TRANSCENDECADENCE
TRANSCENDECADENCE TRANSCENDECADENCE dives into Berlin’s nightlife, post-punk energy, and artistic evolution. In this interview, the band discusses “Tiny Stupid Song,” creative freedom, musical influences, and their ambitious upcoming album. 1. “Tiny Stupid Song” captures the emotional chaos of Berlin nightlife and midlife uncertainty so vividly. What personal experiences or observations inspired the story behind the song? When I first moved to Berlin, I forgot why I came here. Berlin is that kind of place that blows your mind out. With its extremely potent cultural scene, jam sessions and concerts every night of the week and overwhelmingly huge clubbing scene, the nights literally never need to end. But it comes with a price. Berlin can really chew you up with its night life. Before you realize, a couple years have passed, you forgot your life goals and you are not sure who you were before you came here. Some of us, we eventually grow up and figure out, there is more to life than wasting your nights in bars on a line of whatever and a cheap beer. But not everyone. I’ve witnessed a friend of mine having the same regrets over and over for years, and yet never changing the habits. Always saying: “I fucked up”. And I could very much relate to that: the feeling of being lost, the regrets of time wasted partying and distracting yourself from your problems, because it’s easier than to face your fear of potentially failing, the feeling of being fed up with the city, the people, the pretentious fashion, exhaustion of drugs and alcohol infused nights. Seeing it on repeat. Living it over and over. And wanting to escape, to move on, but not knowing how nor having the strength to do it. That’s how the song came to me, when my partner told me to write a tiny song, that isn’t necessarily just about me. It’s like a hymn, acknowledging all we went through and knowing, sometimes in that mess we are living in, all we need to do is just to sit down in silence and “shush our souls”. I dedicate it to my dear friend “Neven from Heaven”. 2. The track balances raw post-punk energy with a dark, almost psychedelic atmosphere. How did you approach blending those different musical influences into TRANSCENDECADENCE’s sound? To be honest, I never think about genres, I write songs as they come to me. And sometimes that can be messy, because every project needs a little bit of a sound identity. But I am just not excited by the bands, where every song sounds the same, because it keeps the exact same characteristics of their chosen genre. I like surprises. I am influenced by a big variety of artists from various genres that I’ve listened to throughout my life, so naturally the different sounds and elements sneak into my writing. I also studied classical music and jazz. When I was growing up, I grew my roots deeply into art rock. I love psychedelic guitars and droning organ, but I am always fascinated and taken by dark and heavy music. It speaks to my soul. I compose by following a melody and my own inner rhythm, that is not always regular. Only retrospectively I realize that I have written odd meters or bars. And I guess it’s the same with the music styles. I just hear the sound in my head, and I try to recreate it. Like with Tiny Stupid Song, the original guitar and bass line with the lyrics happened very fast. It was a spontaneous flow. I just took the guitar and doodled around and I liked the groove. After recording that groove I realized it’s in 7/8. For a long time the song was just a verse and chorus. The bridge with a weird solo was a mystery until the actual recording of the single. We left it blank at first, I just knew I wanted to break the pattern of the song, I strongly felt I needed some crazy instrumental part. On the live shows I usually just played a guitar solo with a slide. Somehow, I was missing that sound later in the recording, and so I brought back the idea and that’s what influenced that part. That messy part wasn’t planned; it just happened in the moment of recording with my guitarist Pietro and it felt right. 3. Working with Victor van Vugt is a major milestone. What did he bring to the production and mix of “Tiny Stupid Song” that helped shape its final intensity? Victor is an amazing person to work with. His talent for crafting the sound to the exact needs of the spirit of the song is a beautiful thing to watch. To me the sound of the song is as important as the song itself. I was sitting in his studio and just watched the song transform within a couple hours. Everytime I thought about something – he was already on it. His mixing skills gave the song the grit that it so much needed. And it was a bit tricky, because the song stands on a heavy guitar and bass groove, but the vocals are sometimes light spirited. To make it all work together, to wrap it in an energetic wheel that keeps rolling while leaving space for easiness, and later extend into a total psychedelic meltdown, while the identity of the song stays intact, that is where I see the mastery and magic he brought into the sound of the song. Sound is just so important to me. And I am a perfectionist, that always needs at least 10 revisions of mixes. The mixing was always the most feared part of the production for me. Victor completely changed the game for me and made mixing easy and fun. 4. Your music draws inspiration from legendary artists like PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, and Frank Zappa. How have these artists influenced your songwriting and vocal expression over the years? Every artist that I’ve
Nadine Abs
