Interview witch Chainreactor
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Hello Jens, nice that we have the opportunity again to conduct an interview with you again. Nearly two years have passed when we talked last time about your debut "X-TINCTION".
How have been the feedbacks for your first release from our point of view?
Jens: Well, the opinions differ in this case. The feedbacks were positive but also negative. But this was basically from the kind of people who have problems with Techno-Industrial anyway. But especially from the international point of view the feedbacks were very positive.
"INSOMNIAC" is the name of your second record. What are your key points of development and differences to the first one?
Jens: "Insomniac" is more complex than "X-tinction" On one hand it´s a very personal and dark album, but one the other hand it´s gonna crash on the dancefloors. Well, I think from the attitude of the sound the album is more advanced.
You work as a solo artist with CHAINREACTOR. Did you ever think of getting some other musicians into the project?
Jens: From the attitude of the music Chainreactor is definitely a solo project and will it ever be. But for the Livegigs I get a stage support in addition.
How do you like to describe your music?
Jens: Hard, dark as hell and impellent - Restless music for restless minds!
Okay, let’s talk about "INSOMNIAC"......What does the title stand for?
Jens: An Insomniac is someone who suffers of Insomnia. In this case myself. I´ve tried to handle with this by doing the album. I wanted to point the feelings and the desperation of this situation. I think someone who has already made expieriences like that could feel what I felt.
You have packed the amazing amount of 16 tracks on the album. Wow!
12 of them have been original songs plus four remixes. How did you get in touch with the artists remixing yoo (INCUBITE, [X]-RX, XOTOX, [ORGANIC CAGE]?
Jens: Musicans know other musicans. You´re gonna exchange some ideas or remixes, that´s a usual process especially in the Electro scene.
How happy do you feel with the selected remixes?
Jens: If I were not satisfied with the remixes, they don´t made it on the album.
How did you feel to hear your songs reshaped and put into other soundscapes and context?
Jens: It´s always interested to hear, how other musicans contrue the own tracks. The first one keeps the stuctures of the original, the second creates a complete new melody or even nearly an new track. But all remixes are interesting in this way.
Did you receive even more remixes?
Jens: Yes, but they are all done by myself. Some tracks took a lot of time until I´m satisfied, others don´t made it on the album altough I´ve completed 4 or even 5 mixes.
What happens to the unused mixes then?
Jens: Probably the most of them are going to be trashed. But maybe two or three of them will be picked up again and gonna make on a compilation or something. Let us see what happen!
Let us select a few songs of "INSOMNIAC" and do some philosophical considerations about them..
Jens: I don´t mind if you do:)
What is your "Der Wahre Alptraum" (The real nightmare)?
Jens: Well, meanwhile it´s shocking reality if you see what´s happening in Japan. Originally the track was a reaction of the political decision to stretch the contract period of the german nuclear power plants. This is temporary retracted because of the disaster in Fukushima. But it hurts to see, that first of all there has to be such a catastrophe, before the politicans gonna use their brain.
"Pressure & Pain" – a very nice gambling with words. The track is very powerful and yet touching. Can you share some backgrounds with us, please?
Jens: So it should be! Pressure until it hurts. But it also means that you should have the readiness to invest before you´ll get the gain. Even a track like "Pressure & Pain" itself is a hard work.
Dystopia is a fictive story of a negative future of mankind. What do you want to express by the song bearing that name?
Jens: "Dystopia" is the opposite of "Utopia", so a place you don´t want to live in. For me it´s a place that just exist in my head an it´s difficult to escape from.
By the way: What comes first – samples or sounds?
Jens: That is totally different. Sometimes I hear a sample and in this second I know that it´s gonna work. Sometimes I have a track nearly done and I search for a adequate sample for weeks. Sometimes I feel that a special sample is working better in another track. So, there is no according to the book!
How about real vocals on your tracks – have you ever cared to think about that?
Jens: Sure, but first of all Chainreactor has to rock the clubs, so vocals are not obligatory. But maybe I will engage a guest singer in the future.
You also started to perform live. What can you tell us about your live appearances?
Jens: It´s a mix of a Dj-Set and a real Liveperformance. Indeed, I took the tracks from the hard disk, but then I´m modifiing or playing with them according to the requirements of the audience.
Soooo, I don’t want to use any more of your precious time now. But maybe you have got some words you want to share with the audience, haven’t you?
Jens: Fight against the lobby of the nuclear industy and think of the suffering people in Japan. The real nightmare is just coming!
Many thanks for your answers and we wish you a lot of success!
