CM>>> With the release of the amazing album “8 Rooms” you’ve delivered your debut album. But before that “physically” release you had an immense success with your releases at MP3.com where songs been downloaded 370. 000 times. Was this great success at MP3.com the impulse to create an album? Or was it always your goal to create an own album?
Angina.P>>> I think it’s the goal of most artists to release their own album some day. Back in the mp3.com days I didn’t think that far ahead. And it wasn’t even necessary to release a CD to get heard - all you had to do was to upload an mp3!
CM>>> Was the MP3.com platform kind of a musical experimental laboratory to try out things and prove the reactions of the listeners?
Angina.P>>> To a certain degree, yes. Although the range of what I tried back then wasn’t all too diverse. I think I had it all spelled out already in my head before I actually started to produce my tracks. I did take the listener’s feedback seriously, but I didn’t really “test” my music.
CM>>>Can you tell me something about the concept behind the title “8 Rooms”? Is it connected to the artwork with these 8 platforms with these workstations or better say workplaces?
Angina.P>>> Well, each workstation represents one track on the CD, one artist, one “room”.
CM>>>….there are also 8 tracks on the album?
Angina.P>>> Yeh that’s the concept behind.
CM>>> It’s funny because in the beginning of the year I met Johannes Heil who told me a lot about his lucky number “7” and it’s spiritual meaning. Is the number 8 kind of a lucky number to you?
Angina.P>>> No, not really. But I tend to like even numbers… ;)
CM>>> Who created this fantastic three-dimensional artwork? It looks like a model for an interior decoration or kind of a blueprint done by an interior designer..
Angina.P>>> DJ Hidden (aka Semiomime) himself! He’s not only a great musician but also a very talented designer! My original idea was a sci-fi-ish floor plan or some kind of sterile and clean looking futuristic interior, and when DJ Hidden came up with his first draft we just loved it. I think it fits the music really nicely.
CM>>>You stated a few months ago that when it comes to write music you need extremes, noisy parts and calm parts. From where comes this self-targeted digging in a wide musical space? Does it come from an interest in a wide range of musical possibilities or is it a result of your personality? I mean is your life following the philosophy to life between extremes..?
Angina.P>>> Uhm… I guess so. Maybe it’s more a Yin Yang thing - like you can’t appreciated the noisy, upbeat part without having silence before that. If you only follow one thing in a track it gets boring - there is no tension and suspense that can build up. In the quiet parts I try to show depth, to me this is the “intellectual” part, time for reflection, contemplation, breathing out etc etc all that… and after that quiet scenes full of expectations the fun part kicks in even better! I just like that concept of changing paces in one track. I think I never wrote a single track that reflected only one mood. I tried. Couldn’t do it. I rather like to tell stories, with an intro, some sort of evolution, a pause and all these ups and downs. Like a short story!
CM>>>In your tracks are many hidden details or hidden treasures, which comes to daylight after listening to the track three or more times, and even then I remarked when I played “Known Issues” really loud during a party at a big sound system the track had a total different sound and atmosphere. You love small details and hidden treasures, which aren't seen at first sight?
Angina.P>>> Yes it’s also what I call depth - the listener understands that it took a while to get it to sound like that.
Years ago I used to get crazy about details and variations to a point where it didn’t make any sense anymore ;) I toned it down a little bit with “8 Rooms” sometimes.
But still - to me details are a major criteria for quality in music.
CM>>>So at school you drafted small drawings on your exercise books?
Angina.P>>> How do you know? Yes I guess I was often absent-minded. ;)
CM>>>How do you get signed to Notochord label?
Angina.P>>> Well I wrote Slacknote an email, asking him if he would want to release my album. He cooked a Thai dinner for his guests the moment my email reached him. (He says he has a weird habit of checking his emails while cooking.) Anyway, he got my email - he called up DJ Hidden and the same evening I got their OK. I was really lucky. =)
CM>>>Did you know the label owner Slacknote before?
Angina.P>>>Yes, we met at Forms of Hands in Germany in 2006, where I handed him a CD with some of my tracks on it. If you know Notochords first release, the NOTO 01 Compilation, you see that this music style is as close to mine as it gets. So I figured it would be a smart move to talk to him about the album.
CM>>>There are three remixes on “8 Rooms” done by Edgey, Semiomime and Larvae. You stated at the inner sleeve of your album “…thanks to Edgey for his reckless mix…. and arvae for understanding without words….” So it’s again this “Angina P - thing” with two extremes or limits. Larvae understanding without words what means to me that he done it like you probably would have done it and Edgey who remixed very different to your style… Am I right? Or is this too much interpretation for my part? nd what’s behind the idea to represent your tracks on your debut as remixes?
Angina.P>>> Well its pretty common to get your tracks remixed, it has a lot of advantages to do that. You mix the fan bases of all involved artists and provide some sort of bridge to different styles. Some artists, especially in the Hip-Hop-Realm, do this very strategically - I think there is hardly a Rap or even Pop album out there without A feat. B etc. - however the division in work is very different in these fields. In the electronic genre you got all these self-absorbed people who write a whole track on their own - and I thought it would be a nice change for me too, to get other people involved, cause I used to keep other people out a lot.
CM>>>Would you agree if I say that a remix is also a matter of trust?
Angina.P>>>Absolutely.
CM>>>When we are talking about your music which characterisation you like more “tracks” or “songs”?
Angina.P>>>I still call my tracks “songs” for some reason. It’s odd in the electronic scene to call them songs when there is no one singing anyway. But I think I still have the “upload new song” concept from mp3.com in my mind. “Track” sounds like a tool, a bridge between 2 other tracks - and I didn’t emerge from the mix-friendly DJ-Culture. Try to mix “Good Lady Wife” and you will see what I mean. ;)
CM>>>You also composed the soundtrack and the sound effects for the upcoming video game “SunAge”. How does it come to this job?
