Maddog Magazine - Interview / Live Review
October 2008.

After a thorough soundcheck Kontakte took to the stage of the St Nicholas Centre for maddog magazine’s launch party and performed an astonishingly intense set in the evocative former church.
Accompanied by a big screen projection of chaotic imagery behind them and a small, old-fashioned black and white TV at the front of the stage sporting the band’s name over a static infested screen, the three guitarists seemed caught up in a maelstrom of sound from the outset. This was produced partly by themselves and partly by a prepared backing track of glitchy beats and crisp electronics against which they jammed, occasionally playing their guitars against the PA to produce feedback and breakdown the boundary between the live and the pre-recorded elements. Afterwards I caught up with Ian, Ben and Paul in the Sanctuary’s kitchen for a rather surreal and slightly drunken, philosophical discussion about electronic music.
Kontakte are named after a famous piece of music by the German maverick classical musician and electronica pioneer Stockhausen, which heavily influenced the band’s founder and bassist Ian Griffins when he saw it performed in London. He tells me that he started the band as a bedroom project two years ago in response to that.
“I was always intending it to be a band, but in the beginning it wasn’t. A couple of demos went up on myspace and I started to get some good feedback, so I decided to turn it into a live thing. Then it was just a case of finding the right musicians, which is not an easy thing playing the kind of music we do.”

And what music it is! Just as the adrenaline junkies tell us life is most fully lived snatched from the jaws of death; just so a melody is all the sweeter when it is plucked from chaos. Whilst electronica artists such as Aphex Twin explore this theory by contrasting their melodies with atonal beats, Kontakte embed theirs within layers of static and feedback, forming an incredible, textured cacophony. They have taken something most bands try and eliminate and given it a place within the music. But as Ian is quick to point out, the feedback is always held in check:
“It is quite controlled, the feedback that these two guys produce. I don’t do it myself with the bass because it sounds like an annoying train coming through the roof. It is essentially another layer of the fabric.” “Another layer of the onion”, Paul chimes in with a more earthy analogy.
In spite of all their abstraction and atonal qualities, the band consider themselves to be following an instrumental tradition that stretches back to classical music. Ben tells me:
“One of my favourite bands at the moment is Mono, a Japanese band, and I remember reading in interviews they’ve done that they liken themselves to Classical Music, in the way that they’re trying to make you feel something and it’s deeper than just a nice tune. I don’t think we’re quite at their level but like them we’re aiming to make people feel something when they leave the room.”
Kontakte’s sound is about building emotional intensity and, like post-rock pioneers Mogwai, who are a clear influence, they do this not through lyrics but through textured, layers of sound. Like Stockhausen they are concerned with taking something fundamentally technological – electronica – and adding a human dimension to it. This is perhaps most evident in the utterly astonishing Sterile World with which their set climaxed, a profoundly moving piece that references Hiroshima by opening with an audio sample of a pilot’s account of the dropping of the atom bomb on the Japanese city, and proceeds to build through a cacophony of whining guitars against a backdrop of static screams. Paul conscientiously tells me:
“we’re trying to convey through sound probably the greatest atrocity that’s happened in the last 150 years. What we can do with guitars is about one million-millionth of what actually happened to those people.”
Musically Kontakte are utterly and admirably uncompromising. Whilst most bands, especially those just starting out, would be mortified to find their audience filtering away through the course of the set, Kontakte crank up the static with each exit, dividing the audience cleanly between those who hate them and those who absolutely adore them. Heavily influenced by electronica legends Apex Twin and Autechre, Paul is probably the most radical exponent of the band’s sound:
“when you listen to Autechre, to the layman it’s just noise, but if you sit there and listen to it very deeply you can hear the melody in their somewhere, but you have to work to get at it. And our music is all about that, in particular the feedback. People have to partake in the music.”
You have to work for your pleasure and the Kontakte guys are very sceptical of music that is instantly likable, preferring tracks that creep on you.
“That’s your favourite records,” says Ian. “Where every time you listen to it you hear something new.” 

Kontakte remind me of directors such as Gaspard Noe or Michael Haneke, who make disturbing yet philosophically deep films, and thrive on stories of critics walking out of Cannes screenings and spectators fainting in the aisles. Indeed, Kontakte are one of the few bands that truly deserve the moniker ‘cinematic’, and their music is certainly rich with imagery. When I ask them if they are influenced by any particular filmmakers Ian understandably answers David Lynch, whose masterpiece Eraserhead is reviewed in this issue, but more surprising is Paul’s choice of the downbeat American Indie maverick Gus Van Sant, whose recent film on Kurt Cobain, Last Days, rewrote the rules of the band biopic. Kontakte are keen to work on film scores and have even entitled their debut album Soundtracks to Lost Road Movies for that reason.
“We’ve written a bunch of soundtracks, now we’re looking for the films.” Ian tells me. “We’d be just as happy for a director to approach us than a record label boss, maybe even happier.”

