Interviews
His compositions combine futuristic rhythms and high-tech sounds with a psychedelic twist while keeping the essence of melody and atmosphere alive. He performed on the then, Shankra floor (now έως - Eos) and it was magic on the dance floor. Listen to his interview to get a snapshot into his musical journey
How did you approach music in the first place?
My first approach with music happened at an early age when I was in elementary school, as I had been studying and learning piano on a regular basis for 3 years. Actually, that didn’t go very far because my musical tastes as a teenager revolved around rock n’ roll, metal and hip-hop. The real trigger came to me when I discovered psytrance: I was so curious to learn how to make this kind of music through technology, because it had and still has a big and positive impact on me, so through the years I was continuously on and off learning music and experimenting on various software and keyboards, from Mad Tracker to Cubase and Reason. A journey experimenting with different genres to acquire knowledge and use it creatively, which is still happening and that’s the beautiful part of it, I’m grateful!
What about Psytrance, how did you get in touch with this genre?
Well I couldn’t miss it, it all started around 2000. I was more or less a 16 year old kid, hanging out usually with my friends doing this and that. But yea, one day we had the idea to go and check out a psytrance party, so that was it basically... we were hooked.
I can’t remember myself not being around festivals and parties to experience this kind of music, listen to new artists, be with friends and of course the feeling of dancing together with people who all love the same genre of music: this is great. That actually became a need and a drive to meet and connect with people from around the world sharing same views and ideas. Celebrating life and existence.
Tell us something more about the psychedelic scene in Greece.
The psytrance scene in Greece as far as I know goes back to the early 90’s, where many underground parties were happening at a constant rate with massive attendance. I believe the impact of this music was huge on people because it was something new for the time and everyone was curious to explore and discover new horizons. For that reason many festivals took place around 2000: one major was in Samothraki island, which is a very beautiful destination and attracted a lot of people back in the days, together with many other smaller ones scattered all around Greece in magical locations which can’t be forgotten.
Nowadays I don’t think it is as massive as before but I still believe people will give it a chance as long as there is appropriate music and of course the right comfortable place. The important thing is that the scene is still active and you see more efforts being made towards the quality of the events. So yes, when you see something growing and even slowly maturing, it is a good thing, as what matters is not the size but the intentions and love that you put in building it.
You also have other projects. Could you give us a small presentation?
Thank you for asking, my side project is called Quadraphonic and it is a collaboration with my friend Yanis aka Tromo. It all started around 2011 when we were colleagues, so after work we had plenty of time. One day we started talking about quadraphonic systems and how could they work on psytrance music. We could see it in the studio happening, but in big stages with a lot people moving around, we could see the obvious reasons how it would not work efficiently. We never tried to materialize the idea but despite that, we liked and kept the name and when we did our first track called ‘Antigravity’ we used it. At that time, Sonic Loom Music was founded by a collective of friends and released that track on the first compilation.
I would characterize Quadraphonic as a full power style of psychedelia with strong elements of FM leads, deep and emotional pads and atmospheres, which can be played at night or day depending on the flow of the party.
We are currently working on our album so expect to listen to new material soon!
What do you look for when you experiment with sounds?
Ah that’s a nice question, it depends on the mood of the moment when I’m experimenting: there is no specific direction, I can spend hours exploring various sides of the sound from chaotic to emotional pads to random sequences, trippy FX, atmospheres, rhythmics and more. At some point, something will draw my attention more so I will start creating around this, to see what happens and how it feels. I believe it is a combination of the above with the right balance to create a dimension you will enjoy and feel excited about.
Studio equipment: what tools do you usually use?
That’s a topic we producers can talk about forever, especially on the technical details and the applicability of the tools, either software or hardware. For my music, I like to use Cubase but from time to time I like to experiment with other DAW’s like Ableton or Bit Wig, alongside with various midi controllers and midi keyboards. To create sounds, I like using both software and hardware synthesizers. I believe they have endless possibilities, like our imagination, and it’s a matter of taste what to use, plus many different VST FX’s to play around from delays, reverbs, to phasers etc.
