Sofia Vondell – Interview

Today we feature an interview with Sofia Vondell. She is a multi-instrumentalist I came across while scouring new music on Soundcloud. Under the guise of Pianist Le Tresor, it caught my attention, making me stop in my tracks to this gentle touch of music.

So, I did whatever a good ionate person would do. I looked more into Le Tresor, spoke to a DJ about this musician and later, managed to the musician. That musician is Sofia Vondell. By this time more of her creations erupted in many guises in the form of electronic rock and an ambience that allows melody to flow.

We chatted via email learning much more about the music Sofia’s flow of ion breeds. She’s one talented person, and therefore The Moshville Times said go ahead, ask Sofia some questions. So I did…

Simple​ ​things​ ​first​ ​–​ ​Tell​ ​us​ ​a​ ​little​ ​about​ ​yourself, ​such​ ​as​ ​where​ ​you’re ​from, ​travelled​ ​to and​ ​how​ ​you​ ​got​ ​into​ ​making​ ​music? 

I’m​ ​a​ ​creative​ ​person​ ​that ​​has​ ​always​ ​created​ ​music​ as​​ early​​ ​as​ ​a​ ​small toddler​ ​bashing the​ keys​ ​on​ ​the​ ​upright​ ​piano. ​My​ ​Polish​ ​side​ ​of​ ​the​ ​family​ ​were​ ​artists​ ​and​ ​musicians. I​ ​am​ ​very much​ ​influenced ​by​​ them.​​ A​ ​drifter​ never​ claims​ one​ home. ​​I ​have​ ​been​ ​traveling my​ ​whole life.​ Most​ ​of​ ​the​ ​US,​ ​some​ ​of​ ​Canada,​ ​and​ ​Europe.

You​ ​have​ ​a​ few​ incarnations​ such​ as​ ​Cross​ Tabou,​ ​Le​ ​Tresor… What​ ​made​ ​you​ ​create​ these​ names​ ​and​ ​where​ ​did​ ​they​ ​come​ ​from? 

Cross​ ​Tabou​ ​is​ ​a​ ​collaboration​ ​with ​Horizontal​ Halfspear​ and​ ​I enjoy​ ​collaborations​ as ideas​ ​build​ ​on​ ​each​other. ​​Le​ ​Tresor​ ​is​ ​just​ ​piano​ ​instrumentals ​I​ ​decided​ to​ ​release. ​The​ names​ ​for​ these​ projects​ ​​just​ ​came​ ​to​ ​be. ​​I have​ more​ projects​​ ​to​ ​come.

What/who​ ​are​ ​your​ ​influences?

Musically:​ ​The​ ​Cramps,​ Johnny​ ​Jewel,​ Chromatics,​​ Charlie​ ​Mergeria,​ ​James​ ​Chance,​ ESG,​ Blondie,​ ​Haunted​ ​Bats,​ ​Crime, ​Flipper,​ Psychic​ Ills,​ Lilliput,​ The ​Fat ​White Family,​ ​Angry​ Angles,​ ​Indian​ ​Jewelry,​ ​Bass​ ​Drum​ ​of ​ Death,​ Beach​ House, Velvet​ Underground,​ Link​ Wray,​ ​My​ ​Bloody​ ​Valentine,​ ​Johnny​ Cash,​ David​ ​Lynch,​ ​​Black Tambourine,​ ​Otis​ ​Redding, W.I.T.,​ ​T.V.​ ​Baby,​ ​New​ ​Order,​ ​Joy​ ​Division,​ ​Suicide,​ ​The​ ​Long​ ​Wives,​ ​The​ ​Gun​ ​Club,​ ​The Ramones,The​ Shangri​ Las,​ The​​ Raveonettes,​ SOKO,​ Au ​Revoir ​Simone,​ ​Fazer Daze,​ Hjordis​ ​Britt​ ​Astrom,​ ​Horizontal​ ​Halfspear… ​just​ ​to​ ​name​ ​a​ ​few.

Directors: Hitchcock,​ ​David​ ​Lynch,​ ​and​ ​Sofia​ Coppola,​ ​​just​ ​to​ ​name​ ​a ​​few.

Artist​ ​and​ ​Collectives: ​Faile,​ ​DK​ ​Electric​ ​Kettle,​ ​Bast,​ ​Swoon,​ ​just​ ​to​ ​name​ ​a​ ​few.

Describe​ ​your​ ​music.​ ​What​ ​makes​ ​you​ ​unique?

Cinematic. ​I​ ​create​ ​with​ ​my​ ​own​ ​vision​ ​in​ ​mind.

Do​ ​you​ ​have​ ​any​ ​particular​ ​lyrical​ ​themes?

I​ ​envision​ ​a​ ​story​ ​base​ ​idea​ ​for​ ​each​ ​song.

