HAMMERSHOI © thypa_photographie Fromalmost everybad thing you end up getting something good, and so, thanks to the first lockdown, the EBM/ minimal synth duo Hammershøi was born. The French band, which publishes on the prestigious label Swiss Dark Nights, shows us their problems and experiences as a couple in danceable tracks with the power of Electronic BodyMusic and the sensuality of the best minimal synth. The name of the duo is a reference to the painter Vilhelm Hammershøi, right? Is there any special aspect of his work that you also try to capture with your music? You are right ! We absolutely admire this painter and want to pay homage to him by bearing his name. This painter has enormous talent and he manages to make us feel a lot of feelings and emotions, in a fair and strong way. We try, through our music,to express these feelings and perhaps,we hope, to touch the people who listen to us. Ben was in different bands before Hammershøi, can you please tell us more about this? I was in fact a singer in several groups. Always musical groups using electronic instruments. For several years I was notably a singer and composer in a Synth Punk group called Perm.36. The only similarity between this group and Hammershøi is the exclusive use of a drum machine and singing in French. www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be - 24 - The two of you started the band during the first lockdown. I guess it had at least one positive consequence. Howwas it? Howdo you decide to create a band during that time? It was a bit by chance, to occupy our days, that we started making music together.We liked the exercise and the result and continued. From there was born the first album, entirely made in our kitchen. As a result, we experienced the first confinement quite well. What were your first inspirations? In an interviewyou said that German synth-pop band Nacht Analyse was an influence. Honestly, I did not know that band, can you please tell us more about them? You said that you have more influences fromGerman bands, right? We were very inspired by German electronic music mainly. Indeed, we designed our first album by listening a lot to Nacht Analyse. This is a wonderful musical project that unfortunately no longer exists. Their album is very rich and presents many influences also with very powerful singing. We are indeed very influenced by German groups. Maybe because we don’t understand anything about the lyrics! And in Germany too there are a lot of great things happening at the moment: go listen to Mängelexemplar,Oberst Panizza, Tilly Electronics, Infant Sanchos and the work of all these incredible guys: Carlos Grabstein and Miseria Records,Young & Cold,Kernkrach…
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