The Inquisition: 035.Lights & Motion

photography by Fredrik Sellergren

1. How did you came up with the name of the band? 

I really wanted to have something that would sort of stick out and have some sort of visual impact. I was thinking about what kind of music I wanted to write and how that might be best put into adjectives. Then I saw clips from a huge U2 show they did at a stadium and as they walked on stage the house lights turned on and Bono said ”Light and motion” into the microphone towards the audience in awe and that just stuck with me. 

2. Do you have a standard procedure of creating a song? Do you just jam around or is there a main riff and the track is build up on it? 

That varies a great deal. I have a 1000+ of recorded voice memos and small recordings on my phone, and it features everything from a hummed melody to a drumbeat and a piano hook. There is no sure way of knowing how the songs come together. Sometimes I´ll just set up all my guitar gear with my pedalboard and jam and see if anything jumps out at me. When that moment come where I feel like I might have something worth working towards, I pretty quickly starts to sketch out the bigger picture in my head - Where do I want this to go, what should the production look like, that sort of thing. But usually there is some sort of main hook that I build around, and that is often a guitar line or a piano melody. The way I like to write is that everything affects everything. So by adding a small piece of sonic identity in the song, that in turn will completely change how that piano feels because now they interact with each other, creating new colours. It sounds somewhat abstract, I know, and I guess it is.. But that is just how I see it coming together. It´s almost like sonic architecture. 

3. What are your influences and what kind of music do you hear when you are at home? 

My influences vary greatly, and have done ever since I dived headlong into music in my teens. One thing that is a red thread is melody; I always choose a good melody over anything else, like speed/virtuosity or production tricks. I love older Coldplay stuff and I was a really big fan of U2 for a few years. Now I listen to a lot of film music actually. Currently spinning Alexander Desplat´s score for The Imitation Game, but other favourites are James Horner´s score for A Beautiful Mind and of course most of what Hans Zimmer is doing. However, I do mix all of my own music so the sad truth is that often times I´m walking around listening to mixes of songs that I´m working on, taking notes of that I want to change in the mix etc. I´m an avid perfectionist and most tracks on Chronicle have probably gone through 25-50 mix revisions before I felt like it was all like I wanted it to sound. So that takes up A LOT of time. 

4. How did you feel, when you realized that your music will be used for such big movies trailers?

That was definitely a "pinch me” moment. I have always been a huge fan of cinema and I love watching movies. When I was 18 I got a big big book called ”1001 Movies you need to see before you die” and I made it into a habit to devour a decade of that every week. By then I thought that maybe I would go into working in movies somehow, like in production, but it´s now that I can look back at that and see it come full circle in a way that I never would have expected. But most of all it is just an extraordinary honor and it´s nothing that I would ever take for granted. I feel like I need to earn those spots every single time. 

5. Which is the one album you can't live without? 

I tend to overindulge and just listen to stuff until my ears bleed and then move on to something else.. But I would have to say Metallica´s S&M Double Disc concert from back in 99 when they played alongside a full orchestra in San Fransisco. To this date it gives me goosebumps, and I have listened to that album so much that I used to be able to tell what song it was based on the sound of the crowd applauding before the band even started. 

6. What's the first record you've ever bought?

 Believe it or not but I vaguely remember it being the Backstreet Boys Millennium album. I actually still think those songs hold up today. Great craftsmanship of coming up with memorable hooks that stay in peoples brains after all this time. Not sure if we can say that about much of the contemporary music that´s being played on the radio today. Also, a lot of it was written by Swedes so maybe I’m partial in that way. ^^ 

7. Name a band that you would like to share the stage or tour with? 

Well, if I could dream it would definitely be Coldplay.. But M83 would be cool, and if Hans Zimmer would ever feel the need to come out on stage with his piano he would be more then welcome to pick a spot in my hypothetical lineup. 

8. Did the internet and specially the blogs helped to spread your music around the world? Name a place (country) that you were surprised to know your music has reached to?

