, then
the listener also will have an internal interest - what will happen next? I
myself love to listen the music in this vein.
Maria: I believe that we naturally
put all our music experience in our songwriting. Probably, in this sense I am a
very harmonic person. Atmospheric music could be very different, and the style
differences that are so obvious at first are smoothed out when it comes the
general idea of the work. We assume that the "gothic" in this
context is much closer to the original source.
2.Even with the previous project, there was already a
gothic visual element, as can be seen on YouTube. How important is the visual aspect to you?
А:The protagonist of our songs is always “romantic”, an
exceptional character at an extraordinary moment. And our visual images are its
continuation, the unity of form and content. As we have repeatedly said, our
style is not “stage costumes”, it is we ourselves, and a certain eccentricity
allows us to be open and understand our music better. Actually, most people on
the planet are “visuals”; their memory and imagination are determined by visual
images. So, our visual aesthetic is also an effective tool for presentation.
M: The visual aspect is very important for us because it
is an external expression of ourselves. This “image” is part of our everyday
life, our romantic, even aesthetic philosophy, at least, if we talk about me. We try to comprehensively present our work. It seems to me that performers
often underrate the influence of band image on the general perception of their
work. Many of them doesn't have harmony in this regard.
3.Despite Transylvania being the home of Dracula and a
lot of dramatic landscapes – like the “Devil’s Settlement” near your home city - Eastern Europe
has not been traditionally associated with the darkwave or gothic scenes, with
only the likes of Laibach and Borghesia making a big impression
internationally. But now with yourselves and the likes of Molchat Doma and Icy
Men, there seems to be growing interest in the region and the bands are doing
well on the global darkwave scene. Do you feel part of a regional gothic
renaissance or do you feel that you are working in isolation?
А: A tough question. As a result of historical, religious
and political events of the 20th century, a very special picture of the world
was formed, where the countries of Eastern Europe were partially “excluded”
from the global system. And even after the displacement of communist regimes
and the abolition of military-political alliances, a certain
"isolation" remained. Currently, with the super-speed development of
communications, almost every men of the planet are able to possess nearly any
information. Of course, formally we belong to a local scene, but all our projects
are very distant from any manifestations of “national ident”, from language to
genre conjuncture environment. I
am so glad that in the United States, and Western Europe, and whole the World, interest exists and is progressing in new modern East European musicians. There
are a lot of talented people who have something to say and something to
surprise you with.
М: Yes, in Russia and other countries of eastern Europe
we have a “dark scene”, in one form or another. We are always glad to tour to other
cities, to collaborate with musicians and DJs. Hopefully, over time the dark scene
will grow, develop, resolve this “isolation”, our own difficulties and mistakes!
And the listener's interest in it will also grow. As for Raven Said, we are
often told that we are purists of old-fashioned, old-school goth rock, and in
this sense, our sound is certainly European-oriented. But I think that interest
in quality music has no national or temporal boundaries.
4.You both speak excellent English and use the language
for almost all of your output, whereas some other bands like She Past Away have
opted to sing in their native tongue. Will you ever sing in Russian?
А: We are very honored! It's great to hear that from a
native speaker! Be sure to pass this on to my English teacher at the
university!! Actually, the answer to this question is a logical continuation of
the previous one. Raven Said use English to expand the borders of audience. We
don't want to limit ourselves only to Russian-speaking listeners. And if we can draw the attention of the world music business to the Russian scene - this is
wonderful, totally... hopefully we are changing the situation for the better.
I grew up with foreign
music (in Russia there were times when it was considered almost normal to deny
its existence), and most of my favorite artists sing songs in English. At the
same time, I adore, for example, Spanish-speaking bands, they are very bright,
very exiting - Los Сarniceros Del
Norte, Los Gorgonas ... Just awesome! By the way, She Past Away themselves
speak excellent English, but their native Turkish is very beautiful.
M: Simply impossible to deny the fact that for rock
music, English is an ideal forming element. Goth rock is a very lively and
dynamic genre, and English poetry is also great for it. I adore the Russian
language - the most beautiful and richest in semantic nuances, you can believe
me as a professional linguist! But due to these same factors, it doesn't match every musical performance perfectly. And of course, I agree, it limits the
understanding of a significant part of non-native speakers.
Although I have an idea that a lot of people do not particularly pay attention to the lyrics, perceiving the
song as whole, and the vocals and phonetic features are just a harmonic tool. The
example the bands that Andy mentioned just confirms this. By the way, in our
dark folk project Salem Guest we sometimes use the Russian language.
More melancholic, lyrical
material is quite suitable for that.
5.Your name - Raven Said – is obviously a reference to
Edgar Alan Poe, and your track Lenore (the name of the narrator’s muse) also references the famous poem
(including the whispered lyric “never more”!). Does your interest in the gothic
scene extend to literature and film, and does this have an influence on your
lyrics in other songs?
