PUMP5 On the Making Of “Make Me”
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind "Make Me" and the story it tells?
Yes, the thing about this song; is that it has multiple origins. The obvious is the dreaded failed relationship that seems to accompany musicians and their lifestyles. However, the hidden truth about these lyrics is that the music industry and a relationship are not that different.
Could you discuss the lyrical themes or messages conveyed in this single?
Never sell yourself short. There’s something to be said about a person who never surrenders; never gives up.
How did you work with the producer or engineers to bring your vision for "Make Me" to life?
Well, Dennis Hill, the producer, we have worked together on the last two records. Andre, Drew, and I put together the rough tracks, present them to the producer and begin an arduous “hashing out”, if you will, of ideas and hammering the finite until we get a product that everyone is happy with.
How do you translate the essence and energy of this single into a live performance?
You have to be really facial, high-energy, and explosive with your delivery. Oh yeah, and Alex's leg kicks don’t hurt.
How do you balance creativity and commercial success in your music career?
Business is a big part of this and can be a hard pill to swallow. So as long as you stay focused on the only three things that matter…"the song, the song, and the song” (Quincy Jones)...everything else comes out in the wash.
ST. NIKLAS “comfy (feat.DØSSI)”
In a beautiful, almost heartbroken duet, St. Niklas brings a sensuous single “Comfy,” along with vocalist DØSS. After taking a three-year hiatus from releasing music and focusing on making the best work possible, St. Niklas is back. “Comfy,” the very first single in the new era of St. Nicklas sonically depicts the concept of a wasteland, whether it’s emotional or mentally. It captures the state of stagnation, unable to break free from the current situation, being in a standstill.
Told through the tale of a relationship between two people, the sounds and words, along with its visual evocation go deeper than that it seems. It comes back to the silent scream behind each mundane routine and the pent-up emotions of compromising.
St. Niklas is the kind of artist who only releases the best of his work. And every time he shares his music with the world, he leaves a long-lasting impact. The world always aches for more. In 2016, his debut EP received rave reviews from outlet and instantly went viral on Spotify. His 2020 EP then received massive radio coverages and became a timeless highlight, being rotated over the years. After three years of working on his new music, “Comfy” introduces listeners to the latest of St. Niklas. Sonically sophisticated and contagious as usual, but his work also seems to further express its timelessness—it gets better the more you listen to it.
Chip & The Charge Ups ‘What Happened to the Boy Next Door?’
“Paying Back the Devil” is the kind of song that makes you lose your mind and go “oh shit” right from the top. It’s top-notch rock in an entirely new sound. There’s no one else in the scene that’s doing what they’re doing it. A bit bizarre, more abstract than the previous. With a hint of retro, but in a way it’s futuristic. With What Happened to the Boy Next Door?, Chips & The Charge Ups give you some very interesting music to ponder upon. When you hear them, you just know they are going to be the next big thing in rock. The only people who don’t know are the ones asleep.
“Maleena Made Us Change the Name of This Song to Fit in with the Pop-Punk Community” is punk music in the new era. It’s genre-crashing. A bit of surf, and a bit of emo, and a bit of pop. Even smashing into metal at some point, but the ruthlessness and rebelliousness, to hell of traditions is double doses of punk authenticity. Chip & The Charge Ups literally just blow the genre wide open with this one.
“Ultra-Legendary” gives you teeth-grinding grittiness and nastiness, spilling something raw and pure. “Sideways Middle Finger” gives out a cult-gathering vibe. It’s something that can’t be described. It’s mysteriously hard-hitting and contagious. Once you start playing this song, you just can’t ever put a stop to it.
“Welcome to the Neighborhood” ends the album with a stadium filler and a bang. It’s a different kind of rad feeling that makes you tear up. It’s stirringly beautiful and leaves a memorable ring in your ears.
We had the chance to chat with vocalist/guitarist Chip Dominick from the band. Read our interview with Chip and learn more about this record.
Punk Head: I'm very intrigued by What Happened to the Boy Next Door and your innovative, genre-bending sound. Can you tell us more about the story behind this album?
Chip Dominick: We had a bit of a line up change in 2022, going from a four-piece to a trio. Out were a drummer and guitarist and in was our new drummer, Nolan Allen. Right from the get-go, we were ready to start onboarding new original songs. I had 26 written and demoed and the three of us had a listening party, where we took notes on each song and gave each a numerical rating. What we ended up with was a collection of seven songs that we all agreed were top-notch, with six fitting very well together and sharing that genre-bending characteristic you mentioned. Overall, it gave our music a heavier, nastier sound than our previous releases, which was one of the reasons we thought What Happened to the Boy Next Door? would be a good album title!
PH: Which song(s) from the album do you think best represents your artistic vision?
Dominick: I think they all collectively represent our artistic vision. But, I particularly love how "Maleena Made Us Change the Name of this Song to Fit in with the Pop-Punk Community" goes from the poppiest of pop-punk to the moshiest metal and back again. I can see us building on things like that to further ingrain our identity in the future.
PH: What has been one of the most significant moments of your musical journey so far?
Dominick: We have had so many back-to-back-to-back since we finished the album. Our album got a rare 10/10 review in one of the world's most prestigious music magazines. Our song, "Paying Back the Devil," got added to regular rotation on the biggest rock station in our city. We were just guests on a hugely popular network TV talk show. And, I got a call about performing the biggest show of our lives, which we will be announcing soon. I think all of those events can be combined into an unbelievable "moment" that we are experiencing right now!
PH: What first got you into music?
Dominick: My brother introduced me to Led Zeppelin when I was 13. From that point on, I wanted to write be like Jimmy Page and write the most memorable rock riffs of all time as he has.
