C-Lekktor interview : 20 years of elite dark elektro mastery that blast you away!
C-Lekktor
We talked with mastermind Markko B., head of the Mexican dark elektro act C-Lekktor who is celebrating 20 years of aggressive sonic warfare with this cult project with the release of “2.0”, a very special anniversary double-CD release with 12 fully rerecorded favourite tracks, plus unreleased material and classic club hits…
The album can be ordered via Bandcamp as download or as a 2CD via the Alfa Matrix webstore.
SL. First off, congratulations on 20 years of dark elektro mastery! Looking back over the past two decades, what would you say are the key moments that have defined C-LEKKTOR’s journey? Any standout memories from your early years that helped shape the band?
M. GRACIAS! Definitely constancy, hard work and sacrifices, I’ve been working on the project in a serious way now for the last 20 years, at that moment back in time it was just hobby for me, and an experiment to prove to myself that i could do my own music, but thanx to the people this was not only for me! I’m very thankful to all people who listen to my music,,. they show me that i must keep on trying things… I think i own this to them at least.
SL. This special 2.0 release celebrates your career with re-recorded versions of some of your most iconic tracks. How did you approach revamping these songs? Were there any particular tracks that presented a challenge in terms of updating their sound for today’s technology and production standards?
M. Actually all the 2.0 versions were a challenge, with no exception! Lots of these old files were lost long time ago, they each come from different times of production and of course with that difference in sound from that era, it was quite complicated to give a second life to these songs, most of these old songs were initially done with limited knowledge and hardware,,. so bringing them 20 years into the future was a real challenge indeed! So i tried to do my best with all i had at disposal, it took me months creating and updating these new versions,,. And I hope you can hear it… And I’m personally really satisfied with the final results.
SL. Fans have their favorite C-LEKKTOR classics like “An Empty Soul” and “Paralisis.” How do you feel about these songs now that you’ve had the chance to reimagine them? Did you discover anything new or surprising about them during the re-recording process?
M. I think it is more like a double edge weapon, in one hand you can spend on these new versions exactly the same time you need for creating new songs, but on the other hand the nostalgia of reinventing something you did back in the days, but better this time, is something special. So i think it has its pros and cons! A lot of old songs were dismissed cause I couldn’t find a way to update them but honestly i believe it was also kind of necessary updating them for me. Ghis means that some people will like these new versions and some other won’t! But hey that’s the magic you can get back in time at any time and replay the original releases of you prefer them.
SL. Your 20th-anniversary release includes a previously unreleased track, “I Don’t,” from “The Silence Procession” era. Can you tell us more about this track and why you felt now was the right time to share it with fans?
M. I totally forgot about this song, as simple as that! I was on my quest in searching all the old files on my old pc´s, drives and even backup cd´s when i i just found this song again! We actually played live this song a couple of times in the early years. So i said hey why not let’s put this song on the anniversary release… I must say i found a few more unreleased songs. maybe one day I will find the right place to release these… time will tell!
SL. Over the years, you’ve developed a distinctive sound within the dark elektro genre. How do you think C-LEKKTOR’s sound has evolved since the early days, and how do you see it continuing to evolve in the future?
M. Well i like to keep listening to new music instead of just staying on the old school songs and stuff… I’m a curious person and I’m always searching for comtemporary music. This means that sounds and techniques come to my mind while I’m composing in a rather unconscious way, and i think it works good to me.
SL. This double-CD also features your cover of Depeche Mode’s “Always You,” which is a bit of a departure from your usual style. What inspired you to choose this song, and how did you go about making it your own?
M. I’m a huge fan of DEPECHE MODE since i was very young! I have been following their career through the years and when they released MEMENTO MORI, i just remembered why I have been a fan of them! I really enjoy that new album, I swear it has actually become one of my favs from their discography, and the selection was because this song it so much touching me… But also because not so many songs can be adapted to my sound with C-LEKKTOR, and i knew since the first time I listened to “ALWAYS YOU” that it would be the perfect track to pay tribute to this legendary band. I eventually covered it!
SL. As you celebrate 20 years with this special release, what’s next for C-LEKKTOR?
M. I must be honest, with time life changes and your needs too. Music has been an important part of my life, but i think i already spent so much time in front of a pc screen, writing music. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying im quitting, but i feel I also need new challenges for my own life, starting different things, and unfortunately too the music business has changed a lot! It takes lot of effort and time also to support and promote my own music. I suppose you must know about these hard times for musicians like me… I will definitely try to keep the dream alive but sometimes I wonder for how long? I can’t tell you today but one thing is sure already: I already started working on the new C-LEKKTOR album!! But maybe that would be the last one or not… but yeah it will happen!
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