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Artist: Talpa


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We have had the pleasure of interviewing Talpa, and he was so nice as to answer our and your (psynewsers) questions, 27 pieces. Below the interview you'll find a couple of "extras". :)

 

Happy reading!

 

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Psynews: Hello Goran, how are you?

 

Talpa: Hi, not too bad. Just woke up so I'm trying to gather my thoughts :)

 

 

Psynews: You have previously said that... “Talpa” is “a Tibetan form of thought that transforms one material shape to another one”. Do you have such powers?

 

Talpa: Talpa, hmm nah I don't have any special powers, there is no special reason for using that name. I just liked it :)

 

 

Psynews: Your first album has been released while you were in the army. Because of the army service you had to complete, you couldn't get visa to go to gigs outside Serbia. Do you consider yourself a lucky person?

 

Talpa: Well I don't know how lucky I am for having to do the army service, but that was definitely one interesting period in my life where I got to know many good people.

 

 

Psynews: In spite of the problems that surrounded your debut period, your album, “The Art Of Being Non” has been one of the highlights of 2004 for many people, all over the world. Did you feel it “on your skin” so to speak? Were the consequences satisfying to you?

 

Talpa: Well this album took me to many places which previously I could only dream of visiting. Although I haven't particularily enjoyed playing the tracks from that album. Even today people are booking me because of that album. In truth, I never expected that much from it, considering the quality is really poor, but that's a different story.

 

 

Psynews: People have said about your debut album that it has Infected Mushroom and Shpongle influences. Do you agree? Is this the sound that defines your music style? Comment a bit on the music on your album.

 

Talpa: Indeed the album does sound like Infected, I don't deny it. I was particularly inspired by their music at the time. But of course, by quality it is far from them. Hm there's not much else to say about it, most of those tracks are really old and I've become sick of listening to them.

 

 

Psynews: I know you admire Simon Posford’s musical work. Name a track from your album that you would like him to remix. Would you like to remix one of his tracks? Which one?

 

Talpa: Oh Simon, Simon is god, far ahead from everyone else. His music was always fascinating and natural to me... some of his tracks have left me speechless. That kind of talent which will carry on what he started is yet to be born :) As for the remix, I wouldn't want him to remix any of my tracks nor would I want to remix any of his. I don't like remixes, it never sounds better than the original. If you ask someone about doing a remix it's like asking: "Excuse me, I can do it better, may I?"

 

 

Psynews: Which has the biggest influence in the process of producing psychedelic music? The mind or the soul?

 

Talpa: Hm well the soul definitely, if I see this calling just like another job that's what the result would be like. In every of my tracks I try to bring what I feel at that moment.

 

 

Psynews: You released an album in 2004, I’ve seen you in the line-up of parties and festivals during 2005 and beginning of 2006. People are anxious to see more of your music released, and especially a new album. What have you been doing lately, musically?

 

Talpa: In the past 2 years I've made a heap of tracks and deleted just as many. I haven't really succeeded in finding myself, I've done a lot of downtempo tracks which will most likely never get released. Those are tracks which I've done because of myself, which I've devoted to the people I love and no one would understand them the way they are supposed to. So that will stay on my hard drive or sometimes be played on chill out floors at festivals. As for the new album, I've been working on it a lot and a lot has already been done. There will be everything, there won't be Art of Being Non 2, but there will be melody and psychedelia with 2 or maybe even 3 downtempo tracks at the beginning and end, just like on the last album. I've really given this album as much as I could, partly because of the quality, and partly due to my personal life which really affects my work. I've had to cancel all the bookings up to summer so I could work in peace. Although I still don't have my own computer and I still work on an ordinary sound card... but this time the sound quality will be far better ;)

So, on the festivals this year I will only be playing tracks from the upcoming album.

 

 

Psynews: In an older interview (2004 I think), you were saying that you have a side project, “… based on some kind of freestyle break beat, down tempo... a mixture of all kinds of things. I must say that maybe I got fed up with dance floor music too early.” Do you still feel the same? Are you ready for the dance-floor? Should we expect changes in your musical style as Talpa?

