DENNI IAN
Aarhus, Denmark
TWO FIGURES
REVIEW
Two Figures by Denni Ian gets off to a wicked start. The fas tempo of the guitar strums reflects in a unique way against the slow and steady drums, something that I haven't heard often. The vocals are Bass-baritone giving off a similar feel to the vocal tone of George Ezra. One thing that I could say about this track is that if the vocals were slightly more lifted in the piece it would be easier to grasp. The female vocals offer a similar tone to Dido which gives off a really haunting yet effective addition to the song. Hit the button below to get familiar with Denni Ian and then come back for our exclusive TJPL NEWS Interview Special with the man himself! Peace.
INTERVIEW
What would be your ultimate achievement for your latest single?
Well, successfully realizing any creative idea or piece of art is likely to be the ultimate
achievement in itself. I just want people to take from my music whatever they need. The only achievement that matters to me is one of resonance. If someone feels connected or understood in what I do, how could I want to achieve more than that?
Is there a particular vision that you had when putting the song together?
The animation I made for the "Two Figures" music video features an intriguing kind of abstract vibration, constantly on the edge of either exploding or imploding. It's like a tease of in-between states that never settles on an outcome. I think it leaves behind a mesmerising element, and I wanted to translate that kind of steady vibration into a song that never really reaches for any highs or lows. The almost drone-like guitar figure and see-sawing drum pattern in the song come from this idea of composing. When it comes to the lyrics, well, I think people should just listen to the song.
If you could define music in one short sentence (no cheating) what would you say?
Surely, music is sound, organised into a performance. There's not more to it than that. All the rest surrounding music is a matter of aesthetics.
When did you first realise that you had the potential to be an artist? Is there a memory that
has stuck in your mind as the turning point for you?
I could think a bunch of personal turning points growing up, but I don't care much for indulging myself too much in the term "artist". Being an artist is a way of thinking and a way of perceiving the world with sensibility, more than something you can wear as a badge in hunger for the association with the word, I think. We all have to find a way of dealing with what life puts us through. I do what I do out of existential dread and interest. In all honesty, it's the closest thing I have to an anchor in my life.
How would you define your sound?
I wouldn’t. I leave that open for the people who should care.
Cubase, Protools, or neither?
I think that question is more suited for someone else. I couldn't tell you the difference even if a had a gun to my head. I have a very acoustic and analogue approach to aesthetics when it comes to songwriting. I don't work in DAWs myself. My demos are recorded, if recorded at all, before studio sessions, on a dictaphone. But mostly, I just write inconsistent abstracts of my songs and concepts down on paper. Sometimes my way through a song seams obscure to me, it’s like a struggle on autopilot. So, I leave the technical aspects to my collaborators.
This might be a tricky one but Studio vs Live - Which do you prefer and why?
The versus is quite irrelevant, I think. I haven't played live for about two years now. I miss the
connection of the live setting a lot, though sometimes I doubt I'll ever get up on a stage again. The studio can be a rather tense and pushing environment, but no one judges you there. It's important to me that the studio is a space of respect; I think I can push the people in my ensemble closer to a limit if they feel safe and valued. It makes for a better performance that way. I have a lot of experience with studio sessions, where it was all about acting up to something in front of strangers. I don't need that superficial bullshit. I perform way better myself without it being an ego contest.
How do you collaborate with vocalists and other artists?
In the different band constellations I used to play in, we would rehearse the songs to the point of nausea before recording them. It was tedious, nothing unexpected ever happened. Leading a small ensemble of collaborators as I do now, I get to approach music in a more limitless and artful way, as I've always wanted to. I write all my material myself and play most of the instruments too, but I always invite a group of people into the studio to push my songs in unexpected directions. Inviting a huge amount of intuition into the session is a keen part of the process when I record.
If you had the opportunity to work with one of your favourite musical artists, who would
you most like to collaborate with and why?
To be honest, I haven't thought much about working with my artistic influences. Most of my
heroes are dead anyways, I already work with people who are more important to me than my
favourite songwriters could ever be. Would it be a dream to be in a studio with someone like
Scott Walker or Phil Elverum of The Microphones and Mount Eerie? Properly, but I'm keener on working with people who are close to my heart or different lesser-known artists. However, there is a danish art-rock band named Kellermensch, they aren't very famous internationally, but discovering them as a teen was a turning point for me. Doing something
collaborative with them would be an artistic milestone.
What are your future plans? What can we look forward to for the rest of 2022?
These days I work on the production of a debut album with a side project, which is currently due in autumn. It's a minimalistic punk project I started last year with two of my closest friends. Can't say much about it yet, but I also have a new record done, so more new music is definitely on the way in 2022. I've also written a bunch of new material, so I'm going back to the studio again this summer to record for what’s likely to become my third studio album.
Last year I also debuted as a writer with the poetry collection "Saltsuiten", and an English
translation is currently in development. I don't know if it will be out this year, but I guess we'll
see.