Photo by Dan Mumberson

Tracklist - click to open

1. Rashad Becker – Themes 2 [PAN, forthcoming 2013]
2. Ghédalia Tazartès – Cordes [Von, 2012]
3. Hecker – شیمرسازی – Side B Excerpt [Editions Mego, 2012]
4. Vatican Shadow – Nightforce Scopes [Modern Love, 2012]
5. Muslimgauze – Cahcot [Limited Editions, 1986]
6. Powell – 09 [Diagonal, 2011]
7. Wolfgang Voigt – Du Musst Nicht Sagen (Informel Mix) [Profan, 2012]
8. Craig Leon – Donkeys Bearing Cups [Takoma, 1981]
9. Bruce Gilbert – Eline Cout II [Mute, 1986]
10. Members Only – Jack The Floor (Edit T21) [Members Only, 2012]
11. Loefah – Horror Show [DMZ, 2004]
12. Raime – If Anywhere Was Here He Would Know Where We Are [Blackest Ever Black, 2010]
13. Wasteland – Untitled [Transparent, 2004]
14. Mark Leckey – Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore [The Death Of Rave, 2012]
15. Leyland Kirby – Eventually, It Eats Your Lungs [History Always Favours The Winners, 2011]
16. Bellows – Untitled [Holidays Records, 2012]
17. Richard Youngs – Rurtain (Shonny Don) [Alter, 2012]
18. Chasing Voices – Acidbathory [Preserved Instincts, 2010]
19. Consumer Electronics – Oily Possibilities [Hand To Mouth, 2009]
20. Eliane Radigue – Stress-Osaka (June 1969) [Alga Marghen, 2012]

“Secret Thirteen Mix 069” is a thoughtfully selected and one shot recorded complex music compilation, that connects 20 vinyl records released between 1981 and 2013. Original works by such honored artists as Bruce Gilbert, Muslimgauze, Wolfgang Voigt, Eliane Radigue, Leyland Kirby, Vatican Shadow, Raime and other talents clearly mirror solidity and longevity of the mix. These masterworks not only enrich the whole contemporary narrative with an elaborate sound textures and diverse production techniques, but also balance its fundamental emotional and ideological foundation.

The author of the mix is Conor Thomas, Manchester (England) based alternative electronic music DJ, promoter and analyst. Thomas musical career has begun as a DJ since his teens. He started working at Pelicanneck Records and, subsequently, entered one of the world’s leading independent music store Boomkat.com (2004-present). Thomas is also hosting the notable Ploy and Faktion events. He has booked kaleidoscopic live acts and DJ’s such as Omar Souleyman, Group Doueh, Sublime Frequencies, Hieroglyphic Being, Black Rain and many others. Thomas has been gigging between Berlin, London and Manchester. He is mainly recognizable from the Blackest Ever Black events and numerous Unknown To The Unknown raves, as well as DJing opening set at Berghain for CTM‘s Death Of Rave event. In 2012 Thomas co-founded a very promising The Death Of Rave label which has presented such artists as Mark Leckey, Powell and Kareem. Also, in 2012 Thomas began working as A&R in Boomkat Editions.

Conor Thomas future activities announcement: - click to open

“Secret Thirteen Mix 069” is a versatile audio selection that excites the imagination, expands the horizons of music and touches each high-quality and unique music lover’s subconsciousness. The basis stands on the obscure cinematic ambiance, often emerging variable rhythmic patterns and constantly shifting micro percussions. Actually, the mix hides much more than common experiments and compositional structures. Each track deserves indepth analysis as characteristics of each creation have a wide palette of individual sound accents, that need time to be fully absorbed. By starting with transcendental and abstract music Conor Thomas gradually and leisurely develops it into a dynamic and unexpected wholeness. While exploring symbiosis between enigmatic soundscapes and nebulous rhythmic, Conor Thomas exemplary connects different styles of music, which range from experimental, ambient to tribal, industrial and other original electronica. It is important to mention that the opening track by Rashad Becker is still forthcoming on Bill Kouligas PAN label. Also, Thomas has included Mark Leckey’s “Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore”, which was released on his own imprint The Death Of Rave. This influential voyage has everything that could be needed for an inquisitive listener: musical depth, intensity and innovation.

Visual Interpretation - click to open

Lyubov Popova – Lineare Composition

“Secret Thirteen Mix 069” is like a deliberate Suprematism art painting “Lineare Composition” by Lyubov Popova, where distinct artistic trajectories in abstract form creates impression, analytical thinking condition and peculiar tension. The canvas surface, similar to the mix background, is an energy field of overlapping and intersecting angular planes in a constant state of potential release of energy. Conor Thomas’ mix stands more as a projection of material reality and its impression than as a personal expression of a metaphysical reality. Mix definitely reflects Conor Thomas’ constantly expanding musical knowledge, dexterity, sensation and enthusiasm.

More about Conor Thomas:
Facebook – Boomkat

Photo by Emre Uzer

Tracklist - click to open

01. Grauzone – Film 2 [Off Course Records, 1981]
02. Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft – Als Wär’s Das Letzte Mal (As If It Were The Last Time) [Virgin, 1981]
03. Borghesia – Divlja Horda [Galerija Škuc Izdaja, 1983]
04. Kas Product – Never Come Back [RCA, 1982]
05. Alien Sex Fiend – Dead and Buried [Anagram Records, 1984]
06. Sex Gang Children – Oh Funny Man [ROIR (Reachout International Records), 1984]
07. Death Cult – Gods Zoo [Situation Two, 1983]
08. Siouxsie & The Banshees – Candyman [Polydor, 1986]
09. Virgin Prunes – The King Of Junk [Baby Records, 1985]
10. Christian Death – Romeo’s Distress [Frontier Records, 1982]
11. Suspiria – Assassin Soul [Nightbreed Recordings, 1997]
12. Neva – Louchald [Not On Label (Neva Self-released), 1989]
13. Clan of Xymox – 7th Time [4AD, 1985]
14. Little Nemo – Bed In Summer [Not On Label, 1986]
15. For Against – Fate [Independent Project Records, 1990]
16. Tones On Tail – Performance [Beggars Banquet, 1984]
17. The Cure – Lament [Flexipop, 1982]
18. Asylum Party – Julia [Lively Art, 1989]
19. X-Mal Deutschland – Manchmal [Phonogram, 1987]
20. The Sisters Of Mercy – No Time To Cry [Merciful Release, 1985]
21. Malaria! – You You [Rebel Rec., 1985]
22. Death In June – Heaven Street MK II [New European Recordings, 1983]
23. Joy Division – The Eternal [Factory, 1980]

“Secret Thirteen Mix 068” is a comprehensively selected dynamic and forceful musical compilation assembled from 23 influential records released between 1980 and 1997. Authentic and eccentric creations from legendary musicians such as The Sisters of Mercy, The Cure, Joy Division, Grauzone, DAF, Death In June and other skillfull craftsmen evoke a sense of clear lightly anarchistic 1980′s alternative music scene. Mix authors collected and recorded their all time favourite tracks that somehow influenced their sound and vision to Goth culture.