Nadine Abs In this interview, singer-songwriter Nadine Abs reflects on the heartfelt story behind “Caesar,” a moving tribute to her late school principal, whose guidance, wisdom, and belief in dreams continue to inspire her music and life journey. 1. “Caesar” is a deeply personal tribute to your late school principal. What emotions did you experience while turning his remarkable life story and influence into a song? Pure love, gratitude, and a sense of blessing are some of the emotions I felt while writing “Caesar”. Nobody believed in our dreams as much as my late school principal. His speeches in the school playground ring vivid memories in my mind. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be as determined and resilient as I am today. God bless the great Caesar! 2. Your principal’s motto, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” plays a central role in this release. How has that philosophy shaped your journey as an artist from Beirut to London? I had this dream, this vision to become a singer. The idea of travelling struck my mind while I was still at school. Leaving my home city of Beirut to London was a huge step, but it was necessary! Caesar taught his students to follow their dreams, no matter how hard it was to fulfill them. A life with no aspirations was a life with no worth, according to my late principal. 3. The song blends classical instrumentation with contemporary pop elements. Why was it important to honour Caesar’s love of classical music through this unique musical approach? The song is in Caesar’s honor, so it made sense that I included classical instrumentation in the track! I happen to love classical music as well. I decided to record a song with a strong classical theme, and a modern pop sound. I think it’s absolutely beautiful and unique to blend classical music with pop. 4. You mentioned having a dream in which Caesar told you to write a song about him. How did that experience inspire the creative direction and message of the track? This dream of seeing Caesar holds a spiritual meaning. Some of our dreams are visions. He told me to write a song about him, as he deserved to be attributed! I knew I had to write a poetic song about Caesar, and sing it with grace. I hope I’ve done him justice! 5. Working with Johnny Zanchetta, Will Clemens, Izzy Howard, and Jay Jacobs brought together a talented team. How did each contributor help bring your vision for “Caesar” to life? The team that I worked with was professional, in every sense of the term. Johnny Zanchetta is, in my opinion, the best songwriter in the world. When he composes melodies, he does that with a touch of magic! He lives in Brazil, but we met when he was in London. I personally wouldn’t trade him for any other songwriter. While I write the lyrics, he writes the melodies. As for Will and Jay, they, together, produced the instrumental track for “Caesar” at the recording studio. Will was the pianist, and Jay was the sound engineer. Izzy played the violin to the track, to give it more flavor! 6. Beyond being a tribute to one individual, what do you hope listeners take away from “Caesar” about the impact a teacher, mentor, or role model can have on someone’s life? Oh, I love to connect with listeners! That is why I do music. I love to touch people’s souls. I am a very emotional person, and I try to depict that in my songs. I sincerely hope listeners can find joy in remembering their role models. After all, we all have at least one loved one, one mentor we look up to. The right educators can help mould young generations into successful people in society. As for Caesar, he was more than a teacher and a school headmaster, he was a leader. God bless all our role models! https://www.instagram.com/nadineabs
Piftemaen
Piftemaen Piftemaen reflects on reviving “2060 or So,” using music as a platform for climate awareness, creative freedom, and outspoken social commentary in an increasingly uncertain world. 1. “2060 or So – Short Version” revisits a song you originally released under your former artist identity, Jake’s Jacket. What inspired you to bring this track back, and how does it reflect where you are creatively today? I have worked with Caroline Lavelle and did not want to drag her into my political activities, so I took a new profile under the name Piftemaen, a nickname I got from one of my local fans. But still, I had an urge to bring “2060 or so” forward. After getting to know Caroline a little better, I thought she would not be doubtful about collaborating with the originator of this song, although she herself always has a more polite and soft attitude. Yes, I wanna save humanity from itself. people may think what they want. Soon in a couple of decades I’ll be gone anyway. One fine thing about getting older is that you can give a damn. 2. The song addresses climate change and uncertainty about humanity’s future. What message or feeling did you most want listeners to take away from the lyrics and the music? I wanted to scare them into action. That is not very pedagogical, I know. But I sometimes get impatient. We must face the abyss, but not fall into it. Humans will survive; we can adapt to almost anything. But how many will be left, and how is their life going to be? We are in control if we plan for the future, not only a decade ahead. It is our choice. 3. You mentioned that the original version was over nine minutes long. How challenging was it to condense such an expansive piece into a shorter format while preserving its essence? There are 4 verses, but the first 2 are enough to put climate on the agenda. The long version also has more solos. Actually, it was easy to make it shorter. The verses end with the line “hum the tune of the death row”, so I just had to include the humming part. 4. Throughout your career, the saxophone has often served as your primary voice of expression. How did the saxophone help communicate the emotions and urgency behind “2060 or So”? I am known for being an emotional player. Autodidacts like me don’t know much about the “right” way of doing things, so we tend to develop a personal style. Luckily for me, this has had appeal for my audiences. Playing on this song, I wanted to express desperation. 