As we are well aware, your grandfather played in a symphony orchestra. Why didn’t you follow in his footsteps? Why did you choose electronic music instead? What makes it stand out among the massive variety of sounds that surround us?
My grandfather was one of the founding members of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra. My whole family has always been quite musical and, of course, there was some pressure to learn instruments. When I was studying piano, my music school was offering a course in MIDI music, and I was intrigued by that. My two older brothers were already flirting with electronic music, and I wanted to give it a proper shot. Anyway, the teachers at the MIDI course were Maggi Lego (from T-World, later GusGus) and Bix, both of whom were quite renowned electronic musicians in Iceland. During the course, another course member and I made a techno track that was released on a compilation in 1996. I had just turned 15 at the time.
I chose to focus on electronic music mainly because there are no borders, neither in its form nor its sound. There are no rules, and everything is permitted. That was the main appeal.
How did your first-ever release, Mission EP, see the light of day?
This one was a while ago, back in 1999, when I was young and handsome and not the human/gorilla hybrid that I am today. I had lots of tracks in a sort of Warp-style genre and dropped the DAT tapes on the table of Thor, the manager of Thule Records. He picked out the four tracks that made the most sense, I guess, and put them on vinyl. I wasn’t very involved in the process, mainly because others knew better. I was young and just excited to see my stuff come out on vinyl. Thor did well in picking the tracks for it, as I’m still proud of the release.
After some time, your albums were published on the German labels Elektrolux and Mikrolux. What impressed you so much about them, and what impressed you about the electronic scene in that country in particular?
Elektrolux was big among Icelandic electronic musicians. We all knew about what they were doing, since they were quite supportive of Icelandic musicians at the time, even releasing some of them. They had heard my debut LP, and I guess they liked what they heard. They asked if I would be interested in doing something for them. At the time, I was doing more electro-influenced stuff, and I thought it was ideal for that label. That material became Midnight Drive. I was psyched about releasing it there, especially as they had such an amazing roster of artists, for example, Aural Float, Anthony Rother, Unn, and Sushi Club. I was happy with my time there. It was a great label, but there came a time when we both felt we should move on to other things.
Tell us more about your new album, We Become Ravens. How long did it take to finish? What kind of message does it contain for the audience?
I think the first draft of the album was made in 2013. It was full of unlicensed samples, such as hip-hop acapellas, and I thought I’d rather try to avoid such hassle. I knew I’d never get permission from the likes of Rakim and Grandmaster Flash for this. I still perform some versions of those tracks at concerts when the mood is right. All in all, the whole process took around three years. I’m not saying that I was going Brian Wilson with it, though. I took a break from it to focus on other things, such as working on other projects, including Asonat and Octal Industries. It helped to take a step back from the process and then return to it later with a clear head.
I tried to do things a bit differently with this release, and one major difference is that it wasn’t mixed by me. I put my trust in José Diogo Neves, a very talented mastering guy. His experience is mostly with jazz and pop music, and I felt that was exactly what it needed. Most IDM-style music sounds pretty much the same, and I thought he brought a new flavor to the album, the missing spice.
Your fourth album in a row so far has come out on n5MD, and that’s quite a long period for a musician. What kind of connection do you have with that label?
I’m just amazed that n5MD still wants to release me. I’m pretty certain I’m not a cash cow for them, as I believe the music is quite “underground,” so to speak. I have a great relationship with Mike, the label manager. He is an all-around good guy with a good heart, doing this purely out of his endless passion for the music. He’s honest, and I trust him.
Do you agree with the statement that there is no friendship between musicians and that we are all largely egoists?
I don’t agree with that. Being an egoist only stagnates your growth as an artist. You need to be open and willing to learn from others. The moment you lock yourself up and start believing you’re the best, that might be the beginning of your downfall. I also honestly don’t understand how IDM electronic musicians can be egoistic. Even though you’re signed to Warp and/or regularly giving high-fives to Mike Paradinas, it doesn’t mean anything, as the harsh truth is that hardly anyone knows you except for a handful of people. IDM music isn’t the right genre for big egos. There are lots of other genres for that.
The Icelandic scene, especially, is relatively ego-free. People are open and willing to learn from each other. People help each other out. Artists send each other unfinished works and ask for advice, and the beauty is that no one will get offended if you give them a very honest opinion. It’s better to get negative feedback from a friend before the work is released than to get scolded by strangers after the release is out.
Describe yourself as a person as briefly as you can.
Who am I? I could give a very existential answer to that, or not. I’m a bit of a geek. First of all, I’m a father. I’m also a history buff, and that was what I studied at university. I’ve done some work as an archivist, worked on archaeological digs, and even worked as a football coach. I’ve also done some work as a tour guide. I like to keep myself occupied, and I have a wide range of hobbies. It’s a blessing and a curse at the same time.
I’m lazy when it comes to doing the dishes, but it does give me time to listen to other people’s music. I eat too much chocolate, but I don’t drink much alcohol and don’t touch drugs, so I feel that I’m justified in eating as much chocolate as a kind of reward for that. When watching football, I occasionally yell at the screen and hope that the players are listening to me, even though I know that they don’t.
I used to coach teenagers aged 13 to 18 in football. I was alright at football when I was younger, but I wasn’t really good enough to go professional. During my teenage years, music and other interests, such as history, took over. I was always playing football without much enthusiasm during the last years that I practiced seriously. A few years later, I started exercising again and was under the supervision of a great coach from Serbia. He tricked me into coaching, and slowly I started enjoying it a lot. I had great kids and really enjoyed seeing them grow, both as footballers and as people.
Iceland famously reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2016. What changed after this event in a country that is so isolated from the outside world?