PH: What has been, so far, your favorite song to perform and why?
Dominick: My favorite has been "Paying Back the Devil." Looking out at people's faces and seeing them recognize it from hearing it on the radio or seeing the video is a rad feeling
KYOTI “Dance Like Everybody's Watching”
Disco makes a special comeback for the introverts and those with heightened social anxiety after lockdown in KYOTI’s “Dance Like Everybody’s Watching.” Nostalgic and bombastic. The track sees a mixture of familiarity and liberation at its highest. With a uniquely charismatic palette, this eclectic new track from KYOTI is here for you to forget about the rest of the world and just have some fun.
“Dance Like Everybody’s Watching” is the kind of song that you can just lose yourself in. Everything is tuned to perfection and even better. Your whole body just vibrates with its infectious beat, flying higher in rich, cloud-like soundscapes. In the post pandemic depression, a song that’s warm and fuzzy like “Dance Like Everybody’s Watching” is just what you need to get through each day with a smile.
There’s literally nothing KYOTI isn’t good at in the world of music, but they intend to treat each piece of music with heart. Every song they release is meant to have a strong message. No matter what musical language they choose to speak, thought-provoking would always be its highlight.. In 2020, Project Twelve sees them taking listeners on a year-long expedition in the vibes and influences of music from soulful ballads to instrumental electronica, releasing a song each month.
The Sleepy Haunts “Peter Parker”
The Sleepy Haunts takes their alternative rock sound a little pop, with hints of Bubble Grunge dubbed in comic book references. Like The Cranberries meets Beabadoobee, “Peter Parker” is sensuous and haunting, captivating and stirring. They explores the insecurities and struggles of adolescence in relation to escapism, while Gillian’s stunning vocal takes your breath away to somewhere cool.
The Sleepy Haunts’ music never lacks imagination. Their universal appeal has a loveable quirky edge that just makes you adore them even more. Infectious melodies in pair with a bubble-inspired soundscape. Their music is 100% danceable and highly relatable. As a generation grown up on comic books, their music shares a sort of nostalgia and heroism that just hits different.
“Peter Parker,” named after the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is a head-bobbing, bouncy anthem. Fused with vibrant sonic palettes and fandom-inspired short prose, the song is easily your new favorite.
This year, The Sleepy Haunts have scheduled twelve new songs to be released as well as a full-length album. Be on the look out for them. The Sleepy Haunts are here to claim your love.
CMON CMON ‘The Crack and The Light’
Good music rarely needs a description. Once it hits your ears, you’d know that it had something special. The Crack and The Light is a game changer for CMON CMON, not that their previous self-released EP wasn’t. The album has won many hearts in the industry, including Grammy-award winning producers, labels and industry veteran managers. The Crack and The Light is addictive, but essentially, it goes back to the bitter and sweet in life.
All stories in the record are based on real life people and events. CMON CMON takes the aesthetic of art to its origin. Inspired by life and written about life, the songs are always in conversation of “the crack” and “the light.”
“The Summers We Missed” introduces listeners to an euphoric, early-Lemonheads lusciousness and jangly soundscapes. A laid-back vibe in reflection and nostalgia of first love. There was a real party, a real pool and a real girl called Julie in the summer of 1995. Two teenagers who were close but were never together. The thoughts of what could have been are intertwined with youth and the natural progression of things. Melancholia underneath the sweet, wonderful feeling of love.
CMON CMON covers manny themes in this record. Some bear a bleak and dark undertone, but they always make something out of it and lift you up. The resilience and hope is what you comes back for, but all the dark and twisted, is what makes you feel less alone.
Lewis Knaggs “Third Eye”
Some people run away from pain. Some people inflict pain upon pain, but Lewis Knaggs is here to transcend heartbreak and grief. In the memory of Knaggs’ late grandfather, who is also a great influence, “Third Eye” continues his path of articulating humanly relatable experiences in life through meaningful storytelling.
“Third Eye” is about the words of wisdom passed on from generations and those around. A way of giving back and joining the cycle of life and the world. Intimate and empowering. Knaggs’ deep and torn vocal draws you in and pulls your heartstrings. “Third Eye” follows the release of “My Father,” a song that was in honor of his late father.
Driven by Creativity and guided by heart, Knaggs’ music can rarely be defined through the envelopes of genres. Each of his songs take on a life of its own and sees an eclectic sonic palette painting in freeform inspiring soundscapes. Writing from the place of the keenest and most intense feelings, his music is both emotional and introspection, often filled with wisdom and keen observation of life. It’s songs like these that brings us closer and keeps us grounded.
Ellery Twining ‘RESULTS’
Ellery Twining is ahead of his time. He foresees a post-pop era before the genre is even defined, but here and now, RESULTS convinces you that a new aesthetic is the inevitable. Before, the post pop genre hasn’t had an artist who can truly define the genre, at least not until Twining entered the scene.
Twining has something very special to share with RESULTS. Following his acclaimed debut release, the sophomore album further pushes the experimentation of form and texture. To answer the question what post-pop is, you need to first listen to his album. The album sees a translucent form of childhood nostalgia combined with a cynical look at past generations in reflection with modernity, pop, and pop culture.
The influences of RESULTS, or more accurately, its rising aesthetic is also echoed throughout different forms of contemporary art. In literature, there’s a rising of non-linear storytelling and expressiveness, which focus on individual artistry and creativity and sees narratives bend the rules of genres. RESULTS share the same thread of individuality, liberation, and expressiveness. Twining’s non-fiction, personalized narrative is entered through a fluid-like deformation of pop and folk lyricism and carried out by the heart of a poet.