The authors of the mix are She Past Away, a darkwave band from Bursa, Turkey. The band was formed by Volkan Caner (vocal & guitar) and Idris Akbulut (bass) in 2006. By the year 2009 their forces were strengthened by Doruk Ozturkcan (electronic drums). After a long demo-recording session Remoov Records decided to released their first digital EP “Kasvetli Kutlama” (2010). Debut vinyl album “Belirdi Gece” was recently released by Fabrika Records. By fusing gothic lyrics with intense guitars, murky vocals and sensory drum effects, the band is rediscovering experiments of darkwave era with the reflection of such honorable bands as The Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus and Suicide.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 068” is an energetic and coherent music selection that explores archaic rhythms, lively played sound and professional solid vocals. Mix could be associated with 1980s darkwave, new wave, post-punk, gothic rock styles. The basis of this mix stands on the constantly moving rhythmic patterns and melodic agony gained from distorted and sharp electric guitars. The focus is on dramatic and suggestive lyrics and singing is enormous. The mixing is strict, but also contains emotional and ideological exposure. Mixture of perceptible depressive emotions merged with manifesting, frenetic and sometimes sarcastic moods generates a feeling of fictional thriller film soundtrack that is flavoured with chaotic love motives. It is a timeless selection consisting of high-quality and original records that made a strong impact to the whole alternative Rock music evolution.

Visual Interpretation - click to open

Hugh O’Donnell – Body Echo 26. 1990

“Secret Thirteen Mix 068” is like mysterious and dark Hugh O’Donnell‘s abstract art drawing “Body Echo 26” where figurative and hazy lines form a systematic reflection of the refined past.

More about She Past Away:
Facebook – Soundcloud – Remoov Records

“Secret Thirteen Mix 067” is a gradually and powerfully expanding sustained composition that was continually developing and polishing from the late 1990′s till now. Nearly an hour of rational and graphic narrative expansion prevents the loss of listening attention and complete empathy. This intense recording figuratively reflects enormous baggage of scene experience, mature intelligence, arrangement and technological knowledge by its authors.

The authors of this masterwork are Šarūnas Nakas (b. 1962) and Alla Zagaykevych (b. 1966), collaborating contemporary music composers from Eastern Europe. The mastermind behind it is Šarūnas Nakas, Lithuanian composer, essayist, multimedia artist, organiser of contemporary music festivals and presenter of radio programs. Active since the late 1980′s, Nakas is the one of the most notable Lithuanians composers, awarded with various national awards such as Lithuanian National Arts and Culture Prize in 2007. Alla Zagaykevych from Kiev, Ukraine is a contemporary classical music composer, performance artist, organiser of electroacoustic music projects, musicologist. She is responsible for the live-electronics and mixing in this collaboration. Read more about them here and here.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 067” is extremely sophisticated contemporary composition which could be described as assimilation between minimalism, modern classical and noise music styles. Feels like this work deactivates the parallel worlds with all convulsions and paradoxes. Recording emerged from duo’s continuous work called “Ziqquratu” (definition on Wikipedia). It was originally composed for flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin and cello in 1998. It was adapted to the different ensembles twice (Ziqquratu-2 & Ziqquratu-3) and released as CD/DVD “Ziqquratu” by Šarūnas Nakas in 2013. The current version was completely digitized and adapted for this exclusive “Secret Thirteen Mix 067”. However, it still carries significant ideas of the past.

Starting with almost blank background, composition immediately cause the confusion and intrigue to every patient listener. Progressive and accurate development transforms this composition into perplexing ambience. Measured and skilled layering of allegedly static and thrilling textures creates a vivid wholeness. Whirling upper dissonance of atmospheres slightly masks the solid micro activity in a weighty sound environment which could be revealed only by the high-quality headphones or soundsystem. Sharp, sudden and sometimes chaotic instrumentation entries enrich the whole architectural plane with unexpectedness and mood related to horror science fiction films. While maintaining a strong modernist sensibility that reveals itself in the symbolic languages of sound figures and lines, Nakas and Zagaykevych indirectly broadcast interaction of information technologies and the human mind. This lengthy composition may require your concentration, patience, analytical thinking and profound musical knowledge to comprehend all its balanced forceful musical declaration.

Visual Interpretation - click to open

Luminance, 2002, Oil on linen, 94 1/2 x 133 3/4 inches; 240 x 340 cm

“Secret Thirteen Mix 067” is like a puzzling and strangely involving Terry Winters modern art painting “Luminace” where objects and information are transcribed as events; pieces of existing data are re-assembled into new patterns. Formed by impulses, minimalistic shapes are used as an operative abstraction for the construction of the complex matrix. Penetrating composition by Šarūnas Nakas and Alla Zagaykevych mirrors their distinctive and highly influential view to the diverse macro-system processes in earth, scientific and mathematical fields and phenomenons of the universe.

More about Šarūnas Nakas:
Website – mic – facebook

More about Alla Zagaykevych:
Wikipedia – Soundcloud

Photo by Peter Würmli

Tracklist - click to open

01 Christina Kubisch – Diapason (Semishigure, 2002)
02 Jonathan Coleclough – Period (Anomalous Records, 2001)
03 Schurer > Steinbrüchel – 7 – (Nonvisualobjects, 2007)
04 Tsukimono – Blown Away – Time Canvas (Kning Disk, 2007)
05 Ueno – 8 – Sui Gin (Room40, 2008)
06 V. Sjöberg New Jazz Ensemble – Transition – Do Nothing ‘Til You Hear From Me (iDEAL Recordings, 2008)
07 Steinbrüchel – +:- – Spartak Remix (hellosQuare Recordings, 2008)
08 Denseland – Monk – Chunk (Mosz, 2010)
09 Hazard – Tangled Mass – North (Ash International, 1998)
10 Machinefabriek – 13 – Sol Sketches (Champion Version, 2011)
11 Sigbjørn Apeland – Lite – Glossolalia (Hubro, 2010)
12 Steve Roden – Winter Couplet (New Plastic Music, 2002)
13 Steve Roden – Truth is the Bell – Light Forms (Semishigure, 2003)
14 Nicola Ratti – Track Two – Streengs (Senufo Editions, 2012)
15 Thomas Strønen – Interacting Massive Particles – Pohlitz (Rune Grammofon, 2006)
16 Tomoko Sauvage – Amniotic Life – Ombrophilia (either/OAR)
17 Microstoria – Me too modula – Model 3 Step 2 (Sonig, 2000)
18 Jasper TX – I Will Be Birds When I Die – In a cool monsoon (Pumpkin seeds in the sand, 2007)
19 Chris Watson – Adult cheetah resting by beobab tree – Outside The Circle Of Fire (Touch, 1998)
20 Mileece – Fern – Formations (Lo Recordings, 2002)
21 Colleen – Floating in the clearest night – The golden morning breaks (Leaf Label, 2005)
22 F.S. Blumm & Nils Frahm – Kugler – Music for lovers : Music versus time (Sonic Pieces, 2010)
23 Andreas Söderström & Johan Berthling – Flykt – 30° i Februari (Kning Disk)
24 Greg Haines – Snow Airport (for piano) – Moments Eluding (Kning Disk, 2012)
25 Steinbrüchel – Snooze – Silent Room (SK Factory, 2007)
26 Dale Berning – Room the horse and camel stories (Flau, 2007)
27 Pawn – Botttom of bottle – Above the winter oaks (The land of, 2010)
28 Yuichiro Fujimoto – Little Sunset – Komorbi (Smalltown Supersound, 2004)
29 Billy Gomberg – Into – Comme (mOAR, 2009)
30 Attila Faravelli – 4 untitled – Underneath the surface (Die Schachtel, 2009)
31 Schurer – Great Silences – Vexations (Domizil, 2004)
32 Matti Bye, Martina Hoogland Ivanow, Mattias Olsson – Moon behind the Tree – Elephant and Castle (Kning Disk)
33 Alog – Orgosolo II – Unemployed (Rune Grammofon, 2011)
34 Arve Henriksen- Leaf and Rock – Strjon (Rune Grammofon, 2007)
35 Duane Pitre – Section III – Feel Free (Important Records, 2012)
36 GoGooo – Partir Loin – Long, Lointain (Baskaru, 2007)
37 Alexander Rishaug – Drawing a Day – Shadow of Events (Dekorder, 2011)
38 Federico Durand – Elin – El’extasis de las flores peguenas (Own Records, 2008)
39 Takeshi Nishimoto – Memory 4am – Monologue (Büro, 2007)
40 Goldmund – Downward to darkness on extended wings – Cordury road (Type, 2005)
41 Espen Eriksen Trio – To whom it may concern – You had me at goodbye (Rune Grammofon, 2010)
42 Flim – 3 – Pola Music (Powershovel Audio)
43 Nils Frahm – And patterns – Moss (Cote labo)
44 Rafael Toral – RDM – Electric babyland / Lullabies (Tomlab, 2002)
45 The Conet Project – The Swedish Rhapsody [G2A] (Irdial)