5. After spending decades balancing music with a career in construction, you often speak about the creative freedom of being an independent artist. How has that freedom shaped your approach to songwriting and recording in recent years? I have raised 4 children and had 4 cohabitants, and jobs with sufficient income have been hard to get sometimes. I did sessions and played in more than twenty bands through the years; I also had a recording contract in the mid-80s but turned it down because it was a split deal I could not afford. So, I concluded on doing my duties to my family and wait for the fun. Now life smiles at me, and I am truly a late bloomer who can make music because I have retirement money. I am in good health and everything is wonderful. My kids are grown up, they are doing OK, I am free to do what I want at last. Before I lie down for good, I make music without compromise, I have nothing to lose on being stubborn, I don’t have a 50-year musical career ahead of me and do not have to please everybody. 6. The name “Piftemaen” suggests a whistleblower—someone unafraid to speak out. In today’s world, do you feel artists have a responsibility to address important social and environmental issues through their work, or is it simply a personal choice? I am controversial at times; I can be direct and have a temper. But channeling that energy into music makes something good out of what may be negative in the first place. I have been known for speaking up when others sit still, so I have been a spokesman for construction workers and others on several occasions, and I raise my voice whenever I think the situation calls for it. I think that the phone gazing people now growing up are unsecure in social life, and the conformity pressure is high. Social media often bring ugly consequences to those who speak up (so I use a dumbphone and are offline most of the time). The world is now more complicated than ever it seems, and important issues have to be handled (as I mention in the song text). Democracy won’t work if there is no discussion going on. I think artists should speak up (like many did in the 1980s), but it takes courage that not so many have today. I am old and give a damn anyway, and I am kind of glad that I am not around anymore when the shit finally hits the fan for real. Piftemaen – Saxophonist & Composer | Piftemaen
Bill Wood and The Woodies
Bill Wood and The Woodies Bill Wood and The Woodies return with Same Old Hurt, a heartfelt album celebrating resilience, friendship, and authentic songwriting. In this interview, Bill reflects on his creative journey, longtime bandmates, and the stories behind the music. 1. After stepping away from the traditional music industry in the 1990s, you never stopped writing, performing, and recording. How did that freedom from the “star-making machinery” influence the songs that eventually became Same Old Hurt? I stepped away from the music industry around 1991 and re-entered in 2007 with an album called Take It. From 2007 until now, I’ve released seven records, and when it comes to songwriting, there’s been no compromise. I simply write from the heart. I never returned to the same formula I was using in the 1980s with my pop group. I’m very happy with the songs on Same Old Hurt. Like every record I make, I had a lot of songs to choose from and gradually narrowed them down to the ones that made the most sense at the time. 2. The album arrives six years after your previous release and is described as a record made out of love and appreciation for your band. What inspired you to create this album at this particular moment in your career? I’m definitely not getting any younger, and the band has been playing together for 15 years. I love my band, and it felt like the right time to honor everyone’s efforts with a full album, as opposed to the single releases I’ve been putting out over the last few years. I’m very proud of this record, and I’m proud of the band that helped make it happen. 3. Bill Wood and the Woodies have been together for over 15 years, which is a remarkable achievement in today’s music landscape. What has kept the chemistry and creative partnership between the band members so strong over the years? Yes, the band has been together for 15 years. Mark Shannon and I have been making music together since the early 1970s, so we’re like brothers. There’s a mutual trust and appreciation for what everyone brings to the table. Mark produces my records and also plays bass in the band. We’ve built a strong creative relationship over the years, and that foundation has helped keep the band together. We’re a great band, and we genuinely enjoy making music with one another. 4. The title track, “Same Old Hurt,” suggests themes of resilience, reflection, and perhaps recurring struggles. What story or message were you hoping to convey through this song and the album as a whole? “Same Old Hurt” is really about life’s pain and challenges. As a band, I think we’re survivors, and as an artist, I know I’m a survivor. I’ve gone through many different incarnations throughout my career, but I’m still here, still making great music, and doing it for the right reasons. Life will always have its difficulties; it’s all about how you respond to them. We may not be spring chickens anymore, but we’re survivors, and we’re still making music that we believe in. 5. Reviewers have praised your ability to blend roots rock, alternative country, and a raw, authentic storytelling style. Which artists, experiences, or personal influences continue to shape your songwriting today? I try not to copy anyone’s style, even the artists I admire most. I’m a fan of the greats: Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt, John Prine, and John Lennon. The Beatles were the band that got me interested in music in the first place. Of course, all of the artists I admire influence my songwriting in one way or another, but I always try to follow my own voice and tell my own stories. 