А: Nope,
I won’t open all the secrets associated with our Lenore! For there are too many special connotations! Unleash your imagination! Of course, the world of our
inspirations is extremely diverse and far from being limited to a “Gothic context”
only. Personally, I love the books of R. Bradbury, A. Bierce, A. Sapkowski, R.
Bloch ... Maria and I love old black and white horror films. And even sometimes
we play the board game «Ancient Horror» or «Arkham Horror» according to H.P. Lovecraft! As a result, we create our weird images and stories. You hear it in our songs.
М: The romantic, melancholic type of personality forms
the corresponding worldview. I really like poetry, especially symbolic,
visionary, of a variety of poets - English, German, Irish, French, of course,
Russian. For example - V. Blake, F.G. Lorca, W. Yates, F. Villon, S.
Baudelaire, V. Gumilev ... I love medieval literature and music. I like to
create storytelling compositions with many interpretations. “Gothic Theme” is
our natural habitat!
6. The new album is a musical progression from your
debut Seven Deadly Tapes with more sheen on the guitar and more understated
keyboards, resulting in a fuller, more consistently classic 80’s goth sound.
How much of that is down to the fact that you had the album professionally
mastered in the US, or was there also a deliberate change in direction?
А: Yes,
it’s easy to see that with Seven Deadly Tapes we have slightly different
starting points and progressing. On the new album Beyond the Darkest Hour we
changed the sound a little towards dynamics, it's more danceable. The result is a
synthesis of old-school and modern goth rock - a labyrinth album that draws
cold pulsating energy into a delicate twilight. Our master engineer from the
United States, Mr. Brett Anderson, has done an excellent job. But still, Maria
and I did all the production work. Mr. Anderson put the final touch here, giving the
tracks a “commercial gloss”. As a result, the mixes are excellently heard on hi-end
equipment, through airpods, perfectly broadcast on the radio and sound good in
a music hall.
7. You have a song (Shadows on the Ceiling, Shadows on
the Floor) on a new compilation album, Blood and Dust, which brings together
bands with a kind of Fields of Nephilim western vibe. How did your involvement
in this project come about?
А: I really love the Fields of the Nephilim and have
always liked the image of Carl McCoy. It is a great honor and pleasure for
us to participate in this compilation. The composition Shadows on the
Ceiling, Shadows on the Floor very subtly conveys the excitement, anxiety
of the character of this story. Just imagine how he stops for the night on his
way. Desert, cold, strange sounds everywhere ... And thoughts about what awaits
him tomorrow, and if he gets a tomorrow?
М: It was a very interesting project, already at the idea
stage. Not just a compilation of gothic Americana or dark country songs, but
rather an “alternative western soundtrack”. And I really love alternative
westerns! The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is
generally one of my favorite films. And the soundtrack for that was written by
my favorite artist - Nick Cave. And our track Shadows on the Ceiling, Shadows
on the Floor is ideally suited to the atmosphere of such a film. Exact about
that vibe told us the promoter of the compilation when we applied for
participation. And it’s very cool to be in such a great company!
8. You have attended big events like WGT as a spectator
in the past and Raven Said played at the Lumous Festival in Tampere (Finland)
last summer. Which other dark festivals would Raven Said like to play at one
day?
А: Of course, we would like to play on
Wave-Gotik-Treffen, this is our favorite Gothic festival. Also - Whitby Goth
Weekend, Castle Party ... On another continent - Bats Day in the Fun Park,
Eccentrik. Actually, we are open to any interesting offers. We like all events
where the atmosphere of friendship and understanding prevails. Raven Said is an
actively touring project, we adore the road, new cities, meeting people, new
clubs and stages! And we are happy to be wherever people want to hear our
music, and where you can have a good time. Just contact us!
9. When you play live, you’ve done covers of songs by
bands like The Sisters of Mercy, Christian Death and The Cure, which can be
found on YouTube. Were these your main influences, or were you more influenced
by the second generation of bands?
А: And
this is not a complete list of our cover songs. Work on it is always very
interesting. Perhaps in the near future we will do some records. We are often
told that the sound of Raven Said is very comparable with bright examples of
the second-generation Goth Rock (or the second wave, as it is called in
Europe). Nosferatu, Mephisto Walz, Rosetta Stone ... But the “first generation”
of goth rock and proto-goth rock bands had a huge influence. Eclecticism, a
melting pot of the new sound of that time period - avant-garde, punk rock,
post-punk, psychedelia. Listening to the vinyl records of Bauhaus, The Mission,
Siouxsie and the Banshees, you feel that boiling, rage, sexuality, primacy -
the formation and birth of a new star from cosmic matter.