“Secret Thirteen Mix 066” is a calmly waving musical compilation that consists of 45 picturesque works released between 1998 and 2012. Smooth and refreshing pieces by notable contemporary music artists and composers such as Steinbrüchel, Steve Roden, Jasper TX, Nils Frahm, Benny Nilsen, Chris Watson, Greg Haines and others let the listeners experience a high-quality and authentic musical voyage.

The author of the mix is Ralph Steinbrüchel (b. 1969), a Swiss sound sculptor, performer and graphic designer now living in Zurich, Switzerland. After starting his career in the middle of 90s, Steinbrüchel has gradually achieved a global recognition among contemporary music listeners, records buyers and media. His electronic minimalistic experiments, aesthetics and conceptual arrangements are so easy to immerse in. In over than a decade Steinbrüchel has created numerous records released on honorable labels such as Line, Room40, and/OAR, 12k, BineMusic and others. Fruitful collaborations with talented musicians such as Cory Allen, Frank Bretschneider, Günter Müller, Kim Cascone and Machinefabriek definitely strengthened his technical knowledge and diplomatic skills. It is important to mention that Steinbrüchel has studied Communication Design at Central Saint Martins School in London, where he was awarded a degree of Masters of Arts and Design with distinction. He creates various designs and artworks under name ORDNER.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 066” is a coherent and contemplative 2-hour audio compilation that definitely mirrors Steinbrüchel’s inner peace and his mellow musical taste. The transcendental music concept is developing slowly, thus there is enough time for absorption of every segment and for the freedom of interpretation also. By carefully choosing and connecting tracks, Steinbrüchel creates the significant wholeness which is carefully balancing between light and often shapeless musical textures. Luminous musical background of this mix is covered with a sonorous soft tension. Extensive aerial atmospheres are drifting through the whole work and gently changing forms by assimilating even a rustle sound. Melancholic and sentimental kaleidoscopic melodies immerse in the field of contemporary compositions while occasionally emerging diverse instrumentation entries and refined varying piano chords bring some vitality into this selection. Sometimes appearing gentle glitches, oscillating and mesmerising live recordings, drowned and improvisational rhythms subtly enrich the whole cinematographic soundscape.

Visual Interpretation - click to open

Henri Matisse, Blue Nude , 1952

“Secret Thirteen Mix 066” is like a delicately intimate and marvelous expressionistic paper cutout “Blue Nude” by Henri Matisse where expressive character covered with ocean blue colour presents calmness, concentration and intelligence. Steinbrüchel’s mix is like a peaceful and scenic journey into the vivid memories of life.

More about Steinbrüchel:
Website – Twitter – Ordner

Tracklist - click to open

1. Alvin Lucier – The Wire III [Lovely Music, Ltd., 1980]
2. Eleh – Indictiva [Important Records, 2009]
3. James Tenney – For Ann (Rising) [Frog Peak Music, 1992]
4. David Dunn – Gradients [New World Records, 2007]
5. Farben – Rrival Inn (All) [Faitiche, 2010]
6. Wendy Carlos – Incantation [Audion, 1986]
7. Cristian Vogel – Sora Tobu Black Swan [Sub Rosa, 2010]
8. Annea Lockwood – Vibrating Pane [¿What Next? Recordings, 1997]
9. Basic Channel – Presence Edit [Basic Channel, 1995]
10. Lee Gamble – Kuang Shaped Prowla [Pan, 2012]
11. The Haxan Cloak – Consumed [Tri Angle, 2013]
12. Terry Riley – Bird of Paradise (Part 5) [Elision Fields, 2007] [originally recorded in 1965]
13. Alvin Lucier – The Wire III [Lovely Music, Ltd., 1980]
14. Various Artists – No. 9 [FatCat Records, 1997] from album “Various Artists ‎– 8 8.5 9″
15. Pan Sonic – Hades [Blast First Petite, 2010]
16. Eliane Radigue – Backward 9,5 [Important Records, 2009] [originally composed in 1970]
17. Charlemagne Palestine – Negative Sound Study [Alga Marghen, 2002] [recorded in 1969]
18. Gérard Grisey / Les Percussions De Strasbourg – Untitled from “Le Noir De L’Etoile” album
19. Charlemagne Palestine – Negative Sound Study [Alga Marghen, 2002] [recorded in 1969]
20. Mnong – Untitled from “Musique Mnong Gar Du Vietnam” [Ocora, 1972]
21. Phill Niblock – Didjeridoos And Don’Ts [Blast First, 1995]

“Secret Thirteen Mix 065” is a graphic and systematic music selection that gradually connects 19 specific records released between 1965 and 2013. Works of talented and honorable American composers such as Terry Riley, Charlemagne Palestine, Alvin Lucier precisely combined with nowadays active electronic music luminaries such as Pan Sonic, Farben, The Haxan Cloak, Lee Gamble recordings create a scenic and continuous listening experience.

The author of the mix is Rrose, a disguised contemporary techno producer, performer and DJ. Rrose’s pseudonym simulates Marcel Duchamp’s fictional persona Rrose Sélavy (Eros, c’est la vie). Rrose project emerged in 2011, however the man behind the project is not a rookie in music. Exploring electronic music scene depths and various art mediums from the early 1990s, he has achieved a solid musical and management knowledge. Rrose is not frank talking about his past career: “I’m not trying to remain anonymous per se, just trying to occupy a tidy, humble place on the internet and keep the project as self-contained as possible.”. Rrose has signed and released numerous of records on the legendary Sandwell District label and on his new imprint Eaux as well. He is also managed to work with notable artists such as Bob Ostertag, Dadub, Matmos, Minilogue and others. Rrose works are full of strict rhythmics, repetitive hypnotic patterns and studious device effects employment. By following Rrose mixes on Resident Advisor and Electronique.it, Secret Thirteen journal reveals the other side of Rrose and invites all the high-quality music lovers to explore this influential mix.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 065” is a measured compilation that ideologically, technologically and emotionally smoothly emerges, evolves and expands. The structural and conceptual development of this mix is deliberate, accurate and tactful. An impression that this mix is a long sustained composition never goes away during all the listening time. Rrose deeply examines shapeless and experimental sounds that are out of the club music frames related to his personal creations. The basis stands on the prolonged sweeping atmospheres, formless rhythmic convulsions and three dimensional sonorous space. The background is full of occasionally appearing diverse percussion, tribal motives and digitized field recordings. Skilled, unique and expressive use of various hardware in each included piece enriches the main wholeness with the particularity, vividness and innovation of sound. Imaginative and hypnotic drowned rhythmical sequences always arise at the right time thus there is no way to lose attention and sensation till the very end.

