Esem/Eesn

Interview: Sutemos (2003)

sutemos 2003 - esem interview
art by Rh012

Back in 2003 I was interviewed for Sutemos. Below is the article as it was published. Questions and intro by Moloko, art by Rh012.

originally published on sutemos.net, 01 sep 2003

George Marinov (aka Esem, aka Eesn). A man, who unfolds IDM sounds straight from capital of Bulgaria Sofia. Now George living in London (UK), he creats music/seeks for new sounds in every shapes of speech/releases new cds/works with deFocus and Merck labels. Experimental moods, which can be found in the creation of Esem, also reflect in his own character. Joining all thoughts with his sounds, esem built a pyramid from the square. Came with absolutely new, more airy shape exactly in his last album Serial Human. To reveal a man from one interview is kinda hard, but you can meet him. This is Esem/Eesn.

Hello George. Today you will be snowed up with a lot of maybe compromising and magic questions, which will even be able to make you laugh and will send you some suns straight from here. Are you prepared?

I'm always prepared for magic, laugh and sun. Let's go.

You make music. Also you have released your last album by Merck and you are stepping forward very quickly. Lots of people have heard something from your music, but there is no information about you in the net. do you think that it is not important to know who creates music?

I've always been fascinated by what people do, not who they are. For much of the music I've heard myself, aside from artists' monikers, I haven't got a single clue about who has done it. Maybe it has something to do with that I didn't care that much or something. I think it's important to have a public identity behind the music, but managing the identity should not interfere with the process of creating music. I haven't spent much time to build a public identity of my own, because I chose to focus on music. Given the fact that you always begin by being Nobody, It seemed right to me.

Do you like ice-cream?

Yes. A lot.

You live in the capital of Bulgaria. What kind of different interesting things can you do there without music making and working?

You could do just about anything in Sofia, like in every other big city. There aren't a lot of decent clubs to go to, but at least there are places to go out in the open and enjoy it. But, really, you could do just about anything, given the proper company.. and sometimes budget.

If there was a possibility to choose a country, where you could go and where you could live, which one would you take? And why? Or maybe you would stay in yours?

Depends. Every place has its own good and bad sides. I like how Switzerland looks from above. I've been thinking about UK a lot, also Japan...

I am still interested, who inspires you to create? and why did you start making music?

My deep inspirations come from my influences I guess, which on their turn change very often, and could be anything from Roger Waters through Martin Gore to Lassi Nikko, not to mention a myriad of others. The impulses, however, come from simple things, sounds, phrases, close people, my girlfriend last but not least.

I wouldn't say I could manifest a particular reason to start making music. I've listened to music ever since I was a kid, and had access to our home radio, and then, the Finezja tape deck, which I still keep, although it needs quite some fixes. It came somewhat naturally, I wanted to play with sounds. I had a DIY DAC board for a while, back in 1995, then got a more real soundcard, and ever since then I've been doing exactly so-I play with sounds. I "say" what I feel, usually without any filtering, or putting it into exact musical statements.

Do you often look into the sky? What do you see there?

Yes I do. I see clouds mostly. but often sun, and every now and then rainbow. Often planes. They always pass above where i live. bigger when i was a kid, and smaller now, but still interesting enough to stare at.

Enveloped. Your first job. Why is it special exactly for you? And what do you think it can give to the others? And why did you choose deFocus label? Or why have deFocus chosen you?

Enveloped is what it is - music, and what you hear, the way it makes you feel, is exactly what it gives you. Take it or leave it. It's not more or less special to me than the other music i've done, at least, maybe for being the first real CD of mine ever. It is the sound of beach nearby, seagulls at six am, kids playing and neighbours' tv sets echoing in the open etc, etc. whatever comes to your mind.

I had to choose one from deFocus and Merck to do LP1 for. I hadn't sent any demos anywhere, before deFocus contacted me. I think Esa told them something. Or was it Simon.. and I chose deFocus because its on the island. Someone from deFocus could tell why they chose me, I can't.

Tell me what kind of smell could the sunflower give to your music sounds?

I've never really liked the smell or taste of cooking oil, but I guess, I could still do with something sunny.

What do you think of making a clip for any of your tracks? Or maybe you do not think about it at all?

A video? Haven't really thought of it, except when I kind of wanted to have something to visualise Ekred. I thought of people in a basement, they listen to vinyl music, chill, smoke tea leaves, sniff cracked biscuit powder, spread brown sugar on their gums, stuff like that, and finally give in to lucid dreaming. Never did it, or found anyone to do it, maybe because it seems silly anyway.

There is one question from Sutemos, he asks, is it hard to go through such a way from Bulgaria to the Merck label? is it hard to reach it?

Luckily music spreads way beyond physical or social barriers, especially with mp3 and the internet. gabriel koch of m3rck did a great job persuading me to release serial human and also he was both persistent and patient to keep me a place in the schedule. i accept and like what we came up with. i guess that wouldn't be possible with the help of the good guys at noisemusic where i had released Tjiccli EP, which became the first two tracks gabe picked.

What do you think about your nearly future? What other musical plans do you have on your mind? And are they related with Merck?

The way Merck is organised means i should come up with some new material and have it considered. for now I'm concentrating on my own stuff though, and have nothing scheduled for before 2004, and nothing else i can tell at this point.

Why have you chosen creating IDM?

Tough one. I guess that's just the music i liked when i began. sucked in by Orbital and Autechre, after long being a fan of hiphop and electro.

What do you think of trying to use any of live instruments in your tracks? Don?t you think that they would give new colours for your music sounds?

Yes, but this is still to come.

What kind of a season do you prefer most? summer, autumn, winter, spring? Why?

Everything, but winter suits me nice. summers have been getting tough lately. the heat gives me a hard time. I guess autumn is my season now though. I hated rain and dirt when I was a kid. now its different.

Is there any place for electronic music in Bulgaria? Are there a lot of people who are interested in it and who make any musical projects or parties?

There used to be a lot of raves in the past few years but being quite drug influenced, and also after a tragic accident in the biggest club out there, parties slowly faded away, making way for Hip Hop& R'n'B music.

There are a few places left though, but its a twisted scene, not anything you'd like to mess with.. still many people do raves out of pure business interest. we had a huge trance events this and last year, but so far nobody has made anything special, except for one gig w/ jimmy tenor. fantastic stuff.

Do you like to dance?

I used to dance more in the past. I guess I've been too busy lately, but I will for sure come back to it one day.

Last one: tell me any colour and a song which reminds you that colour.

Really tough question. I like both colours and music. I cant really decide on a colour, but I have a track in mind, so you get only the track name - Masro by Kschzt.