Music – Numéro Berlin https://www.numeroberlin.de Tue, 21 Jan 2025 12:54:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 IN CONVERSATION WITH FATIMA NJAI & JEROME SYDENHAM https://www.numeroberlin.de/2025/01/interview-with-fatima-njai-and-jerome-sydenham/ Tue, 21 Jan 2025 12:52:35 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=56809 “I do believe that I have a good understanding of most genres of music”

DJ and producer Jerome Sydenham is one of the most compelling figures in the world of electronic music. With a career spanning house, techno, and everything in between, Sydenham has not only shaped club culture worldwide but has also made history – most notably through the founding of his label, Ibadan Records, which has continuously pushed boundaries.
Last summer, Jerome honored us by performing at the opening party of Antje Peters´ Arbeitsräume at Schlachter151. Now, we had the privilege of speaking with him again to learn more about his musical journey and artistic background. Also, Berlin-based Producer, Songwriter, and Artist Fatima Njai, who worked together with Jerome Sydenham, shares her thoughts.

Vivien Schleich: What are you currently working on and what is particularly important to you in life at the moment?

Fatima (F): I am working on a Fatima Njai album. This picture entails music production, songwriting, and art, to be specific (with great collaborations). In addition, cultural event production falls into my creative repertoire and I work on several cultural projects that are related to art, fashion, and music.

Jerome Sydenham (JS): I am always working on music. The flavors range from afro vibes to the complete house spectrum and deep techno. I am also very focused on my afromatic art, fashion, and music project that will be based in Berlin, Paris, and Tokyo. These projects are my current priority at the moment and I will use Berlin as my base of operations.

What key moments have shaped your life and your music?

F: Many moments in life shaped me. One key moment is my friend Julie Snoek, who motivated me at 18 to pursue singing and organized a spot as a singer for me in a cover band. That set the milestone to enter my personal and professional journey into the music business. Later, at 24, my friend Phillip Majer introduced me to electronic music production. I went on to complete my studies in Fine Arts at Christina Kubisch with a diploma in Sound Art and Mixed Media. Collaborative works and my love for street music gave me invaluable lessons in my personal and spiritual evolution. All of this led to a major key moment (where things became full circle) when I started to work with Jerome Sydenham. He became my biggest teacher and mentor in music production, business, and art. Keeping it real, the story continues.

JS: My early childhood in Nigeria was critical in my development regarding appreciation of music. My professional background at East West Records and Atlantic Records in New York City gave birth to my DJ and production career which led to the formation of Ibadan Records and other imprints. The journey continues…

Which artists or genres originally inspired you to make music? Have these influences changed over time?

F: I am a lover of all genres. I love music.

JS: Primarily Fela Kuti and the Akpala music scene. I was blessed to be involved with the foundation years of house and techno music, also naturally hip hop and reggae Music. I do believe that I have a good understanding of most genres of music.

The future is bright as always. – Fatima
You’ve been in the music scene for quite a long time. What has changed in particular during this time?

F: The cultural impact and identity of music. The consumption of music. Music was better when artists did not have to obey any imagery and were reflective of the issues of the world.

JS: Music always evolves. I guess the improvement of the home studio is the most significant difference and of course the use of AI in music production.

How do you feel about the current popularity of techno and house? And how do you see the future of these genres?

F: The future is bright as always. I see more real instruments coming back, songs and innovative sounds. I love the fact how accessible all music became to people. I am wondering about the future of streaming and if it actually has value in the long run. I see a lot of classics come back, a lot of new fusions of old and new. I believe the only way to keep music sustainable is to carry all the greatness of music from the past into the future and share it with the world until it is forgotten.

JS: As I said before, there is always movement in these genres and there is a lot more of it. I think you really have to dig to find the good stuff. Same thing applies to DJing. I find there are less dynamic DJs existing in the market. This always changes so I remain optimistic.

Who has been your favorite people to work with in your career and why?

F: Jerome Sydenham from all people, 100%, because he is the most talented, genius producer in my opinion. He is also a great teacher, mentor, and at the same time, he is extremely creative in several fields of arts and production of music. I call him a “Walking Library”. Also, he has a great understanding of the ideas I have and always gives more fruit for thought or the one idea that will take the music to the next level. His hunger for music is just infectious. He is the producer who put sense into my ideas and helped me to shape it into real music. His openness to music of all kinds and almost childlike approach to combine sounds and new ideas is in itself always inspiring to me. Without Jerome Sydenham, the world would not hear and know about Fatima Njai, as he is the one who flipped the script in my career and is the biggest Fatima Njai supporter.

