Interview with Naimi
“Swedish experimental artist Naimi is no stranger to #WEATNU. Her music has been on our radio for a while now. She creates 8-bit influenced tunes, as well as synthpop styles. Her influences range from Punk to Indie rock. We were thankful to get some insight from her words."
Almark: Hello Naimi, how are you today?
Naimi: Hello, quite ok.
<iframe style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3700457922/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" width="300" height="150" seamless="">Demonsongs EP by Naimi</iframe>
Almark: Thank you for doing this interview with #WEATNU DM.
You’ve just released your first EP Demonsongs to WEATNU Records. But you’ve been creating electronic for some time now. How has coming to #WEATNU helped you?
Naimi: I got more followers on soundcloud and on twitter, and more people listen to my music on soundcloud. And I know more electronic music now!
Almark: Great to hear.
How long have you been writing?
Naimi: I did some songs when I was like 10 years old, and when I was 15 years old. But I started make music more seriously in 1998, when I was 19 years old.
Almark: You mentioned that you use Jeskola Buzz to create electronic music. Is this your main piece of software these days?
Naimi: Yes, I almost do all electronic music with that program, have used it since 2005.
Almark: And you being Swedish, and the author of Buzz is also Swedish, did that somehow allow you to find Buzzmachines? I too have been using the program off and on since 2005 as well.
Naimi: hmm I did not know that the author of buzz is Swedish hehe.
Almark: I believe he is, as the program itself greets you with the word. “hej" laughs
Naimi: aha…
Almark: It isn’t hard to tell that you like video games, at least I can hear the PCM droning in the background on some of the songs on this EP such as OCD3. Is that right?
Naimi: I really don´t play video games, but when I was a child I did play a lot Nintendo 8-bit. What are PCM?
Almark: Pulse-code modulation. It’s that droning sound you hear in popular NES games, like Contra
Naimi: I think I know what you mean!
Almark: How well received is your music to the new listeners, and since this is niche music, aka avant-garde type, who are you targeting?
Naimi: It´s good! I don´t think so much about who is my target, people who like it like it. But I have noted that not so many people at Spotify listen to my electronic music, but on soundcloud they do.
Almark: It’s quite difficult to pipe followers into Spotify.
What music influences you to create what do you?
Naimi: when it comes to my electronic music, nothing special. It´s more my feelings and mental health that influences me.
Almark: What got you into creating electronic?
How did it begin?
Naimi: I got a synth when I was 10 years old, I played a lot on that, then when I was like 19 or 20 years old I found that synth again, and started to make music on that, melodies, a combination of Nintendo 8-bit and folk-music, and this was like 1999, and 2005 when I found Jeskola Buzzmachines I started to make more different electronic music. I wanted to do different music. Also I did and still do a lot of guitar music. I don´t want to do just one type of music.
Almark: You also mentioned that you own many analog synths?
Naimi: yes, like maybe 20!
Almark: That’s a lot of synths indeed!
Naimi: Yes I collected them before.
Almark: What is one such vintage piece of gear you own?
Naimi: I have a little sampler synth, Casio I think, I don´t remember its name now!…
SK1
That´s the name!
Almark: Lots of small synths then?
Naimi: Yes
Almark: Yard sales?
Naimi: Flea market and second hand
Almark: Those are always fun.
What type of music do you enjoy, outside the electronic spectrum?
Naimi: singer/songwriting, indiepop, shoegazing, postrock, grunge.
Almark: So you grew up to some punk as well?
Naimi: oh i forgot, punk!!
Yes, I did. Mostly Swedish punk, but also American hardcore
Almark: Like Black Flag?
Naimi: More like NoFX.
Almark: ah, I remember them.
Fugazi?
Naimi: Yeah, I have heard them.
Almark: Cool.
How is the Electronic scene in Sweden going? How is your music being received there?
Naimi: hmm I´m not so updated, I know Andreas Tilliander, Ola Bergman, The Knife, Sophie Rimheden. The Knife is very well known in Sweden, but the scene is not so big. I think many musicians know about me, but not so many other people.
Almark: Indeed
How do you create your music?
Naimi: you mean the electronic?
Almark: Yes
Naimi: I often use the program buzzmachine. A few times I have used Mixcraft with a midi-synth, and sometimes I use my physical synths. Before, like 2000-2005, but it happens now and then.
Almark: Not many know about Jeskola Buzz. Since it’s the hidden daw of the Internet since 1998, I personally can say it’s one of the best free, if not free, at least completely unique pieces of software I’ve ever used.
Have you also created with Renoise?
Naimi: Yeah, Buzz is the best!! But I have not heard about Renoise, what is that?
I also have used AudioMulch and Sunvox
Almark: Renoise is a modern tracker program, much like Fasttracker II. Also did you know that FT2 and Buzzmachines were created by Swedish programmers? AudioMulch is very interesting
Do you also create music by playing MIDI controller as well?
Naimi: Yeah, I learned that from you that they were Swedish 🙂
Naimi: Yes, sometimes.
Almark: Are you currently playing live anywhere? Locally
Naimi: No, not anymore, I used to play live in like early 2001, I don´t now, but the last time I played live was I think about 18 months ago. I have played quite a few times at clubs and festivals, but it was a long time ago.
Almark: So you’ve come back again, this time to the Internet?
Naimi: I have never stopped, but it´s like only on Internet now.
I´m too scared to play live, maybe I am going to do that in the future.
Almark: What plans in music do you have for the future?
Naimi: I have like music ready for 5 more albums, I’ve just got to record them, but it´s not only electronic music, it´s a lot of guitar songs and organ songs, plus I have plans to do a synthpop-album and a guitar-punk album with electric guitar.
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Almark: Much like the song you created “I miss Talking to you"?
Naimi: yeah.
Almark: Are you seeking a band for those, or more solo work?
Naimi: it´s solo work.
Almark: Have you found any artists under #WEATNU whom you enjoy listening to?
Naimi: yeah, Adryelle!
Almark: Ah, yes, she’s great 🙂
Are you working on new music?
Naimi: yes, with the synthpop EP and with a Buzz EP with vocals.
Almark: Great!
Would you like to say what your Demonsongs EP is about?
Naimi: It´s about my mental health.
Almark: Do you think our reviewer hit the nail on the head about your EP?
Naimi: I think so, the titles say quite much!
Almark: Yes!
Naimi: And the feelings in the music.
Almark: last question favourite food?
Naimi: Hallomi is my favorite food!!!
Almark: Thank you Naimi for doing this Interview with #WEATNU DM. Good luck to you and your future in music.
Almark – #WEATNU Digital Magazine
Buy Demonsongs on WEATNU RECORDS
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