Playground magazine

*Download the mix here.

No biographical information other than speaking more than one language, false clues (his Soundcloud places him in Antarctica) and sombre photographs; we know very little about Drömnu. So, as he says, let’s “let the music define him”. His beats fall somewhere between the Los Angeles fog and the very dark spirit of witch-house, always with abysmal emotions in their sights. Wherever he comes from, it was a Spanish label, Neonized, that introduced him to society last spring with the EP “Deep In Forests”. To delve more deeply into his elusive personality, we asked him for a mix, in which he shows a liking for floating ambient, weightless vocals and grainy rhythms. Along with it is a brief interview, where we try to decipher some of the keys to his enigmatic personality.

Hi Drömnu, how would you introduce yourself to our readers?

I'm a musician and a visual artist.

We don't know much about your identity. Is that mystery something you want to maintain? Why?

Drömnu is part of my identity. I think my music defines me.

The press release of your first release stated that you had travelled around the world during your childhood. Could you expand on that?

When I was 9 my family was planning to move to Canada; we started travelling, and since then I have been living in different places, such as Argentina or Russia. I love travelling; it makes me feel the huge contrast between countries and people.

Is Drömnu your first musical project? What was the journey that led you to produce your own tracks like?

It's not the first or the last; right now I have another project with my band. I started writing rap songs when I was a kid, and for a long time I wanted to make music but couldn't because I had no instruments or a computer. I started playing the bass and the drums in a band. With my first summer job I bought a PC and a midi keyboard and started my first project. Probably the best summer of my life.

Your music seems like a kind of fusion between the influence of the L.A. beat scene and so-called witch-house. Do you agree? Besides that, what are the other reference points in your music?

I guess you could define it so, but I hope it also has my own particular sound. I grew up listening to jazz, soul, blues and my mother playing the piano—those sounds have always been inspiring to me.

What other artists or labels do you find inspiring nowadays?

Some of the artists I have found out about in these last years: Crystal Castles, Nosaj Thing, Lapalux, Shlohmo, Amon Tobin, Koreless, Daedelus… Brainfeeder and all their artists, Pictures music, Tri Angle...

Both your tracks and the mix you have prepared for us maintain a kind of nostalgic and haunted mood. Do you consider yourself a melancholy person, or is it just the kind of aesthetics you like in music?

I always try to transmit deep emotions through my music, and these dark melodies always come out. I'm a pretty calm guy.

How do you usually construct your tracks? Could you briefly explain your working process in the studio?

I start with a sound that inspires me—it can be any sample or sound of a synth, like most musicians, I guess. Sometimes I make a beat with a single controller, but I prefer recording acoustic instruments and designing new sounds.

Your first release came out on the Spanish blog-label Neonized. How did you get in touch with them?

I was not sure if I was going to release “Deep In Forests” on a label until I met these guys. They are great and Neonized is like a family.

How, when and where was the mix recorded? Any specific idea or concept behind it?

I recorded it on my rooftop. I'm constantly discovering new artists and these are some of the latest.

Are you planning to present your music live? Where could we catch a live-set of yours?

Definitely, I will let you know when we settle dates; I will also post it on my website and Facebook.

What are your immediate future plans? Any releases in the pipeline?

I'm working on a new EP featuring with Christiaan Venter, an illustrator from South Africa; he is drawing while listening to my new tracks, it is a very inspiring project for both of us.