Voices #19
◦ “voices” is the place where we ask, artists reply and you read.
here we got:
Risbo Tazeg
answering some questions. We have already observed his experimental / ambient / electronic work here.
[1. IDEA]
■ The A. O.: The track from “Nocturnal Reverie” that we prefer is “Sewer Sea”. Can you tell us how it came to light?
► Risbo Tazeg: I wanted to create an album that could be a film soundtrack but without being connected to an actual film. I wanted it to be really evocative, to have strong – but abstract – narrative components.
Sewer sea in particular involves improvisation sessions. I started with one layer of synth, and made a 10 minutes long drone-like track. I had no plan in mind, just wanted to play. I then added a 10 minutes layer of cello on top of this drone. Listened to the whole and got rid of some parts of the cello. I did the same with another synth, listened, carved.
I repeated the whole process several times with several synths, with the cello and another string instrument. There has been quite a lot of editing and I don’t think there is anything left from the first 2 layers but somehow the structure that emerges organically from the first few improvised sessions is still there.
The rest of the album has been planned a bit more in advance, but for Sewer Sea I would just play, observe the outcome, edit, repeat. Layering and carving.
[2. CREATION]
■ The A. O.: How do you usually approach composition? Do you start with a concept, a sound, a state of mind or what else? How do you generally proceed from the initial seed to the complete work?
► Risbo Tazeg: It really depends on the project but I think the key points are: gathering material, finding a path, building and carving.
I sometimes work for films or other audiovisual projects. In such cases the starting point is usually an image or a narrative. I then experiment with instruments and sounds to create ambiances that match or respond to those images and narratives… Once I have enough material I use it to build the actual music that fit to specific scenes.
If the music is more beat oriented I would start with a beat and then experiment with sounds. Once I get sounds I find interesting or evocative, the path reveals itself. I just have to follow it and build the tune.
For a more experimental or abstract project I start with a concept. For instance I was fascinated for a long time by the boundaries between sound and noise – something which you can still perceive in my way to play string instruments. I made pieces just to explore this concept but with different sound material.
[3. FEEDBACK]
■ The A. O.: What do you hope listeners feel or experience when engaging with your music?
► Risbo Tazeg: For « Nocturnal Reverie » I wanted the listener to travel across a succession of atmosphere and moods. I aimed to give it some sort of abstract narrative and I wanted the listener to be able to create his own story through the music.
I would like the listener to dream.
[4. IDENTITY]
■ The A. O.: In a world saturated with digital music content, how do you try to keep your sound distinct and personally meaningful?
► Risbo Tazeg: I don’t really try. For a long time I felt frustrated that my music would sound too much like my music and at some point I had to accept it. Actually I sometimes try to emulate someone else’s work while using my own tools instead of theirs. It often gives interesting results, also because I usually get distracted quickly by something I find interesting in what I am producing and forget about my first goal.
[5. INFLUENCES]
■ The A. O.: Name 3 albums that you consider relevant to your musical path and why.
► Risbo Tazeg: ○ Paul Jebanasam – Rites (subtext, 2013)
I discover this album in 2014 when I started composing music and it deeply resonated with me. There are 5 tracks in the album, some are pure drone, some lean towards ambient. When harmony is present, it’s very simple and remind me a bit of Arvo Pärt, but with more electricity.
This album matched all my early music obsession and probably nurtured them.
○ Mica Levi & Oliver Coates – Remain Calm (Slip, 2016)
Mica Levi’s soundtracks have all been a strong source of inspiration, but this album is probably my favourite. I love the way strings and electronics merge into something uncanny. I love the haunting patterns, the tension, the textures. It manages to be both cerebral and emotional, minimal and unpredictable. I really admire this balance.
○ Metametal – Ventana Pequeña (self-released, 2019)
This one is special not only for the music, but also for the people behind it. I met the members of Metametal at a music festival in Lithuania, and later I played in a band with Juan Vacas, who produced the album. The music is a mix of saxophone, guitar and electronics that can be as ethereal as it is heavy. It feels like being immersed in an electric fog, with saxophone rays piercing through. I wanted to mention this album because it reminds me that some of my favourite music doesn’t come from well-known names, but from the very people I laugh and party with.
[6. REGARDS]
■ The A. O.: Leave us with a quote you love.
► Risbo Tazeg: “To him who is in fear everything rustles” (Sophocle)