On Down the Railway Spine (Heavy Debris Live), Realma reinvents her original tune, turning it into something more Gothic. I really enjoyed the track and wanted to find out more about this fascinating artist – if you had the same thoughts, this interview should be of use!
By Jane Howkins
You recently released a new track called Down the Railway Spine (Heavy Debris Live). What can you tell us about the song?
Basically, this is an alternate version of my single Down the Railway Spine. Having alternate versions is what I tend to do with most of my songs – I love re-interpreting and rearranging my own work with different ensembles and instrumentation. In general, I was inspired by desolate atmospheres of urban and industrial ruin aesthetics, and with the help of an amazing band, transformed the cinematic version (originally a blend between synth-pop and an orchestral action soundtrack) into a darker style of hardcore/gothic-rock power anthem.
This version, which I titled Heavy Debris Live, is supercharged with stormy riffs and guitar solos, as well as expressive synth passages and flaming vocal runs. It also delivers an impactful and electrifying performance and features some notable Serbian female performers, including including Aleksandra Stamenković (the frontwoman & guitarist of the speed/thrash metal band, Jenner), Marija Uzunovska (bassist of Nevreme & Noćni putnici), as well as Monika Pajazitović (pop/r’n’b artist, better known as La Monnique) and Tanja Marković (rap artist, DJ and producer, better known as Cookbeat). So, make sure to check out the video.
How has the reception to the track been so far, and where can it be purchased?
You can find it on all streaming platforms. Though, if you are more interested in purchasing, it’s also up on Amazon Music, iTunes and you can also find this single on my Bandcamp page. I’m also working on adding a Webshop section to my Official website (www.realmaverse.com), so it will hopefully soon be available there too.
Do you have any more singles planned for the near future?
Yes. I have two more songs planned, alongside their respective animated and live music videos. I also have a side project called Cinematic Miniatures, which consists of instrumental soundtracks set in different styles. I’ve just released the first one called Last Breath, while others will be out throughout the year.
Are there any plans to release a full-length album or EP anytime soon?
Yes, I have an EP planned once I’ve accumulated the first seven singles together. For the original/cinematic versions of my tracks, I actually plan to re-master, re-record and re-arrange some of my old releases as I now own much better equipment and software. In this context, the old versions of my singles I’ll treat more like ‘sketches’, since I had a huge sound design and sound engineering learning curve with them all. Meanwhile, these kinds of alternate versions will serve like a bonus material. So, yeah, I think my first EP will definitely solidify everything I’ve done so far and open up the path forward for me as a musician.
You also produced a 3D animated video for the song. What was that like?
Ever since my debut release A Hint of Pink’ I’ve been collaborating with the wonderful artist and award-winning animator, Mihajlo Dragaš. So far, we’ve worked on 4 animations in total, two in 2D and two in 3D. Like my songs, the animations also vary in style. The latest installment for Down the Railway Spine might actually be my favourite one yet. It’s reminiscent of futuristic, neon-clad visuals seen in films like Tron and Bladerunner (both released in 1982), and the animation really takes the song a step further and propels the audience into a cinematic odyssey across three contrasting planets, with a cataclysmic monster waiting in each. I usually already have some concepts in my head before forwarding the song to Mihajlo, however, he manages to build upon them and elevate them further through his unique visual style and amazing narration. So, while I do bring in some worldbuilding ideas, Mihajlo is the genius architect who makes it all not only possible, but shapes it into a masterpiece.
Here’s what he says about Down the Railway Spine:
“Both Tron and Bladerunner were groundbreaking in terms of visual effects and they both had a strong visual identity that shaped the contemporary sci-fi image and style not only in film, but also in video games and comics. The always present neon glow and endless, often empty landscapes were a must-have in order to pay homage to these classics. One of the challenges I faced was creating a feeling of large spaces that surround the main character, dwarfing him and emphasizing the scale of his struggle to save his sister. So, it was not only a technical thing to achieve all this in a 3D software, but to also create an emotional impact for the viewer. Also, our main character travels through three different planets: one with large mountains, one with endless oceans, and one with fire and lava. All of them required a lot of attention to detail and variety of textures and effects, and finally unique monsters that try to stop him. It was a challenging video to create, but I think the final result holds all of these elements together, balancing the visual excitement with the emotional story.”
I’ll add here that there is a bit of a visual easter egg with labyrinth/maze motives we added, alluding to the myth of Ariadne, Theseus and the Minotaur (Ariadna is my real name). Overall, I highly recommend the viewing of our animated music videos, because the music and the visuals both complement one another and provide unique layers for analysis and questions to ponder upon.
Your music has an alt-rock sound. What/who are you most influenced by? What have you been listening to recently?
