MORPHEUS
MUSIC INTERVIEW - HIBERNATION
21.11.08 - on release
of Some Things Never Change.
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| Q:
You’ve been involved in a number of different
musical projects over the years – what led to the creation
of Hibernation? |
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Well, I'd been a regular visitor
to Israel (that’s where Alpeh Zero is based) for over
10 years or so, at first with my Shakta Trance project and
then for regular studio sessions with Momi Ochion (under the
act name Angel Tears). Shahar, who runs the Label along with
Yaniv Shulman, would occasionally visit us while we were recording
Angel Tears material & that’s where I first met
him. I had previously written a track for their Natural Born
Chillers 2 compilation and when they were thinking about artist
albums they asked if I would consider writing one for them.
Of course I said Yes! That was the birth of the Hibernation
Project. |
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Q:
In what ways is Hibernation different
from your previous projects? |
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It's definitely a lot more electronic
& experimental than my other projects and that was thanks
to the brief from Aleph Zero, they were quite sure that they
didn't want just another generic chill album, so it was nice
to experiment with some fresh musical territory. I didn’t
really want to work on a typical ‘psychill’ project
as that doesn’t inspire me at all and luckily Shahar
& Yaniv were on exactly the same page! Originality was
as important to them as it was to me. |
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Q:
Do you have any favourite items of kit
or particular recording techniques that you enjoy using?
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Well, I don't really use much
hardware these days, mainly for the convenience of working
on multiple projects at the same time, I use Mac Computers
& Cubase to compose on and I guess my favourite plug-ins
are some of the UAD ones, especially for downtempo music.
I really love the LA2A compressor on Vocals, Guitar &
Bass... and Altiverb Convolution Reverb is amazing. I also
frequently used LiveCut throughout the Hibernation Album,
that's an amazing Glitchy Plug-in (& totally free!).....But
really, there are no particular rules or techniques to what
I do. Once you get started the inspiration either flows or
it doesn't and different styles of music have me reaching
for different plug-ins. Ten years ago I would have given you
a list of my favourite synths and hardware gear! But right
now it's mainly software I turn to. |
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Q:
How is it to go back to electronic music again after the world/ethnic
emphasis of Kaya Project & Angel Tears? |
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It doesn’t really
feel like going back for me as I’ve been producing
various electronic tracks for compilations and adverts over
the last few years, as well as having a few breakbeat releases
under my Digitalis project – so in that respect it
wasn’t a complete break from electronica – it's
always been bubbling along in the background. But yes, it's
fair to say that my most recent album releases have been
more of the world music tip. From an album perspective Hibernation
was certainly a refreshing change. |
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Q:
Did you set out
with a predetermined vision for this album? If so what was
it?
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Hmmmm....not
really a predetermined vision, but it was certainly important
to avoid many of the clichés that have arisen in
the scene and to a certain extent I think I managed that.
It also had to be sonically distinct from my Kaya Project
Material. The 3rd Kaya Project album '...& So It Goes'
it pretty much free from Electronica this time round, concentrating
on a more live, organic and musical sound, whereas Hibernation
is almost entirely electronic, with very little emphasis
on live musicianship. From this point of view I see those
two projects as completely separate and distinct from each
other. |
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Q:
What were your points of reference for
Some Things Never Change – your stylistic influences? |
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When I’m composing I try
to avoid listening too much to other music – probably
because I'm trying not to be influenced by it! I'm aware that
everything I hear influences me in some way. But now that
the album is finished It's much easier to see the woods for
the trees and I can hear quite a lot of stylistic influences
have that crept in there. It certainly wasn't pre-meditated
but I can hear elements of Flanger, Telefon Tel Aviv, Burial,
Amon Tobin, Boards of Canada, Akufen, Eat Static, Meat Beat
Manifesto.... well... the list goes on & on. Those are
probably all artists that were subtly in my subconscious mind
while I was composing & I highly respect each of them,
but there was never any plan to sound like any other artist.
They say that a musician is the sum total of all of his/her
influences. That sounds about right to me :-) |
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Q:
Would you say that you recent TV work
has had any effect on your writing?
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A couple of
tracks that were originally composed for TV have made it onto
those two albums, albeit in slightly altered form (Hirajoshi
on the Kaya Project Album & Reflect on the Hibernation
Album). But I'm not sure if my writing style has changed because
of the TV work I've done. It's hard for me to judge my musical
style from an outside perspective. It's always easier for
other people to see patterns in your work than yourself. |
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Q:
Hibernation seems right at home on Aleph-zero
Records – how did this coming together of artist and
label occur?
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Well, the project
didn’t exist until I was approached by them! It was
very much because of Aleph Zero that Hibernation came into
existence in the first place. Actually, Shahar & Yaniv
have quite a tough vetting process for tracks submitted to
their label. They don't really have the same taste as each
other when it comes to music, but if they find a track that
they BOTH like then it's passed through the Aleph selection
filter! I'm sure that this album was fine tuned to Aleph Zero
precisely because of this double filter. I submitted a far
larger number of tracks to the guys than were actually included
in the final album. |
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| Q:
Can we expect more Hibernation material
in the future? |
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Without doubt!
The initial responses to the album have been amazing &
I'm certain there will be more from Hibernation in the near
future...Watch this space :-) |
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| Thanks
to Seb AKA Hibernation and the guys at Aleph Zero for allowing
us that interview.
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