Nothing really. Icelanders like to complain about things and always have, so during Euro 2016, the whole country stopped with their silly complaints about every minor thing and actually started coming together as one. That’s good and bad at the same time. I like that they argue about everything, as that also keeps everybody on their toes. When everybody is satisfied, we have these annoying over-nationalistic tendencies where we think we are better than everybody else. I’m no fan of that, as we are not.
Interestingly, you made a sudden decision to move from Iceland to Tallinn, Estonia. Why is that? Do you prefer big cities or places that are away from all the bustle?
I moved to Estonia to chase after my girlfriend and haven’t regretted it. I like the city and its people. It’s a different atmosphere from Iceland, especially concerning the music culture. Estonians tend to be isolated with their demos, and everybody seems to be writing their masterpieces, which in most cases will never see the light of day. In Iceland, however, everybody is excited to share their music and eager to get other people’s opinions on it. I guess the scene in Iceland is more compact and friendlier.
I can’t imagine myself living in a huge metropolis, as I need “space.” I live by the seaside and close to a forest, and I need some elements of nature close to me. A concrete jungle isn’t what inspires me.
Jackson Pollock has continuously been criticized for his “random art,” for randomly getting ideas and creating something in just five minutes without any self-reflection. In your opinion, does the problem lie in the artist, or is it the limitedness of people’s perception? Have you ever had a case where everything was solved by lucky circumstances?
What Jackson Pollock introduced is the format. If you take him or any other artist, it will still be a different piece of art created. The artist is free to choose the format and the way, and there will always be people who aren’t going to like it.
Once, it was said to me that if the consumer doesn’t “get it,” then it’s not the consumer’s fault, but a failure on the artist’s part to create clarity in its complexity. I don’t know if I agree with that, but it’s still food for thought. Art is expression. Even though you want to express yourself clearly to others, ultimately, the main objective should be the act of expression itself, despite what other people might perceive.
I don’t believe there is something that is effortless. If something comes out without effort, or through a successful combination of circumstances, then it’s because the circumstances for it to be made without effort had been created. The groundwork had been done through years of studying, learning, and experimenting, even perhaps at some point subconsciously.
What kind of state of mind enables us to create, according to you?
Inspiration is a very uncontrollable element. You can’t force inspiration to come, and it’s sometimes like a Chinese finger trap, in the sense that if you try to induce it by force, it becomes more impossible to achieve your goals. Go out for a walk, be aware of the present moment, and clear your mind.
Could you tell us more about the Asonat project? What is its main concept and objective?
The concept of Asonat was to bring two opposites together: electronica and pop music. The main objective was to have fun doing it, and it still is. The three of us all have different musical views, and working together is a learning experience.
The project is composed of the three of us: Olena Simon, Fannar Ásgrímsson, and me. Originally, Fannar and I met because we were both releasing on n5MD, me as Ruxpin and Fannar as part of Plastik Joy. Shortly after, we met up with Olena. I had seen her perform at a little bar in Reykjavik, and I liked her singing. She sang on a few tracks on our debut album, but shortly after, she became synonymous with the band. As a trio, we felt that the project was complete.
Are there any Ruxpin live events planned for this year, and where can we attend them?
I haven’t really planned out any tour or anything like that. I’m sort of over that kind of stuff. I’m not cut out for this “hotel life.” I’m a family man. If someone wants to book me for some event, then sure, I’ll listen to what they have to say, but long and tiresome touring is not for me. I’m in discussions for certain gigs, but I don’t want to disclose any info on that until everything is 100% sorted.
You have devoted 20 years to sound. Do you feel accomplished, or are there still things that remain unfulfilled and unreleased? What does it feel like to start during the CD era and last well into the modern era of freely accessible music?
I’m satisfied and have no regrets. There are releases that I should have done better on, but I’m still happy they’re out there. Of course, there are numerous things that remained unrealized, but it’s probably unrealized for a reason. Maybe some things weren’t meant to be.
I don’t really care so much about the evolution of the music business, nor the evolution of music production. Music will still be music, no matter how you sell it, give it away, or make it. Nobody cares about what types of software or hardware you’re using. If the music doesn’t take you anywhere, then it’s all for nothing.
Music is and has always been a hobby. Of course, there was an ambition at some point to be a full-time musician, but sometimes you’ve got to look at life realistically. We ain’t all gonna be driving around in a tank and living in a bank vault.
Tell us about the guest material that you have prepared specially for Data.Wave!
It starts with a gem from the Netherlands. I’ve been a fan of the electronic music scene there for a while now. They have this certain clear and playful sound to it, melodic and experimental. I’ve been enjoying the work of Mier, Marsman, Generate, Kettel, Secede, and many more from that region.
The mix includes some gems from my home country as well, such as Ben Frost, Murya, and Biogen. Murya is actually my oldest brother. He’s been making amazing music for as long as I can remember, but he’s always been a bit shy about getting it out there. Recently, he’s been pouring the music out. Biogen was one of my mentors. He passed away too soon, and recently his friends and family made a beautiful vinyl and CD release with his work, which is something all fans of Icelandic electronic music should have a look at.
I included one track that would never have been on my album due to copyright issues. During live gigs, I’ve recently been messing around with all types of old-school acapellas. It started as a joke. Mixing hip-hop vocals with melodic IDM sounded so absurd, but these contrasts felt intriguing, so I kept going with it. I probably have a whole album with this kind of stuff.
Other stuff includes, for example, Vittoria Fleet, which is experimental pop music from the n5MD label that plays with your senses; Deru, who is a legend in the IDM scene and made this track inspired by his work on a documentary in Iceland; Karsten Pflum, one of the most underrated IDM producers out there; and a track by an unknown artist that was featured on the amazing Covert compilation on Touched Music.
Questions: Ilya Kudrin
