Type to search

News & Updates

Lab Rats

German electronica act Mouse on Mars talk about their music, touring and the importance of experimentation

May 20, 2009

When Andi Toma and Jan St. Werner met in a health food store way back in 1993 they did not know they would soon revolutionise the electro circuit with their rich and diverse soundscapes. But over the last few years the duo, going by the moniker Mouse on Mars,  has gained a reputation for their intensely hybrid sound that combines everything from rock and jazz to dub and techno while infusing a pop-like playfulness into their music.

These abstract electronia mix-meisters have been belting out some of the finest grooves and loops, in turn paving the path for many German and international artists to follow. That Mouse on Mars do not believe in the formalised and utilitarian world of dance music is evident in their compositions that have changed form and style over every one of their albums.

The fiercely experimental outfit has even released a book called doku/fiction ”“ a collection of commentaries, paintings, drawings and collages by 37 artists, academicians, and designers inspired by their associations with Mouse on Mars. The book was meant to explore the theoretical, visual and artistic aspects of music; in essence “making music without making a sound” as the duo describe it.  In 2007 they also teamed up with Mark E Smith of the post-punk band The Fall to release an album called Tromatic Reflexxions under the moniker Von Südenfed.

Since their debut album Vulvaland (which topped the UK indie charts) to their 2006 release Varcharz the duo has come a long way, even starting their own label to promote promising but lesser known artists from Germany. Mouse on Mars recently came down to Mumbai as part of an Asia tour organised in conjunction with the Goethe Institut where ROLLING STONE caught up with Andi Toma for a candid chat.

Tell us about your journey from the inception of Mouse on Mars in the early Nineties. What have you learned in your long-spanning musical career?

We are learning all the time. Our evolution from the first album to now was is a result of all that knowledge. Initially, it was quite a struggle as people said our music is funny. There was always a humorous side to it but we wanted it to be taken seriously. I think we have become harsh and aggressive because of the feedback we got. Now our live shows are like death metal concerts ”“ lively and loud [Laughs]. We don’t actually see ourselves as an electro band. I think, traditionally, our music is more live and connected to crowds.

You have toured all across the globe and encountered different cultures and audiences. Were there any incidents that have irked or fascinated you while touring?

On this tour, other than Karachi, the audience was kind of similar. For instance Japan has a very intense audience ”“ they don’t really talk, they just listen and are very respectful. In America it’s the other way around. People go super-wild, they jump on stage. But audiences today all over the world are similar; everybody’s done their home work. They can listen to varied styles and genre all thanks to sites like MySpace and the internet. So far the crowds here have been are really open, they want you to do more stuff, go wilder. In the end, it is all about making a connection. But that is not the scene in Europe. Yes, people are definitely more open here.
How do you think Indian music is perceived internationally? Before you came here did you know about the ever-growing electronica scene in India?

I do not know of any acts from India. They are not that popular yet. I just know artists from Bollywood movies [Laughs]. I don’t know much about electronic music in India but I like old sound tracks from Bollywoood movies. Indian music is very unique and has a lot of great elements.

Any Indian artists you would collaborate with?

We aren’t looking at collaborating right now. The only collaboration we did was with Mark E Smith (frontman of English post-punk band ”˜The Fall’).

Tell us something about that collaboration

Working with Mark E Smith was superb because he is the number one anarchist on the music scene. He is the reason we changed our identity (to Von Südenfed). While working with Mark we got a chance to start afresh, drift away from the Mouse on Mars image.
Tell us about your songwriting process. Is there any method to the madness?

We do not use samples or even preset sounds. It is like a listening and self-inspiring process. We experiment with harmonic and rhythmic structures. We normally work on various sound aesthetics and build up from there. In the end we put all the pieces together. It’s just like in a laboratory where you do your experiments. We do not have a fixed structure. Whenever we are doing an album we know it can change any day, so there is no set pattern.

You collaborated with 37 visual artists for your remix album project Doku/Fiction, which actually is a book. Do you plan on juxtaposing varied art forms with your music in the future?

Docu/Fiction was really an experiment. We wanted to do something else. So we thought ”˜Why not make a remixed version by collaborating with artists from different media?’ We took a few ideas and turned it into a different field completely. It didn’t work, actually. What we learned in the process is that most of the visual artists are envious of music because in a concert you create so many sounds, and you really don’t have to keep it but people will take it away in their heads. You understand what I am saying? Those sounds stay back with the people and that surely remains longer than an art piece. It was great working with these artists but they didn’t go beyond the ideas we had. They did not really experiment.

You now have your own record label (Sonig). What kind of artists do you sign and promote?

We do not really call it “signing” [laughs]. We have actually a lot of international artists on our label: Basically, people doing really unique stuff, their own music”¦ those who believe in disconnecting from any genre. We have DJ Elephant Power, Fan Club Orchestra”¦ then there is Workshop, a very unique band from Cologne. The new releases this year include David Michael DiGregorio’s new project called Dogr followed by Kevin Blechdom’s new album. It’s very hard to run a label. But our label manager is doing a great job and I think this label will survive [Laughs]. You can’t offer anything to musicians these days but we have a platform to potentially help artists and that is really good.

Is Mouse on Mars working on a new album?
Yes. We are working on our new album. But we are not sure when it’s going to be released. We don’t do many albums, we do projects. In May I am doing a classical concert in London. Jan St. Werner is working on a unique project with a theatrical feel to it. It’s all really different stuff.

Tags:
Previous Article

You Might also Like