JS: Merlin Bobb and Sylvia Rhone on a corporate level, Fatima Njai, Joe Clausell, Kerri Chandler, Dennis Ferrer, and Ron Trent on a production level, to name a few. Robert Owens, Carl Craig, The Martinez Brothers, Seth Troxler, Function…and I could go on and on and on. So many great people.

When you look back on your career: are there any decisions you would make differently today?

F: No. The music always shows me the way.

JS: Nope, not really, except maybe for better lawyers and accountants.

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DYSON’S FIRST PURE AUDIO AND OVER-EAR HEADPHONES: THE DYSON ONTRAC  https://www.numeroberlin.de/2025/01/dyson-ontrac-headphones/ Mon, 13 Jan 2025 10:46:34 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=56475 Super long battery life, optimal noise-canceling, and a customizable design—all these features come together in the Dyson OnTrac

Founded in 1993 in the UK, Dyson quickly established itself as a globally operating research and technology company, now headquartered in Singapore. Known for its popular vacuum cleaners and innovative hair styling products like the Dyson Airwrap, the company continuously explores additional areas. With the Dyson OnTrac headphones, Dyson introduces a model that competes with the best in the audio industry in both quality and aesthetics.

Long battery life and immersive sound

With up to 55 hours of battery life, these headphones are perfect for daily use and long trips, making them ideal for enjoying all kinds of music. Thanks to noise-canceling technology that operates 384,000 times per second and reduces noise by up to 40 dB, the sound is clear and immersive. The wide frequency range of 6 Hz to 21 kHz reveals every nuance of music, from deep, resonant bass to crisp, high tones. 

Using the MyDyson app, users can switch between three acoustic modes: Bass Boost, Neutral, and Enhanced. The app also offers additional features, such as Head Detect: Sensors recognize when the headphones are removed and pause playback until they are worn again.

Modern design that encourages creativity 

The ergonomic design, foam cushioning, and suede ear pads make the Dyson OnTrac a comfortable all-rounder. The headphones come in four color variants: Yellow/Aluminum, Midnight Blue/Copper, Black/Cinnabar, and Black/Nickel. Customizable end caps and ear cushions in various colors and finishes allow users to personalize their headphones. 

Stormzy as brand ambassador 

British musician Stormzy represents the Dyson OnTrac with his music and is the face of the campaign. His debut album, Gang Signs & Prayer (2017), quickly reached number one on the UK album charts and won the Brit Award for Best British Album. His second and third albums achieved similar success. The campaign video highlights the 55-hour battery life by showcasing 55 intense, hectic, and artistic hours in Stormzy’s life through his eyes. 

The headphones are available online for €499, with additional interchangeable ear cushions and end caps priced at €49 per pair. 

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WEEKEND MUSIC PT. 48: FRED AGAIN.. “TWO MORE DAYS”   https://www.numeroberlin.de/2024/12/weekend-music-pt-48-fred-again-two-more-days/ Fri, 20 Dec 2024 12:03:28 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=56371 Fred again.. presents two new tracks to conclude his album “ten days”

The British musician and music producer released on December 13 the 2-track single “two more days” to add to his fourth studio album “ten days” under Atlantic Records, which has been on the music market since September. The tracks, “light dark light”, featuring Angie McMahon, and “little mystery”, featuring John Martyn, are now available for streaming.  

“Light dark light” offers a creative full-circle moment for Fred again.. It’s an interpretation of Angie McMahon’s song “Making It Through” from her latest album and Fred has been sampling her work since 2021. Fred’s version of this piece of music stands out from typical album tracks because a short part of a live show by Angie McMahon closes the track. He recorded the raw singing of her fans with his phone and this detail captures the listeners of the album, even if they’ve never seen her live. Our feelings are beautiful and challenging at the same time, and this is just as it’s meant to be – this is the song’s message.  

The second song, “little mystery”, is a homage to singer-songwriter John Martyn, who created the song “Sweet Little Mystery” and passed away more than 15 years ago. Fred again.. teased his upcoming work on the track already in November 2022. During his Studio Live 3 session, he stated: “(little mystery)…sorta started the 10 days chapter…so it felt right to me that this is the last song I put out from that chapter.” 

 

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#MINIMALISMUS: “REALLY QUITE ADDICTIVE” – IN CONVERSATION WITH MÅNESKIN https://www.numeroberlin.de/2024/12/minimalismus-really-quite-addictive-in-conversation-with-maneskin/ Mon, 02 Dec 2024 10:20:57 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=55865

A brief chat with the Italian pop sensation Måneskin two hours before they hit the stage in their hometown, Rome.

