Featuring Yugao of ANAMADIM | Interview by Ruud Dreessen aka ebm-industrial. nl | 17-December 2008
1)Thanks Yugao that you have found time to give answers to these questions...Can you introduce ANAMADIM?
R= Hi. Thanks so much for the space for the interview! :) It is really a pleasure for me to speak for first time in media..Anamadim is an EBM-Industrial project from Mexico City.It saw the light for first time by 2005.Anamadim is Yugao Otomo.."Yugao Otomo" is kinda "nome de guerre" for my stage-character.I took the name "Otomo" in honour to my favorite manga/anime artist,Katsuhiro Otomo.It is a big influence for me,and of course for ANAMADIM.Anamadimīs music is a mix between dark electro and trance...more dark electro than trance,however, it tends to be more melodical.the main objetive of ANAMADIM is compose "story-songs",songs that tell a short story,and create through music,an specific mood related with the topic of the song,basically.that is why each song is so different. It is an style i am trying to develop.The songs talk about several topics,most of them,personal and i think people can "make click" with them,to walk in my shoes.
2) What are the musical influences of ANAMADIM?
Well, as a teenager i developed my love to music.My main instrument is the guitar.my first approach was into classical guitar(3 years) but i didnt continue because my "rocker spirit" prevailed...i dont know if you catch the idea...i do also play some piano.My first contact with rock music was through playing in garage bands, but never profesionally.So i would name as main influences guitar-based genres like:Metal,Progressive rock and Alternative rock,GRunge...I have to say that i become really interested in composing because of some videogame soundtracks ( i love videogames,not the sporty ones,i prefer shooters and things with dark histories...) and some videogame scores really seduced me.i would have to mention the supreme soundtrack of "Quake II" from the composer Sonic Mayhem...it is astonishing....Thats how i started to get into synth music, distorted beats and other stuff that now i really love :) I remember 1998,when a good friend, as a gift, gave me a VELVET ACID CHRIST cd...(the "calling ov the dead"album....) THAT DAY,my world and my perspective of music changed totally forever....I also discovered VNV Nation in those days,and i became really addicted to EBM.. So, i have been into the genre for at least 10 years....
By 2000,i got my first synthesizer,a Roland XP10.i also started to read EVERYTHING i could about composing with synths! and all i could find about electronic music development.iam still not an expert,because electronic music production is kinda complicated...but i try to reach a competent sound,i think the listeners have the last word about this....
However,i love basically all music.Of course i listen a lot of ebm industrial.i think my fav bands nowadays are:God Module,Grendel,IC 434 and Dulce Liquido.basically.Also bands like Evils Toy,VNV Nation.I also listen stuff like The Gathering,Type O Negative,Echo and the bunnymen, U2,Cocteau Twins (a VERY important influence),The Sisters of Mercy,The Prodigy...and also stuff like Charlotte Gainsbourg,Regina Spektor...or prog rock like Porcupine Tree,bands like Depeche Mode, Softcell, fancy-electropop(Primal Scream, Miss Kittin, Vive la Fete), goth-industrial(like Zeromancer,a great band!) and some music from my native tongue,90īs spanish and argentinian rock (Soda Estereo, Duncan Dhu, Caifanes...) i do also love Manu Chao :) I try to be really aware of all music i can.Music is the best thing in the world.I think my most controversial influence is DEVIL DOLL(The slovenian opera rock act).i think that is the supreme form of music.i am a big fan.and it is probably a big influence for my own concept of melody.
I would recommend to all ebm fans to dont limit yourself to listening only one genre...music is everywhere,and all forms of music deserve to be explored,i have no doubt about that...
3)What did you chose ANAMADIM as a band name?
Well, That is an important question.ANAMADIM is the goddess of Anorexia.The concept behind this is,the perfection of beauty but,through death itself,the starving.is like beauty,but through deadly,insane sacrifice...this idea fits with my personal vision of the Harsh Industrial sounds...they are magnificent, but devastating,beautiful but killer!,it is also related with my personal opinion of the nature of ebm(femenine,i think)...very sensual,punitve sounds,haunting melody,ecstasy,beauty,awww! so fascinating...but dark...I dont know if you catch the idea...It doesnt really means that i am a psycho(hehe),i think Dark Electro, i mean GOOD Dark Electro (no the one with silly, goofy lyrics about punching in the face someone) have some resemblance with the horror fiction genres, fits well with theories of Ann Radcliffe or even H.P.Lovecraft...Each song is like a short story,a terrifing one,but great...
4) How is the Mexico EBM -Industrial Scene?
Well,that is a hard question...there are LOTS,LOTS of bands.i dont really know how to answer this question.The EBM-Industrial Scene in mx city is underground(as in other countries).The audience is REALLY exigent,and the visual part of a band (i mean how they look) is very important.Listeners are very aware about music,there are also DJ Communities...People is also a bit skeptical about local bands.The clubs sometimes are too undergroundish...the only ebm industrial club that had prevailed for years is the dadax club.Is a nice place for bands and also a nice place to enjoy an EBM night.Clubs are kinda "provisional",i mean,they tend to dissapear,since is complicated to maintain a club nowadays in mx city.the other bad thing is that mx city is not precisely a safe city,there are dangerous zones at night.sometimes,you will have to choice NOT attend to an specific club that is in a dangerous zone,if you dont have the proper means to garantee your safeness, like taking your car with you,or enough money to pay a taxi, whatever(this is less applicable if you are a musician carrying a big synth, a computer,lots of cables,etc etc)
MX City is where most bands are from,there are also bands from other cities like Morelia City,Guanajuato,Queretaro,Puebla and Yucatan, Matamoros....mmm...dont remember more places.
i would like to mention some of the most notorious acts,nowadays(Not to mention Hocico and Amduscia,of course)
C-Lekktor,Stacy 16,Nordika,Arthropod,Disfuncion Organica,Cold Sequence,Cid Project(something between Old School EBM and Electroclash) Sodomy down the Cross,Maniaka Expansion,Conkreto System.From older days,You should take a listen to Ogo+Leda(still active),Cenobita, and Deus Ex Machina...sorry,i dont remember anymore bands,right now.