I would say, yes, the Heavy Debris live version of Down the Railway Spine definitely has that alt-rock sound going on. However, while the ‘alt’ label describes my overall sound pretty well, it’s really only maybe this version of the track that has anything of a semblance to ‘rock’ vibes. And thinking about it, perhaps some of the guitar runs heard in the break/bridge section of A Hint of Pink (the original version). I do plan to use the rock more in my future releases though. Nonetheless, my catalogue in general is like a multi-genre kaleidoscope and that’s the whole reason for my artist name ‘Realma’ – it’s a witchy little pun on the word ‘realms’, since each of my songs is set in its own genre with its own storyworld of animated characters. I think my general artist persona has some affinity towards experimental alter egos of artists such as St Vincent and David Bowie and somewhat inspired by ethereal auras of artists like Goldfrapp, Kate Bush, Mitski, Bjork, etc. However, if you zoom in to each song, there are always some song-specific genre influences going on.
For example, the instrumental of my film-noir single Wandering is inspired by classic film scores by Bernard Herrmann, as well as more pop-y noir tracks by Portishead and Hooverphonics. Meanwhile, my third single Ashgrey Butterfly is closer to Disney musical numbers in its dense orchestration and the coming-of-age vibe. On the other hand, my newest single Down the Railway Spine is set in an action style more akin to video game soundtracks like League of Legends, though much more experimental with the unusual 7/8 rhythm pulsating throughout. Finally, the Gorillaz really helped me embrace the idea of utilizing animation and music video characters to start crafting my own audiovisual universe.
As for music I’ve been listening to recently, it’s also varied – I’ve been obsessed with the main titles from the TV show Severance for a while now… I just love its whimsical, yet sarcastically harrowing and sinister atmosphere. Then there’s Lemon Glow by Beach House. I love the tension and the dread in the vocal delivery and the lyrics… Not to mention that despite the claustrophobic feelings, there’s just something darkly alluring that makes me keep returning to the track. If I’m stressed, I tend to turn to Quantic – his Time is the Enemy is my all-time favourite. Same for the Boogie Belgique and their more electroswing-y, but similarly soothing tunes. Finally, if I need something to hype me up, I’ll listen to Beautifully Unconventional or similar songs by Wolf Alice.
Where are you based? What is the music scene like in your part of the world?
I’m kind of in-between China, Serbia and the UK. I’m currently based in Serbia. However, I have to admit that the music scene here is quite depressing at the moment, since there is very little encouragement for any type of original work by independent or alternative artists. However, there are organisations trying to change that, including Femix. They’re dedicated to the promotion and affirmation of female creatives in the country, with Femikseta – a yearly compilation of original music by Serbian female music artists, and their annual Femix Fest, both of which I’ve been grateful to be a part of. They’re also involved in the annual rock camp for girls (aged 11 to 14), where I had an honour to share my knowledge as a mentor for music production and hopefully encourage the young attendees to start making their own music. Things like these really make me hopeful that a new, more open music scene is being created for the new generation.
And with a lack of direct opportunities in our music scene, I have to say that I’m glad the internet is there to allow us independent artists to share our music and reach a global audience. Though, this is also a double-edged sword. By this I mainly mean – if you publish music, you also enter the social media’s number game, where it’s all about streams or views on streaming platforms. In that sense, it’s been somewhat overwhelming and I’m still trying to adjust to the demands and dynamics of posting frequently and how fb/Instagram ads, playlisting, and algorithms work… There are also quite a few scams out there for artists desperate for rapid results and it’s really discouraging to see. But all in all, it’s still giving us a chance. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had some amazing features in Rolling Stone India, Calvert Journal and some other notable press, and our music videos wouldn’t have been featured in international film festivals and competitions, if not for the online magic. So in that sense, I’m really grateful for each opportunity I’ve garnered via the internet.
Do you have anything else exciting coming up over the next few months?
Yes, so other than my music and music videos, I’ll be launching a new website and will finally start putting out some merch. I’m also a future studio owner and have construction going on for that. It’s more than half way done, so I’m really excited to get in and start making music and more general content in a month or two. Finally, I’m also working on the exciting prospects of developing the stories and characters from my animations/audiovisual universe into longer-form artworks/content like comic books or maybe even games and tabletop RPGs. I’ve enrolled in some game design/writing courses, so hope I’ll get to unveil some of these in the future.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
No, but I’d love to perform my own music in the UK. I studied film and drama at the University of Kent and I just fell in love with the artist scene over there. I’ll be back in London actually this autumn for a 5-month course at Abbey Road to polish my sound engineering skills though. I also have a theatre project in the works with London-based performer Florencia Guerberof – can’t say much yet, but I’m really excited. So, fingers crossed I eventually get some gigs of my own too.
Any last words for the fans?
Just a massive, massive thank you for all your wonderful support so far. I’ll just end with saying that I love hearing from my fans and their encouragement makes me love making music even more. Music has this power to transport us and sweep us towards new adventures. So, keep dreaming everyone & follow the enchantment… And I have plenty of things in the works, so stay tuned!