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />.. ..

The new album is reviewed in this issue and you can listen to Kontakte at www.myspace.com/kontakteuk  

Kontakte:
Exclusive Interview to Christos Doukakis for Freeze Magazine (Greece).
Summer 2008.

After receiving the ‘Demo Recordings 2008’ (Vol 61), we are trying to learn more about this band through an enlightened 5+1 Interview.

Please Introduce the Band to the Readers of Freeze Magazine (History, What the name Kontakte means?)

Kontakte are Ian, Ben and Paul. Our paths crossed because of our shared passions (and influences) for powerful music. We love such music and have the same ambition to make sounds and compositions we feel that are passionate, extreme and brave.
We took inspiration for naming our band from the great electronic music pioneer Karlheinz Stockhausen. He was the starting point for this project and his work strongly influences Kontakte‘s direction.

What differentiates Kontakte from the rest of post rock genre?

Post Rock has existed for a long time. We attempt to have a different, more post modern approach. That means we try to analyse our music to an extent and turn to other directions if neccessary. We don't  actually consider our music as «post rock». We simply make music that stimulates and drives us – to label music is boring and / or detrimental. The electronic elements embedded in our sound detach us from other modern trends.

Three records, movies and books that have influenced Kontakte's sound.

Records :
Autechre- ‘Anything’,
Mogwai- ‘Young Team’,
Fripp & Eno- ‘No Pussyfooting’

Movies :
The Big Lebowski,
Donnie Darko,
Fire Walk With Me

Books :
Le Grand Mealnes by Alain Fournier,
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell,
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Any Future Plans (releases, gigs etc)?

2008 was until now a busy and successful year (we are still in the middle!). After constant touring throughout February, March and April, summer will find us in our studio to record new material. We are planning to continue touring UK in order to promote our next releases. In September Mind Exodus Records will release a split 7’’ single featuring Kontakte (Motorik) and The Lightshines (Space Between Souls).
Our debut album titled ‘Soundtracks to Lost Road Movies’ ’will be out in October / November through Drifting Falling Records and will include 6 of our tracks plus 6 remixes. For the next year we are planning a tour in Europe (France, Germany, Italy and of course Greece!!). Kontakte transform to a different entity in live performances. We are very pleased with our studio recordings but what really excites us is playing our music on it’s pure form.

Which are your favourite bands at the moment. Can you suggest some local and not so famous ones?

You can always find good music around if you have time to listen. There are many great bands out there, so in order to answer your question here is a short list:
- These Monsters
- This Will Destroy You
- Autumn Chorus
- Ben Frost
- Elapse - O
- School of Seven Bells
- Nathan Fake
- Vessels

(Last question belongs to Kontakte)……..

Not so sure what we would ask ourselves, 'perhaps why we do this?'

Not for stardom and money, that's for sure. We make music because we need to. We hope our compositions make contact in some way with our audience. We're inspired to write and play music from other artists, before us. If our music can affect at least one listener then we feel our goal has been acheived.
Art makes Art.

Setting Sun. 'In Conversation with Kontakte’ by Andy Nicholson.
January 2008

A little background :

Kontakte are a three piece group from London, UK. Who on their myspace are described as drawing ‘from all sides of the sonic spectrum fusing together deep passions for Post - Drone - Space and Krautrock.’
The band also say their distorted beats, transience and star-scraping melodies informs them on their quest to create music of depth, space and intensity before concluding by saying their’s is a unit off ‘three minds pulling together to create challenging music and sounds that leave an indelible, lasting impression on the listener.‘
I first spoke to the band by chance after stumbling onto their myspace through my friends ‘Laymar’who do a path not too dis-similar in glimpses!

Setting Sun:  How are things and what’s happening at the moment?

Kontakte : We started recording new material late last year so Jan sees us finishing these off and rehearsing frantically for a run of shows we have booked right up to April. The plan is to spread our wings a little more this year and play more out of London - which we'd never managed to achieve before.
We want to play to some new crowds and introduce them to our sounds - having new tracks to play is also gonna be a buzz. 

Setting Sun: Can you tell us a little bit about the history of ‘Kontakte’ or as I like to say – Who fired the starting pistol?