He was wearing a navy blue, double-breasted suit with gold buttons, his lengthy hair slicked back, and two attention-grabbing, pear earrings that matched his chiseled cheekbones. And dark makeup that made him look both: exhausted and expensive. As an exception to all the other fancy and famous guests, Damiano David, lead singer of the Italian band Måneskin, did not have to walk up the hill on which the world famous Castel del Monte from 1250 is situated. Due to a hip injury – or at least that was the official version – he was the only one on this chilly and gorgeous summer evening in 2022 who was driven uphill in a golf cart. A royal entrance for brand new pop royalty.

The original purpose of the castle is a mystery (watchtower? hunting cabin?) and it inspired philosopher Umberto Eco when he wrote “The Name of the Rose,” a multilayered, crime thriller set in a monastery. The dark center of the novel, its death star, if you wish, is a labyrinthine library whose design was based on the fictional drawings of Piranesi – and on Castel del Monte. It is here that Alessandro Michele decided to show his 2023 cruise collection called Cosmogonie – and to host a party in a nearby outdoor club.

In the years before, Gucci had had Annie Lennox, Stevie Nicks or Elton John perform at their parties, so Måneskin seemed to have slightly less pop historical gravitas. Until they hit the stage. There is something profoundly contagious about the band. Onstage, they seamlessly blend raw punk energy, glam rock glitz, and a super contemporary, gender-and-genre-bending carefreeness. They became famous when they won the European Song Contest in 2021 (yes, they were drug tested that same night). Such a victory is only rarely the first step towards serious, international fame. But Måneskin managed.

We meet them on a Zoom call between Berlin and Rome. Some hours later, they will go on stage. They look and sound relaxed and energized. Which seems to be their modus operandi in general. Most of the talking is done by Victoria De Angelis, the bass player, and by Damiano David. Because they talk simultaneously and interrupt each other – just like four friends do – their voices are here ruthlessly blended into one. Here we go.

Adriano Sack: How is performing in Rome for you?

Måneskin: It is our hometown, so all our families and friends will be there. That makes it special.

AS: How crazy did 2023 start for you?

M: Crazy busy. All the time.

AS: What are your big goals and projects for this year?

M: We have our new record “Rush” out, so we are touring with it and bringing it to life. In summer, we have some festivals coming up.

AS: What is the festival you look forward to the most?

M: Glastonbury. It’s our first time there.

AS: Have you ever been there as a guest?

M: Nope. Only on YouTube.

AS: What is the best performance you remember?

M: There were so many. I watched the Idles a couple of years ago, which was really sick.

AS: I guess it’s fair to say you are superstars now. How does that feel? Is it much better than you imagined, or much worse?

M: We never really thought about it. It just happened.

AS: You met in school and started the band then. What was your big dream? Or how far did your dreams go?

M: Very far. All the other kids did not take it as seriously as we did. We had many different members in the band. And some would say: Sorry, I can’t come to rehearsal because I have an exam tomorrow or I want to do sports. All sorts of excuses. And we were like: Why don’t you take it as seriously as we do? Because we had a big dream. We wanted to play music every day. As our job. As our lives. And in Rome, it is not easy for an upcoming band. There aren’t that many places where you can build an audience. So we started to play on the streets. But these obstacles, as hard as they were, made us appreciate it even more when ten people on the street would listen to us.

AS: Where in Rome would you play?

M: On the Corso, the big shopping mall in the center.

AS: Is that legal?

M: You need a permit. Which we never had. We would play for 30 minutes until the cops would show up. We told them we did not know that we needed a permit, walked around the block until they disappeared, and started again.

AS: The former creative director of Gucci, Alessandro Michele, always praised Rome just because it is not the center of attention and there is a laid-backness that helps your creativity. Did you feel like that or did you feel: My god, we have to get out of here?

M: It’s very true. In Rome, one can still enjoy social life and personal relationships. Or even just hang around in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We have the chance to visit different countries and cities, but Rome remains a safe place for us and our creativity.

Although, if you do anything artistic, be it painting or music, it is not a good city. There is creativity, but not opportunity. When we said we want to be musicians, we were asked: Okay, but what do you really want to do? Now we appreciate it more when we get here. Business people and music industry people are not in Rome, so we can relax.

AS: What did you say when people asked what you really want to do? Did you have a Plan B? Like: If this does not work out, then maybe become a biology teacher?

M: We started when we were 14, so we did not have time for Plan Bs.

AS: From the outside, your international breakthrough was in 2021, when you won the European Song Contest. At which point did you know for yourself that this might work out?

