W: Hello Stefan, I have discovered your work on phonocake.org where the video “Staubkaskade”, a fractal based animation, has been released. You said there is nothing new about fractals, but your visual interpretation is something new, don’t you think so?

S: Some aspects about the particular fractal I used for my video are new. Instead of using a Julia- or a Mandelbrot-set or one of its derivatives I used the most simple and earliest fractal, the Koch-Curve.

The classical Koch-Curve is “self-avoiding”, that just means it does not cut itself. In the beginning the results of my experiments looked somehow strange. So I decided not to care about the lines and to focus on the “corners” of the curve instead. The result is a set of points I like to call “Koch-Dust”.

I personally believe that many artists limit themselves by trying to do something new instead of doing something they really like. Something, that is worth exploring and understanding. The “new” will appear as a side effect.

W: I’ve stopped right on it at first watch for two reasons. The fractal images are always fascinating and its soundtrack is a cool lift up electro track by Skies Unlimited that has been released on phonocake.org also. The mix between audio and video seems perfect, why did you choose this track for your fractals video?

S: Oh, this is a long story. In the beginning I asked Phonocake’s artists to create a track for me. I got one reply. Fortunately it was a good tune. Later I was bothered by the “Winamp-Effect”. If you show abstract pictures together with sound it might often be misinterpreted as a visual plug-in. So, much to my regret I decided to use a fractal sound instead. This is the reason why two versions of the video exist: The “Festival Version” with the fractal audio was finished in February 2008, its length is 4′:35” and it was mainly sent to film festivals. The “Finale Version” was finished in December 2009, its length is 5′:46”. It is the version that has been released on phonocake.org. Since a lot of film festivals do not accept movies which are already available online I had to delay the release of the “Finale Version” for a long time.

W: In fact you are taking part in a few short film and cinema festivals around Europe where you present your video. How did the audience feel about this fractal video? How is the feedback about this concept?

S: A few? The count is around 40 worldwide except Africa and Antarctica :-) Of course I am not able to travel to every festival, this is just a question of time and money. In real life I am engineer with a 9 to 5 job and a limited number of holidays. However, I managed to travel to Beijing, Los Angeles, Lucca, Weimar and some others. The feedback was quite positive, despite the fact that my way of doing an experimental movie was a little exotic.

Some festivals have a familiar and cosy atmosphere and between all the screenings you might have time to meet some interesting people who do something completely different to what you do.

W: The fractal concept you designed is something like a fractal rebirth in video production. The audience of the festival screenings of your movie is open minded and familiar with new trends in video production. They watch hundreds of films, music videos and video art. What is their first impression about your movie?

S: I would not go so far to call my video a rebirth. The Video – especially the “Festival Version“ – is quite relaxing, and so the audience reacted accordingly. Actually, you do not need to know what a fractal is when you watch my movie, it is more like meditation.

Sometimes I was a bit sad, when my movie was screened in an exhausting “classical experimental” programme. It happened that a screening started with fifty visitors and by the time my movie was screened half of them had left already.

W: Some people worked with you on this project. They are musicians and producers. Do you usually work with them or do you choose different sources for every project you do?

S: This one was a growing project. The first seed was a programme I wrote for a computer science course during my studies in 1996 after I read “The Fractal Geometry of Nature” by Bernoit Mandelbrot. Then nothing happened until 2003 while I finished my studies, found my first job and moved to another city. In the beginning I just wanted to improve my skills in Matlab but the project kept growing. Doing 2D fractals is OK, but why not in 3D? Single pictures are OK, but why not a video? When I faced a problem I tried to solve it by myself. But I am neither a musician nor a programming expert, so from time to time I asked friends for help. Matthias Kramm I knew from a Commodore 64 demo group called Reflex. The guys behind Phonocake I knew because I was involved in some techno party crews in Dresden during the 90’s. In the end it is all about networking.

W: It should be a must to see that video on a giant screen. Where will the next screenings of your video take place? What’s next in 2010?

S: Indeed, a big screen can not be replaced by anything but an even bigger screen. The next chances to prove this are the Cannes Independent Film Festival and the Urban Nomad Film Festival in Taipeh, both in May 2010. At the moment “Staubkaskade” is also touring with the Euroshorts Festival across Poland. Some more applications are pending.

