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An interview with Filteria


Templar

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Below you can read a fresh interview with Jannis, cooked up few days ago by two Psytrance.pl members, that is JetMan and me.

 

 

Forget about stereotyped formatted boring Psytrance, forget about the repetitiveness, Filteria has the truly melodic blasting sound we"ve been waiting for years !

 

Jannis "Filteria" is a young producer from Stockholm, Sweden.

His first contact with psychedelic music was in 1996 after buying some Goatrance compilation. He got amazed by the energy of the music and slowly started buying equipment to make something of his own.

After 5 years of tweaking and playing around with midi, he bought himself a new computer and started this psychedelic project in 2003.

 

As an artist he tries to keep the true spirit of psychedelic trance by having lots of melodies and sound-layers. All his tracks have at least 3 melodic climaxes. He has been strongly influenced by the sound of 96-97 especially by the Italian maestros Etnica-Pleiadians but he found his "Filteria style" and keeps it up to date.

 

His first live performance was in late 2003. Since, he's been sending dance floors to space several times both in Sweden and Europe.

 

Recently, Filteria has released his first album "Sky Input", and has also tracks scheduled for release on compilations, including the forthcoming "Fluorotronik" compilation on Tranceform Records.

 

taken from www.suntriprecords.com

 

1. JetMan: A classical question - how did you start with trance?

 

Filteria - I listened to Distance To Goa 4 (my first goa record) back in 96. I was so amazed by the music, that i had to do something myself. I started buying synths, but without actually having any knowledge, how to work with them :) I kept on learning how to create sounds and play the keys, reading in synth books. In 2003 i started seriously with my psychedelic project after solving all my midi problems. Took a while... hehe

 

2. Templar: Your music is a kind of a flashbacks from the "good ol' times" and represents something that seems to have died out in the mid 90's. How is it like to be one of the old-school guardians, with the likes of Ethereal and Ypsilon 5 (both projects from Tranceform Records)?

 

Filteria - Hmm, nothing special really. :) Some people really appreciate what you are doing for the scene and some say: man, that's old. If you wanna be big, make full on. But I prefer to stay like this and do the music I like... Something I have noticed the other day is that the old-school artists get flamed much easier than the rest of the scene. I read somewhere that all my tracks are the same. I couldn't believe what I was reading. I mean some bands release 4 albums with the same bassline, same BPM (145), the same note and everything, and people complain that I use one particullar sound in all my tracks (which is the Filteria sound).. It leaves me wondering...

 

3. JetMan: So, when will the next album from Filteria come out? If so will it be in the same easy to recognize style that "Sky Input" has? More of the same, or maybe something different?

 

Filteria - The next album will probably arrive in the end of 2005 if everything goes as planned. About the style, it will be more or less the same style. I would like to make something similiar. On the other hand, people will start complaining that it sounds the same like the first album. If I DO change the style, then the people who really appreciated Sky Input will say: he lost it. Failure no matter what. :) No seriously, but it will be under this melodic, mad style. And this time there will be a ambient track in the end!!

 

4. JetMan: How long does it take You to make a track and what is the most important thing for You when building a track? Tell us about the process of creating Your music.

 

Filteria - It really depends. Sometimes it takes a month, sometimes it takes a day. The most important thing for me are the melodies and the mood. The process: make an intro to create some sort of atmosphere. Play around to find some melodies and just kick it with the layers :)

 

5. Templar: Any particular fave' of Yours on the album?

 

Filteria - It changes all the time. I like all the tracks on the album.

 

6. JetMan: Where do you get Your inspiration from?

 

Filteria - Pretty much everything in life... Nature, when I am out dancing, friends.

 

7. Templar: In the download section on Filteria's website one can see a lot of Filteria tracks' clips. Are they ever going to be released? There is also a full-length remix of "Screaming Butterfly" by Etnica (from the album "Alien Protein", Blue Room Released 1996)?

 

Filteria - There are 2-3 tracks from there that i would really like to release. Perhaps on the upcoming Suntrip compilation. It's like that with all the people that produce music. You have lots of unreleased stuff (most of the time, it stays unreleased because it don't have the same standard as the rest) So, some might get released, but most of it will just be in my hard-disc. The remix of Screaming Butterfly will never be released. And to be honest, its not much of a remix anyway.

