You’re touring through Germany at the end of February. How can someone image on of your gigs?  What will be be in the foreground- the music or the performance?
M: In this musical context the focus definitely will be on the songs- on experiencing them live. But if there’s another context the focus will be separated. For example, we’re playing in the PARADISO in Amsterdam, a great concert hall, and the context is a contemporary arts and pop music evening. And in exactly this context the hybridity between performance, art and concert will be focused. But as already mentioned, on tour the focus will be on the songs. There is no big visual show on stage. But we do get into it so there’s definitely some dancing and some kind of random movements…haha– For me, the version of the songs in the live show, they’re just much more intense, rougher, darker live and I am so happy that it’s like that, its really exciting for us together to see how the songs are changing and morphing through the live sets…

 

Which artists are you currently listening to?
M: Last night I was listening to KWABS, called Last stand , the song SOHN produced. I kind of have spurts of feeding on loads of new music and then other times I can listen to the same old song for hours or actually weeks when I am working…i get obsessed with a moment in a song. I love INC. They are one of my favorites for a while now. They’re two brothers, its calmer than most of the other stuff I listen to. We saw them in concert a few months ago.It’s automatically intimate because he sings quite softly, really tender.
A: Yes, intricate , great electronic production, They play guitar and bass but how it’s produced sounds totally electronic.
M: My playlist is all over the place at the moment, totally confusing and horrifying for anyone else I am sure. I think there’s THE KNIFE, DRAKE and that dude from the UK voice show all together – I am really sorry! I sing along to everything I listen to.
A: I’m listening a lot to the JAMES BLAKE Album from 2013. And also a lot to Erased Tapes– the label. ÓLAFUR ARNALDS and also NILS FRAHM And of course for DJ’ing (on Krakatau records)I need to dive deep into the technoworld ( laughs). In this context I really like STIMMING for example. He’s got this unbeatable sound since a while now. Yes, these are the things I surround myself with

 

What do hope and passion mean to you?
M: Passion is necessary for creating everything. (laughs) No, I mean as an impulse, as inspiration.
A: Yes, the fire, that’s where it starts. The rapture. Passion is rapture. And actually the rapture is always at the beginning of something.
M: Nicely said.
A: The hope. Yes, the hope comes directly afterwards- as I would say. The hope that something emerges from the rapture. Right?
M: I’d say that the opposite of hope- what would that be? Giving up? Anyway, whatever the opposite of hope is, would be the inspiration or motivation for many songs and music in general. And what you need to get up surely is hope. (laughs).

 

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UNMAP