Name: Aggregat
Members: André Wittmann (synths, vox), Daniel Sorour (cello/FX), Arian Robinson (drums)
Nationality: German
Current release: Aggregat's sophomore album Origins is out via Poly Unique.
Recommendations:
André: Book: The Shadow of the Wind (Carlos Ruiz Zafon); Painting: Gelb-Rot-Blau (Wassily Kandinsky); Piece of music: “Hyperprism” (Edgar Varèse)
Daniel: Book: Steppenwolf (Hermann Hesse); Piece of music: “Le sacre du printemps” (Igor Strawinsky); Painting: Les Demoiselles d’Avignion (Pablo Picasso)
Arian: Book: Naked Lunch, William S Burroughs; Piece of Music: “In a Landscape,” John Cage; Painting: Crucifixion, Francis Bacon

If you enjoyed this Aggregat interview and would like to know more about the band, visit their official website. They are also on Instagram, Facebook, and Soundcloud.
 


For a while, it seemed as though the model of the bed room producer would replace bands altogether. Why do you like playing in a band rather than making music on your own?

André: From a creative point of view, playing in a band has more different streams of potential. While working on solo productions can be very focused and streamlined, several human energies can form a synergy of creation, thus offering a wider range of inspiration.

Daniel: In addition to that I find it much more interesting to watch musicians on stage, performing, creating the sound colours and timing without perfection and maybe even with mistakes, than watching a producer/DJ. I want to be a part of that.

Arian: Solo or in a band - both offer great perspectives and opportunities of expression. I can’t really say I like one more than the other, while I need both to have the one. That being said, I enjoy playing in a band for the camaraderie, inspiration, and the process of the journey which this entails.

What, to you, are some of the greatest bands, and what makes them great?

André: Radiohead - diversity and vastness in a variety of artistic forms; Beatles - Pop going absolutely insane during a short period of time; Nine Inch Nails - Dirt and Beauty are so close to each other

Daniel: Nirvana - roughness and aggressiveness meet beautiful melodies, well balanced drums and fragility; Beastie Boys - getting creative with samples AND with instruments. Creating a huge diversity of colour and groove.

Before you started making music together, did you in any form exchange concrete ideas, goals, or strategies? Generally speaking, what are your preferences when it comes to planning vs spontaneity in a collaboration?

We did not really define any concrete goals. Spontaneity usually supports creativity and helps catching ideas. Planning helps longterm projects e.g. the process of writing, finishing and publishing an album.

There are many potential models for creativity, from live performances and jamming/producing in the same room together up to file sharing. Which of these do you prefer – and why?

Jamming in the same room is the most inspiring version of our band’s creative processes.

How do your different characters add up to the band's sound and in which way is the end result – including live performances – different from the sum of its pieces?

The differences of the characters are probably as important as the similarities. The similarities form the branch of the tree, the differences are the far out limbs and anti-spaces which might never find a way to each other.

André's bass and Arian's kick and snare patterns form the core of AGGREGATs sound, Daniel's cello melodies push things in a different space, and all effects of the three create atmospheres which add up to a special and unique mélange of sound.

Is there a group consciousness, do you feel? How does it express itself?

ENERGETIC OUTBURST ON STAGE IS OUR ORIGINAL JUICE!

Tell me about a piece or album which shows the different aspects you each contribute to the process particularly clearly, please.

“Pearls“: It started with André's bassline and a four-to-the-floor vision. Arian provided a beautiful arrangement initializing the piece. Daniel emerged with a catchy, sweet melody on top. From the first drop we kept building with André guiding the track, second chorus more power through bass synthesizer dropping an octave below …

Riding on that wave, we went diving and ended up with this arrangement in a kind of like a classic songstructure - Intro, first verse, chorus, second verse, chorus, down part e.g. long, soft bridge into a crazy reoccurring of a refrain and a calming outro.

What is your sense of ownership like as part of the collective songwriting process? What is the balance between the lyrics, melodies and harmonies, and the groove in terms of your sound?

Ownership depends on how much every player contributes to the song.

In general, we are open to everybody’s ideas and the best idea takes over by itself. Also, if you bring in your sketches / tracks / songs / melodies you are much likely going to have a vision of what the track is going to be like or where it might lead to. If that is not the case, we work on a sketch until we feel it found its way to where it belongs :)

What tend to be the best songs in your opinion – those where you had a lot in common as a band or those where you had more differences? What happens when another musician take you outside of your comfort zone?

It always differs from song to song, similarities can help creating a fine track, but it doesn´t necessarily lead to the best ideas. Differences, if not dividing the band, can also make things blossom in an astonishing manner.

If you are then able to catch all those different beasts and animals and if you are able to reproduce the things that made you feel good during playing, everything is going in the right direction …

What are your thoughts on the need for compromise vs standing by one's convictions? How did you resolve potential disagreements?

Both options can help. We are three human beings trying to make music together. That has potential for joy as well as despair.

Usually music takes over the options which need to be decided. If that, however, is not the case, we will find a majority through 2:1.

Do any of the band's members also have solo projects? If so, how do these feeds into the band's creative process?

André started his solo-project under the moniker SPUR in 2010, having released his 2013 debut Nowhereland on Berlin based Label ANTIME.



AGGREGAT has the same roots as SPUR - acoustically infected electronic music made by humans controlling instruments as well as electronic machines. With a high dose of experimentation and a high interest and education in everything avantgarde or contemporary.

Daniel sat on stage improvising solo with the Cello since 2010. Getting further in directions of minimal and alienating the cello with electronics he decided to find co-working partners. Searching for a while he ended up finding André in 2015.

Arian has been releasing and continues to work on compositions for drum set and percussion. His work focuses on the development and exploration of the drum set as a solo instrument, as well as utilizing drums and percussion through new and creative means. This curiosity and exploration influences his approach in regards to the music of AGGREGAT.

In a live situation, decisions between band members often work without words. From your experience and the performances of your current tour, what does this process feel like and how does it work?

Play. Go crazy. Sweat. Joy.

Arian: I think there is an intuitiveness that you develop the more you play together and the more you spend time on the road together. This grows naturally with time.

How has the interaction within the group changed over the years? How do you keep things surprising, playful and inspiring?

With us human beings changing on a daily basis through all our individual experiences, everything stays surprising, playful and inspiring by itself. Imperfection is the best thing ever.

Have you worked with outside contributors - from sessions musicians via producers to other songwriters? How did this change, improve or challenge the established dynamic and how do you look back on that?

We had a session drummer during the time Arian went to Tanzania. It is stunning and surprising how two human beings can change the dimensions of the same instrument. It is incredible.

It always feeds new ideas when different people take part in the band process, e.g. different interpretations can be very inspiring and refresh what one is used to.

Most bands eventually break up. What makes you stay together? What are essentials for a successful band?

Respect. And being able to listen. And a vision you pursue together.

If you are doing things for the music, you already gained the most you can. If then you find a way to the people who like your sound, you are extremely lucky.