Stavroz – Kick Up the Dust

By starrymag | October 30, 2023

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) Inviting, sometimes intriguing, jazzy/bluesy/techy/minimal/… Hard to put your finger on… Let’s say we’re predominantly electronic – yet we’re trying to make it sound organic.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Our musical influences are quite diverse. Artists like James Holden, Morphine, Pink Floyd, Connan Mockasin, Stimming, DJ Koze, Daniel Norgren, Radiohead and Kevin Morby have all left their mark on our creative journey.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new track “Her Eyes Were Red.”

 

A) It was created on the first day that our band member Pieter got back on his feet after quite a serious hospitalization. It was a kind of celebration on one hand, and a wake-up call on the other. That was the mindset we had when we were in the studio working on this piece. I believe the duduk and saxophone kind of give an idea of these conflicting feelings – and where that balance was.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the track that fans connect to?

 

A) The song breathes hope, yet without being cheerful. This is a feeling many people have. An optimism that hides below the surface. However, it is hard to convey this in art. When it succeeds, I believe people subconsciously notice this and can empathize with it. I believe it resonates with a lot of people and I think it’s that exact vibe why people like our music.

 

Q) What is your track writing process? 

 

A) This song was written very quickly, which is uncommon for us. Oftentimes it can take us weeks or months to finally stamp a song as finished. In this case, we had the recording of a duduk lying around which we hadn’t used yet. After quite a few alterations to it, it seemed to fit the broken beats and stuttered vocals we had cooked up as well. As a celebration for Pieter’s return after the hospitalization, he played saxophone on it and this made it turn into a lovely conversation between both instruments. Sometimes all the puzzle pieces just fall into place.

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) We hold all the production in our hands. From recording to mixing to mastering. No one outside of the band touched anything.

 

Q) Your upcoming EP Kick Up the Dust will be out in December. What are some themes you’ll be exploring on it?

 

A) The main idea with this EP is that we needed a proper kick to get us back into gear after quite a bit of time of touring, making and releasing our debut album, some more touring and internal restructuring…It felt like we had gotten a bit dusty in the process. We needed to get back to the thing that actually counts: making music.

 

Q) What made the first single the perfect name for this new EP?

 

A) The power of the most energetic song on this EP was the ideal metaphor. It was perhaps the most powerful song we had ever done, and it deserved a title that went along with that. The song simply kicks. It was meant to wake us and our fans. I believe it’s succeeding in that.

 

Q) The album will feature songs sung in Brazilian and even jazzy duduk! Why was that so important for you to incorporate them?

 

A) We had an opportunity to work with Castello Branco, who is an excellent songwriter and has a beautiful voice. So, it was a no-brainer for us to just jump on that. The fact that you find duduk and Portuguese in our songs is not because it is an intentional choice, we just go with what we believe works for in that specific context. In this case, it was duduk and Portuguese. In other circumstances, it’ll be other elements. We’re just trying to make tastes blend.

 

Q) You all are currently out on tour. Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) Our hometown takes the cake any day of the week. We hold ourselves to high expectations and nowhere are those expectations higher than in the place where we know so many people. The reward after a successful performance is so much higher.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I believe any of the musicians that we listed above would be an absolute dream. Conan Moccasin, Thom Yorke, Ross From Friends, Pink Floyd…

 

Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) We love diving into Darkside, for their way of bringing electronica and guitars in an inspiring and never-before-seen way. There’s the Doom – soundtrack as well, written by Mick Gordon. It’s an absolute masterpiece that explodes with energy. I would almost call it the reinvention of metal or metal – vigorously injected with synthesizers and chainsaws. It’s good for some “wtf” moments.

In a more dance music-oriented world, Isolée has reappeared on our radar. Wonky, weird, yet always classy and charming.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Thank you for the love. We love you, too. I strongly believe we understand each other on a wider level than just music.