I think so, yeah for sure. I have been working super closely with my label Deep Elm from day one, but we have always had to put our hopes to word of mouth and for people to tell other people. I started getting emails and messages around the time of the Reanimation release, from people over in China and Malaysia. That was mind-blowing to me, and I guess one of the perks of being a musician in the 21h century. You can reach far beyond your personal geography with the help of the internet and that is just amazing. We are so thankful to people that write about the music we put out, because it´s almost always a passion project from their side, much like this is for me. Without that kind of support, we wouldn’t have managed to get to where we are today, of that I´m sure. 

9. Do you support the idea of Bandcamp where fans can decide the price or services like Spotify?

When you are a musician, you want to get your music heard. That is priority number one. The digital era have changed a lot about how music is perceived and at what value people are willing to consume it. It´s far to easy to just view it as something that just magically appeared infront of your computer, and don’t realise the months (if not years) of hard work that is behind it, and the thousands and thousands of dollars being put into something like a full-length album. But then again many people are students and are struggling with their own economy, so we figured that we would make it available so that everyone who wants to hear it can. We greatly appreciated any support people show us, and sometimes it just knocks the breath of you when you see that a guy or girl at the other side of the world have paid 3 times the regular amount for your album. What kindness that is. 

10. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years? 

I would love to have gotten the chance to write a full score for a feature length film. It has been a dream of mine for some time. 

11. Is the artwork of an album important nowadays in the digital era? 

Man, I obsess over artwork to an insane degree and usually go weeks feeling miserable thinking about what I want, how it should reflect upon the album and what it should say to the listeners. But then again I am very determined and involved when it comes to all things visual. There is no real line drawn between that and the music, for me they coexist. 

12. What is you favorite album cover? 

U2´s Joshua Tree.

13. It seems that a lot of people are turning on vinyl again. Why do you think that is and which is your preferable media format? 

It does! I guess people are returning to the value of having something physical in your hands, and something you can save for years to come. You will never accidentally loose it on a hardrive or delete it by accident. I think you invest more of yourself in the music when you have something to hold on to, and therefor I think Vinyl is the optimum medium for that. CD´s are still around but Vinyl gives you that little extra sense of exclusivity maybe? I gotta say that for me, I listen digitally 99% of the time. I´m always on the move and I cant go anywhere without my headphones, I freak out if I don’t have music to fill the silence of everyday life. 

14. What's the most vivid story or moment as a band? 

That would be sitting at home in Sweden, watching my music being played at the 2013 years Oscars. That was pretty mind-blowing to put it lightly. Still feels like a dream.

Lights & Motion recently released yet another amazing album called "Chronicle". Check it out here: deepelmdigital.com/album/chronicle

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The Inquisition: 034.A Swarm Of The Sun

1. How did you came up with the name of the band?

Jakob: We used to have a horrible name, and now we don’t. I carried a notebook where I scribbled down words and combinations until the name appeared. It just fit.

2. Do you have a standard procedure of creating a song? Do you just jam around or is there a main riff and the track is build up on it?

Erik: It varies a bit between productions. We generally try to do things a bit different each time in order to not get stuck in the same patterns. For The Rifts, the essential tool was to write all the material on piano, which was something completely new for us. I believe it allowed us to create an album that’s more true to its concept, and much more of a whole than our previous albums.

3. What are your influences and what kind of music do you hear when you are at home?

Jakob: The past months have been almost completely devoted to our own album “The Rifts”. But I’m a sucker for atmospheric Norwegian stuff like Biosphere, Nest and Deathprod. During the writing process I’ve been listening to a lot of Anna von Hausswolff, Deaf Center and black metal, all of which probably influenced the result. Recently there’s been a lot of Year of no Light, Cult of Luna, Chelsea Wolfe and Pink Floyd. And when all else fails there’s always Mogwai and Labradford. And Logh. There’s so much music. Visually I’m always influenced by the photographer Sarah Moon. She’s a genius. There’s no one better.

