Umlomo

Umlomo

How did the project begin?

– I’ve been recording myself solo since around 2004. I decided to start calling my solo work UMLOMO in early 2013. I’ve never performed any of this stuff live. I’ve done this all while being in other bands.

What song of yours is the one you like the most?

– The song #60 seems to be a popular one. . I also enjoy my piano improvisations, which you’ll find on the Soundcloud page too.

#60 (Lyrics).

Get up, get your feet on the ground
That’s how it has to start
But you can’t, and the pain weighs too much
So you lie and bury your face in the dark.

You know what you’ve got everyone has got
We’re all waiting, we survive
We slowly fall apart but

Get up fix a smile on your face
Ignore all the endings
Even though we all end up the same

Connect and give her the secrets of your heart
Let go and let him know he’s the only one you’ll ever love
Hold on to whatever vague belief
Keeps you from feeling the passage of time
Time racing to stop your heart

Pretend pretend pretend my friend
Anything to keep living
As if your life will never end

There’s no hope for more to come
This here is all there is
What your eyes can see
What your hands can touch

I’ve found the things that give me peace
That’s what I’m chasing before the circuits die in me

Beauty and light…

How do you write your music?

– I write without a plan. Almost all of it is improvised. I am constantly writing words and lyrics, you’ll find a lot of it on my website http://www.umlomo.com/writing . I improvise both the music and the lyrics, that’s the basic idea behind UMLOMO. The other bands I’m in are more structured and formal. UMLOMO is about constant thinking and letting things flow out in the moment.

What influences do you have?

– Musically I am drawn to everything. Late 80s/Early 90s American music is where I’ve found a lot of bands I love. Slint, Drive Like Jehu, Nirvana, Archers of Loaf, Silkworm, Kyuss. There are hundreds and thousands of bands from that era I adore. I love piano music, Erik Satie and Alexander Scriabin are two composers I have delved deeply into. Modern classic composers like Béla Bartók and Mortan Feldman move me.

I will listen to anything. There is so much to mention. Refused, Taylor Swift, QOTSA, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Sebadoh, Jon Hopkins, RJD2, Mastodon, Torche, Nils Frahm… so much. Gamelan music from Bali, lots of electronic music. My lastfm profile says I’ve listed to about 4800 different artists over the last few years. I can’t cover it all.

Besides music I am influenced by thinking and communication. I read a hell of a lot. Thomas Pynchon and David Foster Wallace are big influences. Lots of sci-fi and fantasy too. Arthur C. Clarke, Terry Pratchett etc.

I read a hell of a lot. Thomas Pynchon and David Foster Wallace are big influences.

What´s the craziest experience you have had with your project?

– I don’t think anything too crazy has happened. I find it pretty astonishing that a few of my songs have been covered in quite popular music blogs (Like the 405) and I haven’t played live once. It’s pretty crazy that a music blog based in Mexico is interested in my stuff! I love the internet. I love that we can communicate so easily. This is crazy.

What plans do you have next?

– I’m moving into a new house soon, and I’ll have a full basement studio there.
I have material for a full ‘album’ recorded, I did it earlier this year, so I’ll finish a few songs from that and put them out.
I plan to finally start performing live as UMLOMO. Just me and a few guitars. An iPad controlling an Ableton live session.
I want to see if I can create an improvised live performance which constantly evolves and is never played the same way twice.

Mention something you don´t like about your project.

– I don’t like that its ALL me. I enjoy working with other musicians but I find it very difficult. I’ve only ever truly found one other person I could work with. I can play almost any instrument I care to use, I can record, produce and mix my own work. But I think I get pushed in interesting ways by other people. Doing everything myself takes a very long time. It holds me back.

Mention the biggest sacrifice you did for your project.

– I’ve probably missed out on a hell of a lot of partying, potential relationships and that sort of thing. I spend a lot of time alone, inside, trying to create something. I may have driven myself slightly insane.

What band, music project or solist from your city do you like?

– I love Jon Hopkins. He comes to mind right away. His music is unique. I also like that he is making electronic music, but it all comes from recorded sounds. It is dense and organic. The beginning of the album ‘Immunity’ is one of the most perfect things I have ever heard.

If your project was a car, what model would it be?

– If this project was a car it wouldn’t work at all. There is not enough structure. So I’ll say some sort of concept car that never got built.