M: As I said earlier, in other interviews, creative
musical experiments of the 70s had a fair influence on us. We really like this
music, from David Bowie and Velvet Underground to Iggy Pop and The Cramps. For
guitar music, it was a time of colossal creative experimentation.
10. Do you already have any songs written for the new
album, and if so, what kind of direction are you heading in?
А: Of
course we have! And I feel some good potential of these new tracks. I am sure
this is quality music, and it will not leave indifferent our beloved listeners
from the present and add new ones from the future! As for the direction, here,
I think, the most important thing is to move forward and always try to do
better. Nowadays, the rhythm of life has become just terrific, everything feels
transparent and transient. Nevertheless, it is necessary to dream and to plan
something else, more, impossible. Such a way of thinking really helps in
achieving life goals, and as one of them is the creation of actual, high
quality and interesting musical material.
I told you that the answers would be profound. Many thanks again to Raven Said for expounding in such detail their well-defined gothic and musical philosophy, one of the most rigorously academic it has been my pleasure to encounter over the past forty years. Stay goth!
Scotland’s
Kill Shelter made a huge impression on the darkwave scene with the debut single
In Decay (featuring Ashe Ruppe of Delphine Coma and Karl Morten Dahl of
Antipole) and the subsequent album Damage in 2018, which had the notable distinction of featuring a different
guest vocalist from the darkwave/coldwave scene on every track. The high production values, strong melodies and
differing styles made for a stunning set of collaborations which saw it garner
many “best album of the year" accolades, and saw Scotland’s Pete Burns (the
only member of Kill Shelter) in huge demand for mastering and remixing work
over the past couple of years.
The most recently released of these, the Kill
Shelter remix of She Past Away’s Soluk, came out on the Turkish outfit’s remix album X a fortnight ago to rave reviews, but although Burns began
work on the follow-up to Damage immediately after it was released eighteen
months again, in the intervening time only one track, Buried Deep, has
appeared, released late last year in a Darkitalia compliation. In a
clear departure from his previous work, Burns took over vocal duties himself on
the dark dancefloor filling track, a lugubrious baritone vocal reminding us
that “all that glisters is not gold” over a bass-heavy pulsating beat.
Recent
comments on social media hinted that Burns, who has also curated (with Christian
Schaefer) the excellent Rule of Three blog which has promoted well over
one hundred darkwave artists over the past five years, was making progress with
a raft of current projects, so I suggested that it was high time that he
appeared as the latest respondent to the “Ten Questions to…” feature on this
blog.
To my
delight he immediately agreed, and his fascinating answers provide not only a
detailed explanation of his working methodology but also some hints about the
future Kill Shelter releases currently in the pipeline.
The
highly recommended Damage is still available either digitally (on this link) or on limited edition white vinyl from Manic Depression records (here).
1. Your first Kill Shelter remix only dates back to December 2017. Were you
involved in other musical projects before this one?
Kill Shelter: I’ve been a professional musician for quite some time and had
music published by Universal and Sony BMG, written music for TV, Radio and Film
as well as releasing material on various independent labels. Kill Shelter is a
passion of mine, it’s very personal and its primary purpose is not commercial -
it’s a channel and an expression and for that reason the music is uncompromised
and rewarding in a very different way.
2. How difficult has it been to balance your paid work in digital media, your
journalistic work on Rule of Three with Christian, and your work as an
artist and remixer?
Kill Shelter: I love being busy - I’m
a workaholic and driven to the point of OCD. I’m really lucky to have the
studio where I live so I can structure my day and divide my time according to
demand whether that’s audio, tech, strategy or design. I chat to Christian most
days and we share a lot of music but our schedules are pretty intense - he’s
done incredibly well with his Wir Kellerkinder book and the Dark Stream
Festival so we just make time for R3 when we can. I tend to do mixing and
mastering earlier in the day when my ears are fresh and then split my time
later over various projects depending on deadlines.
3. Since the release of the debut Kill Shelter album Damage, you’ve been
busy with remixes and mastering of other artists’ projects. Do you find that
just as enjoyable as creating your own project from scratch?
Kill Shelter: I love working with other
people I admire and respect, and remixing can be very satisfying from that
perspective. When remixing I always treat the track like a collaboration and
approach it from a production perspective not a straight ahead
four-on-the-floor dance perspective. Mastering is a mix of technical precision
and feel, so that’s a different discipline again. Original music is probably
more satisfying long term and I’ve consciously reduced the amount of remixing I
do to allow more time for the origination of new Kill Shelter material.
I’m mixing and co-producing the forthcoming Night Nail album and that’s been a
brilliant experience. The guys have been great to work with and the album is
shaping up to be a really classy affair. The quality of songwriting and
musicianship really shines through I think. [You can hear the first fruits of this work here]
4. Are there any scene veterans or even more mainstream artists that you’d love
to get the chance to remix in the future?
