Mehawk

–                    Who are you?

We are Aleksei from Arnhem (NL) and Search from Landau (GER). And together we are called “Mehawk”.

–                    Why did you choose this pseudonym?

We have been looking for something short and catchy. Also for something that evoke a description of our sound. Mehawk is derived from „Mihawk“, the name of an anime character of 'One Piece'. But in fact, it has no special meaning.

–                    How was your  collaboration and project born?

Aleksei: Actually we were  living very close for a long time without knowing each other. However we have kind of the same circle of friends. I found some  tunes of Search on Soundcloud and totally fell in love with his voice.  After contacting him I asked around and randomly discovered that he’s a friend of a friend.

Search: Then we made a song together and after becoming very good friends, we started a serious project out of it. This was one year ago and it sounds like a really beautiful myth. Destiny!

–                    Why do you make music and what does it mean for you?

You always need to express yourself. Doesn’t matter what kind of art but music seems to be the most easy one for us to capture moods, feelings, thoughts… it’s also great to have the chance to make people forget their everyday life.

–                    Talking about the compositions of your songs: how and where were they born?

Because of our distance we are not a band which meets once per week. Most of the time s.o. starts a basic idea and sends it to the other. Then everyone is adding some parts. Sometimes it is created pretty quick. A few days and the song is almost done. In some cases we immediately know that there is sth special which brings us in certain kind of moods we were looking for. But for sure not every output is exactly what we needed. For us it is really important to be honest with ourselves and if it’s not good enough we just leave it. 

–                    Talking about your tracks ,what is your favourite?

Actually none of the both tracks we have online is our favourite. We really like them, that's why we made them public, but we got  a few new songs which are more advanced but not completely finished yet. It depends from time to time. Mostly the newest track is our favorite. 

–                    How would you define your sound?

We think that most of the songs are kind of deep and have a certain kind of darkness in it. Some songs also have a certain kind of Asian touch.

In general we define it as „Emotional Electronic, Future RnB, Organic Electronica“. But everyone has a different view on music.

–                    What genres and artists influenced your music the most?

There would be too many to name. There isn’t just music which influences/inspires us. We like art and graphic design a lot. A great movie/book and also nice or sad moments in our lives can have a deep impact. But to name some artist we like the most, there are Sufjan Stevens, Flying Lotus, Ryan Hemsworth, Ifan Dafydd, Nicolas Jaar, Lapalux and many more.

–                    You come one from Germany and the other from the Netherlands. What do you think about the music coming from your countries and  how do you see yourself in relation to them?

There are lots of great artists from Germany: Apparat, Sizarr, Roosevelt, Nils Frahm, Sven Kacirek, Christian Löffler, Matthias Grübel, LO or I Confess. We are influenced by German acts who make an international sound. That's what we try to make, too, in our own style.

And the Netherlands are in love with techno and house. There are also many guitar bands which are more a copy of famous bands. Both in a way we don’t like. Nevertheless there are also some bands to name: Iamoak, Machinefabriek and Mineral Beings. 

–                    What's your favourite artist and song?

Aleksei: Changes from time to time…we really like 'Left Alone' from Flume             feat Chet Faker.

Search: ...we listen to that song before we go on stage. But if I had to choose     just one, I would name 'Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland,                  Illinois' by Sufjan Stevens.

–                    Who do you think are the most relevant musicians nowadays and who are you listening to the most?

We think the producers are more relevant than the artist in most cases. Producers like Diplo or Timbaland.

–                     How much does the live element matter in your music?

Playing live is very important for us. Instead of just listening you can see and even feel the music. We try to create a special atmosphere with our music and also visuals.

–                    If you could pick an artist or a band to play with on a stage, who would you choose?

Search:Sufjan Stevens

Aleksei: Apparat

–                    What do you think about the music industry nowadays?

In music we get a kind of a revival of the vinyl. It can't compensate the great losses of the record industry. Many artist have to tour almost the whole year to make a living.

The music industry is not willing to take any risks at the moment. That’s why many people started their own label.

–                    What is the message that you'd like to express to the people who listen to your music?

It's different from song to song. Most of them shouldn't be obvious. Everyone can make his own interpretation to the songs. For example the song 'Rocket Bolt' can be seen in a negative and sad way or in a positive one.

–                    What is your favourite book and movie?

Search: My favourite book is 'Things The Grandchildren Should Know', the autobiography by Mark Oliver Everett. The movie which impressed me the most is 'Jacob's Ladder'. I've seen that movie just once, and I want to watch it again, but I dread it, this movie catches your brain!