Visual Interpretation - click to open

Marcel Duchamp, Nude (Study), Sad Young Man on a Train (Nu [esquisse], jeune homme triste dans un train), 1911–12

“Secret Thirteen Mix 065” is like a complex Marcel Duchamp cubist art painting “Sad Young Man in a Train” with all its murky surroundings and subordination of representational fidelity to the demands of the abstract composition. Blurred and rich of theatrical colours, “moving” landscape reflects an alternative narrative perspective in this painting. Feels like Rrose’s mix is carrying an idea related to early Italian Futurists whom were emphasizing and glorifying themes associated with contemporary concepts of the future, including speed, technology, novelty and violence.

More about Rrose:
Website – Label

Photo by Helena Hrcek

Tracklist - click to open

01. The Haters – Iny 3 (Hanson Records, 2009)
02. Russell Haswell – A Horde Of Flies Feast On A Rotting Pheasant Carcass (Extract) (Editions Mego, 2009)
03. Anodyne – Empires Of Glass (Fausten remix) (Combat, 2012)
04. Shapednoise – Branches Of Utopian Or Dystopian (Hospital Productions, 2013)
05. Woob – Strange Air (e:mt, 1994)
06. Dome – keep it (Dome Records, 1980)
07. Akira Rabelais – 1440 Promp. Parv. 518/2 Wawyn, Or Waueryn, Yn A Myry Totyr, Oscillo. (Samadhisound, 2004)
08. Violetshaped – Out Of Any Symmetry (Violet Poison, 2013)
09. Zoviet France – Untitled “album Mohnomishe” (Red Rhino Records, 1983)
10. Professor Broxburn – Flat Slab (Skam, 1997)
11. Flash Resonance – Ouragan Sur L’ Etna (Charles Talar Records, 1979)
12. Datach’i – Event.Choke (Sublight Records, 2006)
13. Seefeel – Gatha (Warp, 1995)
14. Geir Jenssen – Cho Oyu Basecamp-Morning (Ash International, 2006)
15. Joel Vandroogenbroeck – Dark Plasma (Coloursound Library, 1980)
16. Gescom – Key Nell 3 (Skam, 1996)
17. Synapscape – 7th Sect (Ant-Zen, 1999)
18. Pan Sonic – Vainamoisen Uni/Vainamoinen Dreams (Blast First Petite, 2010)
19. Uniform – When The Sun Turns To Numbers (feat. Alan Vega) (Planet Mu, 2006)
20. Scorn – Trondheim-Gavle (Scorn Recordings, 1995)
21. Zenith – Aura (Ambient World, 2010)
22. Dadub & King Cannibal – Transfer (Stroboscopic Artefacts, 2013)
23. Venetian Snares – If I Could Say I Love You (Planet Mu, 2007)
24. Emptyset – Collapse (Raster-Noton, 2012)
25. Autechre – Rettic Ac (Warp, 1997)
26. Autechre – Gantz Graf (Warp, 2002)
27. Jeff Mills – Free Thinkers (The Dream) (Axis, 2011)
28. Ben Frost – The Carpathians (Bedroom Community, 2009)
29. Milanese – One Eye (Planet Mu, 2006)
30. Withering Zithering – Recombinant Organism (Acre Recordings, 2012)
31. Loscil – Still Upon The Ocean Floor (One, 2006)
32. Chris Watson – Gahlitzerstrom (Touch, 1996)
33. Boards Of Canada – Pete Standing Alone (Warp, 1998)
34. LFO – Them (Warp, 1996)
35. ADMX-71 – south 4st Connection (Sonic Groove Experiments, 2012)
36. Converter – Drain (Hymen Records, 2007)
37. The Human League – Future Religion (Black Melody, 2002)
38. Bitstream – Psalm Twenty Two (Modern Love, 2004)
39. Carter Tutti Void – V4 studio (Slap 1) (Mute, 2012)
40. Demdike Stare – Nuance (Modern Love, 2012)
41. Imaginary Forces – And I Should Live In The Anxiety Of Not Knowing (Sleep Codes, 2012)
42. Jack Dangers – Available Memory (Important Records, 2003)
43. Funkstorung – Untitled “album Acid Planet 13″ (Acid Planet, 2003)
44. Alan Lamb – Last Anzac (Dorobo, 1998)
45. Hecker – Protog-Eep-Forma-Quack (Mego, 2003)
46. African Head Charge – Belinda (On-U Sound, 1985)
47. Exocet – Sensitive Size (Ant-Zen, 2009)
48. Hallucinator – Rocket (Chain Reaction, 1999)
49. Ugandan Methods – Imperium (Boomkat Editions, 2012)
50. Ontal – Foray (unreleased)
51. Louis and Bebe Barron – Battle With the Invisible Monster (Small Planet Records, 1989)
52. Phalangius – Scotland Yard Tea Break (Strange Life Records, 2007)
53. Orphx – Wound Profile (Hands Productions, 1999)
54. Hecq – Come Home (Hymen Records, 2008)
55. Aidan Baker – Pretending To Be Fearless (Important Records, 2008)
56. Various Artists – Modulo 8.5 By Monolake (FatCat Records, 1999)
57. Project Arctic – Third Pole (Nautilus, 2004)
58. Richard Devine – Float (Schematic, 2001)
59. Jochem Paap – Dx-snth (Fax +49-69/450464, 1999)

“Secret Thirteen Mix 064” is a systematic and dynamic music selection that fuses 59 magnetic records released between 1980 and 2013. This compilation contains timeless production by such striking artists as Autechre, Orphx, Emptyset, Demdike Stare, Aidan Baker, Shapednoise, Ugandan Methods, Zoviet France and other stylistically related talents.

The authors of the mix are Boris Noiz and Darko Kolar, Serbian electronic music producers and DJs, known as Ontal. Formed in 2011, the duo started to explore energetic, subtly harsh and obscure sound trajectories related to techno and industrial music styles, however Ontal formers are not newbies in the music scene. Noiz is productively releasing his solo works and runs a Lost In The Sound project, while Kolar has recently started his new imprint Unknown Structures. The great enthusiasm and subtle diversity in their works started to glow in the vast techno scene. Ontal remix for Fausten was recently released by Ad Noiseam, also they have recorded a few strictly rhythmic mixes for Mantis Radio and Subsekt audio platforms. Ontal has upcoming releases such as “Output EP” on Darkfloor and records on a promising Violet Poison label later this year. Ontal has performed in such notable events and festivals such as Exit Festival, Fondation Sonore, Naherholung Sternchen and more. These guys are definitely worth your attention as they got youthful maximalism, a lot of production coming out and a bunch of hidden gems to share.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 064” is a flexible and gradually expanding mix that mirrors the mobility, consistency and longevity of selected music. Mix was created by using multiple format records (vinyl, CD, cassette and mp3/wav) from the part of Ontal’s music library that influenced their sound and life. The developing of music is carefully thoughtful and accurate that can catch attention of every listener from the very first minute. It is more like a sound collage as many tracks beautifully unfolds while they are precisely mixed in a deliberate sequence. This type of layering creates new formations and consonances that generate diverse compositions sounding in another conceptual perspective. This mix could be related to musical styles such as IDM, techno, experimental, ambient. The basis of the mix stands on the skillfully and architecturally constructed and deformed beats, noisy and abyssal bass lines, mathematical synth patterns. Dexterous electronic modulation collisions with vigorous, compelling rhythmical matrix and spacious ambiance create a dimensional listening experience. High-quality, innovative and in some parts improvisational sound synthesis reflects Ontal’s view to their own measured production, its expression and perfection.

