soccer Committee is the moniker of Dutch singer-songwriter Mariska Baars. She has been making minimal folk-inspired songs for 15 years.

‘❤️ /Lamb’ is her new album, it is out on Morc Tapes.

“I try not to control, but observe”

First things first: how are you?

Mariska Baars: I’m doing well, thank you!

Looking forward to the release of ‘Lamb’?

Yes, like always, I’m very excited about the new record coming up.

Tell me a bit about ‘Lamb’.

‘❤️ /Lamb’ (Love slash Lamb) is a record I made in the ongoing flow of ‘Tell From The Grass’. But the times were very different. It turned out my mother was very ill and sadly she passed away. So it was very sad, while at the same time I felt so close to her, visiting her and taking care of her as often as I could. I knew it was important to hold on to making music and creating a space.

On a technical level ‘❤️ /Lamb’ is very much about exploring my voice. This exploration always goes hand in hand with ‘where does the sound want to go? Where does my/the energy of this moment and the shape of my mouth take my voice and the melody?’ I’m very curious about what happens in a natural way, I do not want to force, so while I’m singing I try not to control, but observe. I often feel the melodies can only be made in that particular moment, which makes it exciting: what will happen? Later on in the process I feel I am more composed.
Also, there is a shift in some of the song structures. I was interested in exploring the shape of a song in a free, organic way, while it still feels held together for me. And on one track (‘Aride Afar’) I asked Wouter van Veldhoven, who plays bowed guitar while adding a great tape loop sound by recording the recording i had made of the song.

<a href="https://soccercommittee.bandcamp.com/album/lamb">❤️ /Lamb by soccer Committee</a>

Why do you prefer the minimal approach?

My minimal approach is not something I aimed for, it is just how everything comes out when I create. I do like to stretch it sometimes and see how far I can go while the piece still contains the ingredients I like and am looking for. In general I just very much like space, clear shapes and to focus on details I think.

Is what you do more “reducing” as in “stripping,” leaving away the un-needed parts?

I do not strip so much, more often I am building up actually. Quite sometimes a first recording (the improvisation) finds its place on a release, sometimes with added layers.

I got to know your music around mid-2000. It reminded me of Low (before they went electronic), Cat Power, Nick Drake (‘Pink Moon’ era), early Smog, and Palace.

I love all their music. The only one I did not know at the time was Low. I lived in Cat Powers ‘The Covers Record’ from 2000. All these artists created such strong worlds, there was no escaping.

Cat Power is good at covers. Her version of ‘Moonshiner’ is better than the one Bob Dylan did.

I agree.

What’s your favorite song from your childhood?

As a child I was a huge The Jackson 5 fan. I discovered this music when I was around ten years old. Before this I did not hear so much different music, I especially remember my dad liked to watch westerns and I would hear music in these movies. But the first big crush was soul. I cannot really point out one particular song, there were many.

What’s your favorite all time song?

It’s hard to choose a favorite all time song, but today (and lots of other days) I will name one of Wendy Rene: ‘Deep In My Heart,’ ‘After Laughter Comes Tears,’ ‘Crying All By Myself’ … they’re all very intense and dramatic, and I feel that, but at the same time a euphoric feeling rises and I start laughing and even barking…

What’s your favorite recent song?

Cindy Lee’s ‘One Second To Toe The Line’.

Do you remember your initial motivation to start writing songs? Was it an album? Or an artist?

As long as I remember I made up songs in my bed, before sleeping. When I was fourteen my brother died and a few years after I was completely stuck. It was a natural urge for me to open my mouth and let my voice find ways, but I didn’t play anything, I sang melodies. Years later I started playing guitar and found ways to approach it. I feel Cat Powers’ early work -especially ‘The Covers Record’ – helped me find my own voice, while her way of playing guitar and piano was so open.

Is songwriting a craft, something you can learn? Or should you “already have it in you?”

Ah, I think there has to be something in you, a need, an urge to make a song in the first place. It can be hard to find an entrance in songwriting. It depends of course, where you come from, musically. It’s certainly something you can develop.

When do you know if a song “works?”

I know that when I get excited, something in my brain opens up. Physically I feel if something is right for me, a millimeter can make the difference. But it’s hard to say: what’s right for me is not right for everyone. So I follow my path and my own focus and hope there are other people feeling it.

Is an artist a good judge of its own work? Is it possible to look at your own work “objectively?”

I do not think it is possible to be 100 percent objective about your own work, but I feel you can train yourself being subjective and objective at the same time, while making.

Which role does music play in your daily life?

I built my jobs around my music, which means that I try to keep my mornings free, to play and record, physically. I can try out things and I can listen to them during the day and let them stay in my mind.