M: We spent the first year playing on the street. And our friends from school started to pay attention and the crowds got slightly bigger. 200 instead of 20 people listening… Then we realized that it was not only in our head.

AS: Is there anything specifically Italian about Måneskin?

M: The passion. And we are extremely good looking. [laughter] Our music is not very related to Italian culture. But our relationship among the band and with our fans, how we perform, reflects our culture.

“We don’t believe in only hanging out with important or famous people. We still go to the same bars as we did in high school. We really appreciate it when it’s real.”
The only concert I saw was at Castel del Monte after the Gucci show. After the concert, you just mingled and danced with the audience. Other bands might have taken the money and disappeared.

M: Of course, we party! We don’t have this concept of stardom. We don’t believe in only hanging out with important or famous people. We still go to the same bars as we did in high school. We really appreciate it when it’s real. Being famous means having fun, for us.

AS: Your list of musical references is long and eclectic. Nobody likes labels, but do you have a name for the music you are making?

M: Good. We never thought about that and just went ahead with what we liked. We processed the small changes we underwent. We are still very young and we analyze what is good for us. With each song, we consider that it has to feel right at the moment, but also that we will have to sing it for the next five or ten years.

AS: How do you write songs?

Victoria: It always changes. The is no strict method. Somebody comes to the studio with an idea and we follow his lead and see where it goes. Thomas comes up with a cool riff, or sometimes we just play around.

AS: Damiano, is it always you writing the lyrics?

Damiano: Yes. Sometimes the others help, though. And of course we make sure that everybody is okay with what we are saying.

AS: Who writes the best lyrics?

M: Bob Dylan and Patti Smith. To name a male and a female.

AS: There are great songs. And there are eternal songs. Like, let’s say, “When Doves Cry.” Have you written such a song already, or are you still looking?

M: Not yet. Working on it. It’s gonna come.

“Clothes can express feelings and ideas as much as words.”
AS: Your outfits get a lot of attention. Was that part of the project from the beginning, or did that evolve with time?

M: We always felt that the aesthetic should match the music. And we had the ideal that if you do it properly, you have a more well-rounded product. In the beginning, we did not have the financial means to buy good clothes, so we looked pretty ridiculous. At least we were trying. Clothes can express feelings and ideas as much as words.

AS: What did you learn from Alessandro?

M: To embrace individuality. Which is rare today, because everybody seems to be following trends. He really taught us to value that. He was very inspiring for us because he was working for one of the biggest brands and yet stayed authentic and true to himself. He did not sell out and do things he did not like. Which is exactly what we want to do. We want a big audience. But we want to do it by being real.

AS: There seems to be a lot of fear and anxiety troubling your generation – about global warming, injustice and a very uncertain future. Is that reflected in your work? And how are you changing the world?

M: That’s a hard question. We try to be mentally free. But it influences our lives. We try to be aware and we know there is a lot to work on. When the context is right and we know enough about certain issues, we always try to speak up. Are we changing the world? We should all be part of a community that treats the world, the people, the creatures respectfully.

AS: When you are travelling, do you actually see the cities where you perform?

M: Mostly not. But sometimes, we can add a day or two, like we did when we were in Japan or Brazil. Especially when the culture is so different from ours.

AS: Which one has really blown your mind?

M: Brazil! And Japan!

AS: Is a Japanese audience different from others?

M: In Latin America, they are completely nuts and wild. In Japan, they were mostly quiet during the songs and would clap and stomp their feet after each song.

AS: Do you still go to concerts?

M: A lot. It’s what inspires us the most. We always try to experience music live.

AS: You have been working and I guess living together closely for quite some years now. Do you sometimes need some days off?

M: Oh, yeah. But we are still friends. We are even married – the four us!

AS: Do you have a pre-concert ritual? Like Madonna praying with her dancers?

M: We sit together on the couch and do Zoom-interviews. [laughter]

AS: And is the energy rush of being on stage really so intense?

M: You can’t compare it to anything else. Thousands of people reacting to what the music is doing is really quite addictive.

AS: Do you have your stage outfits ready?

M: Sure. We still wear Gucci.

AS: What is the secret of a good stage makeup?

Victoria: It has to be waterproof.

Damiano: I want it to be light, so I don’t feel it.

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#MINIMALISMUS: APSILON https://www.numeroberlin.de/2024/11/apsilon-for-numero-berlin-minimalism/ Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:00:10 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=38386 Over the last 12 months or so, life has changed a lot for Apsilon.

In early 2022, the young rapper from Berlin shot to prominence with his debut EP Gast, and what followed would be enough to intimidate anyone. Anyone, that is, except Apsilon.

