Ah, memories – that infinite feeling of a memory that has been retained in our head.
We can remember a bit of everything: that extraordinary concert of our favourite band, the fun dinner with friends, with laughter until the last hour of the morning, the recognition at work or an unexpected response by that person for whom we were waiting for interaction. Of our first love, or that failure that left us, Sport Lisboa e Benfica fans, with our hair up in the air at Camp Nou on matchday five of the Champions League.
We all have memories and memories: from the good to the bad, it is always a moment where there is a unique vibration through our body, which we always feel at the most unexpected times. And we experience it again, as it has always been imprinted in our heads.
Today we rediscovered this urge and found the exact theme to accompany us on this journey. Meet Blindsmyth and their latest single.
REMEMBER THE DAYS
Blindsmyth is the stage name of Simon Schmidt, an artist from Berlin, Germany. His live sets are characterized by a journey of discovery and mix multiple styles ranging from electronic to pop.
The fact that we cannot fit him into a single musical range makes him unique: because creativity and irreverence are a talent we are born with, and the way he reinvents himself can be heard with each new sound he releases.
‘Blind’, his first studio album, was released in 2018. With the electronic vibe always at the head, we are captivated with powerful instrumental focuses ranging from bass, clarinet, duduk and guitar, joined yet a bit of classic pop and folk – all this, in a cosmic journey. This incredible combination brings to mind names like DJ Koze, Moderat, Bonobo, Burial or Moullinex.
2022 kicks off with the debut of his second album, ‘All That Fiberglass’, by Connaisseur Records. It promises us a cultural analysis of the challenges, distractions and tasks of an artist in the current digital age. And that’s where we hear organic sounds, were it not for the majority of the record being recorded using live field records. The result? A clear symbiosis between analogue and digital, past and future, a dream and reality.
‘Remember The Days’ is the first of three singles that gives life to what we will receive in February 2022. We are greeted with a very fresh and positive beat, with multiple warm beats and synthesizers that work in symbiosis with Blindsmyth’s incredible voice. Lyrically speaking, we sense an immense nostalgia from the artist to recapture the old/analogue times, where fans would go to concerts/events without gadgets to digitally record that whole moment. Basically, they are at the event, not being there – because they have to show X, Y, Z, everything you’re there thinking, without living the present.
And we liked it. We liked the message, the beats, the rhythm, the purity of the sounds and everything around it. We were surrendered to Blindsmyth, to the point of talking to the artist. Here are the answers:
[WtMM] ‘Remember the Days’ is the first of three singles that anticipate ‘All That Fiberglass’. What can we expect from this single?
[Blindsmyth] You can expect breakbeats, warm and lush synthesizers and dreamy vocals on top! The track is about a feeling of analogue nostalgia, that I sometimes have when I visit a concert and everyone is on their smartphones or filming; people are physically there, but in their minds, they are in this digital void. I wanted to express this feeling in the song of missing the good old analogue times.
With everything that has been going on around the world, how has it been for you to react to all these new challenges that the pandemic has brought?
Well, It was definitely a tough period. I had started making all that fibreglass in January 2020 right before the first wave hit Europe. The main idea or theme here was to make an album about how digital communication is changing our relationships, our societies, and our lives. It was driven by a big criticism of social media and internet addiction.
Then in a lockdown situation suddenly this digital communication was the only way to stay in touch with friends and family. This feeling of analogue nostalgia got a completely new meaning in the context of the lockdown. At this point, I realized that also the positive facets of these new technologies should make it onto the album. I wanted to give it warm feelings of hope as well, something much needed in a global pandemic. As far as I can see it, we as mankind are in a process of transformation right now, that happens so rapidly that it is sometimes overwhelming. But despite all the dystopian tendencies that I sometimes feel with the power of the tech giants, the omnipresence of social media and disinformation campaigns, I still feel the outcome of this transformation is open and leaves room for hope.
Also taking a break from gigging was a very special experience. At first, I enjoyed this collective slowdown in society and I could focus more on making this album.
But at some point, I was missing this live exchange with the audience so much. So, I was really happy to play some shows again this summer. I felt both me as a performer and my audience were as ecstatic, aware, and appreciative as never before. Especially the first shows after lockdown had a unique and energetic vibe. Me personally I really rediscovered myself as a performer in these moments.
For those who don’t know you, how would you introduce yourself?
I am Simon Schmidt, aka Blindsmyth, electronic music producer, singer and multi-instrumentalist. I combine elements of songwriting with danceable organic house beats and traces of electronica. I love to do sound experimentation and creative processes based on field recordings and sample material. I also build and program my own analogue and digital instruments and effects.
In my music, you will hear poppy and dreamy vocal melodies with weird distorted autotune effects, microtonal synthesizers next to organic field recording textures.
In my live shows, I bring all of this to the stage and create with my electric guitar and different instruments almost rock concert-like ecstatic energy in the club.
You could do a collaboration with any artist in the world, who would it be and why?
Oh wow. That’s a tough one. Maybe Four Tet, since his music and his live shows has been a big influence on me over the years.
5 – In a single word, what can we expect from the upcoming singles/album?
Transhuman 😉
Where The Music Meets would like to thank Simon Schmidt and Emma Chambers for the interview.
Blindsmyth promised, saw and won: “Remember The Days” brought us to the past, to glimpse the future. Amidst irreverent rhythmic beats, we dreamed – and that’s something we always want to have in our minds. “All That Fiberglass” comes out in February 2022 and we can’t wait to hear the album from one end to the other.
More on Blindsmyth:
Facebook – Instagram – Spotify – Soundcloud – Bandcamp