You’re​ ​a​ ​self-proclaimed​ ​vagabond. ​​Where, ​if​ ​you​ ​had​ ​the​ ​choice, ​​would​ ​you​ ​end​ ​up​ ​next?

Japan,​ ​maybe.

If​ ​you​ ​could​ ​describe​ ​your​ ​music​ ​in​ ​the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​a​ ​fictional​ ​character,​ ​who​ ​would​ ​it​ ​be?

Laura​ ​Palmer of Twin Peaks.

You’ve​ ​worked​ ​with​ ​Dubliners​ ​Analogue​ ​Wave. ​How​ ​did​ ​that​ ​come ​about​​ and​ what​ did​ they​ add​ ​to​ ​your​ ​music?​ ​They​ ​produced​ Heart’s Desire​​ ​which​ ​is​ ​a​ ​superb​ ​EP.

We​ ​were​ ​fans​ ​of​ ​each​ ​other. ​I​ ​am​ ​very​ ​blessed​ ​to​ ​work with​ them, ​they​ are​ very​ talented. ​I​ am​ ​presently​ ​working​ ​on​ ​a​ ​song​ ​for​ ​their​ ​​ ​new​ ​EP.

What’s​ ​the​ ​wildest​ ​thing​ ​you’ve​ ​seen​ ​or​ ​done​ ​at​ ​a​ ​live​ ​show? 

My​ ​personal​ ​live​ ​shows​ ​have​ ​not​ ​been​ ​too​ ​wild ​as​ the​ esthetic​ ​is​​ that​ more​ of ​an art installation​ ​than​ ​a​ ​typical​ ​band. ​I​ ​cannot​ ​think ​of​​ anything​ too​ wild ​that​ I’ve seen​​ at​ ​a ​live show​ ​as​ ​it​ ​seems​ ​most​ ​everything​ ​seems​ ​to​ have​ been​ repeated​ and ​done before. ​I can​​ tell ​you​ ​my favourite​ ​band​ ​to​ ​see​ ​live​ ​is​ ​T.V.​ ​Baby

What​ ​kit​ ​do​ ​you​ ​use​ ​etc.?

As​ ​far​ as​ ​the​ ​Sofia Vondell​ solo​ project​ ​I​ ​sing.​ ​While​ ​I​ ​write​ ​all​ ​my​ music​​ ​I ​​have ​​backing musicians.​ ​For​ a ​recent​ ​show​ ​I​ ​have ​had Mark​ Kirby​ on​ ​haunting​ electric​ ​drums, Gallant on​ ​elegant​ ​six​ ​string​ ​bass and ​​Andrew​ ​Windle​ ​playing​ ​reverbed​-out​ ​fifties​ ​style​ ​guitar. ​​I​ ​may ​vary musicians​ for​ ​each​ ​show. ​​Cross​ Tabou​ has​ ​been​​ more​ of​ ​a recording​​ ​project​ thus​ far. ​We would​ ​probably​ use​ ​a​ ​computer, ​​live​ ​bass, possibly​ ​a ​midi, ​​​and​ ​of​ ​course​ ​vocals. I use​ various​ ​instruments​ and​ software​ ​for​ ​recording.

What​ ​are​ ​your​ ​plans​ ​for​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​2017?

Work​ ​on​ ​more​ ​art​ ​and​ music. I​ ​mentioned​ working with​ ​Analogue Wave​ ​again. Cross​ Tabou​ is​ ​planning​ ​on​ ​doing​ ​a​ ​new​ ​EP.​ ​I​ ​would​ ​like​ ​to​ ​write​ ​some​ ​new​ ​solo​ ​stuff. ​​More​ ​live​ ​shows.

If​ ​you​ ​were​ ​second​ ​on​ ​a​ ​three-band​ ​bill, ​​who​ ​would​ ​you​ ​love​ ​to​ ​be​ ​ing​ ​and​ ​which band/musician​ ​would​ ​you​ ​choose​ to​ open​ ​for​ you?​​ A​ ​chance ​​to plug​ ​someone​ you’ve​​ toured​ with,​ ​or​ ​a​ ​mate’s band​ ​we’ve​ ​not​ ​heard​ ​of​ ​before.

​​I​ ​think​ ​Horizontal​ ​Halfspear​ ​and/or​ ​Analogue​ ​Wave​ ​and​ ​I​ ​should​ someday​ to​ a​ show​ together. ​It​ ​would​ ​be​ ​a​ ​dream​ ​for​ ​me​ ​to​ ​play​ a​ show​ ​with ​The​ Chromatics​ or​ T.V.​Baby.​​ I​ plan​ to​ ​do​ ​a​ ​show​ ​some​ ​day​ ​with​ ​my​ ​bandmate’s​ ​band​ ​Naked​ ​Killers.

Sofia Vondell: twitter | youtube | bandcamp | soundcloud

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppP_lYhIzzI