Swiss music producer and songwriter Kurt Uenala presents his new collaboration with Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode - 5 track «Manuscript» EP will be released December 16th, 2022 via hfn music.
Kurt Uenala worked under his own moniker Null + Void plus remixed and worked on wide variety of music projects such Moby, Erasure, The Kills, Soulsavers and most notably, Dave Gahan and Depeche Mode.
Having worked in Gahan’s NYC studio for years, and traveling with Depeche Mode, Uenala became aware of one of Dave’s rituals - a notebook and pen. In last years Uenala moved from NYC to Iceland, spent some time in isolation, but kept in close touch with Gahan during lockdown, sharing thoughts and ideas.
«I always wondered what he was writing in the notebook, but I never pried. During one of our check-ins I eventually asked what he was scribbling down when he was off in some corner, or standing on his own, next to a studio window.»
Gahan disclosed that they were thoughts, feelings, and observations that would likely never see the light of day. But then again, why not? Living during a lockdown is unquestionably difficult, but fortune also favors those who are bold in challenging times. Gahan sent Uenala a recording of him reciting something from the journal.
In his studio, a decommissioned hospital situated on an Icelandic Fjörd, Kurt sat in front of a classic Oberheim synth with the recording, reacting to anything from the timbre of Gahan’s voice, to background noise. Inspiration also came from ambience in the chapel in Uenala’s town, which has often acted as a natural reverb chamber when one was needed. Songs started to take shape, through a modified form of call and response. The confluence of tone, poem, and tone poem.
Both artists were pleased with the results, and agreed that the prose had more of an impact in concert with the music than it did merely existing, on paper, hidden in a notebook. Work continued, and produced a collection of recitations set to soundscapes.
«I’m not sure why, or when, exactly, I wrote these short pieces. I knew they were never to be songs. I do know that they were written when I was alone. Sometimes in a hotel room. Where? I can’t recall. Sometimes standing by the ocean, or walking the beach in winter. Sometimes on the empty streets of New York City, during the lockdown. Always whilst feeling the beauty, power, and loneliness of a world beyond me.»
Complete information about Kurt Uenala feat. Dave Gahan «Manuscript» tracklist and formats - here.
Info submitted by hfn music.