4. Which is the one album you can't live without?

Jakob: Nine Inch Nails’ “The Downward Spiral” really defined me when I was growing up - I was 14 years old when it came out and I thought that I was the only one who really got it (obviously I wasn’t) - and I still hold it as one of the true greats. If I brought that one, Mogwai’s “Come On Die Young” and Low’s “Trust” to a deserted island I’d be satisfied. And the soundtrack to The Hours.
Erik: The soundtrack to The Fountain by Clint Mansell has been a favourite for very long now, so I’d pick that one. It always gets me in the best mood. “Frengers” by Mew is also a candidate.

5. What's the first record you've ever bought?

Jakob: Iron Maiden’s “A Real Live One”.
Erik: Alice Cooper’s “Constrictor”.

6. Name a band that you would like to share the stage or tour with?

Erik: Fellow countrymen Logh would definitely be something.

7. Did the internet and specially the blogs helped to spread your music around the world? Name a place (country) that you were surprised to know your music has reached to?

Erik: Absolutely. I believe blogs and communities are essential, but also social media. It always gets me in the best of moods when I stumble upon a forum thread or comment on a blog or social media that mentions us somehow. No matter which country, it’s always a surprise that we’ve manage to reach someone with our music, and the feedback we receive through this is what keeps us going. It means a lot.

8. Do you support the idea of Bandcamp where fans can decide the price or services like Spotify?

Erik: I support all new ways of thinking in terms of distribution and availability. Bandcamp and streaming, in general, has opened up so many possibilities for bands that otherwise would have been out of the spotlight. I’ve discovered so much good music myself over the past years that I most likely would have never heard otherwise.

9. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years?

Erik: More music. We don’t have any plans of world domination or fame, but we do want to create more and better music, hopefully based on new interesting concepts. It’s what we love.

10. Is the artwork of an album important nowadays in the digital era?

Jakob: Definitely. And with digital distribution comes a whole new array of possibilities for visual presentation. There’s so much you can do, so many ways to expand the album as a concept. We’re still just scratching the surface.

11. What is your favorite album cover?

Jakob: From the top of my head I’d go for some early Sisters of Mercy. “Temple of Love” maybe?

12. It seems that a lot of people are turning on vinyl again. Why do you think that is and which is your preferable media format?

Erik: For a lot of music enthusiasts, listening to a vinyl album is a much different thing than the alternatives. It’s a physical format that does not just look amazing, it’s something that requires attention. I often hear things on vinyl that I haven’t heard before on other medias. If it’s a good production, it’s more clear and vivid. I do listen a lot to vinyl, but of course streaming is probably my most-used format since all music is easily accessible.

13. What's the most vivid story or moment as a band?

Erik: We aren’t really a band that are gonna tell a lot of stories about crashing hotel rooms. Our most vivid moments are all pretty much related to us writing and recording, and everything around that process. But if I were to pick one of the most recent one, I’d definitely say the recording of the church organ that we did for The Warden. That was absolutely a powerful experience.

A Swarm Of The Sun released today their new album "The Rifts". Go check it out: http://versionstudio.bandcamp.com/album/the-rifts

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EP: Go! Save The Hostages! - A Cloud Passing Over Cairo

Band: Go! Save The Hostages!
Album: A Cloud Passing Over Cairo EP
Label: Self Released
Year: 2015







Tracklist
01. The Man At The Window
02. I Heard From Someone You're Still Pretty
03. What Would Mbaye Diagne Do?
04. Djedefre's Starry Sky
05. I'd Rather Be A Sailor Than A Fighter
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Go! Save The Hostages! are a trio who have put aside traditional band roles in favour of a more compositional approach to song writing. They make straightforward and gimmick-less music for the weary of soul.

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The Inquisition: 033.NOMADS

1. How did you came up with the name of the band? 

Elijah: It’s funny because Adam and I were just talking about this over the new year holiday while we were finishing the record in Manhattan. We had brainstormed a few names (of which neither of us could remember) but came up with NOMADS because we had all moved around a decent amount. We booked our first show and needed a name, so we just went with NOMADS. 

2. Do you have a standard procedure of creating a song? Do you just jam around or is there a main riff and the track is build up on it? 

