sexta-feira, 16 de março de 2018

Volker with Blurred City Lights - An Interview


Quando dois maestros encontram-se é sabido que a genialidade dará o tom do trabalho.

E é exatamente isso que acontece com a junção de Jarek Leskiewicz (Sunset Wrecks / Opollo) , e Dean Garcia (Curve / SPC ECO, entre outros).

Sob a alcunha de Blurred City Lights os dois voltaram a ativa há questão de um mês atrás com "Volker", segundo trabalho deles. Ainda mais enigmático do que o genial "Anamorphic", "Volker" exala uma atmosfera de mistério. Como no trabalho anterior, o disco conta com participações especialíssimas como Rose Berlin (SPC ECO), Fillipo Gaetani entre outros.

O ponto é que, por entre sombras e luzes o Blurred City Lights novamente cometeu um disco perfeito.


***** Interview with Blurred City Lights *****



Q. Hello, first of all, congratulations on the new record. It's really brilliant. What is your analysis after conclusion of record? Are you happy with the result?
Jarek: Thank you, Renato! I'm pretty content with the end result. It's a snapshot of 3 months of us collaborating and shaping out musical ideas. Keeping each other's virtual company. Night crawling. It started with an EP in mind but it gradually morphed into a complete album.

Q. How was the process of creating "Volker"?
Jarek: For me, it started slightly rusty as we didn't do that project for quite a while (4 years!!) but with every new track it became more and more natural and inspiring. I think Dean also needed a bit of warm-up and motivation. From my perspective of working with him, he is most musical when in the right frame of mind - darkly inspired but optimistically creative. Willing to explore sonic pathways and give songs/ideas a chance.

Q. What are the main differences between "Volker" and "Anamorphic"?
Jarek: I feel like "Anamorphic" was created in a different time-space and emotional landscape. We were still bathing in the afterglow of very fruitful co-writing work on SPC ECO's "Sirens & Satellites".To me, it was a very euphoric and creative period. More hopeful. On Anamorphic we composed the tracks as songs with vocals in mind and while working on Volker the vocals became optional and more additional voices-like, accompanying. We fleshed out some of the parts but mostly we left things the way they presented themselves. Warts and all. Although there was a Click Inquisition going on for a bit ...haha. More instrumentals and cinematic vibes were welcomed on the album. The sound and production on those 2 records while unmistakably Dean, is a bit different too.

Q. What were the influences for creating the new record?
Jarek: The cover image was one of the main inspirations. It gave the record an evocative face and vivid sound direction. Musically there weren't direct influences except me using some Fairlight CMI sounds inspired by Peter Gabriel's early records and my usual nods to Eno-Byrne stuff. I also remember Dean mentioning Godspeed Young Emperor somewhere during the process.You still can hear trademarks of both of our styles on Volker but what I like about working with Dean is that he usually won't allow us to repeat ourselves too much. I think that's a great instinct.

Q. What are your plans for 2018?
Jarek: I'm finishing records of my other projects (Sunset Wrecks & Opollo) and hopefully will start working on another 2 after that :). I plan to check out some new music, read a few auto-biographies, make cool photos, watch a lot of movies and spend quality time with my close ones. That's all I need and wish for. Everything else is a bonus.
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Thanks

https://blurred-city-lights.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Blurred-City-Lights-506384916069942/?ref=hl