 

8. Templar: On Your website You say that you were influenced by Pleiadians. Many people, including me, compare "Sky Input" with their first album "Identified Flying Objects". How does it feel?

 

Filteria - It feels amazing.. For me, I.F.O. is the best CD ever, and only that Sky Input is compared with it, is more then enough..

 

9. Templar: "He is invited at the Etnicanet Studios in January" - wrote one of the Etnicanet label managers. Tell us - in details of course - how was it like?

 

Filteria - It was nice. I never visited Ibiza before. We were hanging in the studio pretty much everyday. Me and Pan made 1 and half track together. Cool atmosphere in the studio. Max & Mauri was in italy during the those days I was there.. Its really a trance-community down there.

 

10. Templar: Your album is also the first release of Suntrip Records, a label established by Mars and Anoebis from Psynews.org. How is it like to work with them?

 

Filteria - Since we are all friends since before this label was created and before I started with music seriously, its a really relaxed atmosphere. We all trust eachother and really try to help eachother as much as possible.

 

11. Templar: Any upcomming co-operations with other artists? Side projects? A downtempo project?

 

Filteria - Upcomming co-operations, hm perhaps Ibiza again? I started something downtempo but only finished 2 tracks. We will see about that in the future. I am making some Hip-hop beats (let the flaming begin), and i actually enjoy it. I am also making some commercial Tiesto trance with a girlfriend of mine singing, which I also enjoy *hiding from the eggs and tomatoes people are throwing* But no worries, Filteria will allways be under this style (no corny eminem or britney remixes :))) and Filteria is my main intrest in music. However it is nice sometimes to take a break from the madness and the layers, and thats when i make the other stuff..

 

12. JetMan: What is Your favourite place on this planet?

 

Filteria - So far Belgium. The crowd is MAAAAAD :)

 

13. JetMan: On the cover of Your album You greet Your friend from Poland. Have You been ever to Poland?

 

Filteria - Not yet. But I will, during this summer!

 

14. JetMan: What is Your vision of the future of trance scene & music?

 

Filteria - More subgenres, more commercial, more stupid remixes. :) I have no idea really

 

15. JetMan: Do you also listen to any other kind of music?

 

Filteria - Oh yes. I listen to ALL kind of music. From Rock, to pop, house, regular trance, eurodisco, hip-hop... And I love pretty much everything that come from the 80's. I grew up with stuff like: Duran Duran, Modern Talking, Boney M etc etc, all that Disco stuff. For me, that was the beggining of goa-trance. The kicks, the FX. Its just that we used them in a more extreme way... When it comes to music, I go by one principle: There are no bad genres, there is only bad music.

 

16. Templar: I have read some info about parties with Filteria in the line-up. Tell us something about Your live-acts. Do You play also as a DJ? If so, what kind of stuff do You play?

 

Filteria - I bring my Laptop, my soundcard with me and a memory card from the nordlead 2 (so i can have my sounds from home. I am very bad at sysex, so this is an easy way to take your sounds with you). Since I am alone at the stage, I really can't do that much… I add melodies on top, all sorts of weird sounds and such... About DJ, I don't DJ. I went straight to producing.. Maybe I should start some. To learn the basis. DJ Ukiro (a friend that design the artwork) will help me that.. The music would be old-school. Transwave, Etnica, Green Nuns and such.

 

17. JetMan: What do you think about the evolution of psytrance music? What is Your opinion on all the "clones" invading our scene?

 

Filteria - I think it really sucks. Pretty much all of it. The spirit is lost, loooong time ago. People want to be in the scene for being cool instead for the music, and all that bullshit. And the goa-trance we used to know back in 96-97 will never come back.. About the clones, I don't know what to say.. I can't stand that full on bassline anymore. Those clones don't make me feel strange, happy, mystic.. They do nothing to me. Its not music for the mind, like psytrance used to be in 95-99. Thats my main issue with the scene today, that i don't feel anything with the music. No emotions comes up...