Visual Interpretation - click to open

Bruce Nauman, NO (Black State) 1981 © ARS, NY and DACS, London 2002

“Secret Thirteen Mix 064” is like a resistant Bruce Nauman contemporary lithograph “No” where emotive and irregular brush strokes antagonise or disorient. It is a refusal to offer solace or affirmation to the viewer who is looking only for fashion and temporary beauty. Ontal’s mix shows their tandem allegiance to different times production, their view to the work and responsibility, balanced musical taste that touches and inspires.

More about Ontal:
Facebook – Soundcloud

Photo by Adriano Ferreira Borges

Tracklist - click to open

1. Thomas Köner – Untitled “album Nunatak Gongamur” [Barooni, 1990]
2. Violetshaped – The Lord Won’t Forget (Roly Porter Remix) [Violet Poison, 2012]
3. Paul Jebanasam – Rites II [Subtext, 2013]
4. Emptyset – Trawsfynydd Nuclear Power Station – Snowdonia, Wales 17.12.12 [Subtext, 2013]
5. Peder Mannerfelt – Arss [We Can Elude Control, 2012]
6. Andy Stott – Expecting [Modern Love, 2012]
7. Demdike Stare – Misappropriation [Modern Love, 2013]
8. Ilpo Väisänen – Autioitu 1 [Mego, 2001]
9. Signal – Rawema [Raster-Noton, 2007]
10. Emptyset – Awake [Caravan Recordings, 2009]
11. Alva Noto feat. Anne-James Chaton – Uni Acronym [Raster-Noton, 2011]
12. Powell – Oh No New York [The Death Of Rave, 2013]
13. Sleeparchive – MRI Scanner [Sleeparchive, 2007]
14. Helm – Arcane Matters [Pan, 2012]
15. Emptyset – Collapse [Raster-Noton, 2012]
16. Diamond Version – Sense of Urgency [Mute, 2013]
17. Ugandan Methods – A Cold Retreat [Boomkat Editions, 2012]
18. Shadow – Where There Is Only Light [Avian, 2012]
19. Metasplice – Thermite Jack [Morphine Records, 2012]
20. Diamond Version – Turn On Tomorrow [Mute, 2013]
21. Jeff Mills – I9 [Axis, 1996]
22. Mika Vainio – Barbarians [Raster-Noton, 2009]
23. Kangding Ray – Oise [Stroboscopic Artefacts, 2012]
24. Vainio / Väisänen / Vega – Red Light Down [Blast First, 1998]
25. Laurie Spiegel – Drums [Unseen Worlds, 2012]

“Secret Thirteen Mix 063” is a precisely crafted dynamic musical selection that connects 25 constructive records released between 1996 and 2013 on influential labels such as Raster-Noton, Modern Love, Stroboscopic Artefacts and Pan. Carefully mixed works by skilled artists such as Alva Noto, Mika Vainio, Ilpo Väisänen, Andy Stott, Ugandan Methods and other talents form a progressively shifting complex soundscape. The compilation consists personal creations by its authors too and shows their sound flexibility, modernity and individuality.

The authors of the mix are Paul Purgas and James Ginzburg (director of the Multiverse studios), a Bristol based electronic music duo, widely known as Emptyset. Since 2005 when project was established, Emptyset has released numerous of critically acclaimed records on labels such as Raster-Noton, Subtext, CLR and others. Their innovative analogue production can be characterized as liberal, contemporary and phenomenal. By exploring the depths of bass, architectural rhythmics, repetitive minimalistic glitch and noises, Emptyset creates absolute sound art that thrills and inspires even the die-hard music critics. It is a conceptual and original collision among techno, noise and experimental musical styles. It is important to mention that Emptyset recordings are always accompanied with abstract and solid visual art. This fact strenghtens their identity with a unique graphic expression and transcendent motion. Emptyset actively tours across the globe, they have presented live performances at such notable festivals and places as Sonic Acts XIV, Mutek, Berghain, Boiler Room and Sounding Space.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 063” is a dimensional and continuous mix that amazes with its refined diversity, authenticity and crystal quality. The large part of the selection is arranged from the recently released material and a few classic tracks like “I9” by Jeff Mills or “Red Light Down” by Vainio, Väisänen and Alan Vega astonishing project. It is also interesting to hear “Arss”, a new piece by Roll The Dice and Fever Ray producer Peder Mannerfelt that was released on Paul Purgas imprint We Can Elude Control, also “Trawsfynydd” from the fresh Emptyset record “Material”. The ideological and emotional development of the mix is excellent. It gradually transforms from the cinematic ambiance to the earnestly constructed rhythmics. It creates a rich, literary type of narrative with all its thrilling convulsions. The mixing is accurate, smooth and mellow. By wisely connecting two or three tracks at one time Emptyset achieves effective new formations. The basis of the mix stands on the striking low bass strokes, diverse rhythmic matrix and incredible effect modulations in each work. The truth is that Emptyset intuitively knows how to intrigue, maintain attention and impress. The whole selected sound mirrors Emptyset creations and their definitely future-thinking and open-minded view to the music.

Visual Interpretation - click to open

Francis Picabia. Junelle. c.1921-22. Watercolor on paper. 74 x 60 cm. Private collection

“Secret Thirteen Mix 063” is like a mathematical Francis Picabia’s abstract art painting “Junelle” where odd geometric figures create a hauntingly puzzling image. Sharp lines, delicate colour tones and the whole schematic background reflect intelligence, progress and imagination of the inquisitive observer. Finally Emptyset mix stands as a well written fictional instruction how to open a passage to one’s higher level of perception.

Important! Emptyset has just released a new LP “Material” on Subtext Recordings.

