Cervello Elettronico � "Industrial music with brain"

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27 Jul, 2007 [ Views: 29810 ]

During the late 80s, futuristic images of the new millennium were filled of androids tragically full of humanity, apocalyptic voyages through space and polluted rainy cities covered with cement and neon lights. Technology definitely moved in an unexpected direction during the nineties, but if would like to feel as if you could fit into a world defined by plastic clothes, chip smuggling, technology mafias and flying vehicles that could take you to a Blade-runner�like club, dive deep into the sensual and danceable rhythms of Cervello Elettronico�s debut. We talked to David Christian aka Snarf. (By Catalina Millan Scheiding)

SL. Being a one-man band, how does it feel to release the debut album? Have the reactions been as expected?

CE. It's a lot of pressure when you are working alone. In the past, aside from a few demos I sent out, I never focused on finding a label to release my music. I would just create, spread it on the Internet, play live, and sell CD-Rs at the shows. When I was finally hooked up with CrunchPod, I knew I had to come up with something interesting and finish it. I didn't expect all the positive feedback after it was released. I knew it might spark interest but not from the wide spectrum of fans from hard experimental, ebm, to techno and psy-trance listeners.

SL. Are there any people that you think if they were missing there would be no �Negate the instigator�?

CE. I think without the support of my friends and family, especially Ben from Terrorfakt, I wouldn't have been able to finally put this out. Also the other Ben in my life from Crunchpod and C/A/T along with my label family. They gave me lots of encouragement.

SL. You work with many sound layers, beats and arrangements, has it been more difficult that ever to decide when each song was finished?

CE. I do have a difficult time leaving a track alone. The basic idea of the track and inspiration always stays the same but I may keep hearing little elements in my head that I would like to add, take away, or modify. It is difficult but I have learned to accept it when a track is finished. One of the learning experiences I've gained from making this album.

SL. What equipment do you normally use?

CE. I use a modular software called Buzz. Rather than any instrument I think there are a few effects I couldn't do without. There are the filters, distortion, and phase boxes I like to manipulate. I also like my sampler. I record a lot of sounds from movies and different percussion. When I used to work in an ice cream store, I recorded some metal buckets and machines which I created some cool sounds with. Also in the past I've used live bass guitar for recordings and live shows just to get that extra push on the low end.

SL. Many of the songs are cleaner, straightforward beats. However, most of them include many noise layers - blips, screeches... What would you say are the main differences -if there are- between your ebm songs and the more industrial ones?

CE. I tried to put some heavy elements for each track on this album to give it some kind of aggressiveness to it. That was my intention from the start for this album. I do realize some are more dancey or EBM sounding than others. I have a lot of influences from old EBM to recent experimental electronic music and 90s electronica. Cervello Elettronico was a project that wasn't intended to stay in one genre and sit comfortably. I would say the main differences between those type of tracks are their inspiration. Although there are no vocals to them, these tracks are about by sex abuse, control, claustrophobia, jealousy, war, and strong belief. Some of this is apparent just by listening to them and their song titles. The technical differences are the types of effects and synths used for each track. There's only so much the sound spectrum you can use and sometimes it all comes down to a choice of weapon in your arsenal. For this kind of music I can't and don't want to use all distortion. I found that there are other ways to give your music power and dynamics.

SL. How do you decide what arrangements to include in each song? Do you simply introduce sounds or noises you find interesting?

CE. I try to think about what inspired the song and try to tell a story with sounds. Usually I listen to the demo for the song I freewrite and imagine what can be added to it in my head. Then I go into my music program, design the sound, program the pattern, do some editing and add it to the song. When I first started writing, I used to just find cool sounds and work from there but then I found that it was the machines writing the songs and I didn't feel as expressive. But I have to admit I do freewrite a lot. I have hundreds of saved ideas and sometimes they turn into something really great and others just sit there waiting to be tweeked.

SL. Sometimes you add voice samples, but they are not a main priority. Would you say you use them to give a more 'old-school' touch?

CE. I do think it sounds more old school that way and it was my intention. I also like the flow and rhythm of different languages and feel that it helps create another important element to a track. I definitely have to confess I am a big EBN fan and it's amazing what they have done with electronic music by sampling different television and film media to express their ideas. It definitely takes some talent to manipulate George Bush into singing We Will Rock You. They were definitely an influence.

(...)

To read the complete interview, be sure to buy Side-Line issue 59 !

Side-Line issue 59
Cervello Elettronico CDs