Kontakte: Kontakte was started as a recording project by Ian in 2005. The initial ideology remains to create passionate sounds and music of space and texture. Soundscapes - but with a coherent thread running through.
First putting some demo's onto myspace he realised there was some genuine interest in what he was doing. Getting positive feedback from like-minded musicians and promoters he pushed it one step further and collected together a live line-up. This has evolved over time and the now current line-up (Ian, Ben, Paul) is definitely the winning formula. Not only for the sound we're making but for the unit it has created. Its a balanced unit, with all three minds pushing in the same direction and being able to input equally. Were having fun and enjoying what we're creating together.

Setting Sun: What are your influences music-wise and what are
your other influences?

Kontakte:Without wanting to endlessly list the bands we listen to – what influences us music-wise are heavily effect laden guitars, hypnotic bass lines, driving beats and electronics that have a life of their own. Our concept for making music is to melt these elements together, then add more of the same.
Other than music, life itself throws up enough inspiration and influence to keep us focused and motivated.

Setting Sun:I know you play gigs, how do these compare to your
recordings – is their one you prefer to the other?

Kontakte:It would be wrong to suggest we prefer one over the other, they really are very different things. Its easy to get caught in an ideal that live you want to create what you do in a studio, and in the studio you want to recreate the power and intensity of your live show – but its not that simple.
Live music is something that only exists momentarily - once the song has ended its in the past, its a performance in the best sense of the word, in front of an audience, and the way you play can differ from one show to the next according to so many different factors.
In the studio you have time and the technology to go back and rewind the performance to either play it better, add more layers, take things out, etc. The perfect balance is to see them as two different things but be able to excell and create both to the best of your means.

Setting Sun:I have being enjoying all of your tunes on your myspace, but the one I have being enjoying the most is ‘Ghosts of Electricity’ partly because I love the title …. Can you tell us a little bit more about this song?

Kontakte: This track has been a major driving force for this line-up.
Its about all the ways in which electricty manifests itself - subtlety, serenity, power and intensity.
Electricity is an invisible force that surrounds us constantly. We are dependant on this surreal energy 24 hrs a day. Although its a hidden, un-seeable energy it has a distinctively sinister side - who hasn't had an electric shock ?!
What seems so safe one minute can surprise you and attempt to kill you the next. The title itself is taken from a documentary on late night TV. But what it evokes is that electricity has a life of its own.
I (Ian) used to have a tiny old transistor guitar amp that used to pick up LW radio stations, it often seemed that people were living in the wires and cables; though the reception was so bad you couldn't decifer a word that was said - it was as if Ghosts were in the airwaves.
Have you ever stood in an open field underneath electricity pylons ? You can clearly hear the Ghosts flying around above you.

Setting Sun: What’s the inspiration behind your name ‘Kontakte’out of interest too?

Kontakte: Kontakte was 'the' original piece of electronic music. Created by Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007) in 1960. He has been an inspiration ever since to anyone who used electronic sounds and electronic manipulation. Having seen him perform this work in London in 2005 there wasn't a need to look elsewhere for a moniker for this project.
 
Setting Sun: What’s next for you all? Do you have any more concerts planned etc?

Kontakte: We aim to be gigging harder than ever this year. More gigs coming through all the time - check www.myspace.com/kontakteuk for updates.

Setting Sun: I seem to recall you from London, what’s the music scene like there nowadays? Have you being to any good gigs recently etc?

Kontakte: Between the three of us our favourite recent shows we attended were :

MONO at The Scala.
SPIRITUALIZED at the Union Chapel.
GRAVENHURST at The Luminaire.

The music 'scene' in London is as vast as ever. It is a mecca for every and any genre. But scenes within in themselves are always fairly cliquey places to be, seeing the same faces and playing to the same people. Kontakte create music that isn't genre-definable, it fits well in certain circles but we have many strings to our bow, hence the need to spread our wings further than the capital.

Setting Sun: Couple of quick, fun questions to finish off with, what would you like to be doing when you are 60?

Kontakte: As little as possible, aslong as that involves having seen the world and having played some good shows and having a catalogue of recordings we're happy with. Lying on a beach somewhere with an implant chip in our brains playing the 'Greatest Hits of Kontakte' is a nice enough image.
Maybe a few gigs in space...... ?

Setting Sun: Lastly, what will you be doing when you are 60?

Kontakte: The way this country is going difficult to tell - but maybe playing that gig in space ? 

Ian. Ben. Paul.
Kontakte. 2008.