6. With songs like “Dance All Night,” “Lightning in a Jar,” and “I Remember Everything,” the album balances energy, nostalgia, and introspection. What do you hope listeners take away from Same Old Hurt after hearing it from start to finish? I hope listeners walk away feeling uplifted and entertained. The songs reflect different aspects of the human condition. A song like “I Remember Everything” is about becoming a little forgetful with age, while tracks such as “Dance All Night With Me” and “Wasting Time” are there simply for fun and entertainment, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Then there are songs like “Burn Inside” and “Same Old Hurt,” which are a little more introspective. Overall, I hope I’ve made a record that is both entertaining and something people can genuinely connect with. I’m very proud of the album, and I’m excited to see what happens with it. Bill Wood & The Woodies — Toronto rock band
The Amanda Emblem Experiment
The Amanda Emblem Experiment The Amanda Emblem Experiment revisits beloved songs from The Wood with fresh energy while introducing the heartfelt new track “Old Romantic.” Amanda Emblem discusses remixing, audience connection, creative evolution, and the inspirations behind her music. 1. “Lazy Sunday Afternoon” and “Calm Seas” were originally featured on The Wood. What inspired you to revisit these songs and give them a new life through remixing and restructuring?“The Wood” was a very atmospheric collection of tunes, I wanted the album to be a complete and true representation of the music I was creating at the time. Long days by the beach, soul searching, trying to understand nature and my place in it, respectful yet playful at times. I achieved this. It wasn’t driven by commercial goals or the need to prove myself. Post release I kept getting the same feedback from my music industry peers that the song lengths were holding back opportunity. Six months later, the streaming numbers also told another story of what songs were the most popular with listeners. “Lazy Sunday” was one of those songs. 2. You mentioned that streaming numbers and fan feedback played a big role in choosing these tracks. How important is audience response when deciding which songs deserve a second chapter?It made sense to look at what the listeners reacted to. I’ve lived with the album for much longer than it’s release time. When it came time to chose singles, I was at a loss after “Storm in My Life” (The first single).Everyone I asked had a different “favourite’ track. Looking at the figures now my favourite song (from the album) wasn’t even on the radar, which proved to me that I was too immersed in the music to make a good decision. The fact that the most popular track with listeners (Lazy Sunday Aftenoon) was lighthearted and a bit of fun made sense too. The world is very serious at the moment. 3. The new version of “Lazy Sunday” is much shorter and more focused than the original album cut. What were the biggest challenges and rewards of transforming a long, immersive jam into a concise single?“Lazy Sunday” is undoubtedly transformed by its remix and edit, it hits like “Wow”! I wasn’t expecting it to be so immediate. Note also that it’s title (for the remix) also got trimmed down. My producer was horrified when I went to him and said I needed it under 3 minutes and I did have to talk him round being totally brutal with the arrangement.To my ear the album version, “Lazy Sunday Afternoon” is a simple one chord jam with a cool baseline… It’s meanderings were part of it’s charm. Because it’s a one chord song, we had worked very hard on making the ebb and flow perfect. But I was exhilarated editing the track. It came tougher easily in a couple of hours. After that we stripped it back to bare bones and added back only what was needed. We called on the ghost of J.J. Cale to guide us and added cheesy drum machine as a tribute to him. 4. “Old Romantic” is the brand-new track on this release and a tribute to your partner, Jimmy. Could you tell us more about the story behind the song and how your life together in rural Queensland influences your songwriting? A lot of the album was written jamming around a wooden table at our beach escape, up on the Sandy Strait, where we enjoy the company of our mates Tim and Rach, who also love a jam. It was where “Lazy Sunday Afternoon’ was created, but as jams go, often they blend into other songs and that’s exactly what happened to create “Old Romantic”. Again it’s a one chord song. I like to play simple arrangements for jamming because my partner Jimmy is a budding harmonica player. The harmonica in his hand at the time limits what chords you can play you see.Jimmy just loves a jam, probably as much as he loves a red wine (and me xoxo… feeling’s mutual) When we played the jam back on the following day “Old Romantic” stood out. Special. So next jam we tried it again, and again, and it just evolved into something gentle and fabulous in it’s own. We both needed to see if it would work in the studio. I think Jimmy prefers the live version, and that is because he is an Old Romantic.Living here with Jimmy is the biggest blessing. I don’t go a day without gratitude for my safe and tranquil surroundings, living in a place of love and understanding. I know it has strongly influenced my songwriting. 5. There seems to be a strong sense of space, simplicity, and relaxation throughout these three tracks. Was creating that easygoing atmosphere a conscious artistic goal for this release?Not consciously, but they all work great together, that’s very true. I’m sure if you experienced where the tracks were created, and the studio where they were recorded, and if you met the very laid back and talented producer, Andy Tainsh you would see why. 6. With Lazy Sunday introducing both refreshed versions of fan favorites and a new song, does this release signal a new creative direction for The Amanda Emblem Experiment, or is it more of a bridge between past and future projects?I always expected to work with the album for a while, and remixes were in the back of my mind when some of the tracks exceeded 5 minutes. But I never stop writing, there are a slay of new tunes since then, so there is a massive backlog of ideas in waiting. Thing is, I enjoy the writing and recording process far far more than the releasing process, so albums work best for me. All the BS about releasing something every 5 minutes, I don’t get caught up in that so much. I do it when I’m ready. Having been in the music industry all my life (20+ years) I’m