Jens: Ciao and Thank You!
Other articles:
How have been the feedbacks for your first release from our point of view?
Jens: Well, the opinions differ in this case. The feedbacks were positive but also negative. But this was basically from the kind of people who have problems with Techno-Industrial anyway. But especially from the international point of view the feedbacks were very positive.
"INSOMNIAC" is the name of your second record. What are your key points of development and differences to the first one?
Jens: "Insomniac" is more complex than "X-tinction" On one hand it´s a very personal and dark album, but one the other hand it´s gonna crash on the dancefloors. Well, I think from the attitude of the sound the album is more advanced.
You work as a solo artist with CHAINREACTOR. Did you ever think of getting some other musicians into the project?
Jens: From the attitude of the music Chainreactor is definitely a solo project and will it ever be. But for the Livegigs I get a stage support in addition.
How do you like to describe your music?
Jens: Hard, dark as hell and impellent - Restless music for restless minds!
Okay, let’s talk about "INSOMNIAC"......What does the title stand for?
Jens: An Insomniac is someone who suffers of Insomnia. In this case myself. I´ve tried to handle with this by doing the album. I wanted to point the feelings and the desperation of this situation. I think someone who has already made expieriences like that could feel what I felt.
You have packed the amazing amount of 16 tracks on the album. Wow!
12 of them have been original songs plus four remixes. How did you get in touch with the artists remixing yoo (INCUBITE, [X]-RX, XOTOX, [ORGANIC CAGE]?
Jens: Musicans know other musicans. You´re gonna exchange some ideas or remixes, that´s a usual process especially in the Electro scene.
How happy do you feel with the selected remixes?
Jens: If I were not satisfied with the remixes, they don´t made it on the album.
How did you feel to hear your songs reshaped and put into other soundscapes and context?
Jens: It´s always interested to hear, how other musicans contrue the own tracks. The first one keeps the stuctures of the original, the second creates a complete new melody or even nearly an new track. But all remixes are interesting in this way.
Did you receive even more remixes?
Jens: Yes, but they are all done by myself. Some tracks took a lot of time until I´m satisfied, others don´t made it on the album altough I´ve completed 4 or even 5 mixes.
What happens to the unused mixes then?
Jens: Probably the most of them are going to be trashed. But maybe two or three of them will be picked up again and gonna make on a compilation or something. Let us see what happen!
Let us select a few songs of "INSOMNIAC" and do some philosophical considerations about them..
Jens: I don´t mind if you do:)
What is your "Der Wahre Alptraum" (The real nightmare)?
Jens: Well, meanwhile it´s shocking reality if you see what´s happening in Japan. Originally the track was a reaction of the political decision to stretch the contract period of the german nuclear power plants. This is temporary retracted because of the disaster in Fukushima. But it hurts to see, that first of all there has to be such a catastrophe, before the politicans gonna use their brain.
"Pressure & Pain" – a very nice gambling with words. The track is very powerful and yet touching. Can you share some backgrounds with us, please?
Jens: So it should be! Pressure until it hurts. But it also means that you should have the readiness to invest before you´ll get the gain. Even a track like "Pressure & Pain" itself is a hard work.
Dystopia is a fictive story of a negative future of mankind. What do you want to express by the song bearing that name?
Jens: "Dystopia" is the opposite of "Utopia", so a place you don´t want to live in. For me it´s a place that just exist in my head an it´s difficult to escape from.
By the way: What comes first – samples or sounds?
Jens: That is totally different. Sometimes I hear a sample and in this second I know that it´s gonna work. Sometimes I have a track nearly done and I search for a adequate sample for weeks. Sometimes I feel that a special sample is working better in another track. So, there is no according to the book!
How about real vocals on your tracks – have you ever cared to think about that?
Jens: Sure, but first of all Chainreactor has to rock the clubs, so vocals are not obligatory. But maybe I will engage a guest singer in the future.
You also started to perform live. What can you tell us about your live appearances?
Jens: It´s a mix of a Dj-Set and a real Liveperformance. Indeed, I took the tracks from the hard disk, but then I´m modifiing or playing with them according to the requirements of the audience.
Soooo, I don’t want to use any more of your precious time now. But maybe you have got some words you want to share with the audience, haven’t you?
Jens: Fight against the lobby of the nuclear industy and think of the suffering people in Japan. The real nightmare is just coming!
Many thanks for your answers and we wish you a lot of success!
Jens: Ciao and Thank You!
Other articles:
- Chainreactor - Insomniac - 2011-07-13 (Music reviews)
