Interview with Mathias Nova

Who is Mathias Nova?

A boy from central plains of Poland, who lives, works and creates music in Wroclaw for few years now.
First of all, I’m a music producer, dj, performer and musician.

What is Lo-fi bifrost about?

Bifrost is a mythical rainbow bridge between the world of humans and gods. According to Norse mythology, god Heimdall guarded it and had such good hearing sense so he could hear the grass and sheeps wool grow.

Lo fi Bifrost refers in some way to this legend, that’s why very important to me was the noise, which arises independently in overlapping low-quality sounds.

It’s an idea of introducing a pagan myth in a frame of modern and experimental dance music.

It’s one of the most personal and important to me of all of my tracks

How did you start in sound/music? And do you have an educational background in this field?

I do not have formal musical training, but I was really close to accomplish one.

I loved music since I was a child.. I’ve played guitar in a blackmetal band, but after the propagation of computers and programs used for sound processing and samplers - I realized that this is a great tool that allows you to express yourself in 100% and give creativity freedom.

Could you explain how you work, what themes or concepts you use and what is important to you?

It’s usually spontaneous improvising and playing with sound and instruments. What happens next - from chaos and general idea or concept of audio, appears an arrangement that develops to the point where job is done.
What’s the most important to me is to give emotion using sound and songs dynamics. You can compare it to the colors palette used by the painter to create his work - complete worlds and realities....

How would you describe and categorize the soundworks you make?

Puting your creation in the rigid frames of categories and genders of music, is pointless- especially if you want to find freedom in your creation.
In my songs you can find a lot of elements that are characteristic for different genres, such as ambient, minimal, dub, industrial, or house.

But if in some way would I determine what I do, I would describe my music as the result of tech-house, minimal and experimental dubtechno mixture.

How does the title relate to the work, and how do you find a fitting title?

I think that a title for an artist is often secondary in importance comparing to the song and more often is more important for listeners than for the creator.

Many of my tracks titles has no correlation with the song,

One of those tracks that has such correlation is Lo-Fi Bifrost.
I wanted to call the song in adequate way to its sound and emotion transmitted by it .. Noise and glitch sounds are just as growing grass and wool for the postmodern cyber Heimdall

Which instruments do you play?

I play several instruments, but in my work I usually use Sampler Korg ESX-1, Korg Kaosspad3 and recently I use a small dose of synth sounds from Ableton Live.

Is using different types of instruments important in your work?

Most important and in fact the only instrument which I could’t work without is a Korg ESX-1, it allows unlimited edition and creation of the sound and arrangement. I use it like a normal musician would use for example a guitarr, always playing live in real time - both during performances and in studio work.

According to you, what is contemporary sound art?

Modern music in a way previously unimaginable allows you to transfer the most intimate creator’s emotions. It also allows an endless search for sound and progress of the artist. In modern music, searching for frames and categories is pointless.

What is your perspective on piracy and creative commons?

Piracy is a result of corporate greed and high prices of media.
When it comes to creative commons, I’m a big fan of this type of license - especially in the case of electronic media (mp3). In my opinion mp3’s should be free of charge. It’s different when it comes to CD’s MC’s and vinyls.

What possibilities of the web are yet to be explored?

Huge! Network is an unlimited and chaotic space.

Did the web changed your view on art, or your career?

In some way network has changed my perception of art. Now we have greater access to even most underground and interesting projects.

It allows cheap and effective promotion and presentation of your work - these times most artists can exist only because of the network.

Do you also work in commercial fields of sounds or music?

I don’t work in commercial field. Producing trakcs on demand is not for me. I do what I want and how I want.

How important is the reaction to your work by the audience?

It’s a complicated matter.
When I create music, I do not think about the audience’s reaction, but only about what I am doing at the moment, what I have in my head and what I like.

Live performance means always interacting with the audience and thanks to the instruments I have, I can create atmosphere and emotions in real time.

I accept constructive criticism, of course.

What is your next project about?

My work is spontaneous. I have one million ideas per minute, and try not to restrict myself.
I don’t know what future can bring. And probably there’s no one who would know ..