While fame hasn’t exactly come naturally to Apsilon, he hasn’t shied away from the spotlight, either. His most notable memory of the last year is a rooftop performance in his home district of Moabit. Immortalized on TikTok, the show plays like the open-top bus parade of a championship-winning soccer team, with packs of fans gazing up from back alleys, peering down from overpasses and balconies or any space with a view of the breakout star putting their kiez on the map.

In a year when so many people felt disconnected from the world beyond their screens, Apsilon provided a tonic of raw authenticity and hard-fought reality. From first impressions alone, there is little mistaking him. The young artist cuts an impactful presence. Though his long frame is immediate, it is his posture that is more striking. Propped up with an enviable level of lumbar discipline, Apsilon’s youthful poise implies not rigidity, but rather confidence softened into kindness by his disarming, smiling demeanor.

He speaks English with a measured and purposeful meter that allows him the time to wrap his mind around each word of his ever-considered responses. It’s as if he is checking each syllable for its unique mouthfeel, comparing and contrasting sounds, ideas and connotations as he goes. Now, reflecting on the previous year that launched two EPs and his first major experiences touring and playing serious shows, it is the sheer emotion of it all that stands out.

In a year bookended by the release of Gast and then 32 Zaehne, Apsilon became a leading voice in political, socially-conscious rap. Upon closer inspection, Apsilon’s music resists such easy categorization. Still, he knows that a lot of his fans are politically active and come to his gigs for that very reason and, on the whole, he is okay with it.

While naturally somewhat reluctant to be typecast in that one box as opposed to the multidimensional artist he wants to become, he tries not to let those ideas control him. “I’m trying to not let that influence my art, but I prefer it to not having anything to stand for.” After all, it is undoubtedly an important part of both his early career and his generation at large. He thinks that most young people are both critically engaged while also suffering from a pervasive sense of numbness and cynicism. Between the climate crisis and wars all over the world, he says, “When we talk about our generation in general, I think that there is always this apocalyptic feeling.”

On stage and off it, Apsilon has the habit of taking the time to talk to people genuinely. Struck by the way that his fans always sing his songs together alongside him, he has developed an urge to know just what it is that people are feeling when they come to his shows. “They’re really angry, they’re really frustrated, sometimes they’re really sad and they often just don’t know how to express those feelings or how to reach them.”

Anger is a large part of what Apsilon is about. But, it’s not youthful naivety, nor is it lashing out at the system just for the sake of it, either. Instead, just like everything he does, it seems to be part of a larger methodology. Apsilon believes that there are two ways to react to the mental barriers that are so evident among his generation, among his community, and among his friends and peers. “On the one hand, you can be cynical about the world, which I understand, but the other way is to be angry and vocal and active.”

Berlin-born, Moabit-made, and Turkish by descent, Apsilon, like so many others in Germany and all around the world, struggles to derive meaning in the concept of any kind of national identity. “A country is too big and ideologically loaded for someone to identify with it healthily. It’s not authentic to me to relate to the German or the Turkish flag, or the concept of the country. I have no real-life experience or relationship to that which I can feel, name, or hold.”

Generational minimization of social experience is one of the core themes of Gast. The EP aims for a feeling that is both intensely personal to Apsilon and, at the same time, widely dissociated. In many ways, it mirrors the kind of politics of the fans that arrive at his shows, the ones that are both incredibly riled up, sad, apathetic and jaded, all at the same time. To be a part of his generation is to struggle with a mixed bag of competing emotions. While that can be said of every generation that faces off against the values of the generation that came before, it always takes a new form.

Living in a moment when broader concepts of national identity are surging in popularity may well be a part of that mental divide in Apsilon’s thinking. Tellingly, he feels that while the concept of the nation-state is too problematic, he has no such issues identifying with Moabit. For him, the outlines of his ‘hood’ are much more sharply drawn in his childhood, in his friendships, and in the artistic and social practices that have shaped him as a person. Compared to the flag-waving jingoism or cultural expectations that you may find in both Germany and Turkey at large, Moabit seems to feel authentic to him. It is a feeling that he doesn’t need others to share. It is enough for him to grasp at, enough for him to start shading the contours of his specific authenticity.

While he knows not everyone in his area will feel the same way, for Apsilon, it is an intensely personal feeling. “It’s the people in the restaurants, it’s the people in the shops, and it’s what I see on the streets every day, too. It’s the school I went to when I was a little child. Family, friends, and the streets that I walk through, listening to music. It’s where we had a concert on the roof with over 2000 people in the streets and we were collecting money for the victims of the right-wing terrorist attack in Hanau. You know, there was such a sense of community there and that is a part of my identification. But, there are also a lot of bad things happening. There is a lot of homelessness right next to rich people eating in a fancy restaurant, and I hate that.”