Terminal Fear
Terminal Fear Terminal Fear channel raw emotion and social awareness into Quicksand, a hard-hitting fusion of hip-hop grooves and explosive rock energy. In this interview, the band discusses inspiration, collaboration, and the song’s powerful message of unity. 1. “Quicksand” tackles themes of division, manipulation, and the distortion of national symbols. What inspired you to address these issues, and why did you feel now was the right time to speak out through music? There are groups in the uk that are coercing the idea of being British, being proud of the country doesn’t matter what colour or creed you are, you can be British. they have tainted that idea of community with hateful nationalism and taken the flag of England and given it a bad name. We could not allow them to divide the people that have made this country, what it is, and caused hatred. Anyone who lives here deserves to be respected and be proud of where they are. There are cruel people out there who choose to invite negative thoughts into our minds need to be reminded that we are all human. 2. The song blends hip-hop grooves with aggressive rock energy, drawing comparisons to acts like Rage Against the Machine and Public Enemy. How did those influences shape the sound and attitude of this track? Mainly the influences from the high pitch bends of the guitar with the bass filling the gaps comes from Rage against the Machine, we feel that style really allows for the vocals to pop in and out of the mix and the style of controversial but image invoking lyrics was a fusion of both public enemy and Rage as the delivery was quite inspired by Chuck d in the second verse to really get the idea across. 3. You’ve described “Quicksand” as coming from a place of urgency and frustration. Was there a particular moment or event that sparked the lyrical direction of the song? Right now, England is at a precipice of political stand still. There is a lot of fighting which could be avoided and to us it is so easy to lose the true meaning of things behind the veiws which are being displayed, when they are being falsely portrayed. 4. The recording process was said to be fast-paced and highly collaborative. How did each member contribute to creating the groove, intensity, and message that define the final version of the track? It was very spur of the moment, the track came from a single discussion and we just started playing, jumping in and out between each other and just another single take to get it just right. There was only a few points in the Transitions we spoke about after it was recorded as we all really felt the idea at the time as it was fresh in our minds. 5. Sofa Style Studios has become the creative home of Terminal Fear. What makes that environment important to the band, and how does it help bring your ideas to life? Sofa style studios feels like a home away from home, we have the ability to chat and play video games to escape from our real lives to discuss what has been bothering us and have a real release as a group to allow us to enter that state of writing. A place where we can air our grievances and just take a break. A true place to relax and be open which we think everyone needs. 6. With new material ready and plans to return to the stage, what are you most excited about when it comes to performing “Quicksand” live and seeing how audiences react to its powerful message? Really the energy our new sets will bring to the crowds, we really want them to feel involved and connected as part of the performance. When we get back out there to see the people’s reactions and how they can connect to those feelings, it will bring another level to the message and the track itself. https://www.instagram.com/terminalfear
TELN
TELN TELN opens up about the deeply personal inspirations behind LEGACY, a track shaped by family, loss, resilience, and reflection. In this interview, he discusses transforming life experiences into an emotional and uplifting electronic journey. 1. “LEGACY” is described as your most personal work to date. What made now the right time to transform two decades of emotions, memories, and family history into music? I think you reach a certain point in life – for me, it was crossing into my 40s and watching my own son grow up – where you inevitably look back at the foundation that built you. The emotions surrounding my father’s memory and witnessing my mother’s incredible strength were things I kept heavily guarded for a long time. Music has always been my outlet, but it took the personal maturity and the technical confidence I have right now to translate something that heavy into a track without it feeling forced. Now was the right time because I finally found the correct sonic language to tell that story honestly. 