RESULTS in a way reminds you of glam rock, avant-garde, and punk, of which forms all share the confrontation and seeking of a more conclusive expression as new movements and changes are emerging across the globe. We are too at a change of time, and RESULTS articulates these lost and undefined feelings. Its form might still be viewed as edgy by many, but it’s well-supported by the change of narratives that are happening in the world. RESULTS doesn’t lack universal appeal. It’s more than ever resonating and needed to be heard.
Punk Head: I love how your experiments in post-pop soundscapes relate to socially aware themes. Can you tell us more about RESULTS and how this project came to be?
Ellery Twining: Thank you! When I was a kid starting out in my first rock band, I realized that the music of the Sixties, that was a thread of the influence on us at the time, could not be understood simply by listening. There had to be a story behind “For What it’s Worth?” I thought to myself. And when I started digging, I found out there was a story. The voluminous threads of the Sixties culture led to a re-examination of the music from the 1970’s, which I experienced on AM radio, in my mother’s VW Bug. Every layer revealed another layer, and I began to understand the dynamic of being truthful in music, versus being “successful”. Having said that, I was determined to sign to a record label as a signature of accomplishment during my Rock Band years, and I thought that would equate to success. I was wrong.
RESULTS is evidence that I learned to do both at the same time; the music, and the intent.
PH: Can you talk about any standout tracks on the album and what makes them special to you?
Twining: “CELLAR DOOR” is the best song I have written, I think. Much of that is what Eric Lichter brought to the table during the sessions at Dirt Floor. I only write songs about events in my life that have actually happened. No fiction. I knew all of these kids in the song. It has a certain healing element, but it is also a fingerprint.
PH: How do you stay inspired and motivated to continue pushing boundaries in your art?
Twining: It’s a responsibility, yes?
PH: Who are your biggest influences?
Twining: I read an interesting interview recently with Geddy Lee of Rush, and he was asked about influences on their music. His response was perfect-“Have so many influences no one can distill them.” Cocteau Twins absolutely changed my life. (I suppose I am breaking my own reveal)
PH: What advice would you give to other artists who want to explore experimental art forms?
Twining: The canvas is quite filled out. Find the empty space.
Craetor ‘Surrender’
Surrender is a mind-bending EP where the storms of styles wrap you up in an immersive noise-coiled boom, heating up the ground beneath you. Ghosts, old and new, scream and soar throughout the EP, while their faces are bent and distorted, forging into new ones. Surrender is something very special. The worlds and feelings stirred by these songs didn’t exist in this world until Craetor drags them out of thin air. It’s truly something new and gritty in the landscape of rock, and haunting enough to experience severe deja vu.
“Intro” is heavy as well as atmospheric, emotive and psychedelic. As if it’s derived from the same string of desert blues, a scenic long-shot messes up your heart and mind. It’s hard to describe the exact you see, but the baking of the sun and the bleakness and shattering of noise becomes a feeling, an undissolved haunt that gets under your skin.
“Riot” is a hysteric, gritty underground punk wrapped up in the heat of noise. It’s warm, almost a burning feeling, but the high contrast and almost an high altitude brightness give you a caged exposure. At the same time, it remained free-spirited and rebellious, deteriorating deeper into a metal, swampy doom land with over-heated psychedelic. The palpability of these feelings prove that Craetor is on a completely new level, just a few months after their last release.
“Stone” gives you the same goosebumps from Nirvana’s grunge songs. Even the soaring guitar has Kurt Cobain’s ghost screaming into it. “Stone” is a wicked track. Just when you’re on the edge of your seat, waiting for a cathartic break point, they punch you in the face with a sudden change of direction, coming back with a sort of skeleton aesthetic, goth impression wrapped in its grunge sonics.
“Wretch” has a hint of suffocation in its soundscapes while the vocal line is pure cathartic. It continues up the vines of grunge and punk from the previous two songs, but much darker and deeper intense. At some point, you see a man running, hitting the walls, against the world. The battle and struggle live so vividly in “Wretch” and among the instruments.
“Wither” comes in the sounds of death’s heavy footstamps. A heavy track with a thick, metallic texture, laced with hauntingly captivating melodies. Withering is a poetic idea, and the mourning of what has been, and “Wither” captures death, the process of death and its aftermath.
Surrender is purely a mind-blowing experience. Read our interview with the band and learn more about backstory of their unique sounds.
Punk Head: I love the grit and authenticity in Surrender. Tell me more about this EP. Is there a story/theme? And what’s the story behind it?
Craetor: For Surrender we really wanted to accentuate the warm tones that are present on a lot of our favorite albums. We opted to record the album ourselves in order to maintain a certain analog sound, which definitely comes through in the grit. As part of the process we used minimal overdubs in order to preserve as much of the raw sound we produce as a three piece. We’re really interested in creating the most robust sound possible with just the three of us, and we tried to translate that as much as possible into the EP.
PH: Can you talk about any standout tracks on the EP and what makes them special to you?
Craetor: For us the standout tracks are “Stone” and “Wither.” The tracks epitomize the blend of doom, psych, and stoner rock that we wanted to achieve on the EP. The writing process behind these was very collaborative, and brought the best out of all of us.
PH: Who would you most like to collaborate with if it could be anyone in the world?
Craetor: There isn’t really any particular artist we would like to work with. For us right now our goal is to keep producing more music and evolving our sound. Naturally we would like to make the switch from working independently to working with a label, and there are a number of which we would love to be involved with. Labels like Heavy Psych Sounds or Electric Valley Records that carry a really diverse array of artists are the types of groups that we’d ultimately like to work with.
