By José Gandue @Gandour
Let's begin with a text postcard obtained from Wikipedia: «"Montaña Suiza is a steel scenic railway roller coaster located in the Monte Igueldo Amusement Park in San Sebastián, Spain. It was designed by the German engineer Erich Heidrich and opened in 1928. It is the oldest steel roller coaster in the world still in operation."«"Now I ask for a little patience with this strange introduction. You'll understand.".
Let's introduce our guest today. We spoke with him a few months ago. His name is Julen Giménez Sarasqueta And, if you remember correctly, he is a Basque, born a few kilometers from the tourist site described above, who, Because of matters of the heart, he ended up living in Buenos Aires. We met him last year after the release of his EP Today's fishing, a compilation of 4 songs that surprised us with its honest and powerful tenderness, a work of beautiful texts and a structural simplicity that immediately captivated. Well, a year has passed, a season that has felt like a decade to all of us, and Julen is releasing his album called, of course, Another lap in the Swiss Mountains. This album of 9 tracks is varied material, exploring many different styles. It's a musical summary of everything we've experienced during this time. There is tenderness, affection, but also anger, uncertainty, and a desire to vent. And, why not, a certain festive air, at least enough to bring a smile of relief. It's a very personal production. It sounds like we're reading the diary of someone you want to get to know, and, through brilliant compositions, it draws you into its world and From one second to the next, it makes you think that much of what it narrates also speaks to your own life., of everything that has happened these past few days. One important detail, to better understand this independent artist: If you ask him how many people he wants to reach with his voice, he will surely tell you that it's enough if his wife and daughter listen to him, but the truth is (and I say this on a personal level) I think that if many thousands more heard it, Whether in his native San Sebastián, in Buenos Aires itself, or in any corner you can imagine, We would be much better off on this suffering planet.
For all these reasons, we contacted him again and this was the result of our conversation:
So the Swiss Mountain is a roller coaster built by a German in the heart of the Basque Country…
Well, yes… I always thought it was called "Switzerland" because (Francisco) Franco didn't like anything that smelled of Russian. But it turns out it's older than that! Before releasing the album, I wanted to be sure, so I wouldn't put my foot in it. But I couldn't tell you why they called it "Switzerland" and not "Russian." Because it's anything but neutral. It's quite extreme!
And why did you use it as a reference for your album title?
It's a little wooden train with a sort of blue and red cat at the end, traveling along somewhat rusty tracks. Although the ups and downs aren't very steep, it's located on the summit of Mount Igueldo and skirts a gorge with a drop of almost 200 meters to the sea. The feeling of vertigo doesn't come from the ride itself, but from everything that surrounds it and is always there, latent. It seemed quite similar to the feeling I experienced while recording the album. On a personal and general level, with this year of pandemic we're living through, in which we don't know what's going to happen. Always looking at the ravine from a rather artificial calm.
Your new album has turned out to be quite varied. You have moments close to ballads, others that are rather caustic, and others that are more or less experimental, venturing into genres we hadn't previously associated you with. How was this album created?
I started with some half-developed ideas that had been left out after Today's Fishing, My previous EP. I developed some ideas and abandoned others. But the songwriting process, and finalizing the songs, started in January. At that time, my wife's mother got sick and a very distressing period began for us, and I started sitting down to record with the synthesizer Or with the guitar, I channeled the feelings that gripped me and that I wanted to filter, so they wouldn't become trapped inside me. That's how the songs emerged, trying to capture a snapshot, a portrait of those sensations.
You set up your recording space at home. What was the technical process like?
I moved the computer to my wife's dressing room. It's the most isolated part of the house, and it sounds good amidst the bags, shoes, and clothes racks. I put the microphone in a comfortable spot for me to sing, the mixing console for recording bass, guitar, and synth, and that's it.
I know your wife and daughter participate with their voices in some of the songs, but, what patience they had with you making music like a hermit in your own house.
Absolutely! In fact, it was Gabi, my wife, who suggested I move into the dressing room for some peace and quiet. So we named the studio Gabi Road!
Tell me about your experience working with your producer.
Working with Carlos Abriola It's an absolute luxury. We had already worked remotely on the previous EP, because he lives in the countryside, more than 100 km from the capital. I composed the songs and recorded the demos here, with a temporary drum kit. Once I had several tracks ready, I sent them to Carlos. That's when the actual recording of the album began. He's been building an incredible studio, and I'm fortunate that Another Lap… This is the first album to come out of there. As if all that weren't enough, in my opinion, Carlos is the best rock/pop drummer in Argentina… or at least a close second. So when he gets the demos, he starts recording the final drum tracks. I take that track and re-record the guitars, bass, and synths at home. Sometimes some of the original arrangements remain, but generally the songs go through many iterations before we arrive at their final form. On this album, Carlos also recorded quite a few synthesizers and a theremin, and re-amped the guitars and bass that I recorded direct here.
What do your wife and daughter think of the result of your album?
Luckily, they both really like it. They're also part of it because they're here throughout the whole process, and I consult them both a lot.
What can you tell me about the lid?
The drawing and graphic design are by the artist from Mendoza. Gonzalo Martín . I feel it perfectly captures that idea of fragility before the precipice. That moment of calm sitting on that little train just before the road begins to wind. The treatment of the aged paper and the colors perfectly represent the spirit of the album.
Finally, if someone asked you for a brief description of the sound of this album, what would you say?
Close your eyes and imagine yourself sitting on a little wooden train moving along rusty tracks 200 meters above the sea, with the wind and salt spray brushing against your face. That's what it sounds like.
