qrauer presents Subtlerejection, an electronic production built around a well crafted idm beat and some really cool cinematic textures/vocal chops. The track evokes a lovely, “difficult to explain why”, late-’90s nostalgic vibe. Read our conversation with the talented German artist below!
Describe your sound in 3 words
groovy, experimental, vivid
What inspired Subtlerejection, and how does it align with your artistic vision?
Subtlerejection was created in collaboration with the dancer Chiara Detscher for a dance video. Before working on her choreography, she sent me tracks by Aphex Twin and Autechre as inspiration for the musical direction. This gave me the opportunity to go in a different direction compared to the music I released as qrauer so far.
What is the story behind it’s title?
The title of the single is derived from the title of the dance video “a subtle rejection of the present”. The video is about showing fleeting moments that are constantly in motion without fully revealing themselves. In a world that strives for the new, the here and now often loses meaning and fades as we lose ourselves in memories and dreams instead of dwelling in the present moment.
With the track being part of a dance performance video, what visual elements or movements were key in shaping the music’s flow?
The basic musical flow was determined by Chiara’s video concept even before the actual choreography. Based on this, I was able to start working on the music and we gradually modified the arrangement of the track together. After she had filmed her choreography I got the video footage and started working on the track again. I added the abstract vocal sample which consists of the words of the dance performances title „a subtle rejection of the present“ spoken by an AI voice. It then became the rhythmic information emphasizing the backbeat as well. Laying that under the edited video gave us the feeling that there now was a lack of dynamic in the video since the music got more rhythmical. So I started editing the video again and also developed the slightly damaged vhs meets hard graphic contrast look with a lot of saturation.
If the music of qrauer was a film, which film would that be?
If it were a non-existent film, it would be the one in which Wes Anderson and David Lynch fall in love while secretly working together on a remake of Bodyguard.
Artist and people that have influenced you?
I find it hard to single out individual people because it feels like a hard-to-interpret pile of inspiration inside me when I think about it. A big supporter and inspiration was my friend and Nonostar Records founder Alex Stolze. He’s always made me feel like my music matters and is worth continuing to work on, which is very helpful when you’re on the verge of sinking into self-doubt again.
How does this release represent the evolution of qrauer as a project, and what should fans anticipate next?
With this release, qrauer is entering new rhythmic waters. For me as a drummer, working on this dance video was extremely exciting, as it was the first time in a long time that I’ve been away from a for to the floor beat. It feels good to expand the stylistic spectrum and thus provide me with a larger toolbox for future productions. I think that my musical expression will become more versatile as a result.
Something not many people know about you?
I work not only as a musician and producer, but also as a designer. I create my own visual content in the form of artworks and videos under the monicker Jonny Polka. My goal is to finalise a new qrauer EP including a self-created AV live set within the next year.
Thank you!
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