OTTO VAN KLEIST: "Humans are not humans anymore. I feel like an alien"

You worked with a plethora of artists over the years. What collaborations were/are the most interesting and important to You and why?

My first band was called "Hic Jacet". It were considered as psyche-noise-rock. I was guitarist at this time & we made few concerts. This was my first musical experience & remains the most important as I were only 20. I played in few bands after that. I also tried to emerge myself in metal genre with Jeff Grimal (now in "The Great Old Ones") but I quickly left the band as I considered I wasn't good enough for it. After all that, I worked with the plastician Cyril Girardeau for whom I made some musical ambiances for his expositions or performances. This allows me to organise & mix for few goth events. It doesn't fit me a long time & so, I decided to stop & isolate myself to finally make music by my own.

SONA NYL: After years ov learning, I started "Sona Nyl" (called "dreaMWeapon" at the begining). I didn't consider my works good enough to publish so I kept it only for myself untill the day I sent 2 tracks to my friend François Gaillard (the french director ov "Blackaria") who really loves one ov the tracks & asked me if he can put it on its next movie. It was like a dream comes true to me. This encouraged me to publish my works on audio platforms. Few weeks later, I was contacted by the norvegian netlabel "Petroglyph Music" to publish my music with them. There began my collaboration with the so talented painter LysaliaE. Her work was the perfect visual extension ov mine. Sona Nyl began to be diffused on few web radio stations ("Ghost Box, "Expansion Of Presence"...) & appears on few compilations ("This Music Plants Trees", "Nema", "Midnight|Radio"...). The remastered version ov this first album will be released by Hexx 9 records."

EL PRÊTRO MANIACO: It represents the darkest side ov my personnality. I leave in duality & wanted to bring SONA NYL to a more melodic phase. So I created El Prêtro Maniaco to publish the most horrific & creepy works I make. I started by releasing a title for a "Crâne d'Ours" label compilation. Just after that, the english writer Francis Powell contacts me to know if I were interested by turning one ov his fantastic novel into music. This was a great experience to me. He loved the track & decided to make a video for it & write a great article about it. At the same moment, I were in contact with Alexandra Nordrac (Liyr, Trèfle Noir) & his husband Sven Mann (Auswalht, Liyr, Delet3r). A great complicity was born between us as we each others love our mutual works & shared the same feelings regarding our garbage world. A friend ov them, Cedric Kerlabezelec (who is running the great netlabels "Alienor" & "Cyanur Prod" & also makes music under the name ov "Darmstadt 1313") told me I could release El Prêtro Maniaco & so I did with the debut EP "Opus Premium". Few weeks ago, we made a collaboration with Alexandra & Hangsvart (Abysmal Growls of Despair).

ORPHEUS: This third project is supposed to be the most funny. I love old horrific movies (Giallo, B movies, etc...) & their musical tunes. I also recently felt in love with disco music. Orpheus will mix old has-been sonorities with horror theme likes & disco. The first track will be out soon on a BLACK DEATH INDUSTRY compilation "Giallo".

CATHURIA: The last project... Sounds landscapes... Serenity... Magic... Paganism... An ode to nature & its power. One track is supposed to appear on a Black Mara compilation & another one on a Neve Records compilation (Anatomy).

Can You tell me the main ideas behind Your music?

The idea behind my music is very personnal for Sona Nyl. It represents my inner thoughts ov a non being into this world. I've never felt at ease in this world. A lot ov violence, apparences, rules... To me, humans are not Humans. We all wear masks. Sona Nyl is about utopia & its total inverse. It's my catharsis. Everything in the world is bipolar. Love/hate, etc... We have the natural ability to be as good as evil. Sona Nyl reflects that. Up & down. Peacefull & violence. Joy & pain. But I want it to evolve. So, the dark side will be concentrated in El Prêtro Maniaco while the brightest will stay in Sona Nyl. Concerning Orpheus, it's only my passion for B movies & kitschy retro music. Cathuria is an ode to the purest thing in the world: our mother Nature.

Could You name Your favorite compositions / albums / collaborations ?

Curiously, I don't listen to dark music a lot except few labels like Phantasma Disques, Black Mara, Neve Records. My dark influences are Coil, Kirlian Camera (first era), Ordo Equilibrio. I have a lot ov records. Disco, black metal, indie rock, pop, electro, etc... But my favourite ones to be honnest are very pop. Kim Wilde, A-ha, Roxette, David Hallyday, Apoptygma Berzerk, Shiny Toy Guns, VNV Nation... I suppose it's a little surprising but it's the truth. But, my favourite artist is Devin Townsend. This man is a genius. Really. I can say I love him.

What about the new album?

It's not really the new album as it's the remastered physical re-edition ov my first album. I reworked the sound. More brilliant and produced. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to release it as a CD. I have few tracks for the second. And as I said, it will be more positive.

The sound is magic. You‘ve proved it. But, what ends, when there‘s no sound?

Thank you but I don't pretend to prove anything. But it's a great compliment. I said that the sound is magic because ov my way ov composing. I'm not in a normal state when I create. It's like a trance. You know, I experienced a lot ov drugs in the past to escape reality, transcend myself & access to another forms of reality. So to me, I consider it as magic as I travel through sounds & want to catch the audience to this journey with me.

What is and what is not a Sound Art?

In my opinion, every created or manipulated sound is an act ov art as it reflects its conceptor feeling. No matter if I touches me or not. If it comes from the heart, & not in a commercial way or espectections, it's art & I respect it.

What do You think about relations between the old art and computer art? Are they compatible?

I guess not. I have a strong love relation with old art & old production style especially with 60's & 70's stuff. The sound was really different. So hot & organic... Alive. There are good emulations on the market today but it will never replace the real thing it tries to copiate. I try to express this love for old production through my project Orpheus. But it's a long process as it takes a really long time to catch this kind ov old vintage sound.

What do You think about thousands of neofolk/industrial/ambient/tribal/electroacoustic/avangarde etc. bands/projects? Is it a kind of trend, o just a tendency forwards better music?

Some ov them touche me. Others don't. I'm not at ease about saying "this one rules / this one sucks". Everyone has the right to create what he loves & to explain itself whatever it is. Art means total liberty to me. In one way, it's such a good thing that all ov those artists exist cos you have the opportunity to discover lot ov different projects. In the other way, it also means that you're one in a million and so it's harder to grab the attention ov audiences.

What do You know about Lithuania? What Lithuanian and foreign musicians do You value most?

Unfortunately I don't know Lithuania... I went to Greece, Macedonia, but never in your country sorry... But the musicians I appreciate most are OAKE & TROPIC OF CANCER (Camella Lobo).

What inspires You most?

Mmmmh... Sadness & depression due to the general lack of humanity. Humans are not humans anymore. I feel like an alien. Misunderstood & isolated. Maybe I'm just hill. But I am I. And others scare me a lot.

Thank you very much:) Stay true.

Thank You, merci beaucoup.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/sona.nylistik

https://www.facebook.com/el.pretro.maniaco.church

https://www.facebook.com/cathuriahome

https://www.facebook.com/OrpheusHorrorDisco