W: Do you plan on performing live with Skies Unlimited?

S: I do not think there will be any live performances with Skis Unlimited for two reasons: On one hand the software behind “Staubkaskade” is not capable for real-time purposes. Matlab is easy to learn but slow. On the other hand the project Skies Unlimited is not active any more. At least Rico Honisch is still quite busy making music.

W: So you are telling me that there is no way to perform this kind of fractal effects live with the currently available technology?

S: It would be possible if an expert rewrites my code. The demo scene proved that a long time ago with Doomsday by Complex and Complex by Doomsday. Adding a suitable user interface would also help a lot.

W: I have browsed a lot of Web sites which feature your video. There are your personal web sites such as pautze.info and staubkaska.de and of course phonocake.org where everything has been released. So what is the best Web location to keep up to date with your next projects and screenings?

S: To keep up to date it does not matter if you check staubkaska.de or pautze.info.

W: Do you use social network pages such as facebook or myspace and if yes how do these channels help you in the promotion and distribution of your works? Are these social networks efficient for self-promoting something like “Staubkaskade”?

S: I try to avoid social networks as good as I can. There is too much data in one hand and I am always bothered about the integrity of the provider. I’ve had many discussions about this topic. A lot of people disagree with my opinion, but I have a strong feeling of uneasiness when I think about this topic.

W: As you told me you are/were working on something new for the 22nd Filmfest Dresden, would you tell us more about that?

S: During all the festivals I sometimes wondered about the very positive feedback. Of course I was very happy about it but I expected much more criticism. Later I realised that my standards have been still those of the demoscene, but hardly any film maker, festival organiser or art enthusiast ever took notice of this scene. It is like two worlds exist parallel to each other. So the idea was to choose demos for a screening in a special programme of a film festival. It turned out that the Filmfest Dresden wanted to give it a try.

It will take place from Tue. 2010-04-20 till Sun 2010-04-25 in different locations in Dresden, Germany. Details can be found at: filmfest-dresden.de

W: So the Filmfest Dresden and two other major film festivals, but what will be next? A new video, a new Phonocake release? What can we expect in 2010? Maybe more fractals?

S: At the moment I just focus on the very last festival applications for the Staubkaskade and the programme about the demoscene for the Filmfest Dresden. I am more and more in the mood of doing some graphics the old fashioned way, just ink and paper. I spend a lot of time in front of a computer, at home and at my job and I feel, a little break would be nice.

W: Thanks for your time, congratulations on your productions and the success they deserve, looking forward to seeing and hearing from you.

staubkaskade.de

pautze.info

Wasamix: Hello Guy J, thanks for sitting down and speaking with us. I really like your remixes for Bent and for Jori Hulkkonen. They are doing quite well in the charts. And then, there’s your LP “Esperanza” and your many gigs around the world, it looks like a Happy New Year is starting for you! So what will be coming next for you?

Guy J: Next is my second album, this is my main project right now, did also remixes for Turbo Records, Faith Records, Sahar z & Guy Manzur and for Henry Saiz and working on production for more gigs to come.

Wasamix: You are spinning all over Europe at this moment. Is this the beginning of a worldwide tour?

Guy J: It’s not a tour for special reason, but I believe soon as I finish the album I will make a tour of it.

Wasamix: Back to your LP: can you talk to us about your influences during its creation? The first track is a real surprise, as is the title track. There is something progressive about them. Would you consider your music to be “experimental” ?

Guy J: I have inspirations but during my album work I put inspirations aside and give it all from inside. An album is a very personal thing I think, people deserve to hear the artist mind on his purest side.

Wasamix: I think your remix for Bent is awesome. You’ve decided to keep the lush sweetness of the original song, which is a bit untypical of you. The result -on an emotional level – works out wonderfully. In the case of this remix, is it the singer’s voice that determined this direction?

Guy J: The Bent track is amazing by itself i didn’t try to make it better in anyway, just to make it playable, the singer’s voice, the piano sound, all beauty.

