DRWIWY: Songs like layers, so seek

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

Vitaju, Radikaliai! Hello!

Well, I wouldn’t say I have worked a lot with a plenty of them, really… There were occasional collabs and gigs with some musicians, but if talking about involving people in recording I would say that our second album “Cyrk Biezzahanny” (to be out in October 2016 on Disques De Lapin (USA) on cassettes and CDs) can be characterized as collaboration with others although all of the music is written by me and Siarhey Tsurankou. We invited saxophone players Fryd Samotny (Belarus) and Erik Schroeder (USA) – you can hear them on our single Śvińni that was out the other day on label. You can listen and download it for free here http://www.eskimofilms.com/lapin-herald/2016/8/30/free-single-drwiwy-vini. The other involved musicians will be revealed as soon as we get our album over the ocean from Disques De Lapin.

Now I have a long-lasting collab with one French-based musician (more noisy, industrial stuff), also we are trying to make something with other from Prague (more songish stuff) and local Belarusian musicians.

I am very slow at making music and unproductive, making things very slow and so are those musicians so we’ll see…

What does Your band's name mean?

It is means "visions and halucinations" from Belarusian language.

Can You tell me, in short the main ideas are behind Your music? Could You name Your favorite Your compositions / albums / collaborations? What about the new album?

Hmm… I would say that I am dealing with quite common things that are known to all of us – fears, love, loneliness, happiness, grief, anger etc. etc… Not only in everyday sense but also in various forms that they take in our life. This I would say is the first thing I am in my songs and music. Usually my every song has from 2 and more different meanings for me, they are like layers, each showing special period of my (someone’s) life, my (someone’s) experiences and communicating with this world. I appreciate when one seeks and finds something special in Drwiwy texts and music. Sometimes they find something really new for me and this is real creativity.

The new album differs a lot from the first one, it is more expressive and has intense sound, we worked a lot on arrangements. It keeps so much inside and wants to burst out on listeners. At the same time, I kept many things same, especially my love for sampling and creating sound collages. And vocals for sure are mine, however we also invited some special guests to the album. This album for sure will be a strange autumn surprise for listeners, for some not even pleasant enough…

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

Hah, well, thanks for your kind words, but I am just making attempts to do that stuff. Sound is “magick” for me in any form it is presented, I practicing all the time with it and there’s no end really… After there’s no sound – there are real Drwiwy!

What is and what is not a Sound Art?

I wouldn’t state it’s meaning very certain. I can talk on;y abut tendencies that I see. Unfortunately, Sound Art is devouring music in recent years. There are tons of shitty bands that I had to play with or visit their concerts who are making loads of sound but no music.

I am a bit concervative about it, I like songs, I value texts, I like music. It doesn’t mean that all noise music or full improvised music are absolutely stupid. I do like many things that are done but it depends on attitude, atmosphere and how good the musician is (good doesn’t mean professional for sure).

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

For me it’s just a question of technology and it should be developed, mixed. Everything is compatible.

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

Nowadays I see thousands of that bands and all of them are trying to be more and more avant-garde and making competitions. It’s funny to look at, it looks like fashion. At the same time, I like diversity and what would all we do without all this? It would be a miserable place to live. However, I don’t like people presenting themselves as “classic industrial”, “real dark-folk”, “absolutely free-improve” etc. This tags are absolutely empty and doesn’t mean anything nor to me, nor to the listener (if he’s clever enough).

Drwiwy have never been attached to tags, styles, rituals, uniforms. All of this is fake and uncertain. On the other hand, I appreciate “back-to-roots” processes in any form, that’s the way to do it!

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

Funny fact, but I have connection with Lithuania indeed. Part of my ancestors were speaking Lithuanian and lived along now standing border between Belarus and Lithuania (I hate borders so much). I have mixed family (Belarusian-Lithuanian-Polish borders never were clearly distinctive), so I study culture of all the countries from which I inherited ancestors blood. I like authentic folk music from Lithuania, it inspires me as well as one from Belarus and any country in the world.

Would You play (or maybe You did) with a rock, industrial or punk rock band?

Heh, all of these names sound too strict for me. I wouldn’t play in any of them, I want to play in Drwiwy. All this music had its time and it has passed.

What inspires You most?

I find sources for inspiration everywhere. I can be closed at home for weeks and be inspired. I like nature and spending time with my closest friends too, sometimes being on a road too. But not too much. The music is to be done in solitude.

What are You working on right now?

We have a plenty of projects at the moment. While recording “Cyrk Biezzahanny” I was simultaneously writing some home songs about me, my friends and persons all around me – some tragic, some very funny. Partly this material was recorded but I postpone it all the time to finish, it’s kind of side-project.

As I have already mentioned, I am also doing my utmost to finish collabs with my friends from Brittany (France), Prague and Belarus.

And for sure we’ve already started to record new material for Drwiwy with Siarhey.  

We are looking forward to play in your country someday. And open for collaboration.

All the best from Drwiwy,
Miensk, Belarus

Dziakuy. Thank You.

Useful links:

https://soundcloud.com/drwiwy/svinni

vk.com/drwiwy

facebook.com/drwiwy

instagram.com/drwiwy

drwiwy.bandcamp.com

soundcloud.com/drwiwy