Metameme Interviews
Mahiane (aka "Sunbeam," co-label head for Ultimae Records)
Interviewed by Solomoon (Jeremy Wolf) June 4th, 2008
For the Gaian Mind Summer Festival, June 2008
Q: As co-label-head for Ultimae Records you’ve gotten to help design the sound that defines Ultimae. Do you find it difficult working with artists to keep the sound focused and at the level of quality you wish to uphold?
The difficult thing is when you hear a wonderful piece of music and cannot do anything with it because it’s just not the Ultimae sound. In this case I do my best to direct the artist to other labels. As for the artists we already work with, it happens once in a while that they present us with a track that doesn’t reach our heart or guts and in this case we just explain that it won’t be on the album or comp. I think the artists have come to know and trust us and they understand that if we say no it’s because we want to be completely proud of their/our work. I once met a label manager in a festival who handed me a promo of their latest release, he said it was shit but it was soandso’s album and people would buy it anyway. Man, I felt so sad. I will never walk in these shoes. I want to laugh, cry, feel dizzy, jump up and down, lie heart open, ask for mercy and more, but never feel ashamed.
Q: You’ve arranged a couple of compilations on Ultimae Records now and even featured two interludes that you produced on the latest Oxycanta album. Are you now working toward producing more of your own material as an independent artist? Should we expect full-length tracks from you in the future and perhaps eventually an album?
I do not have any time now to work on a full album. But one day I will take it for sure. I will find the door to parallel time. And there it will be just me and music.
I’ll do my best to create interludes for the next Oxycanta chapter though, this I can promise!
I do not consider myself a composer, I live with one and work with many I admire. And I wonder what I could bring that would even come close to this perfection.
Q: Your elegant and entrancing voice has become a well-known element within the Ultimae soundscape particularly in some of Aes Dana ’s releases. Do you feel it is important at times to specifically describe the direction of the conceptual journey within the music as a way of guiding the listener toward an intended experience?
Oh that’s lovely to hear. You see I do not find my voice so elegant and entrancing as you say. I was extremely shy as a child and worked on a lot of things. Using my voice is one of the last challenges and probably the hardest.
I feel it’s important to put human in the picture sometimes and to tell a story. But no always, music carries its meaning and this can be perceived differently from one person to the next. Too many vocals can drown the dream. When we used my voice, it was more as a story teller, not to guide, just to tell.
Q: As many people know of your role with Ultimae Records, what would you say we could expect from a DJset of yours in relation to representing Ultimae and other sounds outside the realm of the label?
That’s a funny question dear! You can expect me to play music that I love, what more can I say? I never prepare a set. Usually I’m at the ambient stage way in advance and get a feel of the place and the people. And a feel of my emotions. And when it’s my time, I get my records out and start playing…
Here’s a hint though, it will be atmospheric, electronica with a touch of breaks and plenty of pleasure J
Mahiane/Aes Dana (label heads for Ultimae Records)
Interviewed by Solomoon (Jeremy Wolf) June 4th, 2008
For the Gaian Mind Summer Festival, June 2008
Q: As Ultimae Records, it’s obvious that you have a distinguished sound that defines the “Ultimae” sound. How would you describe the overall concept of this sound in relation to the vast majority of other downtempo/chillout music being created currently?
Hmm tricky, we do not compare ourselves or our productions to other labels and artists. We produce what we love, what moves us. And that’s what counts. You ask about what’s being currently created. Where is “currently” in the time frame? What is the time frame? Beautiful music doesn’t belong to any such frame.
At least not to us.
Q: The Ultimae sound has an organic, emotionally intelligent, and atmospheric quality that has been compared to that of the classic wizards, Future Sound of London. Were they an inspiration at all, and do you feel this is somewhat of an appropriate comparison?
Both Vince and I have a lot of respect for their early work and so do many of the artists we work with. So why not? Yes it can be an appropriate comparison.
I cannot answer for all our artists, but what inspires us, I mean Vince and I, is our environment, our emotions, people, historical facts, nature and technology.
Q: With the release of Solar Fields’ "EarthShine," Ultimae saw the first full-length trance release. Is this a sign of what’s to come with Ultimae’s expanding sound or will the primary focus stay within the chill realm?
Once in a while we’ll release trance. But our main focus is on ambient and many of it forms. We released this album from Magnus because we love his music and so do a lot of people. It had been played at several festivals nad many people asked for the album. It took a few years for Magnus to do this leap and get this out of his system. We’re all happy about it. But for him as for us it doesn’t mean trance is the path we’ll be trading in the future.
Q: The old phrase “trance-ambient,” one that I feel can appropriately describe Ultimae Records, hasn’t been used very much since what many people refer to as “the golden years of ambient” in the early 90’s when there was a trance-ambient boom and an explosion of chill-out areas at events around the world. Why do you think people say that the Ultimae sound captures that same wonder that we remember from 15 years ago, and how does this relate to the resurgence of chill-out stages and rooms over the past 6-8 years?
We have heard that before. Maybe it’s because both Vince and I were in that scene 15 years ago and that we carry the same love for the music as we did then and wish to give as much as we got.