Wasamix: Can you tell us more about the monthly chart on your Myspace blog? Is that your playlist, or a chart reflecting sales/airplay?

Guy J: Its my play list each track I put there I play, tracks I love.

Wasamix: As we know, dance music charts and playlists evolve very quickly. Would you give us – as an exclusive for Wasamix.com – your very latest Top 5 of tracks that drive your fans crazy on the dance floors?

Guy J:
1. Guy J – Seven
2. Space Manoeuvres – Stage one (Guy J Remix)
3. Sahar Z & Guy Mantzur – Sneaky Monkey (Guy J Remix)
4. Guy Gerber – The Hollywood in You
5. 16 Bit Lolitas – Personal Space

Wasamix: Thanks! So, of all the music and networking sites available, is Myspace the best place to follow you?

Guy J: I also have my Facebook fan page which is well update, both are good

Wasamix: many thanks Guy J, all the best for 2010…

Guy J on:
myspace.com
facebook.com
sweatlodgeagency.com

January 25 2010 2:57 PM (remote interview Antwerp-Milano)

wasamix suggested on 31/12/2009: Bent – As you fall (Guy J mix) @ bent-world.com

Au-Bar
Corfu
Friday, January 29 from 11:25 pm to 2:25 am

Ulster Hall
London
Saturday, February 6 from 11:20 pm to 2:20 am

Pacha
Vilnius
Friday, February 19 from 11:00 pm to 2:00 am

La Rocca
Lier
Saturday, February 20 from 11:00 pm to 2:00 am

Musicien professionel, contrebassiste de formation classique Damien Cesbron sort son premier LP electro ‘Exocity” sur le label Français ANGSTPROD, un album texturé et coloré de jazz, une electro assez typée experimental ambient, entrevue…

Wasamix: Salut Damien, tout d’abord merci de participer à cette entrevue, nous allons bien sûr parler de ton LP à peine sorti sur ANGSTPROD, premier LP, premières productions electro ?

Damien: première production et première release après plusieurs mois de travail dans mon homestudio à Bâle (Suisse) ou je réside depuis 4 ans, 12 compostions originales que j’ai présenté au label, après une première sélection de 7 track j’ai produits deux ultérieurs track, dont Sia Bilou, qui complète aujourd’hui Exocity.

Wasamix: on peut après une écoute attentive retrouver des inspirations jazz, classiques et “industrielles” dans tes tracks, une inspiration qui résulte d’un parcours musical particulier ?

Damien: j’ai fréquenté le conservatoire de musique de Bâle (Musik-akademie Basel) auprès d’un excellent professeur, je joue de la contrebasse depuis mon enfance et bénéficie d’une riche expérience classique avec une touche de jazz, que j’écoute et apprécie particulièrement, aussi je joue du clavier depuis plusieurs années, élément devenu indispensable dans la composition digitale contemporaine, un parcours académique et digital qui abouti aujourd’hui à ce résultat “exo-urbain”*…

Wasamix: un peu de jazz de manière subtile et plus évident dans le track “Elektrojazz”, quel est le style musical prédominant qui t’inspire dans la phase de composition, le fil conducteur de ton style propre ?

Damien: mes productions évoluent au fil du temps, je m’inspire aussi bien du jazz contemporain que de la musique classique dont j’utilise des samples, mais j’utilise aussi des sons d’ambiances, cela va de la rame de métro que j’enregistre de manière spontanée au passage à des sons industrielles que je trouve dans des banques de sons, j’assemble le tout ensuite sur base d’une idée originale, le jazz et présent comme une “couleur” dans ma musique, d’une certaine manière le jazz influence, enrichi et porte une touche originale à la production finale. Une manière d’ouvrir le panorama electro vers de nouveaux horizons…

Wasamix: donc une méthode de travail qui laisse beaucoup de place à l’improvisation ?

Damien: il y à toujours une idée de base, ensuite les synthés numériques et analogiques me permettent d’élaborer en permanences les samples, donc d’improviser, un mise en forme constante qui évolue dans le temps, une improvisation qui peut naître aussi des circonstances.

Wasamix: circonstances acoustiques ?