Aleksei:The Map and the territory by Michel Houllebecq

            I recently watched wrong from Quentin Dupieux but my all time fav is      Caché by Michael Haneke.

–                    How and where do you see yourself in ten years from now?

Living together in a mansion!... Released two Lps with both best new music on Pitchfork... Well we don't really look that far.

–                    Pc or Mac?

We always argue about that … and we will never be in complete agreement...

–                    Beatles or Rolling Stones?

Beatles!

Mehawk – Abovt from Mehawk on Vimeo.

Mehawk Music - Facebook Fanpage -

The Lad and The Others

The Lad and The Others Facebook Fanpage

-Hi The Lad and The Others! Let's start with the name of the band, why did you choose this?

Hi, I'm Alex from The Lad and The Others, I'm glad to talk with you about the band. We choose this name because it's cool and sounds good, we love it.

-Why do you make music and what does it mean for you?

I personally make music since I was 16. I don't know exactly what is the process that brings me to write a song, all I know is that's important for me, is life that become music as for everyone in this band. We also do it for the money, we want to be rich! (laugh)

- Talking about your new album "Lightout Tales".

This is our first work together, we're totally proud! Lighthouse Tales is for us the boat that leaves the port and sail away to nowhere. It means so much for us just because we started something, a new beginning, direction unknown. It smells of dreams and that's so important for us.

-Talking about the compositions of your songs: how and where they born? Do you have a favourite?

I write songs in every place. When I was young I used to write songs in the bathroom because of my family, I don't know, maybe I was just young and insecure. Now during a road trip, I love road trips. Together we work in studio, our second home, we spend many time there, is the coolest place in the world because we are such a family.

- How would you define your sound?

As Marco says every time: "Woody, sweet, biting, floating". We all agree with him.

-What genres and artists influenced your music the most?

No artists, no genres in particular. Everyone in this band got his personal music background made of genres and artists completely different from the other one, what you listen is what we are together. Luca and Marco loves metal or similar, Simone mexican folk music. I've got no ears.

-You come from Rome (Italy). What do you think about the music coming from your country and how how do you see yourself in relation to them?

Good bands, bad bands.. We don't wanna talk about other bands, it's your job! (laugh) We just can talk about us, listen to The Lad and The Others, they surely are a good band at all.

-What's your favourite artist and song?

That's so personal.. "I'm only sleeping" is my favorite song of all the time.

-Who do you think are the most relevant musicians nowadays and who are you listening to the most?

In a "Pop" world, it's hard to say who's the best, "who got the most expensive distribution and the cheapest production?" it's the right question. Anyway, Frank Turner is the artists I'm listening in these days, I really like him and his music but of course Noel Gallagher is the most relevant musician at the moment.

-How much does the live element matter in your music?

The live show is the most important thing for us. We meet the crowd and little or big it remains the boss. Every show is a great moment for us. 

-If you could pick an artist or a band to play with on a stage, who would you choose?

Nobody, we're in love with our sound! (laugh) If we have to choose, surely Sid Vicious because he doesn't really play the bass and it means no variations!

-What do you think about the music industry nowadays?

Less artists, less quality, less investments, less products; what do you think about the music industry nowadays?

-What is the message that you'd like to express to the people who listen to your music?

We haven't a message, we aren't Messiahs! (laugh) We talk about what we live, what we need. The way we are is concrete, true; this is what you can find listening to our music our having a beer with us. We haven't a message but we'd like people find out the way we are.

-What is your favourite book and movie?

Marco's favourite book is "High Fidelity" by Nick Hornby, we talked about that book days ago. I'm blind, I can't read but my favorite movie of all the time is The Snatch by Guy Ritchie, it inspired long part of my life.

-How and where do you see yourself in ten years from now?

Rich and famous, surely on Sunset Boulevard, obvy! No mustaches, We promise.

-Beatles or Rolling Stones?

Beatles.

OTTONE SCAMMACCA

-Who are you?
I’m a human being (ahah sounds like out from a dramatic movie)…formally I’m targed as “Ottone Scammacca, a 21 years old Italian guy from Rome” ..but yes, I’m a human being with big passion for music…


-Why do you make Music and what does it mean for you?
I make music for my own, and that’s what it means… It makes me feel good, feel relaxing, and if people like it that means they feel the same too and I can just appreciate it! I think that behind every well elaborated track and every work made with passion there is part of me because it came from heart and all feelings, emotions, life memories or everything else, involuntarily influence my music…as every artist I think



-You have been chosen as  the winner of the contest by Tristan Prettyman, do you wanna talk us about this experience?
It was a great experience that I will never forget this was the first time that I joined a contest and to my surprise I won for my remix for an American artist with a crazy voice! As I wrote my intent was to give more importance to singer's voice and emphasize the melodies of the organ and guitar accompanying them with a very addictive rhythm of drums and continuous and at the same time broken by a strong bassline. Anyway i am really proud to my name, even if in a small way, as producer of a track in releasing on Capitol Records, the label that has produced so many artists that I admire and that the only name gives me the creeps (nothing is signed then it says little for good luck haha).

