Adz
shares the genesis of "Reflecting the Light" and its upcoming
re-issue. The album's immersive space-themed journey blends genres seamlessly,
offering a unique sonic experience.
1. Can
you share the inspiration behind the creation of Reflecting the Light and how
the project came into existence during the summer of 2016?
Adz. : I
don’t remember exactly how the project came into existence but it
was paired with another project .eterniteduchaos. (an electronic-somewhat-metal
project inspired by melodies from my dreams). It was a time when I was
intensively creative and absolutely sensitive to what come from what I call
“the invisible world” (from where comes inspiration to my opinion). Also I
wanted something slower than my previous project (Thy Apokalypse). In this
project, there’s some kind of love inside that drove and inspired me a
lot.
2. Your
upcoming re-issue of the eponymous album "Reflecting the Light" is
set to release on January 26th, 2024. What motivated the decision to re-release
the album, and what can listeners expect from this version?
Adz. :
Nothing new, except it is not a self-released album and you’ll get a digisleeve
and not a crystal box cd like previously. It is definitively better in this
physical format.
3. The
album is described as a journey to the depths of space, aiming to immerse
listeners in the middle of emptiness. Could you elaborate on the thematic
elements and the emotions you hope to evoke with the music?
Adz. : I
want you to be immerse in the music in fact. With all the reverb and the music
building it aims to be a stasis music that could help you to abandon yourself
during the around 40 min of music. I don’t know what emotions could evoke the
music to the listeners but I’m interested to read commentaries/reviews from
them. The appreciation is different from one to an other listener, obviously.
4.
"Reflecting the Light" combines elements of Post-Metal, Black Metal,
and ambient sounds. How do you approach blending these diverse genres, and what
challenges or rewards come with creating such a fusion of styles?
Adz. : As
the composer I can say that this is the music that was writing itself and these
musical genres are blending themselves as the inspiration was coming. There is
a “logic” for each track and for the whole stuff and it doesn’t depend on me,
even if I choose to use electric guitar with distortion and so on. The only
reward to me is the possibility to (re-)release the album.
5. The
album consists of five tracks, each with its own identity (I, II, III, IV, V).
Can you provide insights into the creative process behind each track and how
they contribute to the overall narrative of the album?
Adz.
: Well, I started to hear some melodies and I was trying some new
synth vst/plug-ins that inspired me also. It was a combination of these two
factors. When I start to compose, I never know what I’m doing and where I’m
going. And eventually I don’t care about that. It is some kind of a creative
adventure and I’m immersed inside the process of creation itself as a creator
and technician. So I composed all these tracks and had this result that made
(and always make) me happy. To me it will be difficult to have a
second album like that.
6. The
composition, recording, and instruments are handled by Adz, while mixing and
mastering are credited to Buck. How does the collaboration between the two of
you work, and how does it contribute to the final sound of Reflecting the
Light?
Buck : Adz
and me know each other for a long time and have worked together on several
projects. It's a long distance work relationship as we live in distant areas.
The usual process starts this way : after having thoroughly done all his
composer/musician things, Adz sends me a rough mix of the record a few months
before the actual mixing stage. Sometimes, and it was the case for Reflecting
The Light, he may rewrite some parts if he feels it's necessary. Then he
records the final takes and sends them to me. I start from there, using the
demo as mix directions. I send him files from the work in progress and I modify
things according to his feedback. He gives me a lot of freedom and time, which
is cool. When we're both happy with the mix, I do the final master.
7.
Artwork plays a significant role in conveying the atmosphere of an album. Could
you discuss the collaboration with V.Anxietas for the artwork and how it
complements the musical themes of "Reflecting the Light"?
V. Anxietas
: Working with Adz. on the artwork for 'Reflecting the Light' was easy.
Adz. communicated his ideas clearly, which greatly facilitated our
collaboration. The creative process began with a photograph of the Aurora
Borealis reflecting over a lake, which laid the foundation for our work. This
initial image acted as a catalyst for our creative exploration, allowing us to
develop a visual that amplifies the theme of the album.
8. The
promotional CD layout is credited to Derrek. How important is visual
presentation in conveying the essence of Reflecting the Light, and what
specific elements were considered during the design process?
Derrek :
The visual is very important, especially in a concept like the Reflecting the
Light album. When designing the layout of the promotional CD, I kept the base
of the digisleeve graphics created by V.Anxietas. This void in space with these
stars and these reflections of light which is the very essence of the project.
I had to adapt the interior by reversing the colors, so that the information
was easily readable while trying not to distort the work.
9.
Reflecting the Light has been described as a 40-minute immersive experience.
How do you envision listeners engaging with the album, and what kind of journey
or emotions do you hope they take away from it?
Adz. :
Well, I don’t know but I suppose listeners will probably start to be engaged
with the artwork that will give the desire to listen to the album. For the
emotion side and journey, I don’t have any hope. If the album is listened
to, that’s cool !
10. With
the re-issue of "Reflecting the Light" on various platforms,
including Bandcamp and streaming services, how do you see the role of digital
platforms in reaching a wider audience, and what are your expectations for the
reception of the album in 2024?
Adz. : I
was on MySpace in the 2000s, and that was the same thing that nowadays : you
need to promote in many others plateforms to lead future listeners to listen
the music of MySpace/Bandcamp. For this release it’s the work of the record
label to convey listener that. What I’m seen, so far, is
that Bitume is doing a great job, so I can expect to reach some listeners and
to read some reviews from webzines for instance.
Bitume Prods (@bitumelabel) • Photos et vidéos Instagram
Musique | Bitume (bandcamp.com)
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