A quick chat with Federsen about his new album, ‘For Future Times and Beings’

Federsen has long been one of my favourite producers in dub techno, I’m still blown away by his tracks Fragile Systems and Delta (probably my fav Federsen track) to name a few. 2 superb examples of how you should incorporate all the elements that make dub techno what it is. If I had to create a ‘want list’ of what I look out for in dubby tracks, most of the time, Federsens tracks would tick every box.

When I saw the previews of his latest album offerings on the pure quality label that is ZeECc I was very excited. Thoughts of floating pads, deep, hypnotic chords and mesmerizing ambient fields recordings quickly filled my mind as I thought back to all the previous releases from federsen that I absoloutely LOVED.

I was not disappointed with what I heard and quickly sent Federesen a message telling him how excited I was about the forthcoming album, while I was at it, I asked him a quick few question about the release. So sit back, listen to the album preview below and have a read to get a deeper insight into this fantastic album.

1 – How long have you been working on this project, was there an inspiration from somewhere?

The ZeECc album is a collection of tracks I produced over the course of this year. I’m inspired from so many directions for writing music so there is not one specific source I could say was a key inspiration.

There are a couple of tracks on the album where I tried to push my own creative boundaries away from the more traditional 4×4 sounds of the dub techno world. At that time I was listening to a lot of music with more of a syncopated, loose and humanized feel to the rhythm. Thats something I’m really trying to push at the moment.

What I hear around me constantly inspires me. Field recordings and fragments of found sounds often weaves its way into my music. Airport lounges, sidewalks, people talking, anything goes really.

Most of my tracks have some subtle field ambience. I think it imparts harmonics that really help give the track depth and texture.

2 – For me personally your tracks always take me into space with deep and uplifting melodies, it’s my favourite type of dub techno. What message/vibe/mood are you trying to convey in this album or specific individual tracks, I see a few references to the future, space and perhaps aliens?

I always aim to create a space that has emotional resonance and charge. My music generally slowly unfolds like a narrative. I like the idea of elasticity, pulling and pushing the elements of the tracks, trying to keep the listeners attention over the course of the track. Creating a story and sonic tapestry is important to me rather than just the same 4 bars over and over gain.

As far references to space there is a great book book by Carl Sagan called ‘Murmers of Earth’ about the Voyager probes. I loved the idea these were sent with Golden phonograph records that contain sounds and and images of earth from 1977. Like a cosmic time capsule intended for some future civilisation that may come across them. Carl Sagan said that the records were ‘For Future Times and Beings, hence the album name.

3 – What are you specifically pleased about in this album?

The track E.V.P is the one track on the album that is a reflection of where I’m trying to push my music. It’s extremely difficult to break out of an expected way of working, I think it’s important you challenge your own creative boundaries of where you want to go in your music writing. EVP is trying to escape from the common time 4 beats to the bar and experiment more with fragmented syncopated rhythms and percussion.

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4 – What else can we expect from yourself in the near future? Any other albums/releases planned?

A new album with Confineless in a couple of months – http://soundcloud.com/confineless-recordings

Album and 12″ coming out with Silent Season hopefully in Spring 2013 – http://soundcloud.com/silent-season

A 12″ with a great Swiss label ”waehlscheibe’.

Releasing a heavier Federsen EP with these guys – http://soundcloud.com/waehlscheibe

And several remix projects ongoing so lots happening!

5 – Gear – what are you using?

Analogue synths, vintage tape delays, hardware compressors, field recordings, found sounds, strange musical objects, obscure samples and various software. I recently create some interesting drum hits from sampling an African Gourd thumb piano.

I am obsessed with running elements into old tape delays and spring reverbs. The arbitrary nature of the what comes out of those machines is an integral part of my sound. Some of my tape delays are older than me so I kind of have this strange respect for them.

6 – What other music, artist, labels are you liking at the moment?

I’m really into Demdike Stare, T++, Kowton, Djorvin Clain and STL. The whole syncopated percussion with heavy bass is really inspiring to me right now.

Kanding Ray is doing some really innovative sound design work.

And anything by Punch Drunk Love label, Peverelist and Appleblims Apple Pips label is always outstanding.

Also with more of a deep dubby house sound anything by Thomas Rubeck. He is a master of creating space and width in his tracks.