Sebastian Mullaert and Marcus Henriksson are otherwise known as Son Kite, one of the first pioneering progressive trance acts to come out of Sweden. Since their early releases in 1999 they’ve travelled the world from Brazil to Boom Festival, injecting events with their impeccably produced psychedelic sounds. Not content with pushing prog to its boundaries, they also explore the realms of electronica with their aliases Minilogue and Trimatic. However, during the course of our chat with them ahead of their rare London set at Halcyon @Proud2 on Friday 8 July, we discovered that they are still truly psychedelic at heart…
You’ve been making music together since 1996. How did you first meet and what inspired you to start working together?
Marcus: We meet at a techno party back in 1996. Sebastian had just started making music and I (Marcus) was a dj. We started talking and we decided to make a dance track together. We just connected on a friendly level directly and we got inspired just being tighter. The ideas were just streaming out and it was almost hard to stop all the creativity coming out!
Your music has changed and evolved considerably over the years. How would you describe the 2011 Son Kite sound? And how does it vary from the music you make as Minilogue and Trimatic?
Marcus: I can only describe our music from our point of view and my point of view is to not have a point of view! We like to be free and not put ourselves into a specific folder or category and when we make the music we just feel and try not to think so much, capture the moment.
If I should say something I would say psychedelic and I don’t mean the “style” psychedelic trance, I mean that a key to our music is to have a psychedelic experience. Son Kite and Minilogue do not vary that much from each other any more — maybe just the tempo?!
You’ve headlined at some of the world’s top parties and festivals, including Ozora and Boom and have travelled to Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, South Africa and of course the UK. What’s been your favourite set so far and why was it so good?
Marcus: Nowadays I try not to categorise things as good or bad… it’s just different experiences. A feeling of anger is not better or worse than a feeling of joy, it’s just a different feeling I experience. So I would say that the favourite thing is to be a human being who has the possibility to experience. Love to all!!!
Sebastian you’re classically trained, starting with the organ from eight years old and graduating to the piano and violin, while Marcus you got into producing music through DJing. How do your different approaches work in reality in the studio?
Seb: When we started we had a more clear approach to the studio work, depending on our different backgrounds. Today we’re not that different, we’re both djs, we’re both musicians and we’re both practicing a presence in life. Of course we’re still different and one could probably point out some typical Marcusy and Sebby things in our music. But we don’t give this much attention, when we jam together we use our jamming to enter the present moment and in that we are one.
What software and hardware are currently in your studio? What’s your favorite piece of kit right now?
Seb: What is music? To me it’s the consciousness that experiences the presence, using the music as the gate to enter that state of being. There is no difference in dancing to music, listening to music or creating music, it’s different gates to the same being. We have found different ways of entering this state while jamming, and for us it’s playing the instruments, turning the knobs that open the gate to the presence, so we have a lot of knobs and hands on stuff. The actual stuff is not very important, it’s just with what presence you have while using them that matters.
A good check is: is your equipment forcing you/or inspiring you to think? Then you’re loosing your awareness and you’re no longer conscious. If this is the case you’re doing a production, a structure based on thoughts. This is not an inner experience and you’re not one with the being.
You’ve been called the kings of progressive trance. Who or what, prog or not, would you consider your greatest influences?
Marcus: We’re not king… everyone is king. We get inspired from everything — music to nature to people to life to death, everything inspires us! Of course there are some artists that have shaped our sound in some degree but if we should choose our greatest influence we would say meditation.
Why does the world need your music?
Seb: Our music is there, it is nothing without an aware consciousness that is experiencing it, it is everything while an aware consciousness is experience it. Like everything else it is all and nothing. It is there to be experienced, and if it isn’t it doesn’t matter.
Sweden has produced some incredible prog trance producers — Ticon (who are also playing at Halcyon), Atmos, Vibrasphere and of course yourselves. Is there something about the trance scene in Sweden that stimulates such creativity, or perhaps something in the water?
Seb: Apparently. All are interconnected. All are affecting all! We’re all part of a stream.
If you could go back in time, where would you go, when and why?
Marcus: Time is just a concept. So when we put ourselves outside time we become timeless. Then we don’t have to go anywhere and we don’t have to see anything since everything is here and now!
Since you’ve started out, technology has changed the way music is played, produced, promoted and distributed. What impact has this had on the way you do things and do you see the pros outweighing the cons.
Seb: As Marcus says, we try not to judge and analyse. What is, is. If you truly accept what is, you will also be. All is interconnected. In the end there is just one thing that matters, to feel our inner being; to be one with all. Music is a tool, a gate to becoming one with all. Every time someone enters the presence through music is amazing. How the music reaches them isn’t of any interest.
