[interview] †‡†

I had a chance to interview †‡†, one of my favourite witch house artists. Lately I've been investigating a bit this emerging genre, possibly one of the best newborn musical paradigm.
Read the interview right below:

Serotonin Sounds: What are your influences?
†‡†:New Wave, Dance, Acid House, Goth Rock, Hip-Hop, Noise, Black Metal.

SS: How did you come up with your name?
†‡†:It doesn't really mean anything specific, it means something for me, could mean something different for everyone.

SS: How do you produce your music? [If so], what synths do you use?
†‡†:I do most of the work on a computer using a lot of software and use some other things like mics and effect pedals occasionally.

SS: What do you think of this new term "witch house" and the whole scene?
†‡†:I like the term, when I started listening to SALEM people were calling it "gothic chillwave" so this is much better. I don't think the current scene is what Pictureplane had in mind when he came up with the term "witch house" though, things have changed a lot since the movement started.
I like most of the bands that became associated with witch house when it started but I'm not a fan of most new acts. Some are still good though, like XIX. Most people think this is just a trend that will die before the year ends but I really doubt that's going to happen, 2010 is just the beginning.
Finally, growing up as a fan of 2nd wave Black Metal and Goth music I really love the aesthetic and occult imagery (which I think is what, along with being on Disaro, made me be associated with the movement in the first place).
I think witch house has a lot to offer.

SS: What are your favourite artists on Disaro?
†‡†:White Ring, Passions, oOoOO and Modern Witch. not sure if TEARIST is/was on Disaro but I love them too.

SS: If you could choose a label, what would it be?
†‡†:Oh man I don't know. Have never really thought about it.

SS: Do you do any live shows? If so, when and where are your upcoming shows?
†‡†:Yes, I can't say much about it right now but you'll know in a couple of months through myspace.

SS: Are you into industrial music? This whole occultism surround the genre seems to drawback from the "second-wave of industrial" like some C93, NWW and other artists.
†‡†:I love industrial music, definitely a strong influence in my music.

SS: Are you going to release an EP and/or album soon [or at least pretend to]?
†‡†:I have a CDR coming out on Disaro later this summer.

[mixtapes / compilations] Witch House artists' mixtapes

Here are various mixtapes from witch house and/or witch house related artists:

Pictureplane new mixtape on Fader, entitled Creep 5; click on the image or on the words to hear/download Denver 2009 sampler, another mixtape by this artist.


Mater Suspiria Vision new mixtape; click here or on the image.

Zombie Rave mixtape by O ℑ⊇≥◊≤⊆ℜ O

Mixtape by Jesus Avec Pas Des Pantalons

Witch house is an emerging genre. In fact, it was created around 2009. According to my perspective, this genre is like a new hype thing, that manages to make sense of all these new visual: collages, triangles, "neosurrealism"...
It's like the hypnagogic pop term that David Keenan invented sort of gone into a manic depression or bipolar disorder state. Actually, there are other synonyms of witch house that can be seen as arguments to justify my previous sentence: "occult house" and "gothic chillwave".
However, the music itself is original in its own means: slow, dark, electronic, filled with little details, sometimes lo-fi, sometimes awkward...

This blog, Jesus Avec Pas Des Pantalons did a great job and compiled this mixtape just for all new contemporary music fans (or whatever you want to call to these exquisite sounds).
The playlist is the following:
1. SALEM – Whenusleep (2:25)
2. oOoOO – EGYPTYNLVR (2:40)
3. White Ring – IxC999 (5:07)
4. RAW MOANS – rose bath (demo) (2:53)
5. SLEEP ∞ OVER – Your world is night (4:21)
6. Modern Witch – Not The Only One (4:37)
7. CREEP – HOT SHIT RMX (2:54)
8. yusuf b – shakespearsgone (1:22)
9. Diamond Black Hearted Boy – New World Order (3:36)
10. Mater Suspiria Vision – Exorcism of the hippies (3:42)
11. White Ring – Faded (3:37)
12. Modern Witch – Chalice (2:29)
13. oOoOO – PCKRFCRMX (2:02)
14. dir†ypride – sOme†hiNgiN†heway(cObain) (4:45)
15. ///▲▲▲\\\ – tetanus wine (3:44)
16. Balam Acab – Big Boy (4:27)

My favourite song around here is, for sure, dir†ypride – sOme†hiNgiN†heway(cObain): what a great cover this is.

Below is SALEM's "Piggyhog":