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Re: dux tion “… Leaving only what is necessary”
Introduce yourself; who are you/what do you do?
My
name is Christophe G. and I am the artist known as Re: dux tion. For now
I am the only member so I do all the creation, processing and
destruction that is Re: dux tion.
I started seriously working as Re: dux tion about two years ago. I am also a member of the band ‘Drug of Choice’ and as I was writing songs for D.o.C. I began to have songs that didn’t quite fit with D.o.C.; so Re: dux tion was born as a way to create and most importantly express myself outside of D.o.C.
Re: dux tion literally means to reduce, to purify. Since
I was working alone I had reduced the band members to one. The name also
carries with it the idea of “self”. Getting to ones’ essence and
creating art not commerce. Its’ about believing in yourself and not
worrying about “fitting in” with someone else’s ideal. The inner
strength to say this is who I am and this is what I create and I believe
in both.
I hoped to break-through the confines of a music industry that imposes labels and restrictions on artists. As an African-American musician, the music industry has defined me as a rapper or an R&B singer; I am neither. There seems to be a difficulty in “marketing” me (lol). I’ve tried to get around this “problem” for years and with the internet I have. I can now get my music out directly to people and let them judge it on one thing and one thing only,
”is it any good”. These inherent needs to pigeonhole and define are absurd and never mind how destructive and crippling they can be! We need to breakdown boundaries not re-enforce them. The concept of boundary breaking is so important on many levels. As human beings we
are more alike than we sometimes realize. As an artist I think it is my
duty, my responsibility to push the boundaries, to provoke, to prod.
Someone has to say “no”. No to the idea of being defined by someone
else!
I’m inspired everyday by the very simplistic idea of making music. The idea of being able to create something and the satisfaction that brings inspires me everyday. Also through the internet I have come into contact with so many incredible artists. Their work pushes me to explore new things, to try different methods of working. There are just so many talented people making music that everyday I hear something that makes me sit up and take notice. Hearing something I haven’t heard before sends me right into my studio. I am inspired by art and architecture as well. Lately I have been reading and studying architecture and have found great inspiration in the work of many architects (Sugimoto, Donald Judd, Tadao Ando and others of the “minimalist” movement). Visual artists are another source of inspiration. I tend to work very visually. I think my music has a very “cinematic” feel to it.
It means getting rid of those things around you, within you, that are holding you back from achieving what you want. I don’t mean this in a monetary sense; I mean it in a life sense. All of us have had relationships that dragged us down, held us back from being our best. We trap ourselves in our own mental prisons, afraid “to do”. We’re afraid we won’t get approval from someone, whatever the case. Once you are able to “free” yourself, everything becomes possible. The fear of failure, of disapproval disappears. What you’re left with is you and who you are. You reach a point where you are comfortable in your own skin - a rather nice feeling I might add!
Why do you choose to make dark ambient (with an industrial edge)? How do you get into dark ambient?
I
didn’t really choose to make “dark-ambient”. It is what resulted from
being in the studio and creating. I’ve always loved music that is heavy
on the atmosphere. Whether it was dub, doom/black-metal, film, shoegaze
or ambient/drone just give me an atmosphere; preferably a dark one (lol).
I don’t think of myself as a “dark-ambient” artist. I’m not disavowing
the genre or label, it’s just that I think of myself as a musician and
my “job” as a musician is to create music; regardless of classification
or genre. Art and artists should know no boundaries!
I
think the key to keeping “fresh” is to listen to other music outside of
“dark-ambient”. It is true that there is a lot of music out there that
falls under the heading/category of “dark-ambient” and I have my
favorites (Nostalgia, Letum, Contagion, Roto Visage and John 3:16 to
name a few) I really do like a lot of different music. You have to live
outside of a single genre or style. There is a wealth of incredible
music being made that doesn’t fall under “dark-ambient”, I would be a
fool to ignore it!
Thank you very much! It didn’t quite start out as a focused work.
Charles from sleepy:verse records heard a few songs
that I had previously completed and wanted to release them. As some of
them had already appeared on compilations and splits; I wanted to write
some new songs to make it a more complete work not just a collection of
previously released songs. In addition to writing new songs I remixed
all of the previously released songs as well. The inspiration as a whole
came from the idea of trying to express concepts like war, dystopia,
desolation, futurism and death sonically. I really was trying to make
an auditory representation of these somewhat abstract concepts. I think
the key to its’ strong atmosphere is it is focused around an idea/theme.
