Mirror Of Haze ist das Solo-Projekt von Vadym Markov, das er 2020 ins Leben gerufen hat. Nach einigen Singles hat der in Oslo lebende Künstler im letzten Jahr sein Debüt-Album The end is the beginning veröffentlicht. Der dunkle, tanzbare, gitarrengetriebene Sound taucht tief in die 80er Jahre ein und hinterlässt eine angenehm melancholische Stimmung. Neues Material ist bereits in Planung!
Who is behind Mirror Of Haze?
Mirror Of Haze is a solo project at the moment. There are both positive and negative aspects of doing everything from song arrangement to mixing, but I just got used to working that way. That being said, I’m very open for collaboration with other artists.
How did the project come into being? What made you decide to start Mirror Of Haze?
It all started back in January 2020 when I decided to step out of my comfort zone and enter the world of alternate guitar tunings. When I recorded my first drafts, they didn’t sound like my previous work, so I though it could be a good starting point for a new project. I love composing music, and starting something from scratch is like a breath of fresh air for me.
How did your band name come about, and what does it mean to you?
I was walking down the streets of Oslo one cloudy day and this name just appeared in my head. It was so misty I could barely see anything in front of me, and it matched my thoughts that this world became just a hazy shadow of itself. What we see around us is usually a reflection of our inner state, it’s like constantly looking into a mirror.
If you had to describe your music in terms of not music…what would you say?
It’s very subjective, but when I listen to “The end is the beginning” my imagination is carrying me to some sort of post-apocalyptic city. There are empty streets, abandoned buildings and no sign of any human presence around. It feels like the day is breaking and the sun is about to rise on the dark blue sky, but it never does.
What are your first musical memories?
I remember my father was into classic rock bands such as Beatles, AC/DC and Deep Purple. But most of the time I listened to whatever was being played on the radio in the 90s. My music taste started to broaden with the help of the internet when I was a teenager. When I was in high school, I listened to a lot of metal, grunge, punk, you name it. I remember how emo entered mainstream culture in the early 2000s, rise and fall of new rave and the post-punk revival movement that made me look a few decades back to the origins of the genre.
What are you looking for in music?
I think the sound is the key. Things like melody, harmony and lyrics are of course important, but they can easily become secondary if the song has its own unique vibe and atmosphere. In terms of the mood, I’ve always been into dark and hypnotic grooves, no matter what genre it is. I don’t know why, that’s just the way it is.
Which person, artist or incident inspired you when you first started making music?
When I was young I wanted to look like Ville Valo from HIM and sound like Kurt Cobain, haha. But the main reason I started making music is because I was bored to death while practicing and didn’t enjoy playing someone else’s songs.
What impact has your surrounding on your music? Which sort of mood produces the best song?
Surprisingly enough, the most melancholic songs are usually written when I’m fine and there is no drama in my life. I need this calmness and peace of mind to turn on my imagination and really focus on something I’m doing. I can’t be productive when I’m distracted by some inner anxiety and other troubles. But creativity is something we don’t control, and new ideas can appear out of nowhere in the most unusual places.
What is the most surprising record on your CD /Vinyl-shelf?
“Whenever you need somebody” (LP 1987) by Rick Astley. Bought it on sale only because I had heard “Never gonna give you up” before and thought it was catchy. Everything else on my vinyl shelf is carefully selected :-)
No alcohol is no solution either. What booze combination will definitely dissolve all your troubles and issues?
I don’t really drink that often, alcohol is expensive here in Norway, haha. But I’d say I am a beer person. There are also many varieties of red wine that I love. I’m usually looking for the taste, so super strong booze is not my ideal beverage.
Which instrument will surely NEVER be heard on a Mirror Of Haze track?
I’m not a big fan of brass and woodwind instruments. Saxophone is the only exception, but I wouldn’t use it either. However, never say never. What I can say for sure is that there will always be guitars, otherwise it’s not Mirror of Haze anymore.
Last year your debut album „The end is the beginning“ came out. How did your compositional process work?
“Listen to the trees” started as a bass riff, but every other song on the record was arranged around the guitar tunes I came up with while messing with different open tunings. It was really refreshing to create new unusual chord voicings and resonant sounds, almost like playing a new instrument. Didn’t do anything special for the bass guitar, it was mostly about finding the right sound. Also, there were many synth tracks at first, but I removed most of them to create more space in the mix. When the instrumentals were more or less completed I spent about a month writing lyrics and recording vocals. It was important to find a common theme that would connect the songs lyrically, so I hope I managed to do that.
What are your plans for the near future? What are your hopes, dreams and what do you wish for?
I hope the pandemic will be over soon, the cultural and creative sector will be reopened and we’ll be able to attend concerts and festivals again. I’ve been working on new Mirror Of Haze songs for the past few months. It’s been on and off, so I hope I will find the time and inspiration to finish them and release a new album either this or next year.
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