Ektör's journey in music blends intense genre fusion with audiovisual artistry. Their latest EP, Ektöristan, reflects a unique blend of influences and creative evolution.
1. Ektör,
your work spans audiovisual and choreographic collaborations. How have these
experiences influenced the creation of your new EP, "Ektöristan"?
Our various
audio-visual productions have given us creative freedom and a certain sense of
musical dramaturgy. The variety of artistic choices and the specific
technicality of this kind of prods have helped us grow musically. These
experiences have also enabled us to confront the demands of this
ultra-competitive environment.
2. "Hybrid,"
your first instrumental EP, was released in 2017. How has your sound evolved
since then, especially with the introduction of "Ektöristan"?
Since
Hybrides, we've been lucky enough to add a long-time friend to our gang, the
brilliant pianist and composer Guillaume Flamen, . His penchant for Krautrock
and minimalist music has undoubtedly modified our melodic approach. The major
evolution on this new album remains the introduction of vocals and the desire
to make our music more accessible.
3. Your
influences range from hardcore and electronic to tribal and introspective
music. How do you blend these diverse genres into a cohesive sound in
"Ektöristan"?
We're
children of the 20th century, rocked by the fusion, crossover and musical
radicalism of Trent Reznor, Mike Patton or Robert Smith. For us, contrasts,
ruptures and changes of style are a natural way of writing. Our aim is to take
the listener off the beaten track and away from the pre-packaged. Our
compositions usually start with a search for sound textures. Most of the time,
we have no idea what the piece should sound like until the end of the process.
Whether the alchemy works or not, there's no set recipe.
4. Can
you elaborate on the concept of the "immunocratic potentorate of
Ektöristan"? What inspired this fictional country, and how does it reflect
in the music?
It starts
out as a joke when we realize the "exotic" nature of the string
sample used on the track "Ektoristan" from a contemporary piece
written by Benoît, our master of analysis and counterpoint. The immunocratic
potentate is a nod to all political regimes which, despite their diversity,
systematically retain the same pyramid structure. In Ektöristan, the situation
is clear: we're all guilty, irresponsible and equal...
5. The
new EP features eight tracks sung in French and Syrian. What motivated the
choice of these languages, and how do they contribute to the overall narrative
of the EP?
The work on
the voices was very intuitive, almost direct. The texts sprang to life at the
very moment of recording. Our meeting with lyric singer Ninar Hala Alassar gave
the album an unexpected boost. The musicality of the Syrian language was
evident on "Ektoristan", and also enabled Nina to express herself in
her native tongue. The message conveyed by this song may seem anachronistic in
these troubled times ("It feels good here, It's party time here
..."), but hope lives on. As for French, it's our matrix. Definitely the
only language in which we know how to have fun without thinking about ourselves
like "authors".
6. Can
you tell us more about the creative process behind "Ektöristan"? How
did you and your team collaborate to bring this vision to life?
2020, like
all the confined musicians in the world, our concerts are cancelled without
notice. What better way to exist in the face of adversity than to self-produce
a record? So we began recording the new compositions and reworking some older
tracks. We progressed together and separately on the programming, eventually
pooling everything together for the instrumental recordings. Most of the work
took place "the old-fashioned way" in Alain's studio/living
room/kitchen and Benoît's home studio.
7. How
do you balance the introspective elements of your music with the more tribal
and hardcore influences? Are there specific tracks on "Ektöristan"
that highlight this balance?
There are
no set rules, except perhaps the recurrent use of 5/4 or compound bars, as on
the first single "Ektoristan". The tracks take on a life of their
own, depending on whether we're in a mischievous, calmer or edgier mood. We're
contrasting individuals, and so is our music.
The rest is
a story of encounters, musical technique, studio work and often chance. All
these elements can be found in a track like "L'odyssée".
8. The
EP "Ektöristan" seems to tell a story. Can you walk us through the
narrative arc of the EP and what you hope listeners take away from it?
The album's
various lyrics revolve around the idea of a journey to the fantasy land of
"Ektöristan". If some see this as a plea for acceptance of others and
simple respect for life, we'll take it ;-)
9. How
has the reception of "Ektöristan" been so far, both from your
long-time fans and new listeners? Are there any surprising reactions that stood
out to you?
Many of our
listeners are positively surprised by the vocals on certain tracks ... If it's
difficult to assign a style to us, we've recently been described as Disco/Goth
... why not. The main thing is that our music is listened to in one way or
another. Posterity is of little or no importance to us.
10. Looking
ahead, what are your plans for the future of Ektör? Do you have any upcoming
projects or collaborations that you're particularly excited about?
We remain
focused on the release of our new album on the Bitume label at the end of
October. To celebrate, we're planning to release a 2nd video clip for the track
"Alarme", and hope for a providential encounter with an inspired
director ....
ACCUEIL | Bitume Production (bitume-prods.fr)
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