Deaf Center Interview

With the recent review of Deaf Center’s ‘Owl Splinters’ in the bag, Erik and Otto took time out to give some more insight into what will probably be one the the best releases of 2011 and beyond…

After 6 years since ‘Pale Ravine’ why was now the right time for the next Deaf Center record?

EKS : I guess the main reason is the move to Berlin, where I suddenly met a lot of new great people like Monique from sonic pieces who again introduced me to Nils Frahm. Nils has a really great and inspirational studio in his home, and since John (type boss) had been wanting us to do a new record for years now, we all agreed it would be a good time and place to make it happen.

The album sounds incredible, can you give us some insight into the production process?

EKS : What we did was rent a cello for the weekend to try and see if we could get some good stuff out of it. Experimenting with recording piano, guitar, cello, synths and what we could find of nice sounding objects in Nils´s studio. It was quite a strange experience, as none of us had really recorded in a proper studio before. We quickly found out it was great fun, and used the next 3 days finishing almost the whole record with really great production help by Nils.

OAT: I’ve used a lot of time gathering samples and loops. You hear one of them used in New Beginning (Tidal Darkness). The good thing with sample material like this is that we can use them as a sort of canvas – making it much easier to get something started. But we had so much to play with in Nils’s studio that we didn’t use them anywhere else.

Creatively, when planning this record had you decided you would opt for a studio set up and how did this influence your approach to making the record?

EKS : Yeah, we pretty much went in to the studio with very little plans on what would come out of it. It just felt very exciting trying out a totally new approach to making a record, rather than doing it the same way as we did with pale ravine back then.

OAT: Nils asked us “ok guys, so do you have any plans for this album?”. We both answered “No… none”. Nils wasn’t set-back by this at all – he just said “OK then, let’s get started.”, and 3 days later we were done – Crazy – And we had a bloody good time doing it too. Oh, and pancakes, the best pancakes ever!

You’ve both had some time to develop your solo work. How do you think this has helped your musicianship as a duo?

EKS : It has defiantly helped us come to where we are now. Also from when we decided to go instrumental with our live shows a while back, instead of basing it on samples, sounds and voice. I think playing the  few live shows we’ve had, over the last years have helped us integrate each other styles more. Neither of us are classically trained in anything though, so it’s more a process of finding out what works.

What’s it like working at Nils’ studio? Did he help out with the production at all?

EKS : Yes, very much so. Since it was all recorded into his Cubase setup (which he defiantly knows better than us!), we we´re trying to guide him and use him for the talents he has. He also contributed a lot on the actual recordings.

OAT: In this case, Nils was the 3rd band member.

Are there any particular influences on the Deaf Center sound?

EKS : Hmm. That´s very hard to answer. I’m sure there´s tons of influences, but defiantly not as specific ones as when we made Pale Ravine.

OAT: I think our biggest influences for Owl Splinters is what we have performed live.

Do you plan to tour as Deaf Center to help promote this record?

EKS: I don´t think we´ll do a proper tour, as also Otto has a job he has to take care of home in Norway. But we´ll definatly be playing shows. First one out beeing Unsound festival, New York in early april.

What can we expect from Deaf Center going forward?

EKS : No idea! That´s part of the fun with DC : )

OAT: I’ll second that!

Review…

In the most simple of terms, ‘Owl Splinters’ is a great album. This latest work from Norwegian duo Deaf Center, builds on the illustrious reputation they set when they released ‘Pale Ravine’ six years ago. Now regarded as masters of creating bleak atmospheric audio worlds full of gloomy and mysterious imagery, ‘Owl Splinters’ presents itself as a brilliant sounding record and one that displays a maturing collaboration between its two creators…

Having had the opportunity to delve deep into ‘Owl Splinters,’ perhaps its most striking quality is in its production value. The lo-fi techniques found in ‘Pale Revine’ are souped-up considerably thanks to the music being recorded at Nils Frahm’s Durton studio in Berlin. This is evident from album opener ‘Divider’ where Erik Skovdin’s cello loops itself in foreboding fashion to create a sea of blackness. The sound is sharp, layered and loud, and a stereoscopic sense of foreboding is conjured. Having this play on full volume is recommended as these sounds will completely envelop the listener.

In addition to the quality of the production, where one can hear the minutest of sounds, the other underlying attributes of this album are both in its ambition and scope. On ‘New Beginning (Tidal Darkness)’ we are taken on journey deep into a place of mystery as the cadaverous bass of Otto Totland’s piano initially work to support Skovdin’s cello.  In the end the two come together with the creepy high notes of piano balanced by a swirling darkness of strings.

Perhaps the centre piece of the album comes in the ten minute epic ‘The Day I Would Never Have.’ Here, once again the balance of the two musicians is delicate as we hear small glitches and clicks work their way into the music. A loud force of light is concocted as the bowing of strings build to an unrelenting crescendo. The break away from this is enthralling as a relative silence is then greeted with delicate piano play to bring the track to a close.

These grand compositions are also supported by shorter numbers which showcase the individual skills of each performer. ‘Time Spent’ is a wonderful piano track right up there with some of the works of revered pianists like Keith Kenniff and indeed Nils Frahm. While ‘Animal Sacrifice’ showcases some prolific bowing from its player.

Despite casting ‘Owl Splinters’ as a continuation of the doom lead sound that Deaf Center have become synonymous with, there can be no doubting that in amongst the nightmarish qualities presented there is also a ghostly beauty at work. At many times one will be touched by notes and indeed phrases in ways that other musicians within this genre have failed to achieve. As such ‘Owl Splinters’ comes with the highest of recommendations and stands as one of the most essential releases of the year thus far.

- Interview and review by Josh Atkin for Fluid Radio

www.myspace.com/deafcenter
www.typerecords.com
www.durtonstudio.com