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Artist Spotlight - ÄTNA


(Photo Credit - Iga Drobisz)

We had the opportunity to interview ÄTNA for an Artist Spotlight feature! Their new album 'Made By Desire' dropped today, so be sure to check that out (link above)! Also check out what they had to say in our feature!

1. How did you come to pursue music and how long have you been at it?

"Inéz‘ father has always been playing numerous instruments, mainly the guitar and Demian‘s grandfather and great-grandfather were both drummers as well, so it came pretty natural to be surrounded by music. At the age of seven an intense musical youth between techno, skatepunk and big band vibes took it’s course we both enrolled at the Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, where we met for the first time."

2. Could you walk us through your process of writing music?

"We improvise a lot on our instruments and let the recorder run. We then listen to all these demos and find the good beats, vibes and harmonies that have something special in them for us. Inéz sings fantasy language until she writes the final lyrics in the last step."

3. What artists have inspired you in your career?

"Piet Mondrian, Sting, Philip Glass, Björk, Billie Holiday, Frédéric Chopin, Steve Reich, Monet, Michael Jackson, György Ligeti, Baby Sommer, Céline Rudolph."

4. Do you have any favorite music gear (guitars, amps, effects pedals, keyboards, etc.) that you love to use? If so, what’s the story on them?

"Demian collects lots of metal trash and children‘s toys to implement into his drum set. The samples we use can be anything from bird mutmurations to weird electronic glitches we find in every-day life. So exciting how sometimes things transform into something very different."

"Inéz has always been digging through all sorts of folklore music from countries such as India, Egypt, Brazil, Mali and found so many truly unique ways of using a singing voice. Her studies at the Musikhochschule then went into technical detail of how these sounds can be replicated or even turned into new sounds."

"After the study years we decided to start a duo with electronic effect processors such as the TC Helicon voice live and have been exploring the borders between pop and experimental, trash and tradition as well as acoustic and electronic."

5. Can you describe the vibe at your live shows? Also, what do you enjoy most about a venue when you do a show?

"Demian loves the curiosity of the audience which creates an intense vibe. Throughout the concert people seem to break free and lift hands, dance and sing and some of them say they loose their feel of time. Every venue has something to it. Sometimes it is the neighborhood or the bartender!"

6. What is one thing that you want the public to know about your music?

"It is “Made by Desire”- which is also the title of the album :)"

7. Can you tell us about the writing, recording, and promotion process of your new album Made By Desire?

"The album was recorded at the legend-overkilled Hansa Studios in Berlin by producer Moses Schneider. The vibe of Bowie, U2, the Pet Shop Boys and Madonna definitely had an impact on the atmosphere."

"We are happy that more people like listening to the music and watch our videos now. We try to do most of the promotional encounters personally since we feel the honor to get this attention!"


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