Voices #20
◦ “voices” is the place where we ask, artists reply and you read.
here we got:
Susana López
answering some questions. We have already observed his ambient / drone / experimental work here.
[1. IDEA]
■ The A. O.: The track from “Materia Vibrante” that we prefer is “Mundus Imaginalis”. Can you tell us how it came to light?
► Susana López: Both Materia Vibrante (the album) and Mundus Imaginalis are products of a very particular period in my life, a period marked by an existential crisis. It’s almost as if all the tracks could be combined into a single piece, sharing a common emotional core, instrumentation, and mental state.
Mundus Imaginalis is inspired by that intermediate dimension that connects the intelligible with the sensible: the imaginary world, where vision and vibration merge, according to Henry Corbin and Ibn Arabi. The most notable feature of this track is that it is made almost entirely with my “sonic triangle”, a sound object that I built several years ago. It is the physical element that initiates the vibration.
[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?
► Susana López: I frequently have a clear concept before I start creating; then my mood influences the result. For this album, I knew I wanted to create an ode to the sound and visual matter. The album’s title is inspired by Jane Bennett’s book of the same name. This author seeks to rethink the relationship between humans and the material world, fostering a deeper respect and attention toward objects and their role in our daily lives and the global environment.
The first seed in my compositions are always drones produced with granular synthesis, then I add field recordings, my voice, percussion, synthesizers, and sound objects. Then I compose, edit and organize all the sounds as if I were the director of a film.
[3. FEEDBACK]
■ The A. O.: What do you hope listeners feel or experience when engaging with your music?
► Susana López: I would like them to feel better, fulfilled, like when you have been looking at the sea for a while from a cliff, or have walked through a forest under the trees. Just like what happened to me when I finished it, it was a kind of healing, liberation.
[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?
► Susana López: Since 2009, I’ve been creating music by combining field recordings, electronic instruments, and vocals—and I’m still doing it. I try to be true to myself, my values, and my desires. I don’t make music to please others or follow trends. There are no formulas—just the ongoing practice of being radically myself, even when that means being out of step with the current.
[5. INFLUENCES]
■ The A. O.: Name 3 albums that you consider relevant to your musical path and why.
► Susana López: ○ Eliane Radigue – Trilogie de la mort
It was the album that made me feel like I didn’t belong to another world, that there were people with the same interests as me, with a deep sense of music.
○ Asmus Tietchens – Musik An Der Grenze
It taught me to be brave in my sound creations and to defend them regardless of trends or tastes.
○ Coil – The Ape of Naples
It was my introduction to this magnificent group. Listening to that album revealed a new spiritual depth in music, altering my musical journey and preferences.
[6. REGARDS]
■ The A. O.: Leave us with a quote you love.
► Susana López: “There are two kinds of artists: those who imitate and reproduce reality, and those who create their own universe by revealing what we know but forget. The latter are the true creators, and in them, the nostalgia for emotion leads to creativity; a creativity that awakens the soul.” (Andréi Tarkovski)