It is not just some songs thrown together. I tried to treat it as a
film-maker would treat a movie. The best movies are usually the ones’
that work as a whole not just a collection of unrelated scenes.
‘The Death Posture’ is definitely “dark-electronic”. It is a mash-up of the music that I like e.g. doom/black-metal, IDM, breakcore, industrial and ambient/drone. It isn’t made for easy classification. I wanted to make something that pushed at the definition of “industrial”. Industrial in many minds has come to mean “trance with distorted vocals”, that has to change! Industrial music is greater than that. I need to experiment with my music, not repeat it and certainly not copy what is already out there. The main creative difference between this and ‘A Disordered Imagination’ is that I started with “guitar” based performances.
What happens after “The Death Posture”?
Next up for me are several split releases and collaborations. Forthcoming is a three-way split CD with ‘True Colour of Blood’ and ‘Migra’, a split CD with ‘Surrain’, a split CD with ‘Machine Debaser’, a split release with ‘John 3:16 (this will be a return to the “dark-ambient” music of ‘A Disordered Imagination’), and a remix EP entitled ‘Un:mxd & Manipulated’. There are also a couple of compilation releases due out soon. I am also working with Virginia MC/Poet - Black Saturn. We’re probably going to release a full-length later this year.
What do you think the future of dark electronic music is? Is there any uncharted territory left to explore?
I think the future of “dark – electronic” music lies in its’ ability to absorb other influences and not become incestuous; it needs’ to evolve. Of course this depends on your definition of “dark-electronic” music. For me it includes dubstep (a newly found pleasure), darkstep, IDM, downtempo, ambient, doom/black-metal (a personal fav), goth, breakcore, gabber, noise and industrial. I think the uncharted territory is the mixing and matching, the crossing and blurring of genres. There needs to be less defining of music based on fashion and dress codes. The way someone dresses or looks shouldn’t be the reason for how we define their music. Let the artist define it or not!
NIN – ‘The Fragile’, maybe the single most influential/inspirational album for me
Pink Floyd – ‘The Wall’, enough said!
Godflesh – ‘Streetcleaner’, the first time I heard this I was awestruck. Justin Broadrick and all his various “projects” (Techno Animal, Ice, Jesu) have had and continue to have enormous influence on me.
Skinny Puppy – ‘Too Dark Park’, simply an amazing record that embodies all that is “industrial music”.
Public Enemy – ‘Yo Bum Rush The Show’, talk about revolutionary. There is/was nothing like them!
Killing Joke – ‘Killing Joke’, a totally new sound at the time.
David Bowie – ‘Low’, a landmark and influential release that is still spreading its’ influence. What would music be like without it?
My Bloody Valentine – ‘Loveless’ spawned an entire genre and countless imitators. Kevin Shields is a true artist!
The non-music related inspiration includes – Bruce Sterling, Philip K. Dick, Nietzsche, Eastern philosophy, minimalism, Andy Warhol, modernism, Robert Williams, Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky, Malcolm X, H.R. Giger, Basquiat and Jeff Chang
I hope the future holds more collaborative efforts. I would really like to work with film-makers, video artists, photographers, painters and multi-media artists. I’d like to contribute to the “pushing of boundaries”. I want to explore new things. Keep evolving as a person and as an artist. I think, no I know that there is revolution to be had and I want to be a part of that revolution.
I
would also like to setup a tour where I play at art galleries only. I
like the idea of juxtaposition. An art gallery is a totally different
headspace. It’s a different dynamic at work. Am I the background or the
foreground? How does my music affect your viewing of the art? How does
the art affect my performance?
I would like to thank you for this opportunity. I’d also like to thank those who listened/listen to Re: dux tion – I cannot thank you enough!! Also thanks to Charles@’sleepy:verse records’ for releasing ‘A Disordered Imagination’. Also many thanks to Daniel@’Brain Sodomy Recordings’ for releasing ‘The Death Posture’, I truly cannot thank you enough!
more info on Re: dux tion: http://www.myspace.com/reduxtion The Death Posture @ BRAINSODOMY
- by [.d4n b4rr3tt.] |
