Part 2
From very deep/high/loud/quiet sounds to very long/short/simple/complex compositions - are there extremes in music you feel drawn to and what response do they elicit?
Definitely. I love contrasts. You can trigger such a wide range of emotions when playing with extremes and contrasts. In music, it becomes somewhat theatrical in a way, it contributes to a form of storytelling through sound. TEKE::TEKE is heavily influenced by such concepts, going from melodic to dissonant, beautiful to chaotic… Sometimes layering one over the other… I think it’s a big part of our sound and it brings a cinematic aspect to our music.
From symphonies and traditional verse/chorus-songs to linear techno tracks and free jazz, there are myriads ways to structure a piece of music. Which approaches work best for you – and why?
This is definitely something that’s always kind of in motion and evolving as we get to know each other more and more in the band. Also, the same approach won’t necessarily apply to every song or idea. What has worked best for us so far, as a 7-piece collective with everybody participating in the writing, has been to bring little pieces of music, riffs, ideas with an overall concept or theme for the song. Then, we like to explore the different structure possibilities that unfold as we play the song and write the lyrics.
We’re always focusing on how we want to tell the story, very much like a film editor would think. How does it feel? How does it start? How should it end? What are we trying to say with this part or this transition?... Everybody must feel they can connect to the story and how we’re telling it through the music, as we are telling the story together. Then again, we can also decide to take a much simpler approach for a particular song and go for a more linear and straight-forward structure. It all depends on the statement, the story we want to tell.
Could you describe your creative process on the basis of one of your pieces, live performances or albums that's particularly dear to you, please?
If I use the song ‘Gotoku Lemon’, our second single from our upcoming second album ‘Hagata’, as an example, we put a lot of time into that one, it went through all kinds of different forms before getting to a structure and an overall vibe that everybody felt good with. Again, how these things happen, how we know it’s the best version, those things are not easy to explain, we just keep our minds open and follow a certain flow of ideas until we reach a point where it all feels right, in that it’s exciting and tells the story in the most honest way. We’re all happy with the way the song turned out.
Sometimes, science and art converge in unexpected ways. Do you conduct “experiments” or make use of scientific insights when you're making music?
Not that I know of… or perhaps I haven’t noticed. We do conduct ‘experiments’ but not on a scientific level, probably more on a spiritual level I would say.
How does the way you make music reflect the way you live your life? Can we learn lessons about life by understanding music on a deeper level?
I strive to always have an open mind and listen to others, that’s the only way a 7-piece band like TEKE::TEKE can operate. I try to apply the same mindset in the way I live my life and interact with others.
As far as lessons learned through ‘understanding music on a deeper level’, I’m not sure we need to ‘understand music’ (or art in general for that matter), so much as we need to feel it… or perhaps feeling it is understanding it. I don’t know.
Do you feel as though writing or performing a piece of music is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn't or wouldn't in more 'mundane' tasks?
I don’t think there’s a big difference, you can choose to have an artistic approach to just about anything in life, from mundane tasks to more extraordinary things. It all depends on your point of view and if you have that kind of spirit. It’s about being true to yourself, nurturing your imagination and being able to see you beyond just what is.
Every time I listen to "Albedo 0.39" by Vangelis, I choke up. But the lyrics are made up of nothing but numbers and values. Do you, too, have a song or piece of music that affects you in a way that you can't explain?
That’s a good question… nothing comes to mind right now, I hate to say it but I think most of the music that affects me I can explain why… I wish I could be more mysterious.
If you could make a wish for the future – what are developments in music you would like to see and hear?
We’re in a strange place as far as how people consume music today and how the whole streaming system is built. My wish would be for people to recognize the true value of music and not take it for granted, especially the heads of big streaming companies who have never in their lives done anything artistic and don’t care about the artist.
