‘Click Interview’ with Növö: ‘I Personally Can’t Conceive To Create A Musical Piece With A Mouse And A Controller’
Laurent Boudic is a kind of pioneer in electronic music although he’s not the most famous and recognized artist at the wider fields of EBM. While he was mainly dealing with different forms of techno music Növö definitely sounds more into good-old vintage EBM. It still sounds quite minimal and accomplished with a technoid flavor on top. I discovered this artist by some productions released on the American digital label Black Montanas. Növö finally joined the established Alfa Matrix to releases the latest albums. The newest brainchild is the album “The Shortwaves”, which will definitely appeal for lovers of analogue gear and the magic of old-styled electronics.
(by Inferno Sound Diaries)
Q: Can you briefly remind us the main facts from your artistic background and how did you get contaminated by the electronic-music virus?
Laurent: I started in the early 80’s by experimenting industrial electronic & concrete music, first in Belgium & then in France under different nicknames & collaborations. During the whole 90’s I got into intelligent techno & ambient music with projects such as Genetik System & x2Proton. Since year 2000 I’m essentially working on Növö.
I’ve been contaminated to the avant-garde electronic & industrial music essentially with bands such as Severed Heads, Throbbing Gristle, SPK or Suicide.
Q: You’re one of those artists with a real passion for analogue equipment. Where does this fascination comes from and what makes the magic of analogue equipment?
Laurent: From my childhood. In the 70’s, electronic music was already almost everywhere. On TV advertising, news & documentaries, movie soundtracks etc. This analogue sound really fascinated me forever.
But it’s not only the way how it sounds, it is also how do you interact with it. Working with vintage analogue equipment and its limitations is something that definitely opens the creativity.
There’s also something of magic in that sound. It is alive, warm and organic, the total opposite of the digital sound which is interesting in terms of sound synthesis but very cold and clinical in sound.
Q: What’s your opinion about the huge mass of bands using software and composing nearly all the same sound?
Laurent: To be frank I find it pretty sterile & boring. The same beats, almost the same sounds everywhere & the same way to create. I personally can’t conceive to create a musical piece with a mouse and a controller. I’m a musician so I must feel and play with the instrument, the equipment.
The music & creativity from today is pretty poor in general but it’s not necessary due to the technology, you know it’s just a tool. The main factor is the lack of audacity from these artists even though they doesn’t bear the entire responsibility. Indeed, the narrow-minded people buying the same records again & again without other interests are also responsible.
It’s becoming very hard to find artists that breaks the rules nowadays. Fortunately, there’s still some interesting people with interesting minds but not too many.
Q: You recently released your new album “The Shortwaves”. I experienced this album as more experimental than some of your previous work. What kind of album did you’ve in mind and how do we have to understand the result?
Laurent: You definitely right, “The Shortwaves” is more experimental, dark & lo-fi than the previous ones, except maybe for “Architecture & Severity”. I have to thanks Alfa-Matrix for taking risks. It’s definitely not a commercial album nor for people looking for standard electronic music even though some songs are more affordable (“Radio Peking”, “Operator”) & catchy (“Whisky Tango Romeo”, “The News” & “Groupe 8/2”).
I didn’t have and never had an album in mind during the process, it’s not the way I conceive creativity but rather a concept: to create a whole musical album entirely devoted to shortwave radio and spy numbers stations.
With “The Shortwaves”, the aim was not to use conventional structures but rather to break the rules & explore something else, something that first reflect the main concept, vocals included since they are used & treated as samples, then to form a kind of ‘musique concrete style’-soundscape all the way.
Q: The Alfa Matrix releases usually feature next to the regular album a limited edition (box) with an extra album. Why is it “The Shortwaves”-album has been only released as a ‘regular’ disc?
Laurent: Well, you have to know that the process was a bit long and painful. Two full years of very hard work, first by selecting and treating the huge material (AM Radio/noises/interferences samples) and then by creating the structures & sequences. After these 2 years I was very tired by the process and I couldn’t create anymore. As a result there was not enough material to fill a limited edition box. But now and after some rest I recently did some new tracks for the forthcoming EP’s…
Q: So you already have new plans and music in mind? What brings the future?
Laurent: For the moment I’m working exclusively on the videos & single EP’s. For a solo-project it’s a hard work as you guess, then I will see what the future brings to Növö.
You’ll get more news at http://www.gencomprodukts.com
Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries
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