More about Emptyset:
Resident Advisor – Facebook – Twitter

Photo by Chris Erlbeck

Tracklist - click to open

1. Eric Thielemans – Music For A While [Sub Rosa, 2012]
2. Un Caddie Renversé Dans L’herbe – www.ponteensupiel.org [Dekorder, 2003]
3. Stian Westerhus – Kept On Shoulders [Rune Grammofon, 2012]
4. Svarte Greiner – Lightning Cut [Immune Recordings, 2013] (coming record store day 2013) *
5. Aphex Twin – Untitled, Saw2 [Warp Records, 1994]
6. Nils Petter Molvær – Kakanita (Remix – Deathprod) [Rune Grammofon, 2006]
7. Two Lone Swordsmen – As Wordly Pleasures Wave Goodbye… [Warp Records, 1998]
8. Kaboom Karavan – Kartoon Kannibal [Forthcoming on Miasmah, June 2013]
9. Nick Mott – Deep Dust (Excerpt) [Altvinyl, 2012]
10. B/B/S/ – 29th August 2012 [Unreleased] **
11. Joe McPhee – A Night On Rose Mountain (Intro) [Roaratorio, 2007]
12. Erik K Skodvin – Erik K Skodvin – Blind [Sonic Pieces, 2012] ***
13. Thomas Ankersmit – Hangar Performance, Tallin May 29th 2010 [Touch, 2010]
14. Portraits – Gong [Important Records, 2012]
15. SGAR (Svarte Greiner & Alexander Rishaug) – Live At Rhiz, Vienna November 2011 [Unreleased]

* From the upcoming Svarte Greiner / Lakes of Grass and Gold (aka Erik Enocksson) 7″ split
** Improv recorded at NK, Berlin together with Aidan Baker and Andrea Belfi.
*** From the 7″ split with Otto A Totland “Harmony from the past”

“Secret Thirteen Mix 062” is an intently selected, enigmatic musical selection that weaves 15 subtly penetrating works from the last two decades. Beside production of such influential musicians as Aphex Twin, Thomas Ankersmit, Stian Westerhus, Eric Thielemans and others, the mix hides inside some exclusive material from its author and upcoming releases on his own record label. The fluid development of sound trajectory and scenic mood should reach even the most sophisticated listener.

The author of the mix is Erik Knive Skodvin (b. 1979), publicly known as Svarte Greiner, a Norwegian electronic music (dark ambient / experimental / modern classical) artist, now residing in Berlin, Germany. Active since the late 1990′s, Skodvin has already released numerous of distinctive records on critically acclaimed labels such as Type, Sonic Pieces, Experimedia and of course his own influential imprint Miasmah. Skodvin is a one half of the Norwegian duo Deaf Center and also participating in such promising music projects as B/B/S/ and Norwegian Noise Orchestra. Skodvin creates nonrhythmic orient music that is mostly arranged from the field recordings, various instruments, dimensional device effects and thrilling horror-influenced experiments. It is important to mention that Skodvin is a freelance graphic designer and that is why the art related to his activities looks so smooth and continuous. Skodvin is probably one the most active persons in the field of intellectual music worldwide at the moment.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 062” is an expressive mix of Skodvin’s musical inspirations that follow the ideology of his previous mixes on Resident Advisor and Inverted Audio. By combining different time and genre compositions Skodvin subtly reveals how his musical taste has mutated in years and what works passed the challenge of time in his audio library. After a few attentive and objective listens to this mix it is clear to state that this is an uninterrupted one man’s masterwork. It is a very hard task to trace the collisions of tracks as Skodvin perfectly studied the tracklist and surely knew where, how and what works should be mixed. The basis of the wholeness holds on the intelligently reshaped and digitalized live instrumentation, accurately modulated sublime ambiance and occasionally emerging improvisational percussions. High-quality sounds delicately varying among cathedral, live and club type recordings enrich the whole melancholic and sentimental atmosphere with hypnotism. Light cacophony and absolute obscurity unfolding in various parts strengthens the whole emotional listening satisfaction and imagination. These subtle confusion and depression convulsions are important to each one’s powerful creativity.

Visual Interpretation - click to open

Lee Bontecou (American, b. 1931), Bird, 1958, bronze, 21 3/4 x 11 3/4 x 31 in. Terese and Alvin S. Lane Collection, 6.1

“Secret Thirteen Mix 062” is like resistant Lee Bontecou abstract bronze sculpture “Bird” where bird like supernatural figure creates a reflection of dignity, solidity, intelligence and eternity. The narrative of this object could be split into two different interpretations: it symbolizes the observer of all mankind existence mysteries or it could be interpreted as a link to the mental travel into another fabulous parallel universes. This recording definitely represent Skodvin’s conceptual concentration, spiritual balance and musical sophistication constantly growing with every of his esoteric release.

Svarte Greiner’s new LP “Black Tie” is coming out on Miasmah on April 26th.

More about Svarte Greiner:
Website – Facebook

Photo by Lyja

Constructing unearthly narratives that convince with truthfulness – an interview with an influential visual art composer KORB

Rimantas Lukavičius is a director and founder of digital filmmaking and design company KORB, based in Vilnius, Lithuania. Having started to work on diverse motion designs while studying architecture and photo/media in 2007, Lukavičius has progressively established itself in the arts world. By working with such well-known brands as MTV, Formula 1, Discovery USA (SCI Channel) and other notable companies KORB drew a subtle balance line between art and commerce. Rimantas and his productive team works were recognized in such worldwide festivals as Resfest, Onedotzero, Semi-Permanent, KTR Festival. Circuito Off festival even awarded KORB with special prize – screening at Centre Pompidou in Paris (2013).

The unexpected and subtly aesthetic scenes created by KORB require your imagination, empathy and receptivity. This is where organic inspirations meet supernatural world, thus leading observer into the fictional sphere of visionary happenings. Focusing on aesthetic, imaginative consistency and technical perfection delivers incredible narratives and implement impressive ideas in the work. High-quality works, innovation, originality and suggestibility are landmarks to KORB brand developing ideology and constantly growing creative identity. Their website declares “KORB explores the physical and mathematical nature of unusual forms, substances and materials, which reveals the particular field of photorealism in the industry – photosurrealism”. This is the obvious truth. With over 1 million unique views on Vimeo KORB continues to investigate and reshape multi-platform world and amaze every spectator of the surreal digital reality.

Secret Thirteen invites you to know more about KORB phenomenon by reading this smart and informative interview with Rimantas Lukavičius.

How would you describe your works in terms of style, enduring value and ideology behind them?

Basically, I think that our works don’t fit into one concise category of style or ideology, but I’d probably focus on minimalism as a main and most crucial point in my works. Minimalism focuses on shapes, textures, reflections. The same you can feel in our works.

Another fundamental starting point is imperative of aesthetics. Or we can simply call it beauty, even attractiveness. Our team design addicts, art lovers, fashion and architecture trend hunters. On the other hand we are driven by passion for technology, we are obsessed by mathematical precision and programming subtleties as well as physics and chemistry. The most enjoyable is the process of combining all these passions to achieve aesthetical and technical perfection.

Anyway, I feel that our latest visual experiments with digital sculptures lead us behind the boundaries of photorealism, closer toward photosurrealistics.

Can you tell us a bit more about your collaboration with MTV, Formula 1, Discovery? What were the positive and the negative aspects of working with these brands?

MTV was the first big commercial project for Korb. And probably the best project could ever be for the starting VFX company. We had an absolute creative freedom. And very big creative support from MTV creative director John Kwoka. The project was really huge for such a small team, enough challenging from technical side and the deadline was pretty tight. But we really did the best we could, and a little bit more to be honest. It worked: MTVHD Lake won Gold in animation category at KTR Festival, Idents were featured by most influential online magazines and blogs, I won a prestigious ADC Young Guns award.

Formula 1 allowed us to learn from inside how the world of advertising works. We collaborated with London based advertising agency DixonBaxi. TV Idents for Science was another amazing project with our great friends from London based Design and Motion studio ManvsMachine.

As to negative aspects, I actually don’t think that working for world known brand is much different than for any other client. The main challenge and aspiration is to enjoy the process and achieve the final result, that satisfies not only the client, but you and your team as well.

It is common for people working in creative industries to have many projects at a time? How important is the flexibility when you are working on a number of projects?

We are lucky enough not to rush among big amount of projects going on at the same time. Our team is quite small – four people and a few freelancers we usually collaborate with. Actually, we can’t work on more than one or two big, challenging projects at once.

