Interview: Tholen
TobiasOne reason was the mastering process, which was done by Zatzen in continous harmonization with my picture of the sound, also by Frederic (Cyclic Law) himself. There were also two releases to be made before mine on the label, and in the end there was something wrong with the print of the Artwork, the correction took quite some time. Although nearly every artist wants his stuff released as soon as possible, these delays are a good possibility to find new inspiration and ideas to give it a final touch, which most times turns out best for the result.
The album is presented as „Cosmic Ambient", but since I know your wide range of musical interests, I was wondering, whether you'd actually rather turned towards early Krautrock for inspiration on this one.
Well, the driving force behind my music was always nothing but my innermost desire for the ultimate state of darkness and sickness. But sure, I don't claim not to be inspired by other artists, there probably where some acts that had quite an impact on me.... It's not long ago when i learned what Krautrock is supposed to be (I always thought that this genre must be something like psychedelic, anarchistic minimal-Rockmusic)...I still don't really know, but if you mean stuff like Ashra Termpel or Klaus Schulze, i must say: No, that was no inspiration. The actual key-inspiration was a very special night at a very special lake, when I actually felt that the stars sourround this place and sound in the most powerful and majestic way you could ever imagine. I framed this moment and gave birth to the sound i heard in my head immediately. So, what you hear is a part of my very personal imagination, it's pretty close to what was on my mind... that surprised me.
Where does your fascination for the cosmos come from?
From Germany.
.„Sternklang" is a single, one hour long piece. How much of its is composed and how much was improvised on the spot?
I'm not a composer, but an experimentalist, so nearly all music and sound is improvised. Catch an atmosphere and decorate it or just randomly combine sounds.
What kind of instruments did you use in the studio to realise the album?
Mostly electronic kind of instruments and samples.
I could well imagine this music working brilliantly in a planetarium. Any plans to get this done?
Yes, funny that you came up with the same idea. There are plans to do so. I carry this wish for a while and tried to get in touch with the staff of my local planetarium, they still continue to ignore me. Zatzen is constructing and building speakers and assured me his help in this case. I think I'll have to knock even harder on their door....support your local planetarium!
Of all your different projects, which one, would you say, is clostest to your heart right now?
It was, is and probably always will be Ultor.
Finally: Any interested guy can get the Sternklang for 10 Euro from me. Girls get a free one, when we manage to set up a date :) thanks for the interview Tobias, keep up the incredible (important) work for music and art !
By Tobias Fischer
Discography:
Sternklang (Cyclic Law) 2008
Homepage:
Tholen
Article in serie
7 LP Feature/ Penjaga Insaf & Vestigial: "Of Earth And Of Fire”
Cold sound art & deep ...
2008-02-18
Cold sound art & deep ...
2008-02-18