 

Talpa: Yes, but that side project will stay on my hard drive, as I've said. As for being fed up, that's true. It's true that I never dance and you will see Mahatma Gandhi dancing more often than me. Just like any producer, you listen to music in a different way. You listen with detail to every sound, rhythm, you try to give it some value on the first listen. And in the past few years there has been nothing I liked, so I stopped listening to psytrance. Last thing I heard was Procs, woah I liked it a lot. I even put him in some of my DJ sets. I also found the new Artifakt interesting. Recently I've started enjoying progressive a lot more on parties. While I can't stand that dark psy, the further from me the better. If I could I would really enjoy making some kind of trippy jazz, or something similar to warp records.

 

 

Psynews: Is there a release date for your future album? If yes, then when? And under which label?

 

Talpa: Well that's unknown, especially with me, although it will be this year. I will finish it before summer or during, so add another month and the album will be in the psyshops. It will be released on Sundance Records.

 

 

Psynews: What hardware / software do you use to make music?

 

Talpa: Of hardware I use my brother's computer haha, so I only work when he's not home. And Tapco S8 monitors which I've gotten recently. It's practically enough. From software, I don't really know, it depends, every software has its own sound.

 

 

Psynews: Where do you get your inspiration from when creating music?

 

Talpa: Inspiration comes from private life. I'm an exceptionally emotional person, and life be as it may, really affects me as a person and my music. The music depends on my emotional state.

 

 

Psynews: Do you think that you have something “new” to offer in the psychedelic scene of these days?

 

Talpa: No, I don't think I do, few people have. I personally think that no one has anything new to offer. Everything has more or less been pumped, mixed and chewed in all the possible ways only given under a different name.

 

 

Psynews: Some people say that many artists in the scene write music they know will sell, rather than the music that comes from their soul. Where do you stand on this spectrum of motivation, and how do you feel about artists who are at the extremes?

 

Talpa: Well I don't see myself in any other kind of work apart from music, it's a job which I really do with great enjoyment and which I will continue doing for a number of years, until I get fed up. Music is my greatest love, the way I treat her is the way she treats me. I understand the people that do this because of money, some artists make a lot of money and are enjoying themselves. There's nothing bad about it, this is a job like any other, everyone knows why they are doing it and how much they appreciate it.

 

 

Psynews: Can you make a living off your psytrance music? Would you consider making music for TV commercials, if everything fell apart?

 

Talpa: Well as I've said some artists, let's not name them, we all know who they are :) live well off this, but it depends where you live. If you live and work in Serbia where the standard is somewhat low then you can live comfortably. But this work has no guarantees. Sometimes I have so many bookings in a month I can't do them all, and sometimes I have completely empty months. But if I lived, for example, elsewhere in Europe where the economic standard is higher, I would barely be getting by.

 

 

Psynews: Which are your favorite music and favorite artists (psy and non-psy)? With whom would you like to collaborate?

 

Talpa: My favourite music is umm... hmm chill, downtempo, Shpongle, Younger Brother, Squarepusher, Amon Tobi...music with female vocals like Mariza from Portugal, or Enya, Lisa Gerrard. I wouldn't like to work with anyone, I achieve the best results in things I do alone, where I am independent. Even though collaboration can be fun, in those cases there is no work done due to the alcohol that is consumed during the collaboration. I've worked together with a few artists before, but nothing ever came from that. Last time I worked with someone was with Dark Nebula... haha that was interesting, although I barely got the mouse in my hands, nothing came from that as we haven't finished any tracks.

 

 

Psynews: How did you get to know Matte Gillard (AKA Nystagmus)? Is there any future collaboration planned?

