meditar | Interview | [atmospheric soundscapes]
‘[atmospheric soundscapes]’ by meditar is another stunning release under the wings of collective Psychedelic Source Records from Hungary.
“Ever since I started playing folk music, it was clear to me how deep one can go on a mental journey through these melodies. However it was my first time explicitly playing meditative music with folk instruments. I tried to embody the ancient truths of folk through authentic flute techniques, which affect the conscious and the subconscious simultaneously.” – Márton (flute)
“Meditar is over a positive or negative emotional state. It is the calm simplicity of existence. These moments are rare but when I sat down to play the guitar it happened in that precious mindset. I did not expect to achieve anything beyond playing something. It was sometime after 4 o’ clock. Already in the dark in winter when time seems endless. This is meditar. Meditar is presence.” – Ákos (guitar)
“As a fresh father, I had to leave my thundering drum set and our basement for a while, our temple of freedom, where we had countless sonic adventures. Now it’s time for the warmth of home, listening to the whispers of the blood marked goatskin after my own blood fell asleep” – Krisztián (tar)
“Let my fingers guide me somewhere into the unknown.”
Would you like to tell us about your background and what led to the formation of the project?
Bence: I run Psychedelic Source Records since 2017. It started as my first band, Lemurian Folk Song, jam sessions recorded with minimal gear in the garden and our tiny house. When it started to grow we upgraded the hardware park, released all jam sessions and I made albums at home too, like River Flows Reverse, or Pilot Voyager makes his albums also home alone. And the ambient sessions outside et cetera. We are originally not a label, more like a band or collective. Our vinyl albums are released by different real labels, like Tonzonen, Little Cloud, Acid Test, Twisted Flowers, Echodelik, Para Hobo.
Ákos: I have been creating ambient melodies on guitar since my childhood. My first non heavy jam collaboration with Bence was last year when he invited me to play some on the new River Flows Reverse – ‘The Homing Bird’s Trace’. Probably this successful attempt led me to this project which I am grateful for.
What does your creating process look like? Is it all based on improvisation or?
Ákos: Yes, it is. Especially in that case when I tried to not think at all just being and let my fingers guide me somewhere into the unknown.
Bence: I feel really close to oriental traditional music, this why I asked Marci to play some flute to me and I’ll edit that at home. I knew that our heaviest drummer Krisztián (:nepaal, Satorinaut, PSR sessions…) have and African tar and I just asked him too to record some beats at home. When I had the flute and the Tar takes I just mixed them, but it was little empty so I called Pilot Voyager for some guitar ambient.
Tell us about the recording process itself…
Ákos: I did not get any instruction, only the tuning. I didn’t even know what it was for and who else would play on it next to me. I just sat down in a calm mood and gave myself approximately two hours to record some materials. Actually I thought Bence will select the best part for a single song and not use most of it for a whole album. My part was done after I transferred the raw records to Bence.
Bence: Our team members usually have their good hardware at home so I just have to ask them to grab stg and I just give the tune and the bpm.
Marci: I trust Bence’s creative process completely, so when he asked me to improvise some flute music and make it meditative, I came up with a few lines and let him go crazy with it. I believed it was going to be more focused on other instruments, and I was surprised to find that I had a major role in the end result. That made me proud and happy, because I really admire what he’s been doing at his label, and it was an honour to participate in this experimental endeavour.
Do you feel you follow a certain concept with the project?
Ákos: No, as there was no concept at all.
Bence: Not really, it’s like improvisation but in a different approach, real random stuff…
What are some of the key influences for you?
Ákos: In that case when I know I am not the lead instrument I try to give a large space to the others and create a supportive background field with light noises over my playing. From the early Brian Eno’s recordings to the new age I am looking for long notes, large atmospheres and unrecognizable loops in music like Brad Deschamps or Kirk Barely do.
Bence: Smart spirituality, nature, giving a shit about politics and shiny bullshit.
What’s next?
Ákos: I like the result of this collaboration a lot so I would say yes to continue once or extend it with other perspectives. Next to it I was focused on the New Pilot Voyager solo album which will come out in January.
Bence: My plan is also to organize gigs for these guys who just manifested from nothing… To make it a real reel. Our secret plan is also to release more stuff on vinyl by yourself but it’s a little too expensive yet for me.
Klemen Breznikar
Psychedelic Source Records Facebook / Bandcamp
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