We recently came across a few tracks that featured a few of the highest quality cosmic/pysch releases we have heard in some time. These tracks are on the exciting new Lugnet Records label.
As a result we donned our stalking hats, tracked down the guys responsible and obtained an exclusive mix and grilled them about the label, music and life in general.
We spoke to Mattias who kindly answered our questions:
Cosmic Disco: For those of us that aren’t up to speed can you please tell us a little background info on Lugnet Records? Who are the people responsible, how you guys know each other and why you decided to start the label?
The idea behind Lugnet came about almost precisly a year ago by Emil Broomé and myself [Mattias]. We stumbled into each other at an afterparty six years ago and from there on we’ve been unseperatable. Emil is, and has always been on the edge of anything generating sound and I suppose I have also. Now we even live together, on top of our favorite bar and hangout; Tempo, with sphinx, my beloved and mystical cat from the ancient times.
Both Emil and I have been DJ’ing around the region for around the last 10 years. We love sound and frequencies and the space between with no particular basis of what kind of music or genre it is as long as it touches our souls.
I have been doing edits and remakes of songs for many years so we basically decided to put some of those we liked the best out on our own label. The name Lugnet, translates to calmness in Swedish and came about last summer during a peaceful semester in Bingsjö, Dalarna in the middle part of Sweden.
As soon as I came home from that relaxation we started putting together the artwork and a plan for at least four releases. The first two releases are remakes by myself and from here on we want to put out a few local acts that have a modern, acoustic, psychdelic sound with a Swedish touch.
We really would like to see this music released on vinyl, so that is one of the reasons of starting the label, but also because there were so many sounds I had in my bag that I wanted to share with the rest of the universe.
Cosmic Disco: The Scandinavian invasion of the UK underground music scene has been gathering pace for a few years (Lindstrom & Prins Thomas, Todd Terje & Studio to name but only a few!) and looks as though it has no intention of stopping just yet. Do you have any explanation as to why Scandinavian artists are so prolific? Can you also give us any tips (Other than yourselves of course!) as to what Scandinavian artists you think we should be keeping a close eye on in the near future?
Well I guess when the Norweigan new sounds started to spread that definitely had an impact on bands and producers around the region but as I see it there has always been a tradition going back to the 60′s and 70′s rock, prog, folk and jazz movements where especially in Sweden, artists were mixing up foreign influences with their own sounds.
That I think, is the main foundation to what we are hearing today. I would love and hope to hear more new sounds emerging from the Scandinavian woods.
A few artists to have your eyes (And ears) open for is the one man band Ved and our local heros Vidderna.
Cosmic Disco: So, you guys do your fair share of DJ’ing. Where can we find you spinning and can you give us any insight as to what the underground club scene is like in Sweden? What are the best parties and what is happening right now?
In Malmö there are a few different constellations of people doing some exciting stuff. Emil is with and behind many of them. There are the collective ‘Stephen Hawkings‘, who also run a blog with the same name.
Also in a small basement located in one of Malmös oldest and most genuine bars ‘Club Underlandet’ takes place every Friday. This is a small intimate space where we are four people playing everything from obscure Kraut to Disco, Psych and Detroit house. One night legend Gerry Rooney came by and turned the place into a mayhem.
Then there are ‘Kristallen’, the remains of the already legendary club ‘The Space Between’ who once a month turns club ‘Babel’ into a galatic far away space, inviting people to the most ambitious decoration and obscure music around. Last thursday together with Stephen Hawkings they had Richard Norris lifting the roof.
Also, Kontra-Musik have been a provider of quality electronic music for years now. A little bit further up north in Göteborg Anton Klint runs ‘Styrbord Babord’, also known as the disco boat, where most of the interesting names come and play every weekend.
Cosmic Disco: We loved the Lugnet Vol.1 & 2 12″ vinyl releases. [BUY HERE FROM COOL IN THE POOL and LUGNET or RECORDMANIA] The series features a spacey/cosmic sound on the opening release and progresses to a more heavy psychedelic edge on Vol. 2. Can you give us a heads up on vol.3? When is it due to drop and featured tracks/artists etc.?
Well, thank you for that! At the moment we have plans for another two releases but as we decided to distribute Lugnet no.01 and 02 ourselves, we haven’t really yet reached the masses.
As for now you can buy them at the local recordshops in Malmö or from us through our Myspace, and now also from Lenny at ‘Cool In The Pool’ (See above link).
We are still waiting for some more respons from the bigger fishes but if everything goes well we have some newly produced prog rock from Sweden we want to release and I also have a few more exciting edits up my sleeve. LUGNET DISCOGS INFO
Cosmic Disco: As DJ’s/Promoters, playing records and hosting parties would you say that musical selections and choices for guest DJ’s are becoming more ‘similar/formulaic’ or do you think the ‘underground’ is still in fact underground? I suppose what i am really trying to say is that with modern technologies such as the internet, what was previously obscure and/or rare is much easier to find/discover. Do you think this is having any effect on how we play/find our music and how we organise our parties?
Wow, that is a huge and complicated question.
Although the music is more available it still needs to filter through a selector. Neither would I say that the new generation of clubs are any better or more interesting because of the digital access of music.
The technology doesnt change peoples taste or the way people feel for music. Different blogs are doing a great job with sharing music, tips and thoughts and I hope this can reach more peolple outside the obvious circle of music lovers.
One thing is for sure, and that is that the new generation doesn’t respect and see the value in the vinyl; for it richness in sound, how it feels and smells and how by purchasing it or not it effects the industry.
I know many would say diffrently and it is now impossible to slowdown the technology. I guess it comes down to a philosophy in the end…
Cosmic Disco: Do you feel the speed of which technology is developing is a good or bad thing, both in and out of the music industry? Can you give us any insight into what is your/Lugnet’s philosophy?
Technology will either destroy or save the world.
However, you have to ask yourself music wise; ‘Are you controling the machines or are the machines controling you?
Lugnet’s philosophy is exactly what the name Lugnet stand for in Swedish, The calmness.
Therefore, I guess that is one element of our philosophy is that you shouldn’t hurry to much. Neither in life or for that case with technology.
Our friend Ved has written an article at his myspace tackling just this very question and I would also like to refer to those words that we share: READ ARTICLE HERE
Cosmic Disco: What technology are you using to create your edits and musical productions? Can you give us any insight as to how to work on your tracks and the processes involved?
Well, all the edits I’ve done through the years have been almost entierly sample based but in a few cases I’ve put additional pads or sounds on top.
Me and my friend Ulf built a studio last summer but we haven’t had so much money to buy the equipment that we want yet to put in there. For now we have a few synths and a drum machine that is used to make other kinds of music.
I record all sounds in the studio because we have a great Motu sound card in place. Then most of my edits are done in Cubase on my laptop (At home) with the help of my little korg midi synth.
The process itself is usually at night when everything else around is quiet. I take out some beers and go through my records or borrow a track from a friend that I would like to reconstruct.
Editing for me is a result of lost songs that need to be retouched for one reason or another. Partly, the way the oldschool disco edits were done, where you build your own breaks and also make the intro and outro more mixable but also to merge features from three or more tracks to construct into a whole new song.
Cosmic Disco: We know you guys are also planning on releasing original material from new artists but what are your thoughts on the ‘Edit’ scene at present? Do you think it has become over saturated, it’s almost as if ‘Edits’ has become a genre of it’s own. Is the sheer volume of edits currently available devaluing the original music in some way?
Hmm. Like any genre when new ideas or new sounds surface a wave will follow. Within that wave there are always releases to question.
We really dont have an opinion of the edit scene more then we really like alot of stuff that some people dig up and redo for the greater good.
Cosmic Disco: OK, final couple of questions.. If you could form your ideal ‘Supergroup’ from any artist living or dead, past or present, who would you have playing what instrument and what venue/location?
Wlodek Gulgowski on Synthesizers, Herbie Hancock on Piano, Klaus Dinger & Max Roach playing Drums, Rebop Kwaku Baah doing Percussion, Okay Temiz on the Magic Pyramid, Björn Jason Lindh blowing the Flute, Reine Fiske strumming the guitar. On vocals we have Dr. John & Nina Simone. Soundeffects: Holger Czukay and Else Marie Pade. Bass: Charlie Haden, Trumpet: Jon Hassell & Marcus Belgrave, Harp: Alice Coltrane, Kora: Mamadou Diabate & Marimba: Steve Reich, all produced under the watchful eye of Conny Plank. To set the scene the gig would be on the roof of the Mayan Temple ‘The Pyramid of The Magician’ in Mexico or in our backyard.
Cosmic Disco: What does ‘Perfect Happiness’ mean to Lugnet?
A worldwide higher conciousness…