We will welcome you at Shankra Festival 2022. How will you prepare your set?
I’m very happy to be invited, thank you! I will prepare it based on the time slot given and the flow of music is being played, i will perform with my laptop and my midi controller which I will tweak different parameters, maybe the final form of the set will take place there having the energy and vibes of the festival.
A special message to the Shankra Family!
I am honored to be part of this multicultural event in Sri Lanka and can’t wait to be in Shankra Festival 2022, to share my energy on the dancefloor with all the people celebrating life and freedom.
Get in touch with Antonymous and Quadraphonic music!
How did you start your musical journey?
I started playing piano when i was at a pretty young age. I was exposed to all sorts of music genres, I found Electronic music very attractive to me, both production wise and the story it can tell. When I was almost 18 in 2003, I got signed for my 1st album called 'Moment': project 'Fatali' was officially born to the world. Luckily, many fans were making much noise and not so long after I was already touring the world with my music. Since then, I've released 5 artist albums + more then 80 single tracks.
When, where and how was your first meeting with electronic music?
I remember the 1st time I heard this mysterious sounds, my soul got connected to it right away. I always liked the idea that you can tell such story guided by Sounds & Melodies.
What genres of music, tracks or artists inspire you the most?
It doesn’t necessarily have to be a specific sound or an artist. It can be anything like experiences in my life, which I would like to transform into music. It can be a beautiful sunset or something I feel or just imagining what would be the perfect music I would like to hear – when I’m in a sunrise in a festival or open air and like that. Though, i can definitely say that Cosma (R.I.P.) has been a major influence on me, as a musician and a person as well.
When looking for new sounds, what do you usually do?
By simply living my life, working hard, good, basically anything influences me. On the past decade I took wave surfing very seriously, I’m traveling the globe searching for good waves. These tropical trips sure do magic to music production as well.
What are the main features of Fatali’s music?
I like to listen to music as a whole, without giving it a name. so basically anything with good amount of emotions, story, combined with good production is welcome.
You also play as Eitan Carmi. Could you tell us a bit more about this musical project?
I started this project quite a while ago now, I wanted to keep Fatali in its original path, so i decided to create another project. I found this project very exciting to me, it opened many doors in music production.
We welcomed you in previous editions of Shankra Festival. Do you have any particular memory connected to your performance there?
Sure does! My best friend had passed away just a month before. We traveled the world together to many events. His entire family and my best friend who lives in Switzerland were there with me, to celebrate life and happiness.
How will you get ready for Shankra Festival Sri Lanka 2022?
I love Sri Lanka so much and I have been there many times now. I'm so excited to be back and especially for Shankra, first time on this amazing land. Its a big honor for me.
A special message to the Shankra Family!
Shankra family is one of the true musical and cultural events left far away from commercialism and more connected to the true source, which is Music, people, Gathering! I’m looking forward, Gruitzi :-)
Listen to Fatali's and Eitan Carmi's sounds.
Jump into Eitan's world!
Tell us something about your project and how you two met
Alina: When we first met, no one would have thought that 12 years later we would be recording an album together.
Alex:I don't even remember exactly how I met Alina. All I remember is that she had a very cool push-button phone back then. And about 2/3 years ago I started helping Alina with mixing her tracks. A bit later we started doing some small projects together. And so it all turned into the idea of making an album together.
How do you bring your individual musical experience in your project?
When everything is natural and clear, when no one creates obstacles, then everything blends by itself, giving birth to new forms, experience cannot be deliberately brought into the project, it can only flow into it by itself and this should be the natural way.
Sneak peek to your future project: what’s cooking?
Now we are working on the follow up to our first album and we also have the idea of making another ambient album.
How do you tell a story in your music during your musical performances?