PH: In finding your sound, how did you guys land on stoner rock?
Craetor: Stoner rock ended up being the natural meeting ground for all of us as musicians. We all share an interest in the palm desert scene, and in particular looked at Kyuss as inspiration for our first tracks. Initially we tended to lean more into the punk/thrash realm, but over time we’ve found ourselves more in the stoner rock niche.
A large part of that is due to our backgrounds individually as musicians. Our guitarist tends to lean into the heavy psych realm, our drummer into the hardcore scene, and our bassist/vocalist into a doom tone. Melding these sounds together has really dictated our genre.
Finally, stoner rock is a loose enough term that gives us agency to experiment within the genres we are interested in. We’re constantly evolving our sound, and we like the freedom to pull elements from doom, psych-rock, grunge, and metal without boxing ourselves in too tightly.
PEARL “Fish”
In thought of the natural and inevitable process of death, PEARL reflects on morality in the intimately immersive single “Fish.” Written during a time of facing the loss of someone close to her, “Fish” is a tender and cathartic transcendence to acceptance. PEARL’s intricate, dulcet vocal floats on top of an impressionistic, soundscape, soaked in sunset palette while the pulsating beats evocative profound feelings.
Captivating and brutally honest, but not overly explicit. “Fish” leaves plenty of space for listeners to contemplate. Her lyrics serve as the doorway to a conversation about life and death and the complex emotions that wrap around the theme. The soundscapes explore a sort of emotional storm. Like a long gaze into the horizon, its intricate shades of light are enough to keep you afloat and drift away.
PEARL has been praised for her evocative vocals and poignant lyrics. Her captivating production also caught many’s attention in the industry. “Fish” is a breathable track, nothing too grand, and nothing too fragile, but a catalyst that immerses you in a thoughtful moment.
Oceanless “Isolation”
Among all the new bands bursting into the music scene, Oceanless is one to pay some extra attention to. With a debut release of a gritty genre-bending masterpiece, the band proves to be different. “Isolation” throws you into a raging turmoil of sonics, fiercely challenging your preexisting expectation for rock and hip hop. Dabbed with grunge, introspection, experimentation and pulsating alternative sounds, “Isolation” is something new. And just with one song, Oceanless asserts themselves at a level where most could only dream of.
“Isolation” gives you something truly unique in the ever-evolving scene of rock. Their authenticity shines very brightly throughout the track, giving you an exhilarating, hard-hitting and thunderous experience. Retro and modernity join hand in the massive reconnection of hip hop and grunge. They think outside the box, and their music feels like no other.
Oceanless is easily one of most exciting new bands to watch in the scene. They are exactly what’s needed in rock and hip hop—pure talent wrapped in authentic melodic allure.
Oceanless is currently working on their full-length debut album, set to take listeners on a meaningful journey in uncharted sonic world.
Loose Bolts “Could I Stay Here?”
Through the looking glass, “Could I Stay Here” gazes into a distant past. With the innocence and impulse of a young man foraying into the world of romance meets the maturity of a grown man, “Could I Stay Here” is a nostalgic swirl of emotions. Loose Bolts stirs up luscious, almost ethereal blend of shoegaze textures, still carrying the anguish and grit of emo. He creates a bittersweet time heist around the theme of love, loss and growth, taking you on a sonic adventure in the early aughts.
Loose Bolts makes nostalgia an impressionistic, reverberant lush in this single. Yet, his guitar still has a gritty edge to its ring. The epic swell of emotions and catharsis eventually calls back his 2015 punk spirit—rebellious, energetic, confrontational, still having these sharp and contrasting big feelings. But that person is also romantic and tender. There’s a beautiful vulnerability and simplicity bouncing between the sonic walls during the fleeting seconds when “Could I Stay Here” rushes to climax. He channels something incredible that bends the law of time.
Though nostalgia is easy to feel and understand, “Could I Stay Here,” on the other hand, is a sophisticated creation of art. Loose Bolts reminds you of The 1975 meets Community Spirit-era The Academic. Raged with introspective thoughts and deep feelings, each brush on the sonic landscape has its organic characteristics and personality. These sometimes contrasting feelings and thoughts form a multi-layered abstract sonic painting that gives you distinct experiences under different shades of light. For some, “Could I Stay Here” gets under your skin and draws you to a deeply emotional state. For some, it’s the escape into the taste of a loss love and its purity. But at the end of dreams, you always wake up, with the life you lived feeling twice its size—that’s what “Could I Stay Here” does.
Read our interview with Loose Bolts and learn more about him as an artist.
Punk Head: I love your unique blend of styles in "Could I Stay Here?" How did everything come together?
Loose Bolts: Thank you! I recorded the first demo in 2018 and was actually considering keeping it a bare bones acoustic track. A few different versions and tweaks were made before recording the final version in 2021. I didn't really consider having such a chorus-drenched lead guitar or making the song sound so dreamy up until the 2nd time I re-recorded a full band version back in Florida (which would have been the 3rd version). I actually have a podcast/DJ set series called "Loose Talk" on Youtube & Spotify exclusively that goes into detail about this exact topic if you'd like to check it out!
PH: Was there any challenge that you encountered while making the track?
Loose Bolts: I suppose so. More so up until the point where I went to record the final version here in Nashville. That process also had a hurdle or two, but nothing really worth mentioning, other than I very quickly learned that I needed to hire a good engineer more than I needed to hire anyone to "produce" this song in particular for me. The worst of it initially was just people I tried to finish an earlier full band version of it with being flaky... That's "the biz" sometimes. Otherwise, it was mostly exciting uncovering this song's identity over the course of 3 years.