Sometimes we have to turn down good and very interesting projects and it never is an enjoyable process. But we believe that those with whom we work appreciate and understand the fact that we’ll focus on project 100 percent. So, actually, every project, which we produce, every story we tell is a preferential for us.

Any lessons learned from your past collaborations? What would you do different the next time?

Every new project is a new story. Every client is unique and distinctive. The lesson you have learned working with one client might not work for another.

It’s amazing to feel passion to collaborate from the first email or call. If you understand that the client fully trusts you, it becomes a powerful stimulant for your team’s creativity. Probably the most proved principle is not to get involved in the projects for which you don’t feel passion.

Invaluable experience for me is the opportunity to work with people from all around the globe. It’s absolutely amazing how different we all are, how differently people communicate, think, create, negotiate and act. It’s really important not to treat cultural differences as barriers. On the contrary, when you see it as an advantage, plenty of new opportunities come.

Have you ever found that you had to prioritize the project over feelings or needs of people?

Our latest works combine experiences of different people now: it’s a mix of our creativity and knowledge. Working in a team you have a virtue to operate in a much more expanded field of view than working alone. Unfortunately, sometimes you have to postpone even brilliant ideas of your team, if you feel it would not work this time.

How do you make efficient decisions?

It depends on the problem you have to solve. If it’s about creativity, very casual things can help sometimes like a few days off in the forest or near the sea. Thought sometimes you have to feed your brain again and again to come up with something visually striking. If I need to recharge batteries swiftly for some bothersome business or bureaucratic issue, 10 minutes of intensive ping pong in the office might help as well.

Filmmaking involves thousands of decisions. How do you reduce the amount of decisions that you need to make?

We have a wonderful team and everyone knows what he is responsible for. That really helps in dealing with big projects. Another important thing is to learn to set the priorities and focus only on the most important issues.

How would you describe the difference between the visual art scene here in Lithuania and Europe or the rest of the world?

We are witnessing a huge explosion of creativity and quality. Actually we’ve become a source of inspiration to each other. Everything is so mixed and intertwined that all traditional differences, that we used to see, are vanishing now. In my opinion, contemporary visual language is more convenient to deliver the message than any other language in the world.

The viral creativity has dramatically affected creators, audience and the content too. Using new visual language we became able to tell new kinds of stories, we can see things and feel sensations, that were invisible, hidden and even unimaginable before.

That’s why it is the amazing time to be a visual storyteller. And listener as well.

How do you balance between the reality of business and the process while maintaining creative integrity?

If you start a company to make money, you become a businessman. Korb, which was my personal pseudonym as an artist at first, became a company, because I didn’t see any other way to proceed further with projects that I wanted to work on. It’s just a tool to organize all formalities.

We are quite small and we see it as a huge advantage, that we can work with big and challenging projects now, but we don’t need to be in stew regarding a lot of income and take jobs that we are not happy with. Design & VFX boutique right now is the best way for me personally to balance between business and creativity.

What public figures impress you and inspire your works?

Jim Jarmusch, Daniel Askil, Zaha Hadid, Anish Kapoor, Santiago Calatrava, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Muhammad Ali, Steve Reich, Ruichi Sakamoto, Carsten Nicolai, Robert Henke, Iris Van Herpen, David Gahan, Quentin Tarantino, Tilda Swinton and many more.

What were one of your most memorable moments?

You spend days and months exploring, creating, modeling and rendering, balancing between your personal, your team’s and client’s aspirations. Then you get comments, after that you get likes, shares, posts, views, embeds, your works become part of one big global visual story. And actually a fundamental part of your brain, soul, your life and entity.

A few months ago I was invited to present Korb at centre Pompidou in Paris at Hors Pistes festival. Before screening we decided to make a test to check quality, sound etc. I was sitting absolutely alone in a big empty cinema hall, looking at my works I was working on for months and years. It was really marvelous moment to see it on big screen, in such a quality and size, to listen to the sound through high-end system. And to imagine all these people, who will come to the screening, and their feelings. This little moment of seeing my works newly, in absolutely new context was really surprising for me.

What is your favourite audio record of all time? Do you often listen to the music and how much important for you is the quality of sound, innovation?

I listen to the music really often, mostly all the time in the office. It is a very important point both to my creativity and even to my daily life. But I can’t say that I have a favorite record and even favorite artist. Having such is a little bit risky for me to constrict in a certain circle of experiences.

Music and sound design are vital in our works. I am lucky enough that we have amazing friends in different parts of the world creating sound design, that help our stories to became not only visible and audible, but perceptible as well.

What projects, challenges KORB will face in the future?

We have just finished amazing project with Taiwan based design house JL Design. Four episodes for different idents were shot in Taipei, where our team captured actors bodies in order to have data about their movements. Every captured movement forms stunning digital sculpture. The project for CCTV Documentary Channel was full of technical, creative challenges and inspiring discoveries, but we couldn’t be happier with a final look. This project is another big step towards our perpetual challenge to keep moving on exploring the boundaries of multi-platform world.

KORB works:

GALE - click to watch

Coca-Cola | Contest - click to watch

EXHILO | Brand film - click to watch

Infinity Water - Case Study - click to watch

MTV - Lake - click to watch

More about KORB:
Website – Vimeo – Behance – Facebook – Twitter

Photo by Alice Angeletti

Shaping the vague life concrete – an interview with angst pop architects Haus Arafna

The German angst pop/industrial innovators Haus Arafna seemed to be standing on the edge of two worlds. Employing the harshness and roughness of industrial/noise sonic pallette and more subtle sounds of post punk/minimal wave, they created their own world of refined extremity. This allows their music to be charged with different emotions. Their cold and monolith compositions sometime sting like needles, while in other cases show the path to their unique sonic world, where anger stands next to melancholy and poeticism. This creates an intense, artistic soundworld with strong atmosphere and impressive narratives. All this is documented in such unique and distinct releases as “Butterfly”, “You”, “New York Rhapsody” all of them released on their own Galakthorrö label.

In this exclusive interview the duo talks about the failures of mankind, the simplicity of black color, creative impulses and other issues behind and within their music.

Your music sometimes sounds like an angry explosion of negative emotions (anger, aggression, depression, cold harsh electronic sounds). Do you find a kind of aesthetics in it or does your music not supposed to be beautiful? What do you think is the role of those emotions in art/life? Is there some light in your music as well?

It’s important to know for this kind of questions from which musical background we come from. We grew up on post punk/wave/industrial, so this kind of music isn’t negative at all for our taste. It’s just ‘normal’ for us, nevertheless, this kind of music is negative in all objectivity, of course.

The positive effect of aggressive or sad music is, that you are able to reduce aggression or sadness through it. Our listeners are usually nice and handsome guys, since their negative thoughts and emotions were converted in positive energy by the cathartic impact of our music.

In one interview you said about music “Art is in the eye of the beholder, but we think music should be more than entertainment”. Could you tell us what kind of energy and meaning a track should transfer? Could a piece of music change listener’s way of life? Maybe you could provide specific examples.

Many things are possible with music and everything, even details can change someone’s life. We don’t even have the power over it.

What role does your art do to you? Is it a type of therapy for cleaning yourself by expressing emotions? What part of your personality do you try to channel? What impact are you trying to create for the listener? What is your intended relation to him/her?

