"..perfect for midnight driving to nowhere.."
André Obin
Approaching Ominous Thrill
André Obin Bio:
An object in motion will remain in motion, and for André Obin, no force has been able to stop him from careening through the different lanes of an endless musical highway. Genre-bending and shape-shifting are standard fare; taking risks is part of the fun. As a musician, singer and producer, André draws inspiration for his songs from a deep emotional well. The music unfolds simultaneously with life itself. The results can be as dark as a forest under a new moon or as bright as a summer sun reflecting off the skyscrapers of a bustling city.
Hello, how are you?
I'm ok... Getting to the point in the tour (especially after six shows at SXSW) that I'm a bit wary. Missing my girlfriend and my cat. Playing Baton Rouge, LA tonight.*
*at that current time.
What are you currently listening to?
The band that has my attention right now is Factory Floor from London. I'd love to play some shows with them. I love the amalgamation of electronic hardware, organic instrumentation and eerie vocals.
When did you begin writing music? Whom or what were your biggest influences?
I started writing music in my teens. I started releasing under my own name in 2008. I like lots of Post-Punk, Shoegaze, Kraut Rock, Techno, Pop and Ambient music. Two of my favorite groups are Depeche Mode and Joy Division.
Care to tell us a little bit about 'The Arsonist'; theme(s), favorite track(s), etc.?
Each song is about a different scenario. "Golden Hair" is based on the poem by James Joyce. Syd Barrett later wrote a tune to accompany it. Slowdive covered it and performed it in a John Peel session - that's where I first heard it. My version is an adaptation which tries to pay homage to that lineage and bring it to a new place sonically. "Enjoy" is a song about not wanting to rush the musical process. The lyrics are "wait, we want to go slow, enjoy."
Will you be touring pretty extensively for said release?
I've been on a US tour for a couple weeks and have another week to go. I hope to tour Europe again this year. Holland is one of my favorite places to play. And I still haven't played the West Coast of the US. I love to perform but I'm also trying to keep a roof over my head.
Got any other projects we should know about?
André Obin is my sole focus. I spent over a decade juggling 2-3 different bands at a time. Most recently I fronted the indie rock band Endless Wave. I'm still proud of a lot of music in my past. I'm just in a period where collaborating does not make sense because of time constraints and increased demand. I'm helping some friends with their productions but choose to remain in the shadows there. Generally, if I'm not writing it, I don't want my name on it.
What movie would work best on mute while listening to you music?
I've used scenes from The Soloist and 2001 in my live visuals. Blade Runner might work. I remember when Jeff Mills wrote a record to accompany Fritz Lang's Metropolis. That was amazing. I much rather score a film and have the scenes syncopated instead of images and sounds clashing randomly. Images should come first for a film.
You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
My Bloody Valentine's 'Loveless'. Although Aphex Twin's 'Selected Ambient Works Volume 2' has been just as important and steady for me.
Are you living your dream?
Getting pretty damn close to it. Had the first encore of my life at SXSW.
I'm ok... Getting to the point in the tour (especially after six shows at SXSW) that I'm a bit wary. Missing my girlfriend and my cat. Playing Baton Rouge, LA tonight.*
*at that current time.
What are you currently listening to?
The band that has my attention right now is Factory Floor from London. I'd love to play some shows with them. I love the amalgamation of electronic hardware, organic instrumentation and eerie vocals.
When did you begin writing music? Whom or what were your biggest influences?
I started writing music in my teens. I started releasing under my own name in 2008. I like lots of Post-Punk, Shoegaze, Kraut Rock, Techno, Pop and Ambient music. Two of my favorite groups are Depeche Mode and Joy Division.
Care to tell us a little bit about 'The Arsonist'; theme(s), favorite track(s), etc.?
Each song is about a different scenario. "Golden Hair" is based on the poem by James Joyce. Syd Barrett later wrote a tune to accompany it. Slowdive covered it and performed it in a John Peel session - that's where I first heard it. My version is an adaptation which tries to pay homage to that lineage and bring it to a new place sonically. "Enjoy" is a song about not wanting to rush the musical process. The lyrics are "wait, we want to go slow, enjoy."
Will you be touring pretty extensively for said release?
I've been on a US tour for a couple weeks and have another week to go. I hope to tour Europe again this year. Holland is one of my favorite places to play. And I still haven't played the West Coast of the US. I love to perform but I'm also trying to keep a roof over my head.
Got any other projects we should know about?
André Obin is my sole focus. I spent over a decade juggling 2-3 different bands at a time. Most recently I fronted the indie rock band Endless Wave. I'm still proud of a lot of music in my past. I'm just in a period where collaborating does not make sense because of time constraints and increased demand. I'm helping some friends with their productions but choose to remain in the shadows there. Generally, if I'm not writing it, I don't want my name on it.
What movie would work best on mute while listening to you music?
I've used scenes from The Soloist and 2001 in my live visuals. Blade Runner might work. I remember when Jeff Mills wrote a record to accompany Fritz Lang's Metropolis. That was amazing. I much rather score a film and have the scenes syncopated instead of images and sounds clashing randomly. Images should come first for a film.
You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
My Bloody Valentine's 'Loveless'. Although Aphex Twin's 'Selected Ambient Works Volume 2' has been just as important and steady for me.
Are you living your dream?
Getting pretty damn close to it. Had the first encore of my life at SXSW.
Thanx Anton & André!
André Obin is currently touring (non-stop pretty much), try to catch one of his live shows if you can...