When we start a new project, we usually already have an idea of what we want to do, what story we want to tell. So at the beginning we try to figure out how to translate our idea into music. And once we are able to do that, we start to fill in the resulting sketch with different small details, so that the listener can go deeper into our music and get a better understanding of the idea.
Is there a person, historical figure, musician or friend that really made an influence on you?
Alina: I am a huge library of thousands of people who have met me. One day in Tbilisi, I looked through the ajar door of a shop. It was full of books and a man was copying them into a large notebook. I don't know why that man came to my mind. I don't know who he was, but from that moment on, he was a part of me.
Alex: I have been influenced by so many people. Therefore it's very difficult to choose just one. But probably the person who has influenced me the most in my life is my friend Arsen, thanks to whom I started making music.
Do you have something that fuels your life, like a belief, a feeling, a dream?
Alina: I'm not sure I can describe it in words. It's all more than can be described.
Alex: I have a similar situation as Alina. It would be very difficult to describe it in words.
One song that makes you feel really good:
Alina: That's the hardest question! How is it just one? Every day is different! And that's what makes me feel good!
Alex: Usually it depends very much on the mood, the day, the inner state and so on. But at the moment I can highlight this track by Tomas Dvorak - Mr. Handagote.
You will play at Shankra Festival for the first time in Sri Lanka. What do you expect from this experience?
Our expectations are pretty simple - we feel that within 7 days of the festival a new universe will emerge, an inexplicable and infinite neural circuit connects us all into one big family.
A special message to the Shankra Family!
Love
How did you three met and how was the beginning of your collaboration?
It’s actually quite a funny story. In the summer of 2019 I (Backhaus) got a phonecall from Bow Miller. He invited me to dj with him and Carbalido at a small cafe next to the club Culturebox in Copenhagen. At that time we had never played together, and we actually didn’t know each other that well – but we shared the same passion for deep and slow house music… It was a hot summer night, so there weren’t any guests at all almost – only two I think, and a bartender, but it actually turned out to be one of our best gigs, because of the connection between us. We have all played individually for more or less 15 years, and for the first time for the three of us, we found our soulmates musically. We had an extremely good night and lucky for us, the booker from the club next door was there, and booked us straight away for the week after. After playing at the club, from 11 pm – 9am, we looked at each other saying: ’we need a name for ourselves’ – and from that moment Angebot was founded.
Tell us a memory about your first festival experience
The first festival we went on together was Garbicz in Poland. That was so amazing! We had a great time there and met a lot of amazing people.That whole festival was one of the nicest experiences that year! It’s hard to put into words how much magic comes out from that polish wood – we were filled with so much good music and perfect energy afterwards.
How did you get in touch with electronic music?
Individually, for the three of us, electronic music started way back in the late 80’s with Depeche Mode, later on Massive Attack, Portishead and Kruder & Dorfmeister etc.. But our passion for the kind of vibe and music genre that Angebot is all about, also started individually back in 2014-15ish, which at that time felt like a totally new world opening up… That whole vibe, with dragging slow-mo beats, that wants to go forward is to us, a really nice and hot combination. Dj’ing that genre hasn’t really worked for us separately here in Copenhagen. Not sure why, but it probably has something to do with timing. Angebot was born at the right time. No one else in Copenhagen did what we did at the time on our home turf. Be Svendsen was out of town that day :)
Do you have any advice to young musicians that are approaching the world of music production?
Don’t do it – get an education J seriously, get an education – you can do both. But in general, follow your gut feeling in everything that you do. You can’t go wrong. If you have a burning desire of becoming a musician or a dj – jump right in to it. There is so much perfect and free online help out there, that were not there when we ’grew up’ – so do it. Just do it. Ask your local DJ – everyone wants to help out. We hope. If not call us :)
How did you choose your project’s name?
Actually we didn’t give it that much thought, but we have all been traveling several times in Germany, and angebot is a very used word there, because of its meaning. It means offer/sale. We always liked the sound of it. It kinda suits well in your mouth. So it was more that, than the actual meaning…which also makes perfect sense now. And then
we have a lot of free promo everywhere in Germany :)
Could you describe the process you go through in producing your music?
