In Last Day Deaf we are very fond of new, talented bands whose art follows different paths from the mainstream. Winter Severity Index, Rome, Italy are a cold wave band that is constantly evolving, showing their talent, getting out there and performing a lot, including performances in dedicated festivals that are significant for the genre. They started in 2010 and they have 4 releases so far; earlier in May they released their latest ‘Human Taxonomy’ LP that was very well accepted by the dedicated media. In LDD we’ve previewed ‘Human Taxonomy’ that made me choose ‘Athlete’ for our fourth mixtape. Therefore, I approached Simona Ferrucci for an interview that she kindly accepted. It was a very interesting talk, introducing us to the band’s universe and their ways of making high quality cold wave. Enjoy!
Hello Winter Severity Index. It looks like you are in a very creative mood; in the last 2.5 years you have made 4 releases leaving your mark in the genre and you have made your name known in the European underground. Where does all that music come from and what does mostly inspire you in writing music?
Winter Severity Index started in 2010 and the first release was made that year. In any case, from 2013 till today there were no intervals. I hope things will grow even more in the future, because I’ve always got a lot of ideas! I like looking further into the future.
Music comes from life events that occurred to me, from continuous personal reflection, from lots of new musical interests related to the different moods I have experienced during the years. Inspiration is a never-ending process.
My impression of WSI is that of a very confident band that can feel the right timing in producing and publishing its music. All of that has led you to perform in very important festivals, making a very good impact to the fans of the genre. Where does the character of WSI emerge from?
I can’t say precisely. We really love music. We love listening, we love playing. I think our main passion is the key to all our musical activity.
There is a new generation of bands in cold wave such as WSI, Minuit Machine/Hante., Ash Code, The KVB, Tropic Of Cancer and Vore Aurora among others, that are actually refreshing the genre and bringing in new fans. Why do you believe young people are fascinated by performing or following that specific genre?
Apart from the personal participation in the main themes of this genre and the melancholic dark mood which is common to all these bands, I think the main reason behind this is that cold wave sound is simply gorgeous. This kind of music is direct, very emotional, but the production is always well-refined, nothing is casual. Everyone looking for an elegant touch in music can find real fulfillment by listening to it.
‘Human Taxonomy’, your latest release via Manic Depression Records, has gained excellent reviews in the dedicated web zines. What are the differences and the evolution after the previous ones?
Lots of reviews caught the different atmosphere of the new album, as it’s surely more detached and claustrophobic than ‘Slanting Ray’. We wanted to make all the composition elements more cutting and minimalistic. The main path of my personal growth as a musician is reduction. I think the result was very effective. And a lot of the feedback told me so.
…and a little talk on your literature: Winter Severity Index, Human Taxonomy, A Quiet Life, The Brightest Days, Embracing the Void, Survival Rate are only few titles that you put on your art, but they seem to me as statements too, along with your strong lyrics, sometimes angry, sometimes sad or descriptive. What is it all about? What drives you in that furious-poetic language?
That’s me. I can’t say more. My personal experiences, my points of view. I’m very critical and I always cultivate a strong inner dialogue. It leads me to a difficult relationship with other people and everyday life… Of course I’m also more than that, but music allows me to get rid of my darker part. I domesticate my inner beast by making music.
You use projections in your performances, while other bands in the genre just go on stage without any of it. What is your interest in arts you can use while performing to dress or embrace your music?
We are very static while playing our instruments. Alessandra is always behind a synth and I play guitar and sing at the same time. You know. How could we be moving more? So, projections are the dynamic part of the performance. Plus, projections create a particular suggestion. We are both fond of art and cinema; we always find a lot of connections between our music and images. Alessandra is the video editor of the band; she’s simply fantastic at doing that.
What music are you currently fond of?
At the moment I’m listening to a lot of kraut and ambient music, especially Tangerine Dream, Popol Vuh, Brian Eno and Cluster. I think it’s the best soundtrack for a personal recovery of an inner state of peace I experienced during the last three years. Furthermore roots of new wave are sure to be found in the European and experimental music movements of the 70’s. It’s very interesting discovering the initial point of it all.
What are the plans of WSI for the future of the band?
We’re going to present ‘Human Taxonomy’ in several venues in Germany and France during autumn. We hope to play as much as possible, we obviously love performing. And then… we’ll see. Tomorrow never knows, as the Beatles said.
Thank you very much ladies, you can add anything you like!
Thank you so much for your interview, we hope to perform in Greece one day! All the best to every reader.
Photo credits: Natascia Aquilano
Mike Dimitriou