Apsilon’s neighborhood is a complex, pulsing, social environment. Regardless, whether for better or for worse, he can grasp it, hone it and reduce it to its essential qualities, and see it for what makes it real, for what makes it authentically identifiable. In his line of work, authenticity is a big deal. “Hip hop culture comes from real experiences, real authentic lives, and real stories being told.” More than being a so-called ‘conscious rapper,’ it is this authenticity that Apsilon strives for in his work. Yet, when he considers how a young artist blowing up is supposed to navigate their career and retain their individuality amongst the expectations of the music industry, things are less clear.

“It’s a tough time. And it’s a tough time with a lot of opportunities, too. Not only for me, but for a lot of artists, there’s a lot of anxiety as well as artistic anxiety because of the way that you have to promote your music on social media and such. I think a lot of people feel that music is getting more and more gimmicky, or that it doesn’t transport a lasting feeling or connection.”

What is your all-time favorite piece that you could always wear? “Umtc vegan leather jacket”
Was there a piece you chased or that you are still chasing? “PAF down center jacket”

Even as Apsilon speaks about his anxiety, he projects a certain knowing aura, or at least a level of acceptance. For most, acceptance is a vaguely passive feeling. One that acknowledges that’s just the way it is and there’s nothing to be done about it. For Apsilon, as in so many other ways, acceptance seems to hit a little differently. He accepts certain structures and moves within them to the best of his ability. Say, for example, the way that the media functions. If he has to be labeled as one thing to be presented to listeners in a way that will encourage them to connect with his music, then so be it, it’s no skin off his back. Yet, in others, he acknowledges the way things stand, and he does everything in his power to agitate against it. Reclaiming the aspects of the experience that he wishes to have control over with remarkable craft and success.

As his thoughts slide out of his artistic anxieties and back into the emotions that he conjures with his music, his voice grows increasingly confident. His sentences become more rhythmic. There is less thinking and more knowing. This, after all, is what he has made his name on. “I feel proud when I talk about the issues in my music. When we talk about emotions, it is really simple and you can bring it right down to the core. I think everybody has some hidden anger in them. Anger is always represented in our society as something bad. Something we should control and get a grip of and not let affect the way we act. And I think, really?”

Anger, in Apsilon’s view, is a much more nuanced emotion. Anger can inspire real change, but most importantly, it can be a shot in the arm to invigorate those who have simply gone numb in the face of the world’s ambivalence to their lives. He acknowledges you have to be careful because anger can also be self-destructive if you are experiencing it alone. If you let it brew inside you, never speak it or feel it alongside others, anger can turn to hate and become malicious and insidious. Yet, as a collective experience, “Well, maybe that can be a little bit destructive in the right ways.”

What Apsilon is driving at is another, less acknowledged, aspect of anger. Anger that speaks up, anger that marches, anger that is destructive in the sense that it can topple structures of violence, ignorance and oppression. “Those things need destruction and change, and it is freeing to experience anger about it and to let it all out. When I’m playing a show, I channel that anger and frustration and share it collectively with the crowd. It is a relief for everyone. It stops those feelings from becoming self-destructive. Without a place to focus them, it becomes extremely isolating.”

Right now, this raw framework for channeling emotions is the defining quality of Apsilon’s music. While the lyricism and the themes are undoubtedly important, they are thematic concerns that are liable to change from record to record. Meanwhile, the feelings of authenticity and identity remain clear, even in a young artist struggling to define those ideas for himself.

Apsilon’s music trends towards the whole gamut of human emotions. He finds catharsis in their expression and great frustration when they are hidden behind closed doors and masked by structures of inauthenticity.

“I channel that anger and frustration and share it collectively with the crowd. It is a relief for everyone. It stops those feelings from becoming self-destructive. Without a place to focus them, it becomes extremely isolating.”

“This feeling, it’s not only in music, but in every part of our lives. We are taught that we should only talk if we are talking nicely. But I think, for our generation, we can see that nothing changes when we just talk nicely because we have to present trimmed-down, compromised opinions and feelings to be a part of the discussion. It is really important for finding solutions that we understand that you can speak nicely and display raw emotions, simultaneously. In my music, community and concerts, there’s a lot of anger because there is a lot of love. It doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive. They can and should coexist.”