5) ANAMADIM is only Yugao? is it a solo project? tell me more about this project
Yes,that is correct.My musical interests were redirected to ebm since 8 years ago.At this very moment, i think is more like an instrumental project. usually i get inspiration from the day-by-day life,the things that bother me,the things that make me sad,things that make me happy...making a song is very special for me,each song is unique and has its own speech.like the song "momentos de nostalgia",that i composed when i broke up with my girlfriend(now exgirlfriend).it was a a painful song,i guess.the same thing can be said about "blood tears".
Usually,i explore in all the media to get "speech sources".samples are very important,since they make a "extension" for what i am trying to say through music.like in the remix for ADAM KULT,"This is not America".just take a listen to the samples,they construct a parallel speech inside the original song.
Currently,i am working in remixes for bands like ADAM KULT or BLACK SELKET VS STAHLNEBEL.Also i am working with Ralph from Stahlnebel in creating new music together.he is a very talented vocalist,and also a good friend.We already made a song together, "RESPOND MY CALL"(you can listen it in anamadims myspace) hope i could work faster.... :( but i tend to be a little slowly,please be patient! anamadims music is going to be featured in some compilations,at least in three different (i hope that) next year.
6) What inspired you to start a solo project of Anamadim?
First of all,i always had an interest for composing music.Thats inherent to me,iam always listening music,and i also try to invent my own melodies or specific sounds...however,bands like VELVET ACID CHRIST or VNV NATION blowed my mind,and inspired me to develop myself into this genre.It was very difficult.i had to learn a lot of stuff and concepts.First i thought i will need to get an expensive-fancy super synth,but then i read an interview with vnv nation,about their 2002 album "future perfect" the main theme was about the production/composing of this album: entirely with computer. i was amazed, and also tried to get more into that direction.
at this moment,i am happy with the general sound,i am getting more experience and learning from past errors.
7) How could you describe your music and this number "UNSICHTBAR"?
Well,by mid July i got a remix for ADAM KULT,for the ADAM KULT REMIX CONTEST.Ralph(of Stahlnebel) heard about this,and decided that their track "UNSICHTBAR"(a really great song, i love the original version)deserved to be remixed by other bands.He got really amazed with the anamadimīs remix for ADAM KULT(you can listen to it at anamadims myspace) when i knew this,i asked him to make a remix for their song.And he accepted! I tried to compose a really agressive and haunting song.it is completely different from the original version.even the melodies are different.think the combination of synths is kinda interesting,more razor-sharped than other combinations.i think is my favorite anamadimīs remix at this very moment.
8) What you like to listen yourself in free time?
Is good to not only limit yourself to ebm.Try to listen different music,from Manu Chao to Devil Doll :) Progressive Rock is one of my favorite genres,also Progressive metal.Also electronica genres like trance,trip hop,uk rave music.
9) How do you think on what listeners should pay attention listening to "unsichtbar"?
They will get a bit terrified,i guess! xD,then i hope they form a inmense moshpit,and then rip their heads off! xD just kidding,but in mx city,terror ebm is very appreciated,and is always danced in a lethal moshpit...just feel the music,and enjoy! :) i guess it is more a song for dance,than for listening...
10) Anamadims music featured in DJ SEt for Cyberia Party, EKKo Club, Nov 17th 2006 tell me more about this?
i met by myspace a dutch DJ,"DJ Distorted boy",from Utrecht.and he got interested in anamadims music.i send him a pair of tracks,and one was part of the playlist at the "Cyberia Party".it was the song "Momentos de Nostalgia".You can hear it in anamadims myspace.
11) What is your personal favourite music/numbers? how would you describe your music?
my fav ones are:GOD MODULE,GRENDEL,DULCE LIQUIDO,IC 434,VELVET ACID CHRIST,VNV NATION and EVILS TOY.from god module,i love everything,the sound production,the lyrics,the melodies....from grendel i love the agressive intention of the music and their melodies.from dulce liquido i also love everything.from IC 434 i love the way is always a contemporary sound,this takes a lot of creativity,since it has been always a main synth:the korg M1.from velvet acid christ,i love everything,just as in the case of vnv nation and evils toy.
12) Have your a Official website ore your have only myspace?
there is only ANAMADIM myspace for now.
13) i will your link in my website,what can you tell us about it?
I am very honoured of that! thank you very much! hope people like anamadims music!
14) Well, and at last some words to your ebm-industrial fans? Any last words for ebm-industrial.nl
Thanks so much for the support and the interest.we will stay in touch.THanks so much,people of netherlands,for the support! best greetings from mx city.
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