Angel Kauff, Mexican synth artist aka Stockhaussen started sharing his trip with the synthetic fans in 2015. Influenced by classical music, dark sounds…and the universe, Stockhaussen has already gained a respective feedback by the genre’s followers, along with the involved artists’ interest. That led him to collaborate with Kriistal Ann, Ditta Perdita, Keren Batok, just to name a few as an example of his magnetic talent. Due to his performance in Minimal Wave Fest in Lima/Peru (18 Feb.), along with the respected names of Selofan, Tearful Moon, Antidolby & Ferdinand Cärclash (I gotta find a treasure to exchange for an air ticket Athens-Lima!!!), we asked him for an interview. So, put on some cold-wave/minimal-synth music on, and check out our chat!
Hello Angel, Stockhaussen have been very active in 2016, an LP ‘Cold Lines’ and quite a few new musings too, hosting artists like Kriistal Ann, Ditta Perdita etc…What is the main reason for these collaborations?
Hello! Yeah…we are in a new communication era; we can connect with other persons around the world. For that reason, I’ve decided to make collaborations to experiment in different ways so as to compose music and lyrics. There are many talented people in each part of the world. I think it’s a great way to show/balance every musical universe.
…And on 18th February you are going to be on stage with Selofan, Antidolby, Tearful Moon and Ferdinand Cärclash in Lima! This is a very strong line-up for a minimal wave festival. How did it all happen and what is going to be revealed on that night? Any special guests on stage?
I’ve received an invitation courtesy of Jacobo & Liliana from Perú to be part of this great show with this company of friends, thanks to In Club Radio, In Club Records & Infravox Records. For the night of “Dark Minimal Love Peru Fest“, I’ll play a special set list including new songs and perhaps a surprise related to Sky Lesco from Tearful Moon.
So, synthesizers rule! We’d like you to share with our readers the ‘links” that Stockhaussen is emerging from, the artists that put you on this ‘trip’ in the first place and the paths that Angel is looking forward to dwell in the future.
We make music from our cold hearts…In ‘Cold Lines’ I’ve collaborated with Keren Batok, Ditta Perdita, Kriistal Ann (Paradox Obscur) & Sólveig Matthildur (Kælan Mikla). At first demos I’ve collaborated with Alma Glez & Anna Utopian. For my next album I have not planned collaborations. Moreover, I’ll continue making new songs in collaboration style, including Sky Lesco (Tearful Moon) and other artists to be announced soon… You can find all info about the collaborations in my website.
In 2015 you released ‘Constelaciones Demo’ being occupied by stellar and physics issues. What led you in these ‘inquiries’?
I really enjoy learning about the universe, since my childhood until now. Everything started with a telescope, books & the night sky.
Last year you released ‘Cold Lines’, less minimal than ‘Constelaciones (A-side)’, but still on a cold electro wave motive. What are the differences between them and what has evolved in the approach of sound and song writing?
For the first demos, I took recordings of a few years ago, I had many forgotten songs and I decided to upload the first demos to show a part of me, meanwhile, I dedicated time to complete the first official album ‘Cold Lines’ with my real sound. In any case, it’s a necessary (as a musician/composer) experiment through the music with different instruments to create, on your own line of music, new songs! It would be boring to sound the same. I also play/compose classical music.
Can you share with us the gear you use now in the studio and for live performances?
It’s difficult to answer, it depends of the show and the songs… Even now, I’ve decided to invite Sharon L. to play in some of my gigs. She plays the bass (We have a band called Frío y Vacío).
I think that all artists in the genre believe that a synthesizer has a ‘soul’ to be placed in music. How able is a machine to define a project’s musings? Is it enough having music machines, or…?
Each musical instrument is a universe, if you know to play many instruments, you have more tools to make music related to these genres (or any other). No musical instrument should be superseded, no musical instrument is better than the other; it all depends on your taste.
Cold wave and electro synth music are having a blast in the recent years; What the hell is going on and so many people involved are constructing the genre’s present and future?
I don’t know…. I think any type of music has had its ups and downs, the music has always been there on vinyls, tapes, cds an now on internet, but it’s good to know that more bands, soloist projects, etc, are making music!
In your opinion, where the synth electro music is going in the future?
There are many talented people around the world. I know this is a different era, with many possibilities to create music through the new/old instruments… If there were great bands before, I guess there are now too, and also in the future.
Could you share with us some music that caught your interest or shook you in 2016?
Of course, first I want to share with you very talented bands and soloist projects from México. You can find some local artists recommended on my website and more bands will be published soon… I’ll try to make a list of the bands recommended around the world soon on the same link…
Thank you very much for the interview, you may close it as you like!
Music is not a competition… please support all of your colleagues who deserve it! You can buy the music; share the videos, recommend bands if you like it, etc…
All the best for you… Angel Kauff.
Photo credits: Sally Roussó (2nd one)
Mike Dimitriou