2. Your professional life revolves around managing complex systems and teams. How does that analytical mindset influence the way you build emotional narratives within your music as TELN? In my day-to-day IT and logistics projects, my job is essentially taking chaos and structuring it into a functioning, scalable architecture. Music production is surprisingly similar. Emotions are raw, chaotic, and abstract. My analytical background helps me structure that chaos. I look at an arrangement like a system framework – every frequency, every synth layer, and every drum hit needs a specific purpose. That engineering mindset allows me to build a rock-solid technical foundation, which then gives the emotional narrative a safe, defined space to unfold and hit exactly where it is supposed to. 3. The track blends tech house, progressive house, and dance-pop elements while maintaining a deeply intimate atmosphere. How did you balance club energy with such a personal and vulnerable story? The dancefloor has always been a place of catharsis for me. Club energy isn’t just about escapism; sometimes, it’s the absolute best place to process heavy feelings. I balanced it by keeping the rhythm section – the kick, the driving bassline – uncompromisingly rooted in the momentum of Tech House. That is the heartbeat. The vulnerability comes entirely from the atmospheric textures and the melodic choices layered on top. I wanted people to be able to close their eyes and feel the intimacy of the story, but still be physically carried by the groove. 4. The “slow-burn” progression of “LEGACY” mirrors a journey from grief and silence to strength and gratitude. Can you walk us through the emotional stages represented in the song’s arrangement? The intro is intentionally stripped back and atmospheric – it represents that initial silence and the heavy weight of loss. As the groove introduces itself, it’s like the process of picking yourself back up; there is a driving, repetitive, forward motion to it. The main breakdown is the core memory phase. It is where the driving elements drop away, and you are left entirely with the raw, emotional textures. When the drop finally hits, it is not an aggressive club explosion, but rather a release of tension. It represents gratitude and the realization that the legacy of those we love lives on in our own momentum. 5. You’ve mentioned that your mother’s resilience and your father’s memory are at the heart of this release. What do you hope listeners take away from these personal experiences when they hear the track? I hope it reminds them that grief and loss don’t have to break you – they can actually become the fuel that drives you forward. My mother’s resilience taught me that strength isn’t about never falling; it’s about how gracefully you carry the weight afterward. If a listener is going through their own struggles, I want this track to feel like a steady hand on their shoulder. It is a reminder to honor the past, but keep moving forward. 6. TELN is currently a studio-focused project rather than a live act. Looking ahead, do you envision expanding the project into live performances, or is the studio environment essential to TELN’s creative identity? The studio is my absolute focus right now. Between being a dad, producing music, and building my independent free projects, there is simply no time for live shows. Nothing is planned for the stage yet – I am keeping things strictly in the studio for now. TELN HQ
Love Unfold The Moon
Love Unfold The Moon This interview explores the creative vision behind Love Unfold The Moon, a deeply personal and immersive work that reconnects past influences with present experience, blending improvisation, tradition, and artistic renewal. 1.Love Unfold The Moon marks a return to the acoustic and post-flamenco language that shaped your early career. What inspired you to revisit these musical roots at this point in your journey? I went through a number of health issues a few years ago – cancer, followed by open heart surgery to remove a tumor – which put me in an interesting space. I found myself a little reflective, but also extremely focused: cancer is fatiguing, full-tilt open heart surgery is Hella fatiguing and so I had no energy or patience or bandwidth for nonsense any more. As a result, everything in your life gets stripped down and prioritized to the most vital: what truly matters? what’s your essence? Because there’s no longer room for anything else but that. That in turn gets purified, condensed, intensified, then poured into the bandwidth you do have remaining. This becomes your new core – you’re centered and streamlined in the vital, the vibrant. Everything in your periphery rotates around this, and the superfluous, the superficial is gone. So, in that mode, I was also doing a little archival work, just in case the health issues persisted. And I remembered how the early work I was doing – exploring how free improvisation and modern composition might intersect with a pre-Paco de Lucia flamenco guitar vocabulary – seemed to resonate with people, how it was noticed, gave me wonderful opportunities. So, in listening to that body of work after 30 years, there was a certain vitality and spirit in those ideas that I reconnected with. But I was also quite critical: this review was not a nostalgia trip. Some of those early performances don’t hold up, nothing’s been released from the vault yet (though some might). Rather than a retread, it became a component in the overall process of moving forward. The intervening 30 years has a lot of life lived in it, and that brings something to the table. 