Damien: je suis en permanence entourés de sons, de musiciens, d’instruments, je bénéficie ainsi d’une banques de sons infinie représentée par la monde dans lequel je vie, mon home studio, le conservatoire, les bruits citadins, toute cette acoustique circonstancielle me concède une liberté permanente à l’improvisation dans la composition, avec le digital j’enregistre des trains ou de la harpe acoustique, chaque son peut ensuite être retravailler et intégrer une composition en cours.

Wasamix: une musique riche de couleurs comme tu aimes la définir, une musique avant tout electro, est-ce que les nouvelles technologies, en particulier le Web comme moyen de diffusion -par excellence- de la musique electro a t-il influencé ton travail, encouragé d’une manière ou d’une autre la production de ton premier LP ?

Damien: non, je voulais réaliser ce LP depuis un bon moment déjà, certainement que l’approche d’un netlabel à facilité la distribution et la visibilité d’Exocity, Web ou pas j’aurais produit Exocity avec la même passion, un projet que j’avais à coeur et qui aujourd’hui est à la portée de tous grâce à un netlabel qui offre en plus d’un label classique une majeur visibilité qu’une major, en ligne et non, la consistance et le résultat restent les mêmes, les netlabels sont une chance inestimable pour les jeunes compositeurs contemporains, surtout dans l’electro.

Wasabix: un projet abouti qui en appel donc un autre pour 2010 ?

Damien: j’ai des compositions “dans le tiroir”, je souhaite avant tout mettre en valeur Exocity fruit d’un long travail, j’ai des projets de participation musicale avec le monde du théâtre et de la dance, je pense qu’une musique colorée s’adresse aussi à l’image, au visuel…

Wasabix: donc un 2010 riche de nouveautés que je te souhaite des meilleurs, merci pour ton temps et surtout pour ton premier LP qui se révèle être une release electro incontournable en ce début d’année.

* exo-urbain [Exocity]: en rapport avec différents aspects de ma musique: l’utilisation de samples de bruits d’industrie, de machines, d’ambiances de la vie quotidienne, de voix qui racontent différents histoires…Tout ça est comme des composantes d’un univers qui serait un lieu imaginaire, en tout cas c’est ce que cela m’évoque: une “ville” mais en dehors, “exo” …

January 4 2010 2:15 PM (remote interview Basel-Milano)

Wasamix: ciao Marco, grazie per esserci

Marco: Thanks to you. You’re welcome!

Wasamix: While doing research on the net about your work, I could only find tracks from 2006 and 2009 with your latest LP “Yves Klein Blue”, released on the netlabel Kahvi collective (kahvi.org). Is this a new start in music production after what seems like a 3 year break?

Marco: As a matter of fact three years are not exactly passed, since in 2007 i released another Ep, always for Kahvi  (a uk/finland indie netlabel), titled “The Thing from Another World”, that received positive feedbacks . While in 2008 i took part with a single track (”Moon Kiss”) to a various artists compilation, always promoted by Kahvi and distributed by the most-known digital music providers, such Beatport, iTunes, mTracks, etc.
In any case, your question effectively put in evidence my production slowness (mixed with a sort of sluggishness),  substantialy due to the fact i’m not a pro musician and therefore I need to balance real-life demands with artistic creativity stimuli. However I can confirm that 2008 was for me a year of stagnation, reflections… at least till September, when I composed all the “Yves Klein Blue” EP under a good creative impulse, except for the main title track, composed at the end of 2007.

Wasamix: In this new LP, the track “Saturn Orange and White Chalk” is a tribute to Harold Budd. How was this track conceived? Did you reminisce on the music you listened to growing up? Can you tell us about your inspiration for this track? Did you aim for something particular, other than simply showing your gratitude for what Harold brought to the field of experimental music?

