Band der Woche: Emmon

EMMON – das ist die schwedische Musikerin Emma Nylén. Seit 2001 kreiert die Künstlerin feinste Elektro-Klänge, zunächst als Solo-Projekt und seit 2010 gemeinsam mit ihrem Partner und Produzenten Jimmy Monell. Kürzlich sind die ersten beiden Singles „Dark“ und „Devil’s on your back“ der neuen EP erschienen. Beide Songs sind kraftvoll, elektrisierend, hypnotisch und düster gefärbt – perfekt für die dunklen Tanzflächen und Flucht aus dem Alltag. Wir sind gespannt und freuen uns auf die neue Veröffentlichung!

Foto: © Daniel Kwoh

Who is behind EMMON? What made you decide to start the project?
EMMON is my alter ego and scene persona. I started EMMON as my solo project and music experiment when I studied at art college in 2001. Back then I was doing a lot of DJ:ing (still do) and was really into the avant-garde electro clash scene. I was maniacally searching for new music all the time but was never satisfied enough so I started to do my own music to play at the dancefloors. Nowadays I collaborate and create the music together with my partner and producer Jimmy Monell (Mr Monell).

When did music first become part of your life? When did you first fall in love with sound?
I fell in love with music at a really young age and it has as far I can remember always been a huge part of my life. I grew up in a very music-interested family and would often sneak into my older sister’s room and play her vinyl records. Especially the ones with a more electronic vibe. At the age of 14 I started to explore more alternative genres, learned to play the guitar, experimented with different sounds and wrote my own songs.

If you had to describe your music in terms of not music … What would you say?
Dynamic, electric- and metallic-tasting sweat that makes you want to unleash at a dance floor. (But to a person that never heard EMMON’s music I would say it is a dynamic mix of electro, EBM, synth pop and techno.)

What are you looking for in music? What are the boundaries that you look to explore with music?
Unknown places within myself. Powers, feelings and creativity I wasn’t aware I had. When I’m in my creative zone and producing my music I might have an idea of what I would like to do but the most exciting part is to be surprised and discover abilities and unexpected sounds that arise within that zone. It is the same thing to listen to other artists‘ music. I like suggestive music that surprises me and makes me want to know/hear more.

Foto: © Daniel Kwoh

Which person, artist or incident inspired you when you first started making music?
I will never forget when I discovered PJ Harvey in the early nineties. Her direct and uncompromising way of making music and performing completely floored me. You can feel that she creates her music entirely based on herself, on her own premises and for herself. The brutal rawness and nerve is something that strongly inspires me.

Where does your inspiration for music come from?
I listen to a lot of different music and use a very wide palette of different genres and I am not shy to borrow the inspiration I get from others when creating my own music. It’s like a patchwork of several parts taking place that becomes the music of EMMON. I also get a lot of inspiration from movie scenes that have affected me, as I try to recreate different moods or when I write the lyrics.

How important is nature for you? Which role does nature play in your life and your art?
A lot! As I also do a lot of trail running I spend a lot of time in the wide forests when I’m looking for relaxation and time on my own. The different seasons in Sweden also have a great effect on my creations. Especially in the dark of winter that allows me to go into my creative bubble and focus.

What can you tell us about your new song „Dark“? How does the birth of a new composition happen for you? How does your compositional process work?
„Dark“ feels like it just accidentally happened, even though it is a lot of work behind a song. The process with that track is that my producer Jimmy came up with a small piece of beats and base I really liked and started to put synth melodies and vocals on top of it and then we continued the process together by bouncing the song between us until we’ve had a satisfying result. It is a really exciting and fun way of working. The lyrics are about vampirism and/or a person’s obsession with their partner in an unhealthy relationship. A desperation and insanity that might end in destruction or even in evil sudden death… But it also reflects the romanticized violence found in any random vampire movie.

Imagine you can choose a movie and put your music in it as a soundtrack. Which movie would you choose?
Anything made of David Lynch, I’ve been obsessed of his works since Twin Peaks in the early nineties. Or perhaps maybe a really cool science fiction movie like ALIEN.

How does the visual aspect relate to and reflect your music?
For me it is very important in several aspects. It could lift the music to other conceptual dimensions both in how it looks and feels. The visual concept of an artist or a band should communicate and reflect a feeling or vision the receiver can connect and relate to.

How would you describe the world you are trying to create during your performances?
I really love being on stage and the energy in performing and I guess my enthusiasm and passion shines through and perhaps affects the audience. If there’s confidence, great energy and connection you feel safe and are able to be present in the moment. That’s the magical part of live performances that I really enjoy. The best preparation before a show is to listen to a lot of great music, be around good people, have a glass of Prosecco and do a lot of push ups.

What’s next for you? What are you most looking forward to?
I am about to release a brand new EP with 5 new tracks in the end of May. It is a first step on the journey to an upcoming album which I hope will be ready by the beginning of 2025. I am also really looking forward to performing at the WGT (Wave Gotik Treffen) in Leipzig in May. I had the very first EMMON show in Germany at the NCN-Festival last summer, it was a huge success and made a breakthrough for EMMON in Germany so I feel a very warm welcome every time I am in Germany thanks to that.

Foto: © Daniel Kwoh

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