PH: What motivates you as an artist?
Loose Bolts: Different aspects of the whole thing motivate me in different ways. That's like asking "what motivates you to go to work in the morning?" Overall though, I'm a bit of romantic thinker, or a dreamer I guess you would say, but I think there's so much value in that as long as your thinking is grounded somehow. Sometimes I'll find myself watching clips or compilations of people doing really kind or even really heroic things (individually or collectively) and they usually make me think "As fucked up as life can be, there is still beauty in the world." In some way, I'd like people to have a similar reaction to Loose Bolts. Something like "As fucked up as life can be, this guy dedicates himself to creating beautiful artistic expressions, simply because he feels driven to do so. That's inspiring."
PH: What do you aim to accomplish in the near future?
Loose Bolts: Other than releasing an EP later this year, I'm just focused on reaching new fans online. Once the demand seems to be there, I'm going to start touring. :-)
PH: What would you like to say to your fans out there?
Loose Bolts: All it takes is a little Temerity.
Dominik Matzka “Was ist dann los”
“Was ist dann los” (what’s the matter), is about perspectives. An ode that takes the form of open-ended “what if” queries. Behind each disaster and destruction is rebirth and rebuild. A loss is always accompanied by an opportunity for new, but Dominik Matzka goes even deeper than what we all know. Through thought-provoking questions and mind-opening twists, Matzka invites you to really see your situations for what you have missed.
“If truth can’t be named; if the flames can’t be burned; if we’re in fact the fire not the wood; if our veins are full of gold…”
With picturesque cinematic epic thundering through underneath, coming to you in deep, ground-shaking pulses, the surrounding of nature and its spirits is woven into Matzka’s smooth and earthy voice. His music feels like a call to return to truth. The world seems to have slowed down in “Was ist dann los,” you see moments and life on a big screen and are not deterred by your own emotions, but seeing it flowing through your eyes. One image, in particular, sticks out.
The falling house image first occurs in the lyrics, in which an ancient tower is then discovered. What’s interesting is how it’s being projected in a much more profound way into the sonics. As modern folk texture meets medieval polyphonic-inspired chants, even no crumbling of destruction is heard, a deeper, vertical revelation and expansion into history, intelligence and origin in “Was ist dann los” can be observed, and its movement is more than ever conscious. But it has been in the fabrics of Matzka’s songs since the beginning.
Deep in both folk music and sacred music and with the broad board of history under his thumb, there has always been a curious and spontaneous trace to ancient art and its forms in Matzka’s music. Combined with his own modern acoustic sensibility and instincts for creating organic sound designs, his music is a mending and a continuation of old and new. Deeply refreshing and therapeutic.
“You can think of literally any problem as a chance to learn something. In fact we need crisis and dark times to learn things we otherwise wouldn’t,” says the artist.
Read our interview with Matzka and learn more about his fifth single “Was ist dann los.”
Punk Head: I love how intimate and immersive "Was ist dann los" is. Tell us more about the story behind this song. How did everything come together?
Dominik Matzka: Well, first, something broke apart. When my former relationship ended in 2017, I had a key moment. On the bus home, I felt that this was exactly the situation I should be in. Right now, in this emotional and mental mess, there was the chance for personal growth. In that moment, the melody for „Was ist dann los“ evolved in my imagination. The lyrics then developed around a game-changing thought: „What if this problem is actually a gift?”
As a living thing, the song has gone through some radical changes, too. First, I recorded a ton of background vocals like those you hear in the end. They were inspired by the rough energy of medieval polyphonic chants. In 2020, when I got the opportunity to work with the Film Orchestra Babelsberg during my film music studies, I took the chance and arranged „Was ist dann los“ for orchestra.
PH: Is there a particular message or theme you hope listeners take away from this single?
Matzka: You can think of literally any problem as a chance to learn something. In fact we need crisis and dark times to learn things we otherwise wouldn’t. This is just as true for social, economical and ecological problems as it is for personal issues. But the real boost – also for society’s learning curve – is playfulness.
PH: What has been one of the most significant moments of your musical journey so far?
Matzka: This year I’ve committed myself to the fact that I don’t make music for money. I do it because it’s fun, and as a kind of service to the divine spark in all of us. That’s why I chose to earn the majority of my bread as a music teacher, not by selling my ability to compose and produce. I want to create music from within, and I don’t want to compromise on that anymore, just in order to survive as a full-time musician.
PH: What is your creative vision as an artist?
Matzka: As an artist, I don’t need one big vision. Many small visions – usually one per project – are totally sufficient.
As a human being however, I do have a vision. In my boldest dreams, humanity realizes that happiness can’t be reached by staying greedy and busy. Instead, we somehow manage to escape the treadmill of capitalism and learn to care for ourselves and each other on a basal level. This whole process starts with unpleasant questions, and one way to ask those questions is through making art.
PH: How has studying at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg made an impact on your music career?
Matzka: Studying at Filmakademie has helped me get into touch with lots of people from different film departments. A win-win situation: Filmmakers can commission me to write scores for them, and I can commission them to make music videos and visual art for me. During the time at Filmakademie, I received many tips from fellow students and teachers that have helped me improve my music production skills quite fast. I’ve also learned to look at every part of the music production process as a means to tell the story.
Chris Wirsig & Audio Terrorist “Tainted Love”
It was Ed Cobb who wrote “Tainted Love,” and Gloria Jones who performed it originally. However, the song wasn’t popularized until Soft Cell and many others gave it a spin. Today, Chris Wirsig & Audio Terrorist rages back with their hyperpop-infused electro banger, channeling the dark and demons living in the unknown corners of “Tainted Love.”