 

18. JetMan: How is the psychedelic scene in Sweden like? Parties, people, projects.

 

Filteria - The scene in sweden is wonderfull in the summers, when you have outdoor parties. In the winter it sucks. Not many parties, problems with authorities etc. The people is... Well, there are some old ones from back in the days that really care about the music, but mostly our scene consist of people that just turned 18 or are even younger. That wear all the latest space-tribe outfit, never bought a CD, just download some mp3's. In parties they are just standing still and looking at how the people are dancing. Try to be on every picture so they can brag that they were at this cool underground rave-party.. Thats pretty sad.. About the projects: we have many many talanted musicians here in sweden. And we cover pretty much the whole psychedelic spectra (except perhaps clone-full on :)) The first 2 that pop in mind are: Son Kite and Hux Flux..

 

19. Templar: A typical Filteria day...

 

Filteria - Get up at 12 or something. Chill, eat, chill, make some music, eat, watch a movie, continue with the music, chill, find some new melodies... sleep :)) Nowdays i work.. So its abit different... So less chilling and more working.

 

20. Templar: The sample in the track named "The Snuggling Snail" (taken from "Celebrity Deathmatch") - You like fighting clay-people, or is it just a soft spot for sweets? :)

 

Filteria - AHAHA :)))) Both I guess... But I don't want no snail on my chocholate. :)

 

21. Templar: Monica Bellucci or Jessica Alba?

 

Filteria - Monica Bellucci… grrrrrrrrrrrrr... Can you hook me up with her? :)

 

22. Thanks a lot for the interview. Give us more tons of layers, melodies and good luck with Your future releases. Best wishes from Psytrance.pl crew.

 

Filteria Thank you to. More layers will be coming. :) Nothing but joy and good health to all of you Jannis Filtera. PLUR, trust in trance greetz, >--

 

www.psytrance.pl

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Good interview!

 

I enjoyed reading it and completely agree with what Jannis said about full-on in general. And I totally agree with what he said about the lack of emotion in todays (lets say the majority of todays) music; how the scene today is more than ever about looking and being cool, rather than the music, the greatness, quailty of the music, truly being there to enjoy the music, being individual, getting in touch with yourself and really feeling strong emotions to strong, beeautiful music that is or was not only so much fun and imaginative, but something that to help bring out whats is inside you all along.

 

Those great things are arely existent in todays music as they used to be, which just sucks because with most artists now, its mostly about money and IMAGE well over everything else, and yes, sure there was just money intentions and image back than too, but the picture the music painted was more about self. Thankfully there still are artists who really love the music and know whats awesome, keeping it alive!, (you know who you are) but its rare; the industries so corrupted and over-run that unless you avoid certain things by going through an independent label, you're basically fucked. Many people have forgotten what goatrance is all about, but thankfully there are enough who still remember; who know and contribute to keeping it alive. I live in the USA and I have never met any of you thus far in this life time. Sometimes I think some of you guys are the only ones on the same page as myself when it comes to certain topics addressed in the interview above. I wish more people would wake up, but I guess if everyone wanted the best, the best would become less appreciated and special because there would be too much of it from the demand.

 

And to the few people who say all the tracks on Filteria sound the same, oh good lord, hahaha, plllleeeease!, there are people who will always say something negative about anything. I mean, look at Jesus for example. He was probably, at his time, the most positive, peaceful, and aware human being on the planet, and I realize thats a heavy and not the best analogy, but my point is that if even Jesus couldn't satisfy everyone! I think they just don't get it, thats all. :P (had to keep that ending general, heh) ... But don't ever let those few discourage you, as its just pointless and draining, and thats just for the record.

 

I realized when I used to mix over my cpu, (sound waves, my friends did the Korg Triton keyboard mixing stuff, I revised, altered, mixed, I like layers, etc...) anyway, I realized that the best time for me to work is late at night or early in the morning. Thats when it seems there is the least distractions, and you come back to who you really are; the higher level of focus, one can get toally lost in his own creation and basically become it. The body, mind, and spirit is less caught up at certain times and you can focus more of your energy, thus far surpassing the results you may achieve during most other times, such as for me, during the day. Its interesting, and I believe you know exactly what I mean Jannis and maybe several others reading this too!

 

I'm really looking forward to the next main album by Filteria! To Jannis: It could come out in 2006 if it takes you that long, but wheneve its finished its finished of course! Take your time and make it absolutely stunning, amazing, better than the first one! ... just go insane, please. :)

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