Kill Shelter: Have you been reading my emails? Definitely. I find other
musicians' work can be really inspiring and that’s why I enjoy doing remixes so
much. In a way it’s a chance to work with other musicians in a different form.
I’ve been speaking to a major label since February 2018 about a potential remix
and I’m still hopeful that the remix will happen. If it does it will definitely
answer this question in full. In the “it will never happen” category put me down
for Giving Ground by the Sisterhood and Ornaments of Gold by
Siouxsie and the Banshees.
5. Do you generally work on a kind of quid pro quo basis, in other words out of
mutual respect as much as moral obligation can we expect some of these artists
to provide vocals on future Kill Shelter projects?
Kill Shelter: I think you make friends along the way and if schedules and
interests align then sometimes the opportunity to work together turns up. I
never expect anything back from the work I do. Working with other more talented
people always inspires me and that’s enough of a return and reward for me.
6. Your most recently released and probably most high-profile remix, She Past
Away’s Soluk on their new remix album X, has been very well
received. Were you yourself happy with the end result, and did you get much
feedback from Volkan?
Kill Shelter: I loved working on Soluk and it was an incredible
opportunity to play a very small part in the history of such an iconic band’s
history. Both Volkan and Doruk were incredibly complimentary and supportive of
the remix and I was secretly delighted to find out it had made the cut for the
vinyl release too. X is a great release and it was exciting to be part
of it along with good friends and peers like Antipole, Bragolin and Ash Code as
well as scene giants such as Front 242 and Clan of Xymox.
I’m very grateful to She Past Away for the opportunity and equally grateful for
the warm reception to it. It’s a good feeling if you can move people even
through a remix or interpretation of someone else’s work. Someone described it
as “a disgrace to western music” - that’s got to be good, right?
7. On the online Darkitalia quarantine festival, you recently showcased a video
for the track Buried Deep, which was released just before Christmas also
by Darkitalia on their latest compilation, the only new Kill Shelter track
since Damage. Why did you decide to release just the one track, and why
with Darkitalia?
Kill Shelter: Darkitalia have supported Kill Shelter from the start and
Maurizio and Martina do a lot of great work to support the scene. Their Sparkles
in the Dark compilations have featured artists like Boy Harsher, The Soft
Moon, She Past Away/Ash Code, Hapax, European Ghost and many more so I was keen
to contribute to that legacy and flattered when they approached me. I had
originally thought it would be a physical release. While that looks unlikely
now, it was the primary reason I put out that version of the track early and
the form I did.
8. On that track you provide the vocal yourself, with a suitably deep and dark
tone. Do you intend to provide more of the vocal content yourself on future
Kill Shelter releases?
Kill Shelter: The first three full length Kill Shelter releases will form a
trilogy and they are mapped out in concept - work on the second and third
albums is in progress. Outwith that, there’s a collaboration album that I’m
very excited about which will have vocals by Kill Shelter. I also plan to do an
EP with a different theme and approach but that will be between albums II and
III.
9. When you were choosing the title for Buried Deep, did you have The
Sisters of Mercy track Bury Me Deep in mind, or is the similarity entirely
coincidental?
Kill Shelter: Influences trickle down whether consciously or subconsciously
and I’m okay with that. That particular lyric was improvised in the studio and
wasn’t part of the words I’d originally written for the track. The title was
reversed engineered from that particular vocal line. I then had the dilemma of
it being quite close to the Sisters’ track name but I decided to leave it as a
subtle reference even although it was unintentional. Musical influence and
derived inspiration are really important to the creative process - there’s no
doubt about that. Musicians often talk about their influences and that’s a
positive thing. The real issue for me is when the output itself isn’t original
- when it’s blatant plagiarism or a direct copy then I think that’s a pretty
poor place to be. I don’t want to be anyone else musically. I’d rather innovate
than regurgitate given the choice but I don’t want to hide the musical
influences that have shaped and inspired me over the years.
10. You recently said that you had enough work in progress to fill the next
couple of full-length Kill Shelter releases. When might we expect to be able to
buy the first of these? With Pedro announcing that Unknown Pleasures Records (UPR) sadly
won’t be releasing anything else for the foreseeable future, do you have a new
label lined up?
Kill Shelter: I think the collaboration
album is most likely to be the next release. The follow up to Damage
is a little more complex and the third in the trilogy even more so.
Yeah, I caught up with Pedro and it’s a real shame that UPR will come to a
close - I love that label and its uncompromising attitude. I’ve already been
approached by a few labels, which is both flattering and reassuring, but no one
has heard the material yet so I’ll wait until I have the final product and work
out what’s best for everyone involved.