We use to work up different things, get energy and strength from making music or writing lyrics. It makes us to suffuse with happiness, especially when a new promising piece of sound or music comes to us. Over time that good feeling has become essential for us. Yes, it’s a kind of therapy today. In earlier times it was a more intellectual and distant approach, but at the same time more superficial.

It’s impossible for us to foresee the effect on the listener. Everybody feels and listens different. We don’t intend to create a special impact to the listener, anything ‘produced’ or ‘planned’ as much, but we create more intuitive and just for ourselves or for the song itself, which always has its own life actually.

What are your primary emotional impulses for your art? What things inspire you and pushes to create? What kind of emotions?

The fail of mankind, being trapped in the body and being unredeemed.

Some of your music might be defined as angst pop. That is quite a strange term. How do you understand it and what would be its description? Angst and pop seems to be quite an interesting contradiction. How do you see it? Pop part is especially interesting here.

Aesthetically we are drawn to the romantic/art nouveau and 20′s and 80′s period of the last century. Old framed black and white photos, movies, clothes. We love the well-mannered androgynous look and to be dressed in gloominess.

The term ‘angst pop’ was brought up by SPK. You can hear that in their song “Walking On Dead Steps”. Angst Pop was a free idea, which stood in contrast to the common term ‘industrial’. We think, in the consideration of old interviews, SPK wanted to distance themselves from the term ‘industrial’. ‘Industrial’ was occupied in that time, even more than today by Throbbing Gristle. SPK wanted probably to edge their own profile.

We incorporated ‘Angst Pop’, because of a similar reason: we want a distance from the term ‘industrial’ not because we need to distance ourselves from Throbbing Gristle, but from the today falsely often used term ‘industrial’, for example guitar rock music or techno. ‘Angst pop’ means for us to cultivate the free form of ‘industrial’, which we force into our three pillars system: sex, emotions and movement on which our music is built on.

What is your opinion about nowadays industrial music scene from the global perspective of events, releases, information spread? Is it still developing? Or maybe do you think that scene and the music it represents is in decline? Maybe you think that there is lack of certain things relevant to its development, such as promoters or writers? What were the key turning points in the scene during the last decade? Also you release your records in your own Galakthorrö label. What are the reasons for that?

The reason for our own label is the fact, that we just made it and didn’t think about making it different. We were young.

For us it’s hard to talk about the scene, since we seldom go out for a night, but we realise a strong interest for Galakthorrö, even in today’s times, where it seems you can get everything for free. Perhaps it could be a squint for a lively industrial scene? We know about some little scenes which are local, e.g. in the USA and Scandinavia in which we are residing, too. Certainly that’s wide-ranging and every scene which could form under the term ‚industrial’ divide itself into pieces – like in other genres too.

Your music sometimes might sound nihilistic, misanthropic. Do you share those worldviews? What place do they occupy in your own perception of world? Do you believe in mankind, its future? Do you look optimistic to our current status and future perspectives?

Our worldview is rather pessimistic. The human kind has to face problems and we can’t imagine, that people are smart enough to solve such kind of complex global issues. Maybe it’s beyond the potential of human nature. We often think, mankind has done so many sins against the nature, that humans literally earned to become punished in the future. It’s a sad affair that innocents (e.g. the animals) would suffer again respectively furthermore. With regard to history we think mankind is much more nihilistic than Haus Arafna.

Quite an abstract question, what are the most beautiful things in life for you? What do you find the most aesthetically pleasant, attractive?

As Haus Arafna we search for the aesthetic in artifacts, departure and haziness. Life is vague and we try to shape it concrete. But aesthetic has many facets. It’s not that cats or synthesisers aren’t beautiful.

Black color had its distinct meaning throughout history. For the ancient Egyptians, black had very positive associations (it was the color of Anubis), but for the ancient Greeks it was evil color that associated with Hades, also black was one of the first colors used in art. Your image is quite full of black color. What does it mean for you? Does it associate with specific events, objects, stories? What is your ideology about black color and its role in the present times? Where do you think lies the beauty of black color?

The black colour is a self-imposed limitation we use to reduce design to the essential. As a nice side effect it’s an exception nowadays and take ourselves off others. One colour symbolises for us the focusing, to simplifying, to reducing the complex world full of redundant information. The main problem for people in the post industrial society is to filter, sort, equalise and quit information.

In this regard all that black symbolises a “black box”, which records the mistakes in this process.

Your band titles is the name of building with rich and dark history behind. David Lynch in one interview said that buildings are also recording devices. What do you think of this idea? Do you think that buildings record moods, energy, events and can recreate it somehow? What do you think about energy in such buildings and what do they have? Do you believe in ghosts?

That’s not the reason why we had chosen the name Haus Arafna and we don’t know, if something like ghosts or energy in buildings exist. Sometimes we have such a feeling, but everybody sense that different, we think.

Religious topics in your music provides different people with various diverse thoughts. Some statements about such and some other topics could shock more conservative man. How do your closest relatives react to your music? What are your own insights about metaphysics and the Creator? In what do you believe? Or maybe you think that religion was only an obstruct for the intellectual evolution of mankind?

Our relatives have no close view in our work. They understand it as a style of music. No one gives a thought about it.

People are inclined to build a religion, if not collective, then everybody for himself. Also our music has an independent existence in that sense. We can’t fully control it – maybe it’s directed by the Creator.

How do you understand depression? Did it influence the sound and ideology of your music? How, in your opinion, musicians understand depression and how do they use it for creating something? Or maybe you think that there is another feeling, much stronger than depression, that allows us to act and at the same time expresses the effect of absorbing the environment?

If you want to work with depression you need to have a depression and when you have a depression you can’t work. Unless you have this typical change of manic and depressive episodes, but also then you’ll be inspired more by the mania because you are able to work during the manic episode only.

We as more or less healthy persons work with emotional projections. That means, that a small feeling become talked up with creativity and fantasy and set up in a context, which has a preferably general claim, so that it can have validity for many persons.

How are you related with other forms of art? Do you attend art exhibitions? From the sociological perspective, the majority of people would not suspect, that you could be influenced by impressionism, romanticism, minimalism, but maybe they are wrong? Could you share with us your thoughts about visual arts and favourite artists.

We’re not influenced by art, not consciously influenced at least. We’re influenced by the technical devices we have and by the bounds of this equipment as well as by the budget and factual constraints.

In the 90s we were influenced by design and typography instead of art. Over time we developed a graphic language out of it, which we often just have to operate respectively to modify.

We thought of integration in any case from the beginning, that means handling visuals and sounds in equal value. We realised early, that the artist of the future has to work in multimedia way.

It seems that you are quite into books and serious cinema. Could you tell us about your latest literary and visual discoveries and why they made such a big impression, emotional impact or maybe disappointment.

We’re not very skilled about film and cinema.

A movie, which we saw not long ago and which kept us in our minds was Tom Ford’s “A Single Man”.

The last time we read classics of literature was at last “Green Henry” by Gottfried Keller. It was written just splendid, but substantial fairly flat, except some journeys of philosophic nature about the reflection and impact of art.

Very disappointing was the novel “Blindness” by José Saramago. It was the worst book we ever read and the Nobel Prize for Literature for this book is just absurd in our view.

We were impressed by Dostojewski’s “The Brothers Karamazov”, especially by the diary of ‘Staretz Sossima’ and the ‘Grand Inquisitor’, the little books in the book, so to say.

More about Haus Arafna:
Website