 

Talpa: Well I've met him through Franny (Sundance Records), we came into contact over the internet and we often talk online. An interesting and truly good person, but as far as I know he stopped making trance and is now on some chill downtempo. Although if we ever met live and in a studio, there is a BIG chance some new track would pop up :)

 

 

Psynews: How did you first get in contact with psychedelic music? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

 

Talpa: It was a long time ago, while I was listening to goa trance in the 90s I never gave it much attention. Until I went to the first goa trance party and decided I wanted to be a part of all this. The first notes started then, albeit funny but :) In 10 years I doubt I will be doing anything connected to psytrance. I might visit some parties and festivals, but I would be into something else, definitely.

 

 

Psynews: What was the first party/festival you went to?

 

Talpa: Well I don't know exactly, I don't remember but I think it was Romania, Transylvania Calling Festival...

 

 

Psynews: What was the best party you ever played at?

 

Talpa: It's hard to say, I could choose up to 3 parties which I will always remember. Like the Tribeadelic festival for New Years Eve. Random Instinct also in Melbourne and a party in Moscow a month ago where I met some crazy people hehe. Every party is special, I enjoy them all equally, but due to some details I will never forget a few of them.

 

 

Psynews: Can you tell us an interesting story related to you from parties? Something funny, scary, shocking, something hard to forget maybe?

 

Talpa: Well I can't remember any exact moment, but there were definitely many things that happened to me on parties because of which I enjoy doing this even more.

 

 

Psynews: Some people heard that you don't do drugs, just alcohol, and they’re wondering if it is true.

 

Talpa: I'm not a fan of drugs, I have no need of them and there's also my personal health. I can only make music when I'm fully concentrated, straight.

 

 

Psynews: How do you like to spend your time when you don't make music?

 

Talpa: Depends, sometimes I enjoy being alone and sometimes in company of friends. But most of the time I spend listening to some irrelevant music at home or reading books... I don't need much to enjoy myself.

 

 

Psynews: Tell us a bit about your recent visit to Australia...

 

Talpa: Australia, well that's a crazy continent. Those people are truly people and know how to have a good time. I've spent 2 great months in Australia, met a lot of people, seen all that could be seen of their natural beauty... although the temperature can be sometimes extremely high. For New Year's Eve in Melbourne it was really hot, first time I entered a new year in shorts hehe. The most interesting of all is that they know how to live relaxed without any particular worries. I can't wait to visit again, hopefully this year.

 

 

Psynews: Who is your ideal woman/man?

 

Talpa: My ideal woman is Jessica Alba definitely! or Beyonce ;)

I don't really have an ideal woman. All the girls I've fell in love with were totally different, mentally and physically. It's usually enough to have that special something which will make me drop to my knees. Only problem is that I choose the wrong ones, it happens too often :)

 

 

Psynews: Your website (www.talpa.info) hasn’t been updated in quite long time I think. Where can you be seen playing/partying this spring-summer?

 

Talpa: Haha that website will be the end of me. I know nothing about web design so I can't do anything about it. My brother did that site but he has his job and rarely has time to update it. The new website is finished, we only need to insert the information. I'm waiting to finish a few more tracks off the new album, so I can release the samples together with the new website. Currently there are not many festivals planned for this summer. During July I will be playing in Hungary, Bulgaria, Sweden, we shall see about the rest.

 

 

Psynews: Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

 

Talpa: Well nothing particular, be happy, love, make love as often as possible and use a condom, AIDS kills!!! :)

 

 

Psynews: Thanks for the advice, we'll keep it in mind, and you do the same! Thank you for this interview, and have a nice day and summer! And who knows, maybe we'll see you on the dance-floor?! :)

 

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Here are a few pictures of Goran aka Talpa:

 

Talpa @ work, Rhakti Deï Festival, Belgium, august 2005:

 

Posted Image

 

Party & gig in Bulgary, february 2006:

 

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Chilling with Filteria and Anoebis at Rhakti Deï Festival, Belgium, august 2005:

 

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Celebrity status calls for sacrifice, surrounded by cameras and girls at party in Bulgary, february 2006 (hehe just kidding :P, that's Poly near him, the coolest bulgarian girl ever):

 

Posted Image

 

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If you want to read older interviews with Talpa, you can find a couple of them here:

* Interview at www.psymag.com

* Interview at www.psygarden.org

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