For a long time ambient got considered as the side dish for the trance scene, because trance was getting harder and faster and people went for that and forgot to rest. Looks like as we get older we like to sit and chill a bit more hey ;) We’re happy to see more labels willing to produce this music and more organisers giving it the space and time it should have.
Q: This will be Solar Field’s second Gaian Mind appearance and I’m sure that he’s communicated his thoughts on his previous experience around our summer festival. Are you all anxious to come as a team of three to the forest of the Allegheny Mountains to represent and share that which Ultimae does so well?
Anxious? Not at all! Excited oh yes J
Aes Dana (Vincent Villius) (co-label head for Ultimae Records)
Interviewed by Solomoon (Jeremy Wolf) June 4th, 2008
For the Gaian Mind Summer Festival, June 2008
Q: It’s been over 3.5 years since the release of Memory Shell. What is the expected release date of your new album, and how has your sound evolved and direction changed in relation to what we will hear with the new release?
Yes time is running J, but if we check the backstage, I didn’t stop composing. Several tracks were released on various labels, also one album was supposed to be released earlier; but a crash disk killed the whole thing. I worked some months on the realization and composition of a movie soundtrack “The passport” for the norvegian film maker Amund Lie. This anticipation movie should be released end of 2008. I am finalizing a long remix of two pieces of the Estonian contemporary composer Arvo Pärt. This excursion in sacral music will be performed in July with the National Choir of Friburg. So in parallel of these creative stories, I desired to take my time before the release my upcoming album, I needed a distance on my creation process, underline certain ideas I explored, and adding more bridges to my classical music and industrial past
Q: What is the name and conceptual inspiration for the new album? Is there an initial concept that drives the album or does the album’s natural evolution reveal the story meant to be told?
My next album will be called [ Leylines ]; I always felt connected by the grounds and energy coming around. Mystical? A litte bit, but I’m more attached to the geomagnetic notion, the vibrations and circularities. I used some recordings I made in nature, stretching at extrem and macro some ground elements and use them in most of my tracks. [ Leylines ] is the first chapter of this exploration, the second opus will come not so far, including more acoustic elements, quietness, less beats impulsions and symphonies.
Q: What hardware/software creates the foundation of your studio setup, and what element would you say is critical to the sound of Aes Dana or even just Ultimae in general?
I used in the past a lot of machines, keyboards, I cut this 10 year tradition one day, keeping only my samplers. My setup is really compact and focus on the monitors, the sonic immersion. I compose mostly with my own samples, virtual generators and paint in multi layers. I use TC Electronic, Sony Oxford, Native Instruments. I use 2 computers, 3 screens + controllers. The second step is the Mastering managed on Pro Tools HD 96, considering mastering like a sculpture of the sound itself. Passion, hypnotic, ethereal and contrasted sounds are to me the critical elements.
Q: You will be performing both a live set and a dj set at this year’s festival. What would you say we could expect from a dj set of yours as compared to a live set, and what about your live set will be different from your albums? Any sneak previews of the new material?
People at Gaian Mind will listen all my new stuff. Mixed with “old or revisited tracks. Some of my new stuff will be performed and some will be mixed with other tracks during my dj set. I just hope to offer a nice and deep exchange to everyone. I’m really happy to come back in the USA, sincerely.
H.U.V.A. Network (Aes Dana & Solar Fields) (Ultimae Records Artists)
Interviewed by Solomoon (Jeremy Wolf) June 4th, 2008
For the Gaian Mind Summer Festival, June 2008
Q: I understand that this will be the first North American H.U.V.A. Network performance. We are completely honored for it to be happening at the Gaian Mind Summer Festival. Do you and Magnus (Solar Fields) tend to promote collaborative performances or just let fate determine whether or not the opportunity arises?
We always asked to play H.U.V.A. Network when Magnus or I were booked on an event. Some promoters invited us and they never were upset. Our last H.U.V.A. Network in Moscow was a pure blast and find echoes in other future events. I’m sure the next album will open more doors. But we are really happy to start with you in the USA!
Q: Can we expect another H.U.V.A. Network album in the future? If so, how do you think the sound will differ from the dynamic composition of Distances?
During these last months, Magnus and I accelerated internet and real meetings relative to the H.U.V.A. Network project. Our goal is to present a new collaborative album before 2009. This is a difficult task due to our respective really busy schedules. But we will do our best. The entire bases are created but we want take our time to present something strong. The link with distances is natural but people will listen something more crunchy, progressive and intense.
Q: Many speak of Distances as being one of the top, most outstanding releases for Ultimae. How would you describe the synergy between you and Magnus and how does this tend to bring out the best in one another toward creating such a successful composition?
Hum, thank you for the consideration. I’m personally really “proud” of this release. The synergy is hard to explain, the words are sometimes limited, no? There is a natural connection and complementarities between Magnus and I, we are both bubbling guys. We take this musical meetings also with a lot of pleasure, we are like two kids playing with our respective various influences and images. We work fast, paint in turbo mode but after we fix slowly each details.
Q: Has there been much development in H.U.V.A. Network lately, and will there be many new sounds revealed in your performance that weren’t heard on Distances or compilation singles?
You will hear new sounds and explorations but after people will discover it by themselves.