Marco: I discovered Harold Budd’s work in the early 80’s, through his collaborations with Brian Eno.
I was immediately charmed by his compositions, his arpeggios on piano, and the elaborate sounds of his treated pianos. And it was a spontaneous consequence some melodies of mine were influenced at that time by those arabesqued evolutions, that made me dreaming during listening. And i really owe a poetry creation to Harold Budd, that tells of a orange-red sunset, when houses lights begins to sparkle and flicker far away on some distant hills, while above the sky colours with blue and cyan shades (just for curiouses, Budd’s evocative tracks is “Failing Lights”). During that period a couple of short melodies were born, kept inside me along all these years, because i felt they would be of use in one way or another. And so it happened.
One of those melodies was used in the second part of my track called “Music for No Audience” (from my first EP “The Garden” – 2006), while the other one was used recently in “Saturn Orange and White Chalk”.. and this time the tribute was rightful. Moreover this last track has a peculiar meaning for me, because it conceptually contains all the three creative sides that  characterize me: musical creativity (the track itself), poetic creativity (the inspiring source), pictorial creativity (”Saturn Orange” is an oil colour name, widely used in a canvas of mine, not the planet colour ;)

Wasamix: “Icarus’ Feathers” refers – in part – to the story of Icarus falling and ending up, like a feather on the shore, to be swept away by the waves. Inspired and sensitive, is that  “Gold Monochrome” and  “Yves Klein Blue” ideated by the same way? Is your approach to composing music always literary, refering to history and poetry, or do you also put in some of your personal experience?

Marco: Inspiring sources are manifold and never independent the one from the other. At the end it’s just a personal re-elaboration of a shapeless amalgam of feelings, moods, sensations, words that find after some time a way to express, to realize, under the form of poetry, painting or music. And it seems this last form of art is the one I’m able to find a compromise with what I feel.
And if the result is able to communicate emotions to someone other than me, I can only be really pleased by that.

But one thing is clear: I am never inspired by a specific theme. On the contrary, I join/find a theme to a track, once finished.

Regarding “Icarus”, it all began with the backbeat arpeggios. I was enchanted since a long time by marimba sound (I’m
grateful to Peter Gabriel for let me love them) and I wished to compose a “processual” piece of music as a personal tribute to the minimalist musician Steve Reich.
Every time I played such melody on my keyboard, I dreamed of flying high above fluffy clouds.
And from there to the figure of Icarus, the step is quite immediate: I began to compose the remaining part, trying to visualize in my mind what Icarus could have perceived on freely librating with wings of wax sticked feathers.
But, as mythology teaches us, Icarus was so inebriated by such a lightness sensation he flew so close to the sun that the wax began to melt, collapsing and disappearing into the sea. I imagined only a feather then, dandled and took away by waves, as witness of Icarus’ desire for freedom. And my vision was so strong (a lucid dream?) that I even made a videoclip for “Icarus”, now viewable on YouTube and on MySpace personal page.

Wasamix: I really like the track “Yves Klein Blue”. There’s a familiar sound in there, typically 80’s, that some will recognize. Can you tell us how you went about composing it?

Marco: I could say you hit the mark. Or the track has reached its aim ;)
Joking apart, i really consider “Yves Klein Blue” to be one of my best compositions. Everything began with that fragment of melody perceptible at the start of the second part, a melody that reprises “The Persuaders” TV-series theme, a series I loved so much in my youth. The first part of “Yves Klein Blue” could be considered a slow chillout continuation/re-elaboration of that melody. Afterwards I created the second part, with arpeggios and sharp rhythms. Initially those two parts were completely distinct one from the other, or better two analogous tracks, but with different titles, then mixed together to create the title track that you know.
An early version, poorly arranged compared to the actual one, was played in the spring of 2008 by a well-known female dj at a couple of her gigs in Belgium and Switzerland. Who knows if one of your readers may have attended one of those parties :) I believed so strongly in this track, but I felt at the same time that it needed further arrangements.
And so the “final” version was born, freely released thanks to Nik, Kahvi manager, who always supported and esteemed me, which I express my thanks to.

Wasamix: What can we expect for 2010? What could influence your future work, after having reached the current level of quality with this latest release?

Marco: I hope to compose some new tracks during this year. I’ve already some ideas, but at the moment my creative energy is not at the top. And when I try to compose by force, the result shows clearly the forced effect; so I can only wait for the right time. Regarding the quality, I’m very glad you noticed it. Because I’ve used a different mastering approach with the “Yves Klein Blue” EP. As regards to my previous works and I’m quite satisfied for the obtained result.