Segment 40 of the series hails from the Czech meadows and groves. This beautiful mix from our friend and London-based Czech artist Avsluta glows from within, evoking the light, colour, and warmth that’s become a trademark of her sound. Her musical output is shaped by Eastern philosophy, taking her listeners on a meditative, atmospheric, and deeply reflective journey. In her collaborative audiovisual work, Avsluta blends vivid field recordings with colourful video collages, immersing the viewer in expansive melodies and landscapes reminiscent of the natural world. Her passion for ambient-tinted music is visible in her show Introspective Electronics on Netil radio, as well as her recent release on the well-established Dutch label Knekelhuis. Jonáš Verespěj had a discussion with her about making music for architecture, her instruments of choice, and her favourite new releases.

Hi Lucko, long time no see! Where are you at the moment and what’s the weather like over there?

Hey Jonas, I know, it has been way too long. I have really missed coming to Prague and spending time with you lovely lot there 🙂 It seems like life is coming back to the city. I have just locked myself into my home studio with a coffee and a cardamom bun and I am slowly sliding into work mode.

There has been some soft rain tapping on my window but now it's gone and it seems like the sun is about to peek from behind the clouds sometime soon. I am in the top floor flat, level with the tree canopies and it feels like my little private garden here 🙂

What do you work on on a day like this, at home? I’ve asked you about the weather because I’ve been thinking about how it is affecting things I experience. This morning, a couple of raindrops fell on my face and woke me up in my sleeping bag.

Your experience sounds quite magical, nature slowly making its way into your temporary home 🙂 I usually feel quite inspired on days like these and today is no exception. At the moment it's just rain and grey clouds but it makes me feel really cozy and warm here at home. I am a little jealous of your adventure though, I hope to go wild camping soon too, it really kindles my chi ✨

Today I am working on a soundtrack commission for an architectural documentary about the new Science and Engineering Complex of Harvard University and later I am going to do some digging and plotting for an extended DJ set at a really lovely festival happening this weekend in the countryside not too far from London. It's quite an exciting day actually.

How do you work on a soundtrack for an architectural documentary, or any other kind of soundtrack for that matter? Can you let us in on your process a little bit?

The first part of the process is mostly about letting things happen naturally, not thinking too much and following my instincts. As I watch and re-watch the docu, I am quickly sketching out sonic ideas or live jamming on top, pasting bits and bobs in places where I think they could work well.

Then in the second part of the process, I am trying to patch things up to create a nice flow of the sounds together and, of course, with the imagery. 

And lastly, I am working on minute details and perfecting timing, amplitudes and tying up other loose ends. It is also the time when some minor mastering work comes in, basically the more technical side of things to make sure everything is up to the standard of the overall project.

Do you also rely on your instinct in your own music production, or do you have a more specific idea when you come to the studio? What do you think substitutes the visual information you receive when it's your own musical piece and not a soundtrack to a video?

This is an interesting question. I never really thought about what substitutes the visual element if it’s not present. I think it’s an amalgam of emotions and impressions that are with me when I get to the studio as well as the sense of space and how it is occupied by objects that are very close to me. There are also things like scents, the light and sounds of the house and those seeping through the windows from outside. Every time I come here, I am different, and so is the sum total of the space, so it is an unending source of inspiration. 

I generally work quite intuitively to start with and then sculpt the music with the sound bits that emerge from improvisation. I would say improvising is a creative process that is closest to me. I sometimes come to the studio with a concrete idea too though. I imagine chords and melodies, percussive patterns or even weird abstract sounds that I try to materialize and that become the building stones and set the direction of the track. I never imagine whole tracks though, rather sketches or flickers of mood. For me the magic is in experiencing them unfold organically as I work.

What do you think about the concept of originality? Do you try to pursue it in some way or do you not care about it at all and you just do your thing? Does it ever happen to you that you stumble upon something which is very similar to a creation of your own?

For me personally it is important to be honest with myself and acknowledge that what I create is, in one way or another, always going to be standing on the shoulders of what came before me, yet I don’t think this is necessarily a contradiction to originality. I believe originality is possible and I am trying my best to harvest it. I do it by combining various inspirations; tweaking them, deconstructing and reconstructing them, making them my own through the habitual and spontaneous processes in my workflow. So yes, I am trying my best to be original but I also think this pursuit shouldn’t become a paralyzing presence while creating.

I don’t feel I often stumble upon an exact replica of what I do which also means that I am not (un)knowingly replicating and that is a good feeling. But I often notice parallels with particular aspects of other people’s music which is equally nice as it makes me feel connected to the larger body of music out there and to the people making it.

The time has come to pick records for the festival. My pal Bobby in the picture is helping me pick out those tripped out goodies 🐸

What festival is it you’re getting ready for and what have you picked so far? What is the environment, expectations and the direction you want to take?

The festival is called Above Below and it’s actually the first edition but the people behind it have been doing parties for a long time and they are pouring their hearts into it so I am really excited. The crew putting the festival together are really open minded and I know they love Giegling - just like myself - so I am expecting the vibe to be very colourful. There will be ambient mornings, some live gigs in the afternoon and dancey nights. It’s only 350 people so it will be super intimate too. I am playing a three hour set from 10pm on a Saturday so I want to start deep and dubby and then take off into heady breaks and techno. I like to have a general direction of the set in mind when DJing and prepare the music with great care but once I start playing I let the vibe take me wherever feels natural 🙂

Is there a constellation of spaces, objects, scents and lights which, instead of inspiring you, kills your motivation? You don't seem like an artist who gets demotivated easily.