-What do you think of the italian musical situation?
Many many artists worthy of the name, a few that are worth much less than those under contract ... It 's full of people that has no passion, coping styles and songs just to make money and so behave many record companies who prefer a safe gain to quality music ... We are rich of talented artists, you just have to find them! But and in my humble opinion maybe it's better than some of the music remains a niche! Too much money could ruin it...

-What tools do you use to compose your music?
Then the operations center is the PC via programs quite affordable, two of production and one of mastering. To this i connect a keyboard controller and a sound card to whom i connect the microphone (for recording acoustic instruments, sounds, noises etc..) guitar or synthesizer.

-When we will listen to your debut EP/Album?
My first EP, "Personal EP", was released on Trynacria Records, a label owned by the group Berlin Big Jam Promotions thanks to Salvatore Battiato who I send a hug to, (including "Freaky Juice "is over on some compilation of Ibiza and Latin America) ... then again in 2009 I had the great honour of seeing" Samarcanda "published on Gardenia Records of Smilax Publishing for which I must thank Dario Piana and Riccardo Sada . In the future we hope the best ahaha!

Plastic String 

-Tell us about the "Plastic String" project.
Then Plastic String is a project created by me and my "partner" Benedetto Fiorentini. We want to create an online magazine of experimental electronic music and not only offering interviews, reviews and columns, at the international level, in the footsteps of a few other online magazines, blogs, etc. I know Soundwall (regarding club, electronic techno etc,) CheapSound (which focuses particularly on the Roman scene niche), your Indie's Way Magazine etc... I take this opportunity to thank our staff as Vittoria, Massimiliano, Giuseppe, Pietro e Andrea.


-Where and when did you start learn to play ?
I started my neverstarted carreer..mmm…like 5 years ago, I think…I never learned to play ahahah..I ‘ve just brought out my ideas! And computer music helps a lot in that kind of stuff…obviously now I’m trying to combine analogic to digital, but I started with computer music and controllers.

-What's your favourite artist and song?
Mmmm very hard to answer…Depends on periods, I have many favourite songs and many favourite artists…for example right now I’m listening a lot of Dandy Wharols and Kiss (their moves are sooo cool!)!

-What genres and artists did influence your music?
I listen to a very wide set of music genres and styles; downtempo, electronic, trip hop, new wave, techno, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s music, rock, house, rap, chill, brit pop, nu-disco…from Tangerine Dream, Genesis to Kraftwerck, Seven Lions, Chris Liebing, Gotye, Carl Craig, Inner City, Florence and The Machine, Deep Purple, Jefferson Airplane, Kollektive Turmstrasse, Biggie, Brandt Brauer Frick and Rocketnumbernine…you know it could be a very big list! Ahahah..I like everything I think is made with passion, everything I think a kind of experimental work and that may give me some ideas and inputs!



-How much the live element matters in your Music?
I think live element is the key for the perfect production… I think music is the instinctive expression of what we have inside, you know, feelings, emotions etc. So, live music, spontaneity, is the only way to perfectly and deeply bring out what you really want to express with a track!

-What do you think about Music industry nowdays?
Mmmm thaat’s a long long matter so I will answer as shortly as possible: music is becoming a prostitute, most of people in music business prefers a certain profit to music quality and this fills international musical overview with bullshits, tasteless and passionless productions…I honestly would like to talk about a ..musical decline, even if, obviously and fortunately there are many “exceptions to the rule”!

-What is the message that you'd like to express at the people Who listen to your Music?
I may would like to say too many things with my music ‘cause maybe I feel and think too many things in my head…so all I can say that now comes to my mind is just, enjoy your life with awareness, do everything makes you happy and follow your passion.

-Who do you think are the most relevant musicians nowadays?
All people that produce music with passion and fill it with real feelings…even if nobody knows you (as me), just go on, continue what you do and never stop it, because the important is that this makes you feeling good. 

-How would you define your sound?
Experimental, contorted, complicated, insane and mine.


-What is your favourite book and movie?
I like adventure, action and catastrophic novels (Clive Cussler, Dan Brown etc)…In my best movies top ten we find: “Intouchables”, “Man on Fire” “Avatar”.. but, in general, I love Denzel Washington, Jim Carrey, Eddy Murphy, Nicolas Cage and Will Smith movies.


