Filling The Gaps Between Tehran And Berlin - The Artistic Rollercoaster Of Kamyar Keramati
The Berlin-based Iranian DJ, Producer and half of the duo ‘Tonnovelle’ Is Launching his own label ‘Interactive View Of Emotions’ with an hard-hitting EP.
We have a chat with Kamyar, connecting the dots between his musical and personal experience.
I have to admit I didn’t know Kamyar Karamati’s solo music before we got offered an interview with him, but learning about the fact he’s half of the Tonnovelle duo immediately got me interested. I remember how their first EP out on the Where We Met label striked me back in 2019 - it was called the Event Horizon EP. Since then I have been activitely following their next output with more and more interest. Records like Savushun, self-released on the same year, compteley blew me away: Tonnovelle’s style is rumbustious and heavy. Raw in an almost extreme way. At times, it feels like the project is almost purposelly breaking away from set rules, pushing on that extra inch in its maximised sound to hit the attention of the most distracted listener.
I pleasantly learned how Kamyar Karamati’s solo music is no different - this first EP called ‘Abyss’, from his own new label “Interactive View Of Emotions” follows a similar style with a more personal touch - the main framework lies somewhere inbetween rave oriented breakbeat and underground house, but few sounds placed at the right point, and upfront, slamming grooves make for an interesting dancefloor focused sound, and ultimately a very fun release. To support Kamyar in this new endevour and provide a platform for him to say more about himself, we thought it was a perfect timing for going ahead with an interview feature. I feel like this chat with Kamyar came out as something really special - from his answers we could understand the lively way he experiences the musical sphere of his life, with explosive creativity and a hint of humour where it’s needed.
Hi Kamyar, nice to have you on GB! First of all congratulations on your new record and the launch of your label. We’d like to start with a few questions about this and then also discuss your background and the current state of things in Iran.
Hi, thanks a lot for having me :)
The Abyss EP feels tough and reckless, sharp and heavy… In short: it hits hard. What was the inspiration for the release musically speaking? Did you approach its creation with a fixed idea in mind or did it come together through time?
Usually, I don’t have a fixed idea or concept before making an EP. I sit for a month or two and make 10, 15 tracks and from those tracks the ones that speak to me the most go to the short list, and from there eventually the concept grows. For sure, there were many elements influencing the idea of this EP throughout its production, and I objectively observed how it is the time that I spent making the EP that shapes the name of the tracks and the title of the EP.
What about its production from a technical point of view? It feels like the EP combines a few, well-placed hardware elements into a specific style. What does the set-up for ‘Abyss’ look like? What’s your usual workflow in the studio?
Well, I am kind of happy that I managed to trick your ears :) There is actually no hardware I am using.
I do all my production ‘in the box’ (I have lots of plugins to mix in the box, and lots of soft synths plus lots of samples from different machines I have been collecting through the years). So, in short, my setup to make music would be: a laptop, a decent audio converter, a pair of Yamaha monitor speakers, a sequencer and Komplete Kontrol.
This EP inaugurates your label ‘Interactive View Of Emotions’. How would you describe your vision for the label? What does this project aim for?
The name of the project is what my mind has been busy with since I emigrated from Iran to Germany. “The Interactive View of Emotions is the model that focuses on the influence of different social, cultural factors on our emotional experiences. Two components that are involved in this model are Feeling Rules and Emotion Work”. That’s what Google says.
I don't have an exact explanation on how this connects to my musical project, as whatever enters the world of music can become too abstract to be defined by specific structure. The aim of this project at this point is to release some of the tracks I have been producing in the last year on the first three EPs and while I am working to find some new talents to make the fourth release showcasing their sounds. And at some points some other projects can grow within this project.
“Berlin is the city of emotional rollercoasters. I feel like there are no limits to the amount of inspiration that exists in this city, but at the same time there is no limit on some other sides of things. You could easily go crazy if you take your work too seriously or get too obsessed over your work.”
We are huge fans of your music with Tonnovelle also. Can you give a little background on the project for our readers who are not familiar with it? Is there anything coming next for the project?
I am very happy and grateful to hear that from you! My friendship with Arman goes back to the time we lived in Tehran, as far as I remembered we were trying to make music together but somehow it never worked out until we both moved to Europe separately. But at some point we connected again and started to actually make music together. Since Arman lives in Vienna (and I live in Berlin) we made a virtual studio and office on the Cloud (thanks to Arman’s knowledge) and we’ve been making music until the guys from Where We Met gave us the green light for our first release. Afterwards we started our own imprint and the rest is (Discogs) history :)
As said in the beginning we’d also like to take on this occasion to ask a few questions regarding your background and origins. You mentioned being based in Berlin now - how long have you been in the city? How did Berlin impact you on an artistic and on a personal level?
I moved to Berlin almost 7 years ago. Berlin is the city of emotional rollercoasters: I want to avoid explaining more and leave it to the imagination of the reader to guess what every individual who moves to Berlin would go through.
In terms of musical inspiration the city is phenomenal. There are so many good inputs - I feel like there are no limits to the amount of inspiration that exists in this city, but at the same time there is no limit on some other sides of things. You could easily go crazy if you take your work too seriously or get too obsessed over your work.
“making a party in Iran isn’t like here... There, the organiser, as well as whoever attends the event, are taking the risk of getting arrested, and if you get arrested the penalty would differ based on the mood of the ayatollah who happens to be the judge on that day.”
What can you tell us about the situation in Iran right now? We’d love to hear about this in general, but also concerning its party scene if there’s any?
From what I hear from family and friends in Iran, the country seems to be walking on very thin ice. I believe Iranians are way too patient for this situation: economical downfall, human rights problems, natural disaster and how Covid-19 is still raging due to the misguidance of the government are just a few examples… I genuinely don’t want to use these words for the country I was born and raised in but let's say this is at least the empty side of the glass.
“You know, sometimes when I wake up I still hear the sound of Moazen in my brain, and it takes me a few seconds to remember that I now live in Berlin.”
Despite all these issues, I have to say that at least before the covid hit the country I knew from friends that some seriously underground parties at off-locations were taking place. You know, making a party in Iran isn’t like here... There, the organiser, as well as whoever attends the event, are taking the risk of getting arrested, and if you get arrested the penalty would differ based on the mood of the ayatollah who happens to be the judge on that day.
How do you feel your experience in Iran impacts your current work with music (if it does at all)?
You know, sometimes when I wake up I still hear the sound of Moazen (the people who proclaims the call to the daily prayer five times a day in the Muslim religion) in my brain, and it takes me a few seconds to remember that I now live in Berlin. There are many layers of my subconscious that surely influence the music I am making for the dancefloor, but it is very hard to know about these influences in detail.
Are there any underground labels/artists from Iran you'd like to advise our readers?
Of course, these names come to my mind right now but there are many more artists:
Sote, Temp illusion, Mahan Mirarab, Rojin sharafi (Experimental Artists).
Nesa Azadikhah, Kamyar Khanzaei, Siamak Amidi (Dj and Music Producers)
Zabte Sote, Noise a Noise (Labels)
I highly recommend checking out the Tehran Contemporary Sounds Festival that this year took place on 22nd, 23rd and 24th of October, the festival invites different Iranian artists from different music scenes.
Thank you Kamyar for the time and all the best for the release of this record and your artistic endeavours!
Thanks a lot for having me :)
Back cover of the ‘Abyss’ EP