Elijah: Out songwriting techniques have changed pretty drastically over the past couple years. Now that it’s just Adam and I and we live in different cities, our songwriting consists of each of us writing an idea and sending a session back and forth while we each hash out ideas. That’s the “official” answer but we also send a pretty significant amount of Voice Memos from our iPhones. Thank God for technology, right? 

Adam: On "When Those Around Us Leave" a lot of the songs started off as a riff or idea that one of us had. We then would collaborate on arranging, adjusting, and adding parts. After the "core" of the song is down, we would go into the studio together and try different instrumentation to emphasize the emotion we are trying to convey. 

3. What are your influences and what kind of music do you hear when you are at home? 

Elijah: My biggest influences as a musician are (in no REAL order): Hammock, This Will Destroy You, A Winged Victory For The Sullen, Copeland, Nils Frahm. I listen to a good amount of vinyl at home and my current rotation is: Nils Frahm, AWVFTS, This Will Destroy You, and Sigur Ros. 

Adam: Some of my favorite acts are : The Six Parts Seven, M83, Boards of Canada, Sigur Ros, Mac DeMarco, Penpal, Del Paxton, to name a few. 

4. Which is the one album you can't live without? 

Elijah: My girlfriend would laugh at this question because she knows I hate answering “What are your favorite _______?” questions. For now, though, I couldn’t live without Nils Frahm’s “Says” album.

Adam: Hands down American Football's self titled LP takes the cake for me. 

5. What's the first record you've ever bought? 

Elijah: I was given a bunch of vinyl over the years, but I think the first vinyl I bought was probably an old Genesis album. 

Adam: The Presidents of the United States of America was one of the first cassettes I bought. Dookie was another great early album I loved as a kid. 

6. Name a band that you would like to share the stage or tour with? 

Elijah: There’s two ways I approach this; one being with friends and the other being with a dream band. So, I’d love to tour (again) with our dear friends in Del Paxton (Buffalo, NY) and/or Sigur Ros. 

Adam: If we got to open up for a reunion tour for The Six Parts Seven I'd be pretty stoked. 

7. Did the internet and specially the blogs helped to spread your music around the world? Name a place (country) that you were surprised to know your music has reached to? 

Elijah: Overwhelmingly, yes. When we released our S/T album we were immediately amazed with the response. We saw a huge benefit from blogs writing about us, friends sharing us on Facebook, people discussing the album on Reddit, etc. We literally wouldn’t be where we are without the people who’ve supported us. I was super excited to see our first download in Iceland. 

Adam: Ditto on what Elijah said. We’ve gotten such an overwhelming positive response all over the world online. It only makes us want to continue writing music knowing that music we enjoy creating connects with others. The internet is an amazing tool. 

8. Do you support the idea of Bandcamp where fans can decide the price or services like Spotify? 

Elijah: Let me give a resounding YES to this. We’ve never charged for our music on Bandcamp and I’d like to think that would never change. Spotify is fine for what it is, but it’s never going to be a revenue stream for bands like us. That being said, we don’t hate Spotify for the absurdly-conservative share they give artists. We rely on the generosity of people and truly believe that people will support music they love. 

Adam: We have other "real" jobs, so we aren't making a living off of NOMADS. We just want anyone who'd want to listen to our music be able to. If you think it's worth a few bucks, great. If you don't have any extra money, that's fine too! You'd be surprised how many people pay anyways. 

9. Where do you see yourselves in 5 years? 

Elijah: Such a funny question. Adam moved to NYC about 4 months ago to work at a studio in Manhattan. Now, just days ago, he moved to Los Angeles to manage a studio there for a songwriter. He’s killing it! What does it mean for NOMADS? I don’t know what to say. Adam and I have discussed this at length and we always come to the conclusion that we want to keep making music together; whatever form it may take. 

Adam: Creating new music ... as always! 