-How and where do you see yourself in ten years from now?
Ahaha I really don’t know…and to be sincere that scaries me a lot! I can only hope for the best!



-Beatles or Rolling Stones?
Beatles Stones

....:::: MEMORIES ::::....

Sophia Loren by Life

c0rrid0rs

c0rrid0rs

Who are you?

c0rrid0rs

Why did you choose this pseudonym?

c0rrid0rs is a mask like all other masks. She is an ethereal thoroughfare - a modality of transportation, and a looking-glass that shades life with a hue of tragic nostalgia. c0rrid0rs is an angel being swept forward into the future by forces beyond her control, blind to anything beyond the present as she smiles upon the trajectory of each and every self-effacing instance before her.

The zeroes increase Google search efficiency.

Why do you make music and what does it mean for you?

“Only as an aesthetic product can the world be justified to all eternity” (Nietzsche).

“Beauty offers to us for a minute the glimpse of an eternity that we would like to stretch out over the whole of time” (Camus).

In the making of music, in the disalienation of labour and the disalienation of life, we can find peace (momentarily). The final creation that securely enlightens us is always elusive, and in the moment of the generation of art we are haunted by the ambivalent knowledge that any experience of the sublime is immediately followed by its own destruction.

Talking about the compositions of your songs: how and where they born?

c0rrid0rs tracks are born of long observation of ceilings in the early hours of the morning, of wistful searching through seductive fields of maize, of the call to prayer echoing through contesting mountain-tops, and of a rage that has realised its own impotence.

Cover EP "h0ly waters//bjry me"

How would you define your sound?

The sound of waking up late on a Sunday morning and dancing late into the evening through sun-kissed hills, learning of the mystery that can be awakened in the mundane, and laughing and rejoicing at the fact of still being alive.

What genres and artists influenced your music the most? Who do you think are the most relevant musicians nowadays and who are you listening to the most?

In terms of the direct influences of the genre of my music, then I would say without hesitation Shlohmo, followed by Evenings and Holy Other. Recently I’ve been listening to a lot of Flying Lotus and minimalist composers like Philip Glass and Steve Reich. I spend a lot of time listening to John Zorn’s music. His most accessible project is probably The Dreamers, which I would describe as xylophone-driven surf infused with ecstatic klezmer leitmotifs.

You come from UK. What do you think about the music coming from your country and how do you see yourself in relation to them?

I think it’s hard to talk about the whole of the UK music scene, and I wouldn’t say my knowledge of it is in any way comprehensive anyway. If you like my music you should check out Swallows Fly Low on Soundcloud, who is producing some excellent music. I would definitely consider him a contemporary of myself. I come from Glossop, spent much of my teenage years aimlessly wandering around Manchester and am now living in Dalston, London. I’d like to think you can somehow see this in my music.

How much does the live element matter in your music?

I don’t play live. I would love to, but c0rrid0rs is essentially digital composition. I don’t really see how c0rrid0rs live could be anything other than pressing play on an iPod.

If you could pick an artist or a band to play with on a stage, who would you choose?

I would play rhythm guitar with Pentangle in the early seventies. I think they are my favourite band, absolutely held together by Bert Jansch’s guitar playing. Without him, all jangling guitar pop would be unthinkable. Unfortunately, he is dead, so I will play guitar with him when I am dead.

What do you think about the music industry nowadays?

I think we have to go back to Adorno: capitalism progressively hollows out all that is worthwhile in music in making it saleable and fungible, in assimilating it into a commodity form based on the unquestioned rule of exchange-value. But, we have to move away from thinking about this in terms of rigid binaries. We can never really make ourselves truly autonomous of the culture industry, but the internet makes some really exciting things possible. I own a laptop, a cheap keyboard, an entry level midi controller, and a lot of illegally downloaded software. Twenty years ago, the music I made would’ve been impossible without thousands of pounds worth of studio equipment.

What is the message that you'd like to express to the people who listen to your music?

Sleep, play, lust, and declare yourself as useless a bezdelnik as possible.

What is your favourite book and movie?

I don’t read as much as I should. I have a phobia of fiction. Having said that, I’ve just started reading Nabokov’s Lolita, and am really enjoying it. Favourites are tough questions, but Tarkovsky’s Stalker is an incredible film, as is Zhang Yimou’s Hero.

How and where do you see yourself in ten years from now?

In ten years the vapour that controls c0rrid0rs will have been alive for three decades. Maybe it will be rotting away at the centre of the earth, communicating by weekly telegram. It will hopefully still be making music, even if perennially unsuccessful.