The latest “Tainted Love” opens with a dazed, mind swirl. Like losing the grip of reality accompanied by a burning sensation, Chris Wirsig & Audio Terrorist takes your whole perception away with a powerful, mind-bending storm spiral, completely dominating your ears and heart. They are definitely not gentle or has any intention to sugarcoat. This is the dark and unheard story of “Tainted Love.”
A sort of chaos and flames fluttering through the soundscape veins, creating a strong, almost palpable visual imagery, and that’s Chris Wirsig, the award-winning producer and composer, who is known to manipulate your emotions and perceptions with a storm of sounds. Audio Terrorist’s dark and gritty vocal only intensifies the already deeply evocative daze. Like a great disturbance that stirs in your heart and head, his vocal draws you to the depth of abyss with a hint of wicked allure—the almost unnoticeable rock n roll phantom is lurking in the dark, gazing you deep in the eyes. And the world keeps tumbling, head over toes.
Their version of “Tainted Love” leaves a strong enough impression to make you forget about all other version. Their hyperpop, electro, psychedelic complex is many steps palpable and impulsive than Ed Cobb and less personal than Marilyn Manson. They create a character and a deeper story within these fixed melodies and lines. Essentially, through their music, your heart is beating along the music’s rhythm, and you’re inside its emotive and intellectual perception. That’s a very powerful thing. Even though you have heard of “Tainted Love” a thousand times, they give you a brilliant one more time, for you to sink in and ponder, and discover something you don’t already known about this classic tune.
Read our interview with Wirsig and DuArte and learn more about their collaboration.
Punk Head: I love how inventive the soundscapes are in "Tainted Love." Tell us more about this collaboration.
Chris Wirsig: Thanks very much. Kalib and I have played the song live when I was touring California with my band no:carrier, and we always said we need to make it into a polished studio version. Somehow the song fell to the wayside, but recently we resurrected it, and I thought it’s a great time to do it in an updated, Hyperpop-infused version.
Kalib DuArte: We did one of those “one band morphs into another gigs,” and so our cover of “Boys of Summer” (great video by the way) became a transition track between Audio Terrorist and no:carrier. Chris was like “hey, we need more than one track with you on it” and so he did an arrangement of “Tainted Love.” My producer said, “what if we sing it more as a harmony and strip away the melody?” It seemed weird at the time, but now it seems very current. Just how it goes sometimes.
PH: Can you describe the emotions or feelings you hope this single evokes in listeners?
DuArte: The song has a classic 60’s melody seducing you into feeling good about a bad situation. To get stuck in it. It’s a real tension in it. I want our version to not do that, and it to make you feel “hey, this isn’t right” because it is not. If it feels bad, get the f@
PH: What did you enjoy most about making the track?
Wirsig: I loved playing with that classic and making it a little darker, maybe a bit more sarcastic than even the famous Soft Cell version. With Kalib’s vocal style on this song, it was easy for me to go very “electro” on it, and really dive into the sound design to make it edgy yet danceable.
DuArte: Showing that even a classic can be approached in a new way which isn’t imitated by the original from the 60’s, the famous version from the 80’s, or anyone else’s other covers. Us taking risks and thinking “have we gone too far?” and shelving it. Then listening to it later and saying, “it wasn’t the wrong idea, but it was the wrong time for the idea. “
PH: What has been, so far, your favorite song to perform and why?
DuArte: An original Audio Terrorist song or a cover tune? Original: “Caravan of the Soul” cuz at heart I’m a bit of a crooner. Chris played a great version at a gig. Covers: “I’ll Melt with You” by Modern English. You know when you cover a song and the guys in the audience get so jealous of how their gals are responding to it that they look like they will take you out back and beat the shit out of you, you are on to something… ;)
Wirsig: That’s hard to answer. I definitely enjoyed performing “Tainted Love” with Kalib back then. But at the moment my favorites are the songs by Angels On The Battlefield, an Epic Metal band I’m playing keyboards and some other more exotic instruments for. We’re about to release a first, kick-ass single soon.
PH: What would you like to say to your fans out there?
Wirsig: Thanks for listening to the music – stay curious.
DuArte: Thank you for all the support over the years! One random positive engagement helps keep me going down an experimental collaborative path, and not turn Audio Terrorist into a dance floor pop cliché. Even if it is a cover, it should be an original take on it.
Alex Lipinski “Idiot Station”
With a reverberant glam-rock rhythm under his belt, Alex Lipinski channels the muddy fusion of The Stooges and The Black Keys in savagery allure, speaking the lost and grim in modern mainstream. “Idiot Station” is raged with literary flair of moodiness and a flash of raw live energy. Its haunting melodies and screamed-up words get under your skin, while its backbeat rhythm gives you something to dance for.
Lipinskin is amongst the serious talents on the horizon these days. His unstoppable, almost unlimited creativity is always burning an edge of emotion. “Idiot Station” draws you into a captivating sonic world crafted by Lipinski and his instrument, but it’s his robust spirit and gritty sounds that make you stay.
Lipinski has just gotten back from his European tour with Marc Almond, who chose him as sole support. The artist has also garnered a round of likes in the industry, from Liam Gallagher, Bonehead to Evan Dando. He landed his first label deal with Marquee Records/Universal Music Group, and “Idiot Station” marks the beginning of an exciting new journey.
Strange Company ‘Overrated’
Welsh’s three-piece rock outfit, Strange Company, rages back with a teeth-chattering emo-punk anthem. Born out of the lowest of lockdown, “Overrated” speaks about catastrophe and despair with double-dosed punk aesthetic while taking an emotive deeper dive into a familiar but truly horrid scenario—where one’s mind has turned against oneself.