 

“When we talk about our generation in general, I think that there is always this apocalyptic feeling.”
“You know, it’s been a crazy, crazy year.”
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#GLÜCK: DEBUT ALBUMS, HAPPINESS & GOING GLOBAL WITH CENTRAL CEE AND LUCIANO https://www.numeroberlin.de/2024/11/gluck-debut-albums-happiness-going-global-with-central-cee-and-luciano/ Fri, 22 Nov 2024 11:58:21 +0000 https://www.numeroberlin.de/?p=55747 “Happiness is simple, bro. Family and health, innit?”

Happiness, and the pursuit of it, is something human beings have been trying to master for centuries. Despite the fact that English philosopher John Locke gave birth to the phrase “pursuit of happiness” in the 1600s, we might be further away from understanding what this actually looks like than ever before. The world wide web is a tangled mess of new age ideologies and self-help guides that only serve to clutter our already busy minds, often with ideals that align hustle culture with satisfaction and contentment. The information age has complicated an idea that was once rooted in simplicity, starting a family, being healthy, helping others and forming meaningful relationships with those around us, yet these are all but forgotten tenets of happiness.

Now, followers and view counts have become modern day metrics which have slowly seeped into the psyche, adding another unattainable threshold that must be met in order for us to consider ourselves happy and content. Previously, material wealth was the only currency that we strived for, now, the maintenance and perception of our digital selves has become a measurement that we compare ourselves against, consistently leaving us less satisfied with our own lives.

We’re overexposed to a barrage of unrealistic examples of career progression, body image and lifestyle, thanks to the frontiers opened up by new media. Our lives rarely match what we encounter online, so consequently, we’re always left feeling like we could be happier, we could be more successful, and the feeling of being content gets lost somewhere in this melee.

But what about those select few that have become the blueprint? Supposed pillars of digital and real world perfection, flush with social cache and disposable income to boot. Does happiness look and feel different once you’ve reached the mountain top? Central Cee and Luciano are now walking amongst this 1%; they’ve reached the apex of their careers. Both got there by becoming innovators in Drill music. Central Cee’s lucidity and memorable lyrics have single handedly built bridges between UK and US rap in ways that have never been seen before; and on home soil, Luciano is the driving force in bringing Drill to the mainstream, propelling himself and Deutschrap as a whole to new heights in the process.

After over ten years of hard work and sacrifice, the pair are no strangers to such achievements and accolades, it’s almost become the norm. Central Cee was streamed over a billion times in a year (the first UK rapper to ever reach these numbers), and is now without question one of the most in demand artists globally, partially due to his pioneering collaborative approach, working with artists in countries like Mexico, South Korea and, of course, Germany. Similarly, Luciano has embarked on a one man crusade to take Deutschrap to places beyond language barriers, fearlessly bringing his distinct German drawl to countries all over the world.

They’re living their dreams, and with seemingly boundless ambition between them, there will always be something else. But does this mean they’re happy? Is it even possible to be content when you’re born with the kind of determination that brings you success of this magnitude? Before Central Cee’s world domination is solidified with the imminent release of his debut album, Luciano joins him for a discussion on what makes the first album so important, how to really make an impact on different continents, and what happiness really means.

Seth Pereira: When is the time right to make the transition from mixtape to album?

Luciano: I think it’s a feeling. When you do like a couple of singles and you see you have a fan base. I can play big club shows, big concerts, big festivals, and the fans are asking for it. Then, you need an album

Central Cee: Feeling and timing as well. I’ve done my two mixtapes now, so I’ve got to move on. I think that’s what everybody does. You become an artist to make an album, really. You just got to get to the point where people care enough for you to make an album, because some people don’t have enough fans who even care. They just want to hear singles, but you want to get to a point where you can drop a whole album and people are tapping in.

SP: Is the recording process different at all?

L: Yeah, I think so. It’s really different. Because I think with a mixtape, you just put songs together in one package and put it out. But with an album, you put more emotion and thought into it, you know? Because you want to be successful, and you want to say something.

CC Yeah, that’s what I think it’s supposed to be and that’s what I’ve always thought. When I did my first mixtape, Wild West, I was always thinking that when it gets to album time, I’m going to take it all the way, so much more serious and whatever. Luckily, I’m still kind of in a position where the fans are not bored of me yet. But now that it’s album time, I just ended up repeating the same process. I haven’t actually done anything too different to how I made Wild West. Obviously, the main difference is the fact that I’ve got different stories to tell now. But other than that, I kind of repeated the same process, which kind of makes me confident because
that’s what people liked originally, but it also makes me a bit nervous because I wonder if I should have done things a little bit differently. But, we’ll see.

SP: Luciano, what do you want to hear from Central Cee’s debut album?