Angina.P>>>That’s a very long story. It’s one of those ever evolving never ending storys. (I have a bunch of them). But to put it short: My brother started to write a game 10 years ago. So it was clear who is going to take care of the sound. In fact it’s his “fault” that I started to make music. Some of my very first writing attempts happened for this game. I had to rewrite the complete soundtrack as the game started to grow, but I still have some of those old tracks sitting somewhere.
CM>>>So when you create sound effects and music for a video game you have to follow the allegations of the game. Is this approach totally different than producing own tracks for an own album?
Angina.P>>>Yes, it’s pretty different. You can’t go all experimental and weird for such a project. With this soundtrack I tried to combine the classical orchestra-sound with my more unconventional sound, cause I’m tired of the typical "we-need-to-sound-like-Hollywood”- approach. So I tried to find a combination of the market’s expectations and my own style. You can download 2 Tracks (or should I say Songs?) of the soundtrack here: (SunAge Theme) and ! (Cult Campaign Theme). For the ingame-tracks I actually had to sound a bit boring, so that it doesn’t distract the player and still fit in nicely with all the sound effects during the game. First I thought “what - writing boring tracks - that sounds easy!” But it turned out anything but easy. It’s like holding your breath, biting your tongue when you want to yell something. I tried to keep in mind that we are supposed to sell a game, not a music CD. That helped a bit. Check www.sunage-the-game.com !
CM>>>So once again your special interest in another extreme?
Angina.P>>> No, I wouldn’t say that. My music has this natural cinematic feel to it anyway, so I didn’t have to go very far astray from that.
CM>>>Last but not least your track “Hidden Assault” have been featured on the DVD version of the film “Taking Lives” and also for a show at History Channel and Discovery Channel. How does it come to these collaborations? Do you feel kind of “proud” to be represented in such media?
Angina.P>>>Well how it came to these “collaborations” was a subject that kept 3 international Copyright Lawyers busy for a year and a half. But apart from all that I am very proud that Warner Bros. and the US History Channel/Discovery Channel showed interest in my work. Plus these companies aren’t to blame for the copyright mess that happened. A friend called me up and told me “Hey I’m watching this movie with Angelina Jolie and they got your music in the background!” and I said “Yeh sure” and was about to hang up. ;) But when I bought the DVD I didn’t trust my ears and just wondered how in the world THAT happened. I sat there with a mixture of rage, elation and complete lack of understanding in what mysterious ways my music goes around the world. But again, yes I am proud that I could climb that ladder - I just wished the people responsible for this would have handled things like professionals.
CM>>>Maybe the boring question of all, but what’s behind your artists name Angina.P?
Angina.P>>>The classic question! ;) Well I suffered from chronical throat pain in my teenie years and I got exempt from school for a long time and had nothing else to do than play video games on my brothers Commodore Amiga 500. That time and that music influenced me a lot, so I chose that name. I still admire what the composers were able to do with the technical limits of an Amiga 500.
CM>>>Maybe nowadays this question makes no sense, but I would like to know if you use instruments or a laptop? I really love the warm ambient sounds and the sharp drum sounds you’ve used…
Angina.P>>>This album in particular saw a switch in equipment during its production. I used my old hardware synths on most of the tracks, but I think you can hear me switching from hardware to soft synths (and another sequencer program) in Track 2 ( No Time To Bleed), which is the track I wrote last.
CM>>>Are you a trained musician? Or are you a “self-made” musician?
Angina.P>>>I’m not really classically trained. When I wanted to join the school orchestra group when I was like 13 or so they wouldn’t let me - they kicked me out because I couldn’t read musical notes. I could play and learn songs by ear, but I guess that wasn’t enough for them. As if the ability to read notes would determine whether you’re talented or not. Anyway, later on I joined private keyboard classes - I learned their stupid notes system and got a basic grip of harmonies and song structures and all that.
CM>>>I think I am walking on thin ice with my next question, but I really would like to know how people, no how men react in the IDM, Breakcore, whatever scene when they get introduced to a open and good looking person like you…. do you always receive positive reactions or do you sometimes receive astonished or depreciative reactions?
Angina.P>>>It really depends on the situation. There are too many factors to consider. I think what really determines peoples reactions are bigger social mechanisms, that you will encounter in any other job as well. In general I would say people always perceive you as a woman first, and then as a producer. Group mechanisms play a big role, on- or offline is another big factor to consider. But in general I notice that people are very friendly, helpful and curious - and I’m not the kinda person that steps on people either - maybe it’s a mutual thing.
CM>>>What comes after "8 Rooms"? Any plans for a second album?
Angina.P>>>Yes, a lot of plans! A few days ago I think I found a sound way to put together my next album. I hope I can do some good work during the winter.
CM>>>Is Vienna your birthplace?
Angina.P>>>Yes.
CM>>>What do you like most about Vienna? Is there a kind of electronic music scene?
Angina.P>>>I have the feeling there is a lot of Elektro going on - which I like. It’s nice to hear some minimal stuff after all that “50 snare rolls on top of each other”-craziness”.
CM>>>In a few days 2007 ends. When you look back would you say that this was a “special” year for you?
Angina.P>>>Yes, a turbulent but successful year!
CM>>>What do you need for a perfect day?
Angina.P>>> A plan. ;) Daylight. Good music.
http://www.anginap.net/
http://www.anginap.com/
Photos Copyright: All Photos by Laurent Ziegler (unstill.net)
Interview Michael Mück
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