They scratch your most nostalgic itch and offer something new to lose yourself into. Like a storm that takes your breath away and completely change the scene with a renewed perspective, Strange Company has a very distinctive sound that allows them to stand out in the crowds of genres.
“Overrated” sticks a middle finger to the naysayers’ face at the same time shedding light on mental health issues. Rebellion and resolution can exist in one place, so does angst and hope. In the intense turmoil and captivating sonics, “Overrated” in the end, is about how one would find their way out of the fearful sea.
The trio of Matt Davies, Owen Weston and Charlie Porter has over 20 years’ experience of writing, recording and touring under their belts and the stars have aligned for their time to roam. In 2022, Strange Company unleashed their debut album Metaphysical Love. With the new single and many more to come, they are here to make their marks.
Joseph Lothian ‘The Florid Verge’
Inspired by the destructive yet miraculous journey of transformation, Joseph Lothian shares his third and latest album, The Florid Verge, delving into the delicate and frightening whispers in the state of change. With rich and complex emotions woven into his soulfully expressed lines, moving melodies in resonance with synth-sprinkled folk soundscapes and rock aesthetic. Introspection meets the intense process of rebirth. Ash and flame. Beauty and destruction.
From the budding new sounds that burst out their shells for the first time to the haunting acoustic mingling with synthetic tones in an intense dance, The Florid Verge vibrates between light and dark, unraveling the connection between nature and our inner world. Sonically, it exists in the space where possibilities become endless.
The Florid Verge is an earthy album, but it also seems to have stretched out far into the distant sky. Reconnecting and rejuvenating, shedding new skins and embracing anew. Sparked with authenticity and vibrant energy, the album gives listeners another close look at the sensitive and introspective world inside Lothian’s unique songwriting. It’s more than ever meaningful, grounded and imaginative.
Passive Fix “I'll Take It All”
Following Passive Fix’s acclaimed single “Red Lights,” the genre-defying rising talent from Midlands returns with a meaningful single “I’ll Take It All,” tackling the cycles of grief and loss while pushing the envelope of genres even further. “I’ll Take It All” sparks immersion and meaningful imagination fueled by their blooming creativity. The song revolves around a protagonist, who spirals into escapism and wilderness while going through the cycles of grief with each changing tone represent a different phrase.
“I’ll Take It All” seems to have escaped the curse of genres, rerouting the sonics in direct contact with its storytelling. The song is featured in the soundtrack to the ban’d upcoming short film, A Divine Descent, scheduled to be released on June 23.
Passive Fix, of Alex McCarthy, Alex Collett-Sinfield, David Kirkham and Sam Stringer have been stirring a strong waves across venues with several successful headline shows under their belts. They are known for their innovative, genre-fluid sound that evokes waves of different emotional and physical responses as well as crafting a brand new personal universe.
Eide Olsen “Anchored”
Good music rarely need much of a description. It takes you on a journey and makes you think deeper about life. It brings back long-forgotten feelings and lift up your spirits. “Anchored” is all those things. With the golden glitters of jazz dissolves into a dark-soaked sonic palette, filtered through cinematic, scenic lens, transcending into a sonic landscape that’s timeless and unique. The atmosphere is a little hazy and smoky, but only from the brewing of rich and complex emotions.
Is life truly worth it? Once or twice in our life, for some, maybe many times too often, we find ourselves in deep water and asking the very question. In most cases, we let out a long sigh and keep on keeping on, but the deep mental pain and exhaustion leading up to existential crisis is beeping in high alarm. “Anchored” comes in the threads woven from this question. Eide Olsen aims to uplift those in deep water. In truth, he takes the listeners on a much needed, soul-searching trip.
Like a sonic film that rolls before your mind eyes and like a semi-lucid dream, “Anchored” drops you into deeper introspection. Thunders came rumbling underneath Olsen’s airy deep voice. Like a time capsule itself that sees the concentration of years of living, “Anchored” captured him in soul-baring state, authentically channeling the deep pains and fights into his music. There’s so much that goes on, spiritually and emotionally, with the words and melodic landscapes splashing against the sonic shore.
Listening to “Anchored” is like taking a walk of solitude or a cross country trip where you face your most feared demons. Such journey is turbulent and thorny, but also memorable and life-altering. It holds a special place in your heart, and every time you think about it, you’ll remember how far you’ve come. “Anchored” is like that movie you keep revisiting. It’s deep and epic, therapeutic and stirring.
The harmonious echos and resonance comes from a remarkable 14-year-old vocalist, whose innocence and ethereal voice adds another layer to the song.
Below we chat with Olsen on the creation of “Anchored” and his musical styles.
Punk Head: I love the intricacy and message "Anchored" send. What's the inspiration behind the song?
Eide Olsen: Most of us sometimes find life in general challenging but maybe just once or twice during our lifetime we actually feel it necessary to (sincerely) ask ourselves the question, is it worth it? And if we ever come to that point it's almost impossible to find a way out of the overwhelming darkness. The song aspires to give an answer on how to overcome such mental pain, but honestly I do not know if it does.
PH: Can you talk about any collaborations you had while making this single?
Olsen: The girl that sings along with me on the song is only 14 years old and in my opinion a remarkable talent. The hopeful innocence of her voice becomes a strong contrast to the darkness of the lyrics. Also I would like to mention Irek Wojtzcak, the soprano saxophone player. Renowned throughout Europe as a jazz avant-gardist, Irek in this piece shows a new side of his talent, filling the melodic landscape with the most endearing and beautiful colors.
PH: What is your creative vision as an artist?
