ProtoU is the solo-project of Sasha Cats. This artist is hailing from Ukraine and has released earlier this year her debut full length “Lost Here” on Cryo Chamber. Sasha thinks that the band name ‘sounds really alienesque’ while it is similar to her favorite ‘Protoss Race’ in “Starcraft” while it also is a digital name for some divices. The dark-ambient creation of this female artist features a fascinating twist between familiar dark-ambient elements and a rather relaxing and imaginary world of reverie.

Q: You seem to be a trained violinist and choir vocalist who grow up with music. What did you learn out of your ‘classical’ study and how did you get in touch with dark-ambient music and related styles?

Sasha: Classical music made me understand the principals of harmony; how sounds should go with each other. Dark-ambient came to me via my best friend and love Dronny Darko. He is my teacher and guide through the darkness.

Q: You last year together with your Dronny Darko released your debut work “Earth Songs”. How did this collaboration happened and what has been your very own input?

Sasha: Well, I gave you a hint in the previous question. Everytime Oleg and I are working together, we have some textures coming out of us. We understand each other very good. I think my personal input concerns the melodic structures and subtle sounds, Oleg made them work together with sound tissues.

Q: “Lost Here” is you real first solo-album, so what does it mean to you to have achieved this solo-work and how would you define this composition?

Sasha: Achieving means that now I can  really show people what I feel and what I want them to experience. Now I know better how to work with concepts. I would define this composition as reflection of calm mind.

Q: What is “Lost Here” all about and what kind of sound did you’d in mind?

Sasha: I am, and always will be wondering about the world of dreams and how twisted in a good way it is. “Lost Here” is dedicated to a dream so every single part of the composition, tracklist, structure and sounds have been planned to be consistent and related to the topic.

Q: Do you have some kind of dark-ambient and/or industrial ‘references’ when it comes to compose music? Tell us a bit more about it?

Sasha: Well, I was listening to dark-ambient for the very first time 4 years ago now. I was listening Dronny Darko, Red Fog, etc. Ambient references are Steve Roach and Asc. But you’ve to know I came from the drum and bass scene so I think it influenced my music as well.

Q: You’re living in Kiev where a lot of political events happened during the past months. In which way have you been affected by this situation as a person and does it still have an influence on your music?

Sasha: There was a scary moment 2 years ago, when revolution started, but it came to a wide-world political mess now. But we’re safe now. We have some territory under fire, but we’re far from it and actually everything is great now. Our country and capital are changing, we have to adapt ourselves to the situation while music can’t be stopped by evil events or people. It was, is and will be forever.

Courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries