Hundred-strong collaborations! Space! A new album! Crazy noises!
All this – and more – was going on in Savant’s world when we called him last week.
Possibly one of the most genuine articles in electronic music, catching up with him is a little like seeing a friend after they’ve been on a really good holiday… A mile-a-minute barrage of facts, thoughts, stories and sagas… Hence the heavy use of exclamation marks.
UKF spent a weekend with the prodigious producer earlier this year for a new episode of Music Makers. We’ll reveal that in good time. For now, though, here are just a few insights into the Norwegian producer’s unique world.
Insane collaboration projects
Last month Savant invited everyone to get involved in what’s set to be a record-breaking collaborative production project: Send him an original sound and he’ll incorporate them ALL into one track.
“There are so many people asking me for a co-lab and there’s no chance they could all happen. So I thought I’d do this fun thing for everyone to join in,” he tells us. “I haven’t listened to any of the submissions. I don’t want to be influenced by just one or two of them. I want to wait until the deadline so I have every contribution and I’ll see where it takes me! I’ve set up one key rule – A Minor. I’m used to making songs out of nothing, this will be fun. If the sound is something bad or good it doesn’t matter. The only things I won’t use are obvious rip-offs or Nexus pre-sets. Other than that I’m really up for anything.”
At the time of the interview he’d received over 500 submissions. The closing date has just passed… We can’t wait to hear the final outcome.
Another album… And lots of crazy noises
As if a multi-hundred part, global collabo isn’t quite enough to sink his teeth into, Savant is already working on a new album. Hot on the heels of Orakel, which he only released last December, it’s likely to surprise many fans.
“I’m really working on different sounds and new methods,” he grins. “A lot of people get pissed when I do a new sound but if I don’t do that then I’ll be stale and bored!”
Hinting that he’ll be avoiding any big room or trap sounds, he’s been recorded over 500 found-sound samples for the project so far and may even return to the mic… For the first time since his Vinter In Hollywood project almost five years ago.
“I’ve recorded so many crazy sounds!” he laughs. “My studio door has this mad squeaky sound; it sounds like a big pirate ship hitting the waves. I want to morph sounds out of organic sounds while also keeping it catchy. We’ll see what happens.”
Expect this switch-flipper to drop in the coming months…
He’s going to space!
Well, kinda… Well, actually not at all. But he is getting kitted up for the mission.
“I’m doing an image change,” he explains. “I loved the whole David Bowie thing, the way he changed every now and again. That’s the plan all along…. Having different phases and for people to kind of anticipate them and get excited about what’s coming up next. I grew up with 80s anime cartoons like Robotech and Saber Rider. Everyone had space suits and lazer guns and stuff like that. So I’m getting on that trip myself. It’s being designed as we speak. And while it’s being designed I’m currently playing in a new version of the old costume that’s all white. You can call it the White Wizard!”
And so the barrage of facts, thoughts, stories and sagas continues…
Watch out for Savant’s Music Makers episode on the UKF Network. Coming very soon.
Catch Savant on his Space Tour now.
Photo credit: Jordan Ziolkowski
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