Yelmur is an intriguing artist on the scene – we recently reviewed his track Insomnia, and he’s also just released a new EP, How We Hide: Part One. Because of this, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to do an interview – the EP can also be found at the bottom of this interview.
By Jane Howkins
You recently released a song titled Insomnia, which we reviewed. What can you tell us about the song?
Insomnia is an instrumental composition consisting of three different parts that musically describe the experience of a sleepless night. It starts off with a repetitive bass line, which sets a dark and hypnotic mood. A soft guitar enters, playing a line that sounds a bit like a nagging thought entering your head – it’s soon transformed into an annoyingly loud distorted scream. This first part keeps on repeating itself, only slightly altering its sound, until it ends on a big chord.
The second part is a lot more active, with electronic percussion and synthesisers added to the instrumentation. It’s as if you’re not fighting the insomnia anymore, but decided to go along with the crazy ideas running through your head.
The final section feels like a giant dream, at this point it’s not sure if you are awake or asleep. The dreamworld keeps on building and growing while i’s fading out at the same time.
How has the reception been so far, and where can Insomnia be purchased?
For a first release (Insomnia was my debut single), the reception has been quite good! There have been several reviews in online blogs and I’ve received lots of messages from people that liked it and could relate to the song. Insomnia is available on all streaming platforms, but the best way to support me would be to buy it on Bandcamp.
Do you plan to release any more singles in the near future?
Since releasing Insomnia, I have released another single, Remembering, and an EP called How We Hide: Part One. I am releasing a video-clip for the title track, How We Hide, at the end of September, and there are further singles coming in October and November.
Do you plan to release an EP or an album anytime soon?
Yes! All of these releases are leading up to my album release on the 2nd of December. The EP that just came out is the first half of this record, the A-side of the vinyl. The album is titled How We Hide and consists of 12 songs, it will be released on all streaming services as well as a limited edition 180grams vinyl record.
Has the pandemic hindered your work much?
In a way, it has opened up the possibility for me to make this music. Before the pandemic I was mainly active as a session musician, playing bass on other people’s music. I love doing that, but I always had the wish to release my own music. By having the majority of my work disappear, the pandemic made it possible for me to spend my full time composing, producing and recording. Making this record has also been a way of keeping myself sane during these crazy times. I would go to my studio early in the morning and just spend the whole day there experimenting. The song Take A Breath, which is the final track on my EP, was even created out of the frustration from the seemingly never ending lockdown we faced in the beginning of 2021. I got to the studio and just screamed into the microphone to get all my frustration out. I then sampled the scream and built a digital instrument out of it, which forms the base of the song.
Your music is electronic, but sounds rather experimental at times. What/who influences you most as an artist? What have you been listening to recently?
I like to listen to a lot of different music. As a young kid I grew up with classical music and started listening to prog and metal in my teens, with Pink Floyd, Rage Against The Machine and Porcupine Tree among my favourites. I then went on to study jazz in college and there, besides playing traditional jazz music, I started to experiment with effects and synthesizers.
Before making this record my two main references for its sound were the albums Blackstar by David Bowie and Biophilia by Björk. Other references include Flying Lotus, FKA Twigs, Moderat, Squarepusher, Arca and Daniel Thorne. Recently I have been listening a lot to Sevdaliza, Ben Lukas Boysen, Bon Iver and Jóhann Jóhannsson.
What is the composition process like for you?
Of course every composition is a bit different, but most often I will start at the piano with a piece of paper and a pencil. I’ll improvise and try to find a melody with matching bass notes. Once I have the top and bottom notes, the harmony is just filling in the blanks. I’ll try out all the chords that could possibly fit and then decide on the one’s that work best for me.
I usually leave these sketches resting for a long time, sometimes even years, before revisiting them and deciding on how to arrange them. This includes the instrumentation, sound-design and groove.
You’re based in Berlin. What is the music scene like in your part of the world?
It’s great! I’d say Berlin is a bit like a more chilled version of London. There are a lot of similarities between the cities, like having musicians from all over the world and lots of concerts going on every night. Even though the cost of living in Berlin has been increasing a lot in the last years, compared to other metropolises it is still quite affordable to live here. This allows artists to experiment and get by with playing their original music.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
Unfortunately not at the moment, but I’d love to come over soon!
Any last words for the fans?
Thanks for listening to my music, don’t hesitate to write me what you think of it, I’d love to hear from you!