NEWS
1. interview "Wisborg"
2. lottery 3. Interview "Gamma Rats" |
1. Interview "Wisborg"
Question 1: For those who don't know you, please tell us briefly who you are and what you do musically.
Konstantin Michaely: We are WISBORG, and we create music that many associate with the gothic scene. Question 2: Your band name "Wisborg" has a connection to the film "Nosferatu" by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau. In the film, "Wisborg" is a city where Count Orlok brings terror. How did you decide on this name? KM: I have a great passion for the expressionist German silent films of the twenties. In our early phase, we incorporated some visual characteristics from that era into our photos and videos. Question 3: Do you write your songs collaboratively? Are there places that particularly inspire your creativity? KM: Nikolas and I write the music together. Each of us composes at home, and we exchange demos and files, providing feedback and adding ideas to each other. Question 4: You've just released your new album, which is self-titled "Wisborg." How did you come up with this name for the album? KM: We are at a turning point, partly because the band has significantly professionalized since the last album, and also because we switched from English to German. Naming the album after the band feels right as a statement at this juncture. Question 5: On the new album, your fans can hear German lyrics for the first time. Is this an experiment, or do you see this as the direction for your future? KM: Currently, I have no ambitions to write English lyrics for WISBORG, but I do not rule it out for the future. Question 6: Many bands nowadays release only singles. Why do you still adhere to the old vinyl and CD times? Are you collectors yourselves? KM: In our musical genre, the album is still the standard release format. Singles are still released, but full-length albums provide the opportunity to create tracks that may not have immediate appeal. We want to express ourselves creatively and not primarily deliver a product, so the album format is our first choice at this time. 2. Lottery
"Mono Inc" presented their new album "Hamburg" to us at the end of 2023, a live album that packs a punch! Here in the "MEERSEIN" newsletter, you have the chance to win this exact album!
3. Interview "Gamma Rats"
Question 1: For readers who may not be familiar with you, please introduce yourselves. Who are you, and what kind of music do you make?
We are the Gamma Rats from Witten, and we create dark electronic music with Industrial/EBM and Trip Hop influences, set in a Cyberpunk environment - complete with corresponding outfits and lyrics. Question 2: Where does the name "Gamma Rats" come from, and is there an interesting story behind it? I originally wanted to name us Gamma Ray, inspired by the radioactive contamination that has fascinated and frightened me since Chernobyl. However, the name was already quite common, so I quickly came up with the idea of radioactive rats, which can also be found in pixel art on the back cover of our second album. Question 3: How has the band's musical style evolved since the debut album, especially with the upcoming third album 'Digital Dots' in mind? The first album had a strong focus on soundtracks, featuring many instrumental pieces. Much of it was intended as video game music - creating a game myself seemed too elaborate, so I focused on the sounds instead. However, 8-bit sounds still make appearances, as seen in 'Digital Dots'; I have a love for retro video game music. Question 4: Your new single 'Digital Dots,' the title track of the upcoming album, will be released soon. What is the song about, and where did you find inspiration? The 'Digital Dots' are the future's new drug in the novel that is being created parallel to the CD (though its completion will take a bit longer). The 8 Bit Heathens, also the namesake of another song, worship an Electric Mary. To escape the destroyed environment, they consume heaps of Dots, worship technology, and only know nature from tiny reserves. Question 5: The song ends with the line 'but fate's a whore, still has a surprise in store.' How do you interpret this concluding statement, and how does it influence your perspective on the theme of risks and destiny in life's journey? You can't plan anything. I would like to, but it's not possible. And for the people in my novel, it goes terribly wrong. |