You are right, I am not easily demotivated, but there are certainly spaces and situations that don't inspire me. I am a minimalist so anywhere too cluttered or messy makes me feel claustrophobic. I like natural light and if working in the evening I need mood lighting as I can't stand big bright lights, they totally kill the mysterious night time mood for me.

You've recently released a track on the Knekelhuis' compilation (congrats! <3). If I've understood it correctly, the release is sort of a set of bridges connecting dots between Mark's friendships as well as his different tastes in music. Who would you approach for a similar compilation if you'd had to pick the artists today? Or what other approach would you take?

I was very impressed about how Mark managed to weave the compilation together so organically while working with such a diverse group of artists. I feel very humbled to be part of it and so happy I could get to know Mark during the process of making it. If I was to put together a compilation today, I would take the exact same approach Mark did, mixing together friends and artists that are inspiring me at the moment. 

There are many possible directions this could take and this is only one of them, worked out from the top of my head. I would reach out to the amazing duo Space Afrika to open the compilation followed by Inhmost, a British artist who I recently discovered and who swept me off my feet, and to Ameeva who I discovered and became friends with thanks to his amazing debut album ‘Fractura del Sueno’ out last year on Lowless Records. I would get in touch with my friends Saphileaum and Primal Code who I deeply respect and who would bring a little bit of tribal energy into the mix. I would also love to work with AES DANA from Ultimae Records, which is one of my favourite labels, and with Auxiliary label boss ASC. These last two selections are shifting into a darker territory as they both lean towards atmospheric downtempo and D’n’B which I have been obsessed with in the past year. And Andrea who frequents Ilian Tape would be a real cherry on the top, wrapping up the whole thing. So here you go. I could go on but enough daydreaming for today, it’s time to get back to the present moment! 

It’s been so lovely talking to you Jonas, always a pleasure. And big thanks to Endless Illusion for their invite and the amazing work they do ♥️

*The conversation took place via facebook messenger between 11:33 on Wednesday (July 28) and 10:33 on Friday (July 30), 2021.

Tracklist:

Inhmost - Wind Swept
Dycide x MTRL - Invocation
Ike Zwanikken - Bianca
nthng - Subnautica
Shutle358 - Frame
Andrea - Sarec
Klara Vedis - The Circle Is Never Round
Data Domain - Hundreds of Definitions
Bas Dobbelaer - T2310
Primal Code - Mutara Speech
Space Afrika - Version 3

How do you work on a soundtrack for an architectural documentary, or any other kind of soundtrack for that matter? Can you let us in on your process a little bit?

The first part of the process is mostly about letting things happen naturally, not thinking too much and following my instincts. As I watch and re-watch the docu, I am quickly sketching out sonic ideas or live jamming on top, pasting bits and bobs in places where I think they could work well.

Then in the second part of the process, I am trying to patch things up to create a nice flow of the sounds together and, of course, with the imagery. 

And lastly, I am working on minute details and perfecting timing, amplitudes and tying up other loose ends. It is also the time when some minor mastering work comes in, basically the more technical side of things to make sure everything is up to the standard of the overall project.

Do you also rely on your instinct in your own music production, or do you have a more specific idea when you come to the studio? What do you think substitutes the visual information you receive when it's your own musical piece and not a soundtrack to a video?

This is an interesting question. I never really thought about what substitutes the visual element if it’s not present. I think it’s an amalgam of emotions and impressions that are with me when I get to the studio as well as the sense of space and how it is occupied by objects that are very close to me. There are also things like scents, the light and sounds of the house and those seeping through the windows from outside. Every time I come here, I am different, and so is the sum total of the space, so it is an unending source of inspiration. 

I generally work quite intuitively to start with and then sculpt the music with the sound bits that emerge from improvisation. I would say improvising is a creative process that is closest to me. I sometimes come to the studio with a concrete idea too though. I imagine chords and melodies, percussive patterns or even weird abstract sounds that I try to materialize and that become the building stones and set the direction of the track. I never imagine whole tracks though, rather sketches or flickers of mood. For me the magic is in experiencing them unfold organically as I work.

What do you think about the concept of originality? Do you try to pursue it in some way or do you not care about it at all and you just do your thing? Does it ever happen to you that you stumble upon something which is very similar to a creation of your own?

For me personally it is important to be honest with myself and acknowledge that what I create is, in one way or another, always going to be standing on the shoulders of what came before me, yet I don’t think this is necessarily a contradiction to originality. I believe originality is possible and I am trying my best to harvest it. I do it by combining various inspirations; tweaking them, deconstructing and reconstructing them, making them my own through the habitual and spontaneous processes in my workflow. So yes, I am trying my best to be original but I also think this pursuit shouldn’t become a paralyzing presence while creating.

I don’t feel I often stumble upon an exact replica of what I do which also means that I am not (un)knowingly replicating and that is a good feeling. But I often notice parallels with particular aspects of other people’s music which is equally nice as it makes me feel connected to the larger body of music out there and to the people making it.

The time has come to pick records for the festival. My pal Bobby in the picture is helping me pick out those tripped out goodies 🐸