2. The new quartet brings together experienced improvisers and younger musicians from Berklee and CalArts. How did this cross-generational collaboration influence the creative process and the final recording? In any project I lead, I’m not interested in telling players what or how to play. I’m interested in creating environments, structures, canvases where a) players can be their best in, and b) that are also optimized around certain natural alignments in order for that to happen with some coherence. It’s about laying down a fertile ground where everybody’s strengths can intersect and meet and grow. With the generational span in this case, I was anticipating the possibility of a certain amount of intimidation, so I had to ensure that the framework I set up – the composition, the rehearsal process – had enough there to put them at ease. Enough for them to hang on to, and also enough for them to let go of, at the same time. It came together beautifully. We rehearsed for three days, did the concert, then went into the studio – that was it. By the second rehearsal, everyone was finding their space and place with it. It just took off from there. One of the interesting things about working with Ash and Thor is that they have this youth, and yet their source material, what they listen to, isn’t young. They’re listening to 60s and 70s progressive rock, early fusion, psychedelia, among other things. That’s stuff I grew up with, but they’re absorbing it a generation later, and how they work with and interpret that information is very very interesting. Ash uses a fair number of pedals – wah, distortion, delay. He’s very much an electric violinist. But he does it from this very modern perspective – a 20 -ish year old from the historical vantage point in 2026, looking at and working with a timbral vocabulary that originated in the 60s and 70s. It’s youth + time + source, and that adds up to a very unique thing, because he doesn’t retread or just pay homage – he’s making it his own. Thor, too – how he transforms information is pretty remarkable. I didn’t realize how much the effects were integral to Ash’s voice when we started rehearsing. The oud and the flamenco are very ‘straight,’ I’m not doing effects at all. So from an orchestration point of view, I think about what Ash is doing timbrally, how does that in turn inform my choices…it’s an interesting puzzle. I’m thinking of how Peter Broetzmann worked with Toshinori Kondo in the Die Like A Dog Quartet (probably the best free jazz quartet of the past 30 years, btw); similar kind of context. 3. Your music has long blended Middle Eastern, Turkish, flamenco, and free jazz traditions. How does Hidden Promises In Joined Terrains, Apex Emerging expand or redefine that musical conversation? I’ve always heard connections between these genres, and it’s not just the merely technical. In the flamenco element, for example, yes there’s a certain dissonance in the harmonic voicings that one can find aesthetically in common with improvised and/or ‘modern’ music, but also there’s the fluidity and elasticity of tempo, the high level of improvisational interplay between guitarist and singer. Even back in the day I very much wanted to take that early solo work concept and put it into a group setting. It never happened then, so in a sense I have been waiting 30 years for this! I hear a lot of connective tissue between all these worlds. Not parallel bundles but interesting, flexible hinges, joints, angles, sinews, tendons. And as you delve into it, this connective material – again – is more about common process or concepts than common results. Here’s an example: What’s the thread (or threads) that ties together Stravinsky, Munir Bachir, Cecil Taylor, Melchor de Marchena, Alban
DJ Aquana
DJ Aquana DJ Aquana revisits a song deeply connected to love, memory, and family in his heartfelt cover of “Piece Of My Heart.” In this interview, he discusses nostalgia, collaboration, and his evolving artistic journey. 1. “Piece Of My Heart” carries a very personal story for you—how did revisiting a song tied to such an important moment in your life shape the emotional direction of this cover?“Piece Of My Heart” is much more than a cover for me. The original version was part of a very special chapter in my life, because it was one of the songs connected to my wife Petra. Revisiting it almost thirty years later brought back a lot of emotions, memories, and gratitude. Rather than simply recreating the track, I wanted to capture those feelings and translate them into the production. Every arrangement choice was made with the intention of preserving the heart of the original while telling a new story from today’s perspective. In many ways, this release became both a tribute and a celebration of the moments that continue to inspire me. 2. You worked closely with NovaCore and your daughter Danyelle on this release. How did that family collaboration influence the creative chemistry and final sound of the track?Working with Danyelle made this project incredibly special. She represents a new generation, with fresh ideas and a different perspective on music production and performance. NovaCore brought additional technical expertise and modern production elements, creating a perfect balance between experience and innovation. Throughout the process, we challenged each other creatively. Danyelle helped shape the emotional delivery, while NovaCore contributed to refining the contemporary sound. The result is a track that feels both personal and modern, blending family connection with professional collaboration. 3. The track blends classic 90s eurodance energy with modern production. What were the biggest challenges in balancing nostalgia with a contemporary sound?The biggest challenge was avoiding the extremes. If you stay too close to the original, it risks sounding outdated. If you modernize it too much, you lose the emotional connection that made people fall in love with the song in the first place. We spent a lot of time carefully selecting which elements to preserve and which to reinvent. The melodies, atmosphere, and emotional character remain faithful to the original spirit, while the drums, mixdown, dynamics, and overall production quality reflect today’s standards. Our goal was to make listeners smile with recognition while still feeling like they were listening to a brand-new release. 