We get a lot of inspiration from listening to all kinds of genres of music. The three of us are kinda old, or at least up therewith age, and we have experienced a lot of stuff from traveling, having kids etc; all those things added up, makes your horizon go further. Meaning that we can listen to a nice authentic South-American tune, and straight thinking: ’This vibe is awesome, let’s work something out from this’ and then hook up in the studio and taking it from there. It’s all about trying different things out and suddenly you have a nice loop to work out from.
You got a totally free afternoon. What would you do?
If it’s in the summertime we would go straight under one of the central bridges in Copenhagen, where there is a nice winery, and share a bottle of wine. If it’s like a day today, we hook up in our mutual flat in Copenhagen and listen to music, chatting and dreaming about a world with no corona over a cup of tea.
Do you have something that you always bring with you during your travels?
We always bring the slippers and the housecoats we stole from the last hotel we stayed on J
What are you looking forward to the most at Shankra Festival Sri Lanka 2022?
We are looking so much forward to feel the vibe, the island, the music and being together with a lot of wonderful people.
A special message to the Shankra Family!
Thanks for having us, and giving us this beautiful opportunity to be able to share our vibe and music with you.
We can’t wait to meet you all.
You manage Dacru Records, prominent record label in the Psychedelic Trance scene. How did you start your journey in this project?
It was back in 2001 already that we organized a first party with some friends. It all started out very small, but over the following years a lot more events followed. And after already binding a couple of good artists to our organization and arranging some bookings and tours for them, it was the next logical step to form a proper label.
According to you, what are the most important goals of a record label?
There are many goals to achieve, but in general it’s working together with the artists to produce the best possible release. It’s the artist’s responsibility to create a timeless piece of music and the label’s task to put it out there in a way that as many people as possible can enjoy it. And have some great memories for the rest of their lives.
How do you choose to collaborate with specific artists?
For the artists that we really ask to join our label family on a long term bases, it’s important to have a good understanding. Of course everything starts with the music which needs to be good and suited for the label. We focus on the melodic and psychedelic. Apart from the music we also need a good personal and professional connection with the artist, otherwise it will not be something for the long turn. Luckily we have been blessed to work with many talented artists who are already with us since many years.
One musical experience you lived that really affected you
Difficult to pick just one experience. I’ve had some great times seeing Astral Projection and Man With No Name, they never fail. I’ve seen DigiCult play hundreds of times leading to many great memories. Maybe some of the best experiences were in the early years when we didn’t even know who was playing. Can I pick something non psytrance? I have particular fond memories of a Manu Chao concert at a festival in Belgium in 2001.
What do you think about the sustainability, ecological development and future of the psychedelic culture?
I am sure that many people in the psytrance scene do their best to consider the environment, probably more than in other subcultures. But of course there is always room for improvement, and that goes for everyone both the organizers and the visitors of psytrance events.
Do you think that music may have an effect on society and on people’s lives?
Maybe not the music only as such, but the whole subculture that comes with it of course it effects your life and chances your view on things. I like to think in a positive way. I guess the effect on society won’t be all that much, but for sure it would be a lot more sad if we weren’t there.
Over the years, we welcomed many artists from Dacru Records at Shankra Festival. Do you have feedback from them about their experience with us?
Yes! I have heard many positive stories from the Festival in Switzerland. Especially everyone always speaks very highly about the venue and its beautiful setting.
Many Dacru artists will play at Shankra Festival Sri Lanka 2022. Will you join us too? What are your expectations?
I am actually considering that yes. In 2003 I spent a few weeks backpacking in Sri Lanka on my first trip outside Europe. It’s a great country! I would love to return with some friends
and enjoy it again. And having a look at the line-up and hearing from many people, it seems like there will be a lot of friends there.
A special message to the Shankra Family!
I can’t wait to trance and dance with the Shankra Family and I really hope it will be possible in 2021 already!
