EIC's 10Q's w/ Denseland

"..precise/well plotted Industrial clamor.." 

Denseland

Mending The Vexing Ruckus

Denseland Bio:

There is a certain type of music that echoes the feeling of a dark promise. It triggers anxiety, and it is precisely this effect that makes it appealing. Such music represents a living contradiction, a threatening attraction, a sounding abyss. And it is fascinating like a Cronenberg film. Denseland’s music oscillates precisely within this suspense.

Hanno Leichtmann, Hannes Strobl and David Moss had already released an album titled "Chunk". Now they bring us “Like likes Like” with the Berliner label m=minimal and seek to combine everything that belongs together. Rhythmical textures, rudimentary melodies and a clear renunciation of harmonies develop into a lesson on the subject minimalism. It is this sort of rhythmical music that instantly develops into a sense of suction that couldn’t be thriftier. The songs produce a deep and chilly effect. And beyond the rhythmical structures appears David Moss’ magical Sprechgesang. His voice seems to whisper directly in one’s ear. It creaks, it grumbles. It is often nothing more than a murmur that bit by bit assembles a vocal. It then expands and shapes into a sort of singing as ghostly voices breathe in the air. It is precisely this vocal that widely contributes to a feeling of discomfort in the works of Like likes Like.

Almost all repetitive music operates on the principle of hypnosis through repetition. Sometimes a song needs a few minutes to unfold its hypnotic effect. On the contrary, Denseland needs only a few seconds. The centrifugal force in its downbeat repetitions becomes practically unavoidable.

Denseland’s members depict mastery in opening new frontiers. They manage to employ minimal resources with maximum efficiency. Descriptors such as slow motion funk or minimal spoken word noise techno do not live up to the trio’s dark and energetic tracks. The band was formed in 2008. A year later, it released its first record “chunk” with the label MOSZ Rec. Vienna. During the same year, the trio pursued the project “speaking in tongues” with Chris Kondek and Christiane Kühl. This was followed by several performances at festivals like Ruhrtrienale, Avantart, Made, Sonar and Taktlos, among others.

Hello, how are you?

Well, fine.

What are you currently listening to?

Nino Rota's 'Satyricon', Frank Zappa's 'We're only In It For The Money', Fausto Romitelli's 'Professor Bad Trip'.

What's with the band name?

It´s a symbiosis between "dense" and "land".

Did you have a clear concept of sound when you began writing for this project?

Yes.

Care to shed some light on your latest LP; theme, favorite track(s), etc?

There is no latest "LP". It's a CD.

Will you be touring the US for said album?

No.

Got any other projects we should know about?

Groupshow, The Vulva String Quartett, P.O.P., Tamtam, Institute For Living Voice (more info here(s): www.media-loca.com/denseland, www.media-loca.com/hannoleichtmannm, www.media-loca.com/vulvastringquartett, www.media-loca.com/groupshow)

What movie would work best on mute while listening to you music?

Nightmare On Elm Street Part 8

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?

Antonio Carlos Jobim's 'Jobim', Merzbow's '1930', & Sly Stone's 'Fresh'

Are you living your dream?

No, we like our nightmares.

Thanx Denseland and Mo!

Denseland recently release their second album, you should probably check that out...

EIC'S10Q'S w/Serena-Maneesh

"..A true delight for fans of Psych Rock/Shoegaze music or even Smashing Pumpkins, had SP focused more on loud noise and a little less on pop.."

(Photo Credit: Kjetil Tangen)

Serena-Maneesh
Psychotomimetic Obstreperous Concept

Serena-Maneesh Bio:
The team of musicians who each contribute to the band's sound is organized around its main protagonist and songwriter Emil Nikolaisen. Emil has previously appeared as a guitarist and songwriter in the indie band Royal, played the drums in Norwegian punk rock band Silver as well as in the retro-pop orchestra The Loch Ness Mouse. He even has a past as guitarist in the metal band Extol.

Important sources of musical inspiration are The Velvet Underground, My Bloody Valentine, Amon Düül, The Stooges, Swans, Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, Stereolab, Royal Trux, Neu!, and Antonio Carlos Jobim. In late 2005, the band toured Europe in support of The Dandy Warhols. In early 2006, Serena-Maneesh landed the opening gig for British band Oasis during its UK tour. They supported Nine Inch Nails on the Australia/Japan leg of their 2007 world tour.

The highly acclaimed self-titled debut album was released on the Norwegian record-label HoneyMilk in the autumn of 2005. In December of the same year, the Norwegian vinyl label Hype City released an LP print featuring two exclusive tracks, and the Spanish indie distributor Touchme Records published the CD. In March 2006, the band announced its transfer to the Playlouder-branch of the Beggars Group established in Europe (UK, Germany and Italy), North America (United States and Canada) and Oceania (Australia). In June 2006, the band released an international edition of its self-titled album (both CD and LP) through the international label Playlouder.

The long-awaited second album Serena Maneesh 2: Abyss in B Minor was released in March 2010 on the renowned British independent label 4AD. According to Nikolaisen, it sounds like a "rock'n'roll chamber of magic."


Hello, how are you?
Great! floating far above the skies in an aeroplane through the waves of my dreams!

What are you currently listening to?
Jobim. Everywhere. All the time. His great relatives Brazilian duo Joyce, Gal Costa, Menescal.. Jimmy Webb... RTX.. Stooges..

Where does the name Serena Maneesh come from?
Somewhere in the native deserts of my West Coast Norwegian sour breeze of the mind

What’s the music scene like in your hometown?
Some good bands, lots of incredibly nice people, sometimes a little too nice, sometimes just good nice and great music comes out of it! But yes some good and quite diverse acts, some gifted people. People trying to contribute for a better music world.

It seems like it's been a while since you last released a new album, care to explain what you've been up to?
Restoration sleep, mind on other things, laboring time, recording and playing around with things for a couple of years

What is the theme behind your new album?
Underlying streams of melodic consciousness.. Heavy silk. Perfume from ancient times. Many ways to drape a melody. A whole story that needs to be listened to! Not just for the chosen few though. It should be for everyone! Give it time and it will embrace you.. heeeeee

Are you more proud of the music you make now or the music made back in the day?
Heading forwards, man! The future!! Grasping for everything that lies ahead.. New ideas to find, new stories to be told.. Right now this record has been with me so strongly for so long that I still sense the smoke in the air from it..

Is there a full US tour in the works?
Yes! Starting NOW* the 17th at SXSW in Texas, coming through the West Coast, up to Canada and some back and forth before starting heading down/aiming for New York as final destination. Really looking forward to sharing some music again!
*EDITORS NOTE: Interview done at the beginning of February.

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
It' s not the news bomb and it could never be: VU' s "banana record".

Are you living your dream?
I' m alive and still dreaming! Does that count? The journey is, you know the good old roller coaster, of sorrow and joy.. but if you' re not holding your dreams high and act upon them.. what' s left in such a dark hole?

Thanx SM!

Serena-Maneesh just wrapped up their US tour and are currently bouncing around different European venues...