»taskenti ep« by lod

e-mail interview with lod (by kengo miyazaki)

km: this ep is very minimal and dark, yet i feel some kind of warmth in the melancholic context. what’s the theme behind this ep?

lod: that is totally right. even though it’s a dark project, there is some light on it. i always try to make a balance with this contrast, and this time, it’s a bit different since i have used some sounds from really fresh and organic brazilian sounds that interact with my usual - more industrial sounds. taskenti is the name of a plant, and the meaning behind it is that this work grows on you. you probably won’t get an instant feeling. it’ll take time to flower.

km: the warmth comes not only from the guitar-like sound or the pads of the first two tracks, but also from the non-melodic noise samples that are used in the last two tracks. what kind of roles do noise/glitch sounds play in your compositions?

lod: noise and glitch sounds are frequently in my compositions, but the amount of importance changes depending on which projects i work on. i would say my music is not that noisy and experimental as your question may sound. i feel more sentimental, and if i use noise, that’s because i feel there is space for it without disturbing anyone’s ears. there is always the difference between use and abuse.

km: all the individual sounds are quite powerful and have unique and strong characters of their own. what kind of equipment or sound sources do you use and what’s the secret of putting together all those ‘almost uncontrollable’ sounds into harmony?

lod: i mainly work with a computer although i add some synths, and i also use some analog guitar filters and a compressor. well, it’s hard to say with words what i think and do in the studio… it’s just impossible for me to explain.

km: lastly, you’re currently running two labels - klitekture and sinergy-networks. i like the concept of sinergy-networks - http://www.sinergy-networks.com/sinergy.htm. has the sinergy project affected the way you operate klitekture? is there going to be your own klitekture release anytime soon?

lod: well, sinergy-networks has helped me to develop my sound and to work with different artists and sounds over this year. klitekture is my first, most loved and respected project, and i know its time now for me to release something on it. on our last compilation ‘epitome vol1,’ i released my first track called ‘taylor’ with other tracks from andreas tilliander and tomas jirku. finally, i will release my first ep after the summer called ‘4wd’ with a sutekh remix. then, i am also thinking on releasing various eps with my sinergy remixes and other works from sinergy on klitekture.