Olsen: To me music is like colors reflecting thoughts and feelings. My creative ambition is to be honest in the ways I put it all together. Lyrics, melodies, expression and production - when all the variables connect and fit - it comes out as a whole, and the listener can feel that there is something there! If I can make that happen, the song fulfills its mission and that is the reward I seek.
PH: Who are your biggest influences?
Olsen: The singer/songwriter tradition holds a lot of names I could mention but if I have to start from the top: Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Mark Knopfler, Phil Collins, Paul McCartney... So yes indeed, it is fair to say I am a bit old-school.
PH: What is the one thing that you’d like your fans to know about you?
Olsen: That I am an almost fanaticly romantic person that lives by the rule: Use your head about tomorrow, but the heart about today!
Day Nah “Wild and free”
Electrifying, funky, and bluesy. “Wild and free” is a fantastic track where the wildness and playfulness held in one’s sacred space is given a voice. Day Nah tunes deeper into her feelings and intuition, harvesting the strength and potentials from her ambitions and passion. Vocals blossoming in chiming groove with a unique blend of sonic palette that evokes the heart and memory of funk, blues, rock and soul music,“Wild and free” sees Day Nah in full control, glistening in eccentric retro aesthetic yet does not lack its modern edge.
If there’s one thing that strikes out the most to you about “Wild and free” is how the song has proven that Day Nah has the range and potential no less than a mainstream singer. Her powerhouse of a voice charms in expressive recurrence, desires to be heard on stage, by millions. Day Nah has what it takes to command the attention of big crowds.
The soulfully and freely expressed melodies go to unexpected places in “Wild and free.” They convey different colors, evoking a wide range of feelings and emotive experiences without the aid of anything else. Her melodies are mesmerizing and lingering—“Wild and free” is the kind of song you won’t be able to forget for a long while. That’s how good Day Nah’s singing is.
Like many, Day Nah was once trapped in social constraints and expectations of who she’s supposed to be. After years of struggling, she decided to not let fear further decorate her action, but to follow her true calling. “Wild and free” speaks about letting go and letting free. Like the cleansing flame that burns away the old and sparking new energy and opportunities, the track is at the crossroad of old and new.
Read our interview with Day Nah and learn about her artistic journey.
Punk Head: I love the unique blends of sounds and expressive vocals on "Wild and free." Tell me more about the song. How did everything come together?
Day Nah: The period in which I wrote and recorded “Wild and free” was one of the most turbulent of my life. I had recently embarked on this creative journey with producer Radu Constantin and the plan was to create a unique EP where our different creative influences come together. After writing and recording Baby Cosmic Crazy and sharing it with different musician friends and other friends, I was filled with lots of hope and excitement for what was to come. It seemed like, professionally speaking, all of it was coming together for me, I had finally found my calling and my purpose.
At 33 years old, a year with great religious significance, after trying and completing several educations and working in different fields, I felt like I was finally onto something. On a personal level, after a very long relationship, I felt somewhat stagnant and restless with a strong need to experience a lot more, to meet new people, to experiment, to be playful, to fall in love again. Somehow my professional and personal vision for my future didn’t quite match the reality of my life at that point and I felt like I wanted to break free from everything.
Even my work password in that period was breakfree33, being inspired by the Queen classic song and by Jesus’s death and resurrection year, which I was quite obsessed with at that time. It’s probably worth mentioning the song was written after the first Covid lockdown, in a period when I, like many others, was starving after social contact and the pure joy of getting wild and free on the dance floor or at music festivals. So, for me, this song is the realization of my inner nature for what it is: raw, driven, carnal, passionate and the celebration of this realization.
PH: Can you describe the emotions or feelings you hope this single evokes in listeners?
Day Nah: I truly hope this song can inspire listeners to feel free to be who they want to be, to accept, embrace and celebrate their feelings and emotions, whichever they might be. I also hope it can empower them to acknowledge their true nature and calling, whatever those might be. And last but not least, I hope the song can inspire listeners to trust their own intuition, as this accompanied by reason and a good strategy will lead them to their best selves.
PH: What has been, so far, your favorite song to perform and why?
Day Nah: So far I’ve only performed acoustic versions of Baby Cosmic Crazy and it has been a wonderful experience, with much more of an intimate and personal feeling than the studio version of the song. I am very much looking forward to performing my songs with a full band, which hopefully will happen already this summer.
PH: What is your creative vision as an artist?
Day Nah: As an artist, I think it’s important to inspire others to follow their heart, not their fears. We often make choices based on fear, because we’re always taught we have to strive for safety and because of that we compromise so much of our inner nature and passion. I, personally, don’t come from a family where emotions and feelings were acknowledged, shared or accepted, so music has always been like a safe space for me to explore and express my emotions and believe me, I have lots of them! For this reason, music and singing have always felt like my superpower in tackling uncomfortable emotions and truths about myself and the ones dear to me. So, I believe that my creative vision as an artist is to inspire people to leave fear and overthinking behind and muster the courage to believe in their dreams and in their intuition. In my opinion, ”trusting your own madness” is a must if you want to live a purposeful, fulfilling life and at the same time feel alive and vibrant.
PH: What is the one thing that you’d like your fans to know about you?
Day Nah: I make my decisions from the heart, but it’s not always been this way. For a very long time I had difficulty trusting my intuition for important decisions in my life, like which career path to follow. And, as mentioned previously, I started and even completed several educational programmes and had so many different jobs but I was avoiding my true passion and calling for fear of displeasing others, especially family and friends. As soon as I decided to dedicate myself to music in a serious way, I was motivated by my dream and passion and started feeling empowered, stronger and happier.