...::::MEMORIES::::...

Billie Holiday by Life

THE LAD AND THE OTHERS

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Shout Out Louds

Shout Out Louds

-Hi Shout Out Louds! Let's start with the name of the band, why did you choose this pseudonym?

 That's way too personal, next question!

-Why do you make music and what does it mean for you?

It changed our lifes, we grew up with this band. My entire adult life, the past 12 years. 

Don't know where I'd be without it. I love music.

-A new album ("Optica") is about to be released, is there a link between it and you last one ("Work")? 

Well, they contradict eachother. 

Work was very much a black and white album. 

OPTICA is all about colour and light.

-Many reviewers talk about "Work" as a turning point for your sound, but I think it's more a return to the roots. What do you think about it?

Yes, you're right. WORK is about the five of us playing together, taking away everything else. 

Us, rediscovering the foundations of the band. 

-If it was up to you, how would you define your sound?

Melodic, melancholic and mostly up-beat.

-Talking about the compositions of your songs: how and where they born? Do you have a favorite one?

Blue Ice

Usually Me and Adam create music bits and pieces together and then later, present them to the the band and everybody adds on their part.

-You have recently released the single "Blue Ice": a record actually made of ice. Wanna talk us about this initiative?

I go iceskating with my dad during winter. Here's a link http://player.vimeo.com/video/20338520

and so we have a special relation to ice. The idea of listening to frozen water felt too exciting to miss out on.

-What genres and artists influenced your music the most?

Influences comes from various places, art/music/photography/everyday life etc. I'm gonna name a few so here we go: Guy Bourdain, Yo la Tengo, Sebastien Tellier, Sophie Calle.

-You come from Stockholm, Sweden. What do you think about the music coming from your country and how how do you see yourself in relation to them?

I think Stockholm has a good scene. Many great acts in various genres, always pushing things forward.

-What's your favorite artist and song?

Suicide – Dream Baby Dream

-I have to tell you, your song "Very Loud" is one of my favorites of all time. What's the story behind it?

Escapism. Dreams. And the power of creating something together.

-Who do you think are the most relevant musicians nowadays and who are you listening to the most?

Shout Out Louds

Kindness, Forest, Taken by Trees.

-How much does the live element matter in your music? You have toured with awesome artists such as Strokes, Kings of Leon, The Magic Numbers etc.. Wanna talk us about this experiences?

Playing live is sucha fantastic medium. It's all taking place there and then. 

It's a fragile but important part of being a band.

-A new tour is about to start: there is one place in particular that you can not wait to reach?

Paris. Lots of friends there.

-If you could pick an artist or a band to play with on a stage, who would you choose?

The artist James Turrell, he does wonders with light & colour.

His work would make any show magic - for any band.

-What do you think about the music industry nowadays? Wanna talk us about your experience with the labels? And what would you say to all the young bands looking for a record deal?

"Optica" cover

Call me.

-What is the message that you'd like to express to the people who listen to your music and what would you like to say to your fans?

Explore all things.

-What is your favorite book and movie?

I saw the film Amour not too long ago. I liked it lots.

-How and where do you see yourself in ten years from now?

Cycling Mont Ventoux with Yves Montand in my headphones.

-Beatles or Rolling Stones?

The Beatles

Keaton Henson

Most of us find ourselves searching for meaning in the things we love. It’s in our nature. We make sense of things that are completely random. We often look to music, art, film, television, literature and other mediums to make us ‘think’. And we interpret things differently. There are always discussions on what the artist is saying, just look at any site with song lyrics listed and you’ll find a variety of interpretations for each and every song.

Keaton Henson, though relatively new, is a balladeer who has managed to capture just about every soul who has heard his heartfelt lyrics. What he seems to do differently is perhaps one of the best and worst things about interpreting music. He makes me think about the things that I have done. The things that I have felt.

Does he know… who you are?

Does he laugh…just to know

What he has?

I’m not wondering where his heartache has come from, but how his lyrics so perfectly capture the emotions and feelings that I myself have felt so often. It’s uncomfortable. But I like to think that listening to his music acts much the same way as therapy. Confronting these emotions, these problems that we all encounter, can often lead to dealing with them more effectively. In this way, perhaps listening to Keaton Henson, and attributing his lyrics to the situations I’ve been in, is in some way therapeutic. It’s hard at times, but so very worth it.

Does he know when you’re sad?

You don’t like to be touched,

Let alone kissed.

Does he know where your lips begin?

His album Birthdays is out now

Download ‘You’ for free here…

https://soundcloud.com/keatonhensondear/you

Jeremy Arblaster