Interview Ektör

Ektör's journey in music blends intense genre fusion with audiovisual artistry. Their latest EP, Ektöristan, reflects a unique blend of influences and creative evolution.

1. Ektör, your work spans audiovisual and choreographic collaborations. How have these experiences influenced the creation of your new EP, "Ektöristan"?

Our various audio-visual productions have given us creative freedom and a certain sense of musical dramaturgy. The variety of artistic choices and the specific technicality of this kind of prods have helped us grow musically. These experiences have also enabled us to confront the demands of this ultra-competitive environment. 

2. "Hybrid," your first instrumental EP, was released in 2017. How has your sound evolved since then, especially with the introduction of "Ektöristan"?

Since Hybrides, we've been lucky enough to add a long-time friend to our gang, the brilliant pianist and composer Guillaume Flamen, . His penchant for Krautrock and minimalist music has undoubtedly modified our melodic approach. The major evolution on this new album remains the introduction of vocals and the desire to make our music more accessible. 

3. Your influences range from hardcore and electronic to tribal and introspective music. How do you blend these diverse genres into a cohesive sound in "Ektöristan"?

We're children of the 20th century, rocked by the fusion, crossover and musical radicalism of Trent Reznor, Mike Patton or Robert Smith. For us, contrasts, ruptures and changes of style are a natural way of writing. Our aim is to take the listener off the beaten track and away from the pre-packaged. Our compositions usually start with a search for sound textures. Most of the time, we have no idea what the piece should sound like until the end of the process. Whether the alchemy works or not, there's no set recipe.

4. Can you elaborate on the concept of the "immunocratic potentorate of Ektöristan"? What inspired this fictional country, and how does it reflect in the music?

It starts out as a joke when we realize the "exotic" nature of the string sample used on the track "Ektoristan" from a contemporary piece written by Benoît, our master of analysis and counterpoint. The immunocratic potentate is a nod to all political regimes which, despite their diversity, systematically retain the same pyramid structure. In Ektöristan, the situation is clear: we're all guilty, irresponsible and equal...

5. The new EP features eight tracks sung in French and Syrian. What motivated the choice of these languages, and how do they contribute to the overall narrative of the EP?

The work on the voices was very intuitive, almost direct. The texts sprang to life at the very moment of recording. Our meeting with lyric singer Ninar Hala Alassar gave the album an unexpected boost. The musicality of the Syrian language was evident on "Ektoristan", and also enabled Nina to express herself in her native tongue. The message conveyed by this song may seem anachronistic in these troubled times ("It feels good here, It's party time here ..."), but hope lives on. As for French, it's our matrix. Definitely the only language in which we know how to have fun without thinking about ourselves like "authors".

6. Can you tell us more about the creative process behind "Ektöristan"? How did you and your team collaborate to bring this vision to life?

2020, like all the confined musicians in the world, our concerts are cancelled without notice. What better way to exist in the face of adversity than to self-produce a record? So we began recording the new compositions and reworking some older tracks. We progressed together and separately on the programming, eventually pooling everything together for the instrumental recordings. Most of the work took place "the old-fashioned way" in Alain's studio/living room/kitchen and Benoît's home studio.

7. How do you balance the introspective elements of your music with the more tribal and hardcore influences? Are there specific tracks on "Ektöristan" that highlight this balance?

There are no set rules, except perhaps the recurrent use of 5/4 or compound bars, as on the first single "Ektoristan". The tracks take on a life of their own, depending on whether we're in a mischievous, calmer or edgier mood. We're contrasting individuals, and so is our music.

The rest is a story of encounters, musical technique, studio work and often chance. All these elements can be found in a track like "L'odyssée".

8. The EP "Ektöristan" seems to tell a story. Can you walk us through the narrative arc of the EP and what you hope listeners take away from it?

The album's various lyrics revolve around the idea of a journey to the fantasy land of "Ektöristan". If some see this as a plea for acceptance of others and simple respect for life, we'll take it ;-)

9. How has the reception of "Ektöristan" been so far, both from your long-time fans and new listeners? Are there any surprising reactions that stood out to you?

Many of our listeners are positively surprised by the vocals on certain tracks ... If it's difficult to assign a style to us, we've recently been described as Disco/Goth ... why not. The main thing is that our music is listened to in one way or another. Posterity is of little or no importance to us.

10. Looking ahead, what are your plans for the future of Ektör? Do you have any upcoming projects or collaborations that you're particularly excited about?

We remain focused on the release of our new album on the Bitume label at the end of October. To celebrate, we're planning to release a 2nd video clip for the track "Alarme", and hope for a providential encounter with an inspired director ....

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ACCUEIL | Bitume Production (bitume-prods.fr)