Español
We interview the charismatic Björn Trenker aka Unconscious Honey, a musical producer from Berlin, whose music goes through the main musical generations such as the 80s, the 90s and the 2000s. We ask him about his beginning, where he comes from and where he is going… Enjoy it.
1 – When and how did you get your interest in electronic music?
I was always into dance music. It started in 1990 with bands like Deee-Lite. While my taste in music was always rather eclectic, my interest in electronic music deepened after moving to Berlin and experiencing night life and club culture here. And as a pop artist, I was more naturally inclined to create by programming rather than playing an instrument or jamming with others. I simply used what came in handy.
2 – What have you been doing with your time in lockdown in your city or country?
In the beginning here in Berlin, it was a time of adjusting the way you do things on a daily basis. I tried to stay creative but I also found it difficult to keep an open and flexible mind when there are so many conflicting news reports, social restrictions as well as escapism possibilities. So it turned out to be a time of self-care, although I can’t say that this came easy to me.
3 – How do you assess the trajectory you have had and what were the reasons that led you to start it?
Music has always been my go-to obsession and my kind of escapism. Mostly as a listener and occasionally as a creative with friends. But it was after my sister passed away in 2018, that I was in such a raw and reflective state that it almost felt like a necessity to express myself in ways I haven’t done before. So I started making music on my own. Very DIY. I was embracing the fact that creating music in a more traditional way wasn’t meant for me. From then on, I focused on possibilities rather than limitations.
4- What was your criterion when producing your last EP?
Ultimately I produced an album of ten synth-pop songs with my husband Snax. I wanted each song to encapsulate an emotion or a rumination about people or incidents in my life. I made sure that each song had a voyeuristic element to it, making myself feel slightly uncomfortable with what I’m sharing. Writing about something that is commonly understood didn’t appeal to me because I knew that would be something that other people can do better. I had to find my own voice in telling a story. And once I had a feel for that, I made sure to keep the collection of songs cohesive.
Could you recommend a set that you are especially proud of, and that we can see on your Soundcloud or on YouTube?
I can recommend one of my songs. Darkroom Tease. It’s special because Snax was able to let his symphonic inclinations run free in the production. This one is not as straight forward arrangement wise and completing it turned into a riddle to solve. We’re very pleased with the outcome!
6 – What can you tell us about the scene of your city? What would you improve?
At the moment I would improve it by re-opening up clubs and being able to dance in the dark and get lost in a crowd but of course I understand that’s not possible in these times.
7 – Finally, what can you tell us about your present and future projects?
I want my musical projects to be a chain reaction. Finishing this album already left its mark on me and I want this to determine my next project and so forth. As for the album ‘Being A Stranger’ I‘m planning to release a remix / reimagining EP. I’m working now with singers who will reinterpret some of my songs. My original vision for ‘Being A Stranger‘ was sad-robot-pop. That’s why I was describing it as HAL 9000 meets Betty Boo. But I‘m taking the chance now to emphasize different aspects of these songs by letting actual human voices carry the tune as opposed to a vocoder. A great remix by Box Office Poison is on the way too! So that should be coming out this fall.
https://soundcloud.com/comolasgrecas/premiere-unconscious-honey-vs-jj-fad-sleep-a-sonic-random-records
