Ambient, dark ambient, jazzy, calm, weird, or not weird, this is how I’d describe Shadowdream, which always surprises me with its mesmerizing music. A new album has been released entitled Music For You To Die To via Epictronic Records, and below, you can read an interesting conversation that I had with Shadowdream’s mastermind, Rastko Perisic.
Shadowdream’s music is not just a random dark ambient sound and act, it is more than this. I like to say Shadowdream’s music is something special, different, and weird. Once again, you have proved it with your new album Music For You To Die To. What is Music For You To Die To all about?
First of all, thank you so much for these comments, they mean a lot, especially when they come from someone who’s dealing with lots of music, like yourself. This album has been quite long in the making, more than usual, as I felt a need for a slight change in direction, musically speaking. As with every album, musical shifts and changes, along with the underlying subject/theme of the album are what give me the joy to work. As for this album, it is basically my try to sonically visualize the adaptation of the human mind to the idea of “life ends”, how we accept it, how we overcome thanatophobia ie. fear of death, etc. My father was working as a medical examiner, so I had these pathology books all around me as a child, and without his knowing I would sneak into the bedroom, take them out of his nightstand, and be horrified by the pictures. But all these years these books and pictures have been with me (the books used in “Memento Noir” video) embedded in my mind, so I started to explore and visit some of my dad’s old working places in the hospital, trying to absorb and accept the idea of life ending. Basically, the whole album is my way of dealing with and accepting the fact that one day we and people around us will not be here.
How do you approach the dark/jazz elements in your music?
Well, it’s a bit of trial and error as with everything, still trying to learn from past mistakes in how to use the instruments, different sounds, etc. But, essentially, it starts like this – I have this sound in my mind which encapsulates the feeling or better yet sound that can describe the scene I am trying to portray with music. Then I search for the instrument, then the tone of that particular instrument, and then I experiment with it until I am satisfied with the result.
Describe ”ambient” from your point of view.
That’s a great question and a tough one. After thinking about it for some time, I feel like the “ambient” is a backdrop, a background, something you may not pay much attention to, but something that evokes your deepest emotions. There was this exercise in acting at the Film academy where the professor told us „Ok, you are now trees, act like ones”. How in the hell am I gonna act like a tree? Same with the ambient music – it’s like, creating music that describes an empty hospital without any hospital noises, but people need to figure out it is an empty hospital. That’s where imagination comes along and opens up your mind, what am I gonna use for a background to evoke specific emotions and “images in mind” in people? The “ambient” might not be catchy and rememberable as a melody or a specific harmony, but is just as powerful to describe emotions, if not even more. There is this (great) album by David Teie “Music for Cats”. As an avid cat lover as I am, who lived his whole life among cats, I recommend it not just to play it to your cat, but to yourself. You know, if someone said to create music that a cat would listen to, many would be “What the fuck”. But David created an ambient great with a minimalistic approach that brings out lots of emotions and feelings. Background music for foreground emotions, without any catchy and flashy melodies – that in my opinion is what a great ambient album does.
What does inspire you, in general, to create such masterpiece music?
Again, thank you so much for your kind words, they mean a lot to me. I find that inspiration is everywhere around me, it just needs to click with me on the level that I want to explore it and then put it in music. My mantra is, if I start repeating myself with themes and ideas, then it is time to quit or at the very least take a break from music.
You continued to work and collaborate with Carlo of Wormholedeath and Epictronic Records. It is the 5th album released through the labels. How is it still working with them?
Yes, and I am very happy with the collaboration. They are all family-like and organized, it’s not just business on their side, it’s care and dedication. So thanks to them, this half of my career under their wing has been great and on a constant rise.
Carlo knows what it means the great music! Have you worked with other bands as well?
I try to limit my work with other bands as I am more of a solitude-like artist, meaning I find it much more enjoyable working alone, but whenever I find an opportunity to work with some interesting and challenging bands, I accept it. The latest was with The Way of Purity on their latest (awesome) album. Many times I worked as a “ghost” composer for intros and outros, and orchestral parts for some black metal or metal in general bands, but mainly my collaboration with other bands is visual ie. creating lyrical, music videos, etc.
Maybe it is too early to be said, but do you have ideas for another album?
For now, I am still searching for some new ideas, concepts – whatever, for the new album, so it is, as you said, a bit early. Maybe I will try to find some new instrument to try and learn/use, and then go on from there.
I’m also into the score/soundtrack music of movies, series, and games, to mention a few artists: Hans Zimmer, James Horner, Thomas Newman, Daniel Litch, Andreas Rönnberg (Sweden), who created both the music and the psychological horror game Cry of Fear, and many others… Do you use to listen to score/soundtrack music and do you have any favorite artists?
Ah yes, that’s a great choice of artists on your behalf! As for me, sometimes I do play some soundtracks, the ones that I annoyed my neighbors with for a long time were certain tracks composed by Michael Nyman and Damon Albarn for the “Ravenous” movie. Hidden gem of disturbing movies with a soundtrack weird enough to encompass it. And of course, any soundtrack/score that has Philip Glass or Brian Eno on it must be awesome in my humble opinion.
Besides Shadowdream, how do you spend your free time?
Last few years I have been quite mesmerized by horology and collecting vintage watches as well as learning to repair them, so that is, in a sense, a hobby of mine. Besides that and other things, a great deal of my time goes into working on the promotion of Mexican heritage and culture in Serbia, as my great-grandmother is of Mexican descent. It is amazing how these cultures from across the world have such a connection and understanding between them.
To end the interview, is there anything else would you like to mention?
Check out the WormHoleDeath/Epictronic catalogue for some great music, there are awesome artists there to find, and while you browse it you may stumble upon Shadowdream there, so maybe check it out in the passing as well.
Rastko, thanks a lot for your time having this interview. Again, it was my pleasure chatting with you!
Thank you so much for your dedication to the music and for bringing all the artists to the public with your interesting interviews and questions. Just like last time I had great fun doing this with you and hope we will do it again soon. Orale!
https://shadowdream.my.canva.site/
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