L: Bro, please don’t forget Drill, because you came from there. And also a song for the ladies. The ladies’ thing, maybe you can do it a little bit differently. Maybe a Central Cee Reggaeton song. You know, when the song comes in the club and all the ladies shake their hips! The Caribbeans, Columbians, Ecuadorians, you know? Because your flow would be so clean on this Caribbean shit, bro. It’d be nice.

CC: You’re right. I got a few like that still. I got the Drill, I got something not really Reggaeton, but it’s some sort of mad thing like that. I got a few things. I got something for the ladies as well.

SP: Why is the first album so important?

CC: I think no matter what you do, even if your second, third, fourth
album is better, people are always going to revert back to your first album. They’re always going to say the first album is the best one. Ed Sheeran told me that one time. And it’s just been stuck in my head since. And it’s true – I see everyone always just talking about people’s first album and never anything else, really.

“Accept the pressure, accept the overthinking, and be yourself. And don’t forget that you made music for fun in the beginning.”
SP: Luciano, you’ve released seven albums and two mixtapes so far. Do you have any advice for Central Cee as he gets ready to release his debut?

L: Only a couple of little things, because I think Cench is a big artist.
But I can tell him: Accept the pressure, accept the overthinking, and be yourself. And don’t forget that you made music for fun in the beginning, you know? When you go to the studio for the first time and you have this new, fresh feeling, you want to say everything, you want to prove yourself. It’s important that you don’t forget this.

SP: Cench, why do you think you’ve connected so well with European audiences in comparison to some of your contemporaries?

CC: People from the UK definitely have worked with European artists
before me, but I think I just put a bit more love into it. I put in a bit more passion. It’s not just a feature. I really went to these countries, and touched soil, met the rappers, and got an understanding of the culture, wherever it is, whether it’s Italy, Germany, or France. I think that’s the difference.

SP: Your journeys have been characterized by hard work, ambition and constantly reaching new goals. But are you ever satisfied and content?

CC: Yeah, I try to be. The goals never change, though, it’s just the
reach that does. Now, I have an opportunity to do more in America, so it’s not new goals that I’m setting, it’s just more people I need to target, essentially. But, at the same time, I’m ready to be content with whatever it is. I’ll never beat myself up because a new song isn’t a hit or something plateaus because, if anything, I’ve already achieved my goal – all I wanted to do is buy one house. I’ve bought more, so I’m fine. I can easily just relax now and accept what comes. Like they say: Prepare for the worst, but expect the best. That’s how I live still. But it’s a fine balance between being content and not wanting to settle for less. Sometimes, you need to be ambitious, but I don’t know, sometimes, you have to know when to just quit. People say never quit, but I think maybe sometimes you have to quit, you know?

SP: Since you’ve found success, has your definition of happiness changed?

L: I think my happiness is music. When I’m in the studio and I make
a nice hit, then I’m happy. When I go out, release the hit, and see all the love from the fans and all these comments and all this nice stuff – because I still read comments – this is happiness, for me. And also when I see my daddy is proud, my mama’s proud, because all they want to know is that their son is successful.

CC: I think happiness is simple, bro. Family and health, innit? Like, life can be really simple. It should be really simple. Obviously, the way we grew up is hard, but if you’ve got enough money to just live and be stable, it’s all right, man. That’s all that really matters, the small things. The things that money can’t buy are the things that really matter, but obviously, sometimes when you’re busy chasing money, you can’t even appreciate the small things.

SP: Does luck mean anything to you? Do you feel like there’s an element of luck that has played a part in your journeys?

L: Success is not luck, it’s hard work. For me, luck is different
things. You can be lucky in love, or you can be lucky like in the lottery. But when it comes to music, if you’re lucky, you might be a one hit wonder. To be a good artist, you need to be a hustler and be disciplined. Success is more about discipline and talent, not luck or coincidence.

CC: I don’t really like the idea of luck. It’s hard work. There’s no such
thing as luck. I like this quote: “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” It’s being prepared for when a door does open or opportunity does arise. Because there are opportunities for everyone, but not everybody’s ready for it. There might be opportunity right in front of somebody’s face, but they’re scrolling on TikTok so they don’t even see it. I saw it. But that doesn’t mean I’m lucky. It just means I was prepared.

SP: People look to you as the blueprint for making an impact on a global scale. What does this feel like, and what is the next step?

CC: It feels great. Before me, there was a Skepta who opened the doors for me to be able to do what I’m doing. That’s what I’m doing now – opening doors for somebody else to come after me and do something even greater. It can’t stop with me, you know what I’m saying? I can’t just be the biggest and then that’s it.

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