10. Is the artwork of an album important nowadays in the digital era? 

Elijah: I can’t imagine it NOT being important. Nowadays we find ourselves browsing sites like Bandcamp in search of our next favorite band. If the artwork doesn’t strike a chord with the browser, it’s really difficult to get another impression with them. It’s kind of like online dating, you know? You get a few seconds in front of their eyes and if they don’t like what they see, <>. 

Adam: If it's done right, artwork should be a visual representation of the collection of songs. You still see it on your iPhone, so I'd say yes. 

11. What is you favorite album cover? 

Elijah: (See above statement about “favorites”) I can’t choose a favorite. A few that come to mind now are: Balmorhea “River Arms” , Copeland “Beneath Medicine Tree” , and Sigur Ros “Takk…” All of these are mostly because of the emotional attachment I have to each album, but they also are visually great.

Adam: American Football's self titled LP. TNT / Tortoise. Oui / The Sea and Cake. Kid A / Radiohead. Loveless / My Bloody Valentine. Interpol / Turn on the Bright Lights. Sgt. Peppers by The Beatles is by far my favorite though. I'm sure all these pop into my head because I really love the music too. 

 

12. It seems that a lot of people are turning on vinyl again. Why do you think that is and which is your preferable media format? 

Elijah: Everything comes back around, yeah? It’s just like the cassette renaissance. People like being different, so they like creating/having something most others don’t. Our parents grew up listening to vinyls and grew up on some really really killer music. I think we, as kids, now appreciate how great the music WAS and chase that sentiment. I know so many people who, as teenagers, dreamt of having a release on vinyl because it somehow signified some obtained status. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ecstatic at the thought of releasing “When Those Around Us Leave” on vinyl! For me, the thing that is most exciting is that it feels more experiential that tossing on a playlist in iTunes. On top of that, there are some labels creating legitimate pieces of art with their vinyl releases. I guess my short answer is that it gives the band AND the listener a feeling of exclusivity over other fans/bands. 

Adam: If you sit down and listen to a record on vinyl it's the center of the experience. A lot of times we listen to music in the background. I think vinyl has found it's niche with true audiophile and music lovers who want to sit down and really take in an album they liked enough to spend hard earned money on. 

13. What's the most vivid story or moment as a band? 

Elijah: This is tough. We’ve had some bad moments that come to mind pretty vividly, but I’ll spare you the details. One of my favorite memories, though, is recording our first album. Our friend, Sean, came in from NYC to video us while we recorded so that we could make a little documentary. Sean is a great dude and has done a significant amount of video for us, for pennies. The whole experience of focusing solely on the music and creating something tangible together for the first time was really amazing. 

Adam: We've played some amazing shows all around the midwest and northeast. Shared the stage with so many friends. When NOMADS first started, I really didn't know if we'd ever play a show, or record ANYTHING. Now 2 LPs later I feel stronger and more confident about the music we are creating. I couldn't be happier with the response with "When Those Around Us Leave". Knowing that people connect with it is honestly one of the best feelings.

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EP: Shipwrecks - Shipwrecks

Band: Shipwrecks
Album: Shipwrecks EP
Label: Self Released
Year: 2015








Tracklist
01. Telescope
02. Owls
03. El Rumpelstilzo
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Shipwrecks is a post-rock trio from Cologne, Germany founded on May 8, 2014. The self-titled EP, mastered by Magnus Lindberg of Cult Of Luna, is their amazing debut release which sounds promising and sets high expectations for the future.

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Buy: To buy a physical copy sent an email to info@shipwrecks-music.com

Album: Kermit - Litoral

Band: Kermit
Album: Litoral
Label: Itaca Records, Pin Music
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. 1926
02. Samhain
03. Circumpolares
04. We Tripantu
05. Ingeborg
06. Magnitizdat
07. 1927
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Kermit is a jazz/post-rock project from Malaga, Spain, that was born in 2011 from the desire to experiment with the endless possibilities offered by two guitars, a bass and a drum-kit. The result is a landscape of multiple textures that make sense when played together, only when superimposed. Kermit is a melancholic trip that is sometimes subtle and tender, and some others aggressive and heartbreaking.

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Video: Képzelt Város - Albireo B