MORPHEUS MUSIC INTERVIEW - VATAFF PROJECT

01.07.08 - on release of 'Kalitz'.
     
 

Q: Can you give us some background to Vataff Project and yourself?   I founded Vataff Project in the end of 2001 with few more people that were in charge of the acoustic part of the project for the first album.Then I continued the project for the 2nd and 3rd album mostly independently working with some acoustic samples recorded in my studio by other guest musicians. My musical history started in the year 1991 with bass guitar. I took a part in a few post punk, industrial and alternative bands as a bassist for 2-3 years. In 1994 came my first touch with electronic music and electronic equipment.In the period until 1996 I was a part of the project "Dve Kupeta". My partner in this project was Boris Lazarkov. We were creating experimental dark ambient music mixed with some acoustic samples from violin, cello, and industrial noises. Two albums of "Dve Kupeta" were released in Bulgaria by our small record company DK Music.The 3rd album was released by record company Wizard. In the year 1997 I started another project named "Band of Mad Women". I produced and composed the electronic part of the project. The style of "Band of mad Women" was downtempo electronic music mixed with acoustic drums, bass guitar and vocals. Some of the songs in the project contained texts and mantras from the Vedic knowledge, books like Bhagavad Gita etc. During my participation in "Band of Mad Women" until 1999 we released 2 albums. Since the year 2000 I’ve been making music under the names "Vataff project” and "Victor`s Mob" in the ambient and psychedelic-techno styles.   Q:  What led you to choose to write music in the unique electronic style that you have adopted?   I just try to be myself. This is the most important thing when I create my music.
     
             
Q:  What are your ongoing musical inspirations? How do these bring to you actually producing sounds of your own?   Well, I was inspired by many musical styles and artists from electronic scene. I started to listen to electronic music in the beginning of the 90s with artists like Richard H.Kirk, Autechre, Plastikman, Cristian Vogel, Boards of Canada, Simon Posford, Detroit techno etc. I think all of these artists are unique and have their own style. Their music inspired me to find my own musical way also, and to be myself in the music as I mentioned above. I learned from them never to do "copy- paste" in the process of making music.   Q:  What was your purpose in creating the new album Kalitz?
   I just did my next experiment.
             
Q:  What process do you use to make music?

   I am working with analog synthesizers and units hardware. I use Cubase SX and WaveLab for sequensing, audio recording, mastering and sound design. The working process with the machines/analog units is slower than working with virtual synthesizers but I can get real quality and deepness of sound with it. It’s like minimum 3 dimensions with clear texture.   Q:  How do you develop a piece?   There are many ways I use to develop the piece but one of them is when I start from the rhythmic part of the track. I really like the low frequencies- bass and the drums and that’s why I very often start with it. Then I create many different sounds by the sequencer like pads, leads, blips, noises etc. I make a lot of synthesis and experiments. I’m always on a way to find some new sounds created by the combination of the parameters of the machines. When I have enough material I arrange and design the track compositions in one piece.
             
 
      
Q:  How do you decide when a piece is complete?   Satisfaction from my work is a sign that the piece is complete.   Q:  What is the most exciting part of music creation for you?   I feel myself excited when I am really inspired by something. Very often I get some inspiration from nature and traveling. Apart from that the creation of the music is an inner process and I try to go deeply in myself and to catch the frequencies and the sounds that come from my heart. This is the best way I found to making music, and it is also the most exciting part of music creation to me.
             
Q:  How do you see your music developing in the future?   My music developing is question of consciousness .If I manage to develop my consciousness I am sure my music will develop as well. I Hope in the future to find new things, to move to different and interesting music directions and to be on a way of sonic evolution.
   Q:  Is there a musical development that you wish would occur so that music making can become even more rewarding /adventurous?  

 

I think music development is strongly connected with the personal development. This kind of development is a big adventure.

 

 

Q:  What music do you listen to for pleasure?   Mostly good electronic music with its own special character. I like to dance also and one of the best things for me is to be on a party with cool music and nice people. I like experimental minimal techno, tech house and acid. In my other my project called Victor’s Mob, I create trippy and psychedelic minimal tech stuff. I DJ with vinyl as well.       Vataff Project web site.

Thanks to Victor and the guys at Aleph-Zero for allowing us that interview.