Is there anything you hate about the music industry?
Marcus: The music industry is an amazing thing. It’s like a living organism who changes shape every second. We can’t say that this music industry organism is something we hate since it’s something that makes people listen to music. Music is a wonderful thing so why hate it? We try not to hate anything. Hate just makes problems. Problems make people feel fear and we don’t want people to feel fear.
What do you like to do when you’re not playing or producing music? Do you have any guilty pleasures?
Seb: Guilt is based on fear. Accept what you are and don’t feel guilt. Guilt will just lock you into bad habits, that create more guilt. It’s a loop.
You’re headlining the Halcyon Summer Ball on Friday 8 July. Why should people who’ve never seen you before come and check it out? And what treats do you have in store for your fans?
Marcus: Please don’t have any expectations and if you have to have any expectations, please expect the unexpected! Please come and check us out because you want to have an experience… an experience with both good and bad feelings to it. Our treats to the people will be compassion and love!
Many thanks for your time Sebastian and Marcus. Looking forward to seeing you play on the July 8th!
Photos courtesy of Son Kite. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Halcyon Presents: The Summer Ball
Fri 8th July at Proud2 (matter)
(The O2, Peninsula Square, London, SE10 ODX)
10pm to 7am
...*VERY LIMITED £8 TICKETS ON SALE NOW*
Halcyon Returns to Proud2 for its 2nd event of 2011 with a very special unique selection of artists moving through tech and progressive into full on psy – trance. As is expected from Halcyon we lead from the front and we present to you a handpicked selection of some of the biggest and most influential artists in the world of psy – trance from across the globe!
Son Kite Live
Behind the successful production of Son Kite are Sebastian Mullaert and Marcus Henriksson from Sweden. Son Kite have over years established themselves as one of the most interesting and in demand live artists in the trance scene today, always developing the music and always searching for new ways to push boundaries. Headline appearances across the globe at all the major festivals include Ozoora, Boom, Brazil, Tokyo, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, UK and anywhere else you can think off! If this does not keep them busy enough then their other project Minilogue is awaiting the release of its first album on Cocoon Records.
Ticon Live
Ticon are Filip Mardberg and Fredrik Gilenholt. The story of their musical involvement dates back to 1991 when they found mutual interest for underground dance music. After releasing on almost every now classic trance label they earned a spot in the growing group of respected trance producers. Released in April 2001 on Digital Structures, their first full length album 'Rewind' received fantastic reviews and is today a milestone in progressive music. It's been a great journey from the first releases, and with landmark albums like 'Aero' and 'Zero Six After' and '2:AM', they have earned a top spot position in the trance and club scene.
D-Nox & Beckers Live
D-Nox & Beckers was introduced to the electronic-community with tracks such as Jetlag Slave (Baroque, UK), Seven Hours (Electribe) and Memory Cell (in cooperation with David Amo & Julio Naves from Spain) and they where all incredibly successful 12inches, all reaching the number one spot on Beatport. 2007 marked the year of the LP Left Behind, which was released on the label Electribe. Shanghigh was another enormous breakthrough track for the dynamic duo. Aside from their own productions, D-Nox & Beckers are highly sought-after remixers. Minilogue, Tocadisco and many well-known artists are among the musicians they have worked with.
Advanced Tickets
Limited Early Birds only £8 / £10 / £15 / £17.50
More Information
Paul@Proactive-records.co.uk / 07814179946 / www.proud2.com
Return buses from 1am to Liverpool St, Victoria, Waterloo, £2 a ticket.
Flyer:
-
Region:
London
Music:
Trance. Euro Trance. Psy Trance.
DJ's:
Main Room
Son Kite Live
Ticon Live
D-Nox & Beckers Live
Lish Dj Set
Dejavoo
Libra 9
Andi Leppard Matt Lorraine
Andy Force
Room 2 hosted by Liquid Records
Tron Live
Beatnik Liquid Ross
Chameleon
Ipcress
DJ Moon
From: Nikki Son 6th Jul 2011 19:52.36 I love these guys, have got their albums & DVD but never had the opportunity to experience them live! And what a phatt line-up!
Fantastic interview Tara .. i love the answer to the last question ...
"Please don’t have any expectations and if you have to have any expectations, please expect the unexpected! Please come and check us out because you want to have an experience… an experience with both good and bad feelings to it. Our treats to the people will be compassion and love! "
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