"Better then any drug"

Rod Modell is one of the central figures on the loosely defined genre of dubtechno. An amalgam of sound consisting of influences of ambient, dub and techno. Modell was recently featured on Nowamuzyka, where  he answered a couple of questions by Pawel Gzyl, some of the answers which might be of interest to the readers of this blog. He talks about influences and production techniques, but also about musicianship and how he would rather consider himself a sound-designer.

Recalling a period of being part of the Hare krishna, he was took by the impact of repetition and variences in sound. Repetition being a figurative aspect of what we know as techno. Stating the experience of the krishnas as a "major influence". After being part of a chant they employed, he explains that he entered a different state of mind:

"Something in my head just snapped after about 15 minutes, and I could feel a flood of endorphins rushing. It was euphoric. Better than any drug. Some kind of kundalini awakening. [...] These repeating patterns and percussion continued for an hour. Modulating and building speed. And the euphoria kept building. This was my first exposure to anything like that, and was definitely a major influence."

You can read the entire interview here, maybe while listening to his album The coldest season, which happens to be one of my personal favorites.

Deep Chord Presents Echospace - The Coldest Season by modernlove

Some Valuable Recognition

The life of a Horse - 4 July 2009

Hello fellow traveler. I hope summer is treating you well, it certainly has been very warm lately this part of Sweden. I must have taken more baths outdoors the last two weeks then I took during 2008 in its entirely. I have some happy things to share with you this fourth of July. Things that I look forward to and a couple of very positive personal achievements.

In august one of my photographs are going to be used as a record cover by the excellent free net-label Kahvi Collective. I have written about their releases both on this blog, and on Original Sound Version. I have been listening to their artists since the very beginning and safe to say I am quite honored. I definitely look forward seeing my work together with music on a label that has affected me personally to a great extent.

Another thing I've been meaning to write for quite a while is to tell you that I have been accepted with a song of mine into a compilation that is going to be released for free later this year. Since the track list isn't official yet and I submitted it as a part of a contest I don't think I should write more just now...

Musically I will soon hopefully be able to delve into a new inspirational fields. I have recently bought a used Sony Minidisc and have ordered a small stereo microphone of good quality to connect to it. While I was pondering the alternatives I was looking for much more expensive options like the Zoom H4, but settled for what in the rapidly accelerating field of technology is an almost dead format. But that matters little to me, I am happy just as long as I can work with it as I intend.

What will I be able to do with my new Minidisc then? I will basically be able to record and collect my own sounds anywhere and then use it in musical projects. Imagine the possibilities. Nature is its own symphony which easily lends itself to musical ambition.

It will be very interesting to see where this will this lead me. I hope to find this out in a not to distant future.