4. Using the Yamaha Genos 3 workstation played a key role in recreating that authentic vibe—can you walk us through how you approached sound design and arrangement for this track? The Yamaha Genos 3 was an important tool because it allowed us to capture some of the warmth and musical character that defined many productions from the 90s. We began by studying the original arrangement and identifying the signature elements that gave the song its identity. From there, we rebuilt parts of the arrangement using a combination of Genos sounds, modern software instruments, and custom processing. The challenge wasn’t just recreating sounds—it was recreating the feeling. We paid close attention to layering, harmonic content, and dynamic movement to ensure the track felt authentic while still sounding powerful on modern streaming platforms. 5. This release also connects indirectly to your “Ghost Story” concept. How does “Piece Of My Heart” fit into that broader narrative or artistic vision?The “Ghost Story” concept is about memories, loss, love, and the invisible connections that remain with us throughout our lives. While “Piece Of My Heart” was not originally written as part of that project, it naturally fits within the same emotional universe. The song reflects the idea that people who have shaped our lives never truly disappear. Their influence remains present in our memories, our choices, and sometimes even in the music we create. In that sense, “Piece Of My Heart” became another chapter in a larger story about remembrance, resilience, and love that continues beyond absence. 6. With such a heartfelt tribute behind this song and more projects on the horizon, what do you hope listeners take away from your music—and what can they expect next from DJ Aquana?Above all, I hope listeners feel something genuine. Whether it’s joy, nostalgia, comfort, energy, or inspiration, I want the music to create a connection. I’ve always believed that music is most powerful when it tells a real story. Looking ahead, fans can expect a wide variety of releases from DJ Aquana. We’re working on new dance productions, harder festival-oriented tracks, emotional collaborations, and several projects involving Danyelle. Each release explores a different side of our musical identity, but the common thread remains the same: creating music with heart, honesty, and a passion for bringing people together. DJ_Aquana Official: Facebook, Twitch, Twitter | Linktree
FREDRYD
FREDRYD Swedish EDM and Deep House producer FREDRYD discusses the inspiration behind his latest single Natural Things, reflecting on friendship, personal growth, creative challenges, and the uplifting message he hopes listeners will carry into the summer. 1. Congratulations on the release of Natural Things! What inspired the song’s message about friendship, connection, and embracing the natural moments in life? Well, it comes from my life experience of the last five years and it gives me some sort of hope that if something went wrong or been misunderstanding regardless what you say, question or deny it, it is important to understand to not being skeptical all the time though embrace what’s natural can also be something to work through a process. 2. You mentioned that the track was created as a soundtrack for the start of summer. How did you translate that warm and uplifting feeling into the music and lyrics? Considering that I wanted to release the single on May 29th, I think making it as a song to start the summer would be sensible way when summer is the time it gives a lot a people meaning to let go of their bad feelings and to reconsider their view on things and people socially, mentally and naturally. 3. Pascal Letoublon’s “Friendships” influenced the musical direction of the song. What aspects of his work inspired you, and how did you make sure Natural Things still carried your own artistic identity? Since I’ve listened to the instrumental version of Friendships, I’ve had that kind of melody and chord key in my mind for a while and during my production work in Bandlab, his aspects of his work inspired me to create the song with a licensed beat I had and began to work with the sampled vocals and the rest and I had Natural Things signed with the label LVLD Music/LFTD Global I have a good collaboration with since my three previous singles so with their support the song carried my own artistic identity. 4. You described the production process as both challenging and rewarding. What were some of the biggest obstacles you faced while creating the track, and how did you overcome them? The biggest obstacles was to put the sampled vocals but I overcome the obstacles with the ”Do-Do-Do-Do-Do-Do-Do” vocals for the refrain that hit the spot and it was just how I wanted for the song to sound harmonic and natural in a way though the genre was EDM & Deep House. 5. As someone who is continuing the journey toward becoming a DJ while already establishing yourself as a producer, how do these two ambitions complement each other in your career plans? It complements each other with the influence of the five artists I have looked up to as idols and role models (Zara Larsson, Avicii, Ed Sheeran, Juliander & Phil Collins) and from DJs I’ve also listened a lot to, and also to stick to my goals and principle regardless how tough and challenging it may be. 6. With Natural Things now out and setting the tone for summer, what do you hope listeners take away from the song, and what can fans expect next from FREDRYD? Well, I hope to hear that they say I make good music that are enjoyable to listen and to dance plus that messages of all of my songs about friendship, connection/reconnection even Girl Power (in my Girl & Woman Power EPs and two other singles) is something you will understand later even if many people out there might still reject, still be unwilling or uninterested though no one can’t be that forever cause an acceptance, change, rethink your views and give a second chance is a big step to overcome what you’ve experienced and been troubled in life or people unintentionally. (106) FREDRYD – YouTube