10 Questions with: Komet99

"Wave" Album by Komet99: A Retrofuturistic Expedition through Oslo's Sonic Tapestry.

“In the heart of Oslo, where the old meets the new, emerges Komet99, an artist whose impulsive creativity finds a home in the arms of nostalgia. With his debut album, "Wave," Komet99 invites you to a seven-track adventure on a retrofuturistic voyage that transcends time and space with ambient, techno beats and trance melodies.” 

Congratulations on your debut album, it really is a gem in our catalog. We did actually discover you down in the basement at The Villa (Where you work as a light technician) when you played an unfinished version of "Fast Shift". We had a Flux event in the evening and were going to do a sound check and there you were playing your own music. We loved what we heard right away - And now you've released an album with us where the same track is included! That's pretty cool.

What made you want to work with the nightlife as a lighting technician at The Villa? What do you  think of the electronic underground scene in Oslo?

Thank you so much! I'm excited to finally put some music out, thank you for the opportunity :)

I actually got the job at The Villa through a lucky coincidence. I had just moved to Oslo after completing my music studies in London, and I sent out a bunch of job applications all around Oslo. One of them was as a bartender at The Villa. Around six weeks later I got a call where they asked me if I had any experience with lights & sound systems, because they needed a new technician. I had no experience with lights whatsoever but they decided to give me a chance anyway because of my musical experience.  And for some reason they've decided to keep me! 

The Oslo underground scene is definitely in the middle of a transition, and I've happened to stumble into it in the middle of this transition. At the clubs you get a lot of newcomers which I'm happy to see. Some have not yet learned the dancefloor etiquettes, but I'm sure it will come with time. Oslo has an incredibly varied underground scene in spite of being a a relatively small capital city. This allows for a (mostly) good vibe on the dancefloor, and allows for the artists to experiment more if they wish to do so. This is something I truly appreciate! I can't wait for the summer and for outdoor parties that don't have to end at 3am. 

Can you share more about the concept of "Wave" as an album and how your musical journey and personal growth shaped the creation of this particular project?

The songs were made in a period of my life where a lot was changing. "People Everywhere Constantly Moving" was the first song I made, which was a few months before I moved back to Oslo. This marked the beginning of a transitional phase of my life, moving to a new place, saying goodbye to some close friends and meeting so many new ones, while also being put in  many unfamiliar situations. I've learned and changed so much over the last year and a half, and in many ways "Wave" reflects this change.

One specific example is that before I started working at The Villa I had really bad stage fright, to the point where I would basically be paralyzed on stage. And suddenly being thrown into a job where I'm either on stage or next to the stage was obviously very very stressful! The heavier tracks on the album were all made while I got used to standing on stage. I would test my songs before opening, play for myself and practice some mixing. This was a good way for me to familiarize myself with the booth and slowly build up the confidence to feel comfortable there. 

We described the album as a seven-track adventure with beautiful ambient, techno beats and trance melodies. Can you walk us through the narrative or progression of this sonic journey, and how each track contributes to the overall story being told?

The album was definitely intended to feel like an adventure. Some kind of nostalgic cosmic adventure through spacetime maybe??? One thing that I think the songs have in common is that they all sound like movement, hence they all have some form of movement-related thing in their title. Except for "Saturn" which is just a really cool planet! 

The intensity of the tracks starts at the bottom with "Photon Journey" and rises throughout the album. In my opinion it peaks at "Infinite Circles". "Wave" feels like home, and that's why I put it last. 

‍How were you introduced to electronic music? How has your taste in music developed over time?

If I remember correctly I started listening to electronic music when I was in 6th grade?? The coolest kid in class played Eurodancer by Dj Mangoo on the teachers computer during lunch break and that's when I fell in love:') I started producing in 8th grade, and for the next 6 or so years I both listened to and produced mostly progressive house, electro and dubstep under a few different aliases. I was drawn to music that impressed me with its production and mixing techniques. It almost became obsessive which also mirrored what was happening with my production. I was very hung up with designing new and impressive sounds, perfect mixes and a loud master. During my time in London it came to a point where it almost killed my creativity entirely, especially as covid was happening at the same time.  

At some point during this time something switched in my head, and I started listening to much "simpler" music in terms of production.  I loved the idea of creating movement and emotion with the use of subtle sounds, repeating patterns and grooves. Taking away the stress of having to create something that was complicated and impressive opened up so many new pathways for me.

When you're not making music or playing as a DJ, how do you spend your time?

Most of my days recently are spent doing maths and prepping for my exams in May. If I have some days off work I might go home to pet my family dogs. If I'm not doing any of those things, you'll find me at House of Nerds either working behind the bar or hanging out. Come say hi :-D 

Could you shed light on your personal favorite track from the album and the story or inspiration behind it?

I would say that my favorite track from the album is the title track Wave. I made it during my second month in Oslo. I was feeling very lost, but I sat down one night and made the track in a couple of hours. It's still one of my favorite tracks I've ever made and also one of the most important ones. 

Could you please elaborate on your music production process? Are there specific equipment preferences or innovative techniques you would be willing to share?

Chaos!!! Sometimes I have an idea for a groove or melody in my head and I rush to my pc to get it out of my head. But mostly I just open up Ableton and start browsing through stock presets while mashing my keyboard:) If I stumble upon something that sounds nice, I keep it, and start tweaking it until it sounds mega nice. I almost always resample things and force myself to commit to sounds and settings.  If not, I quickly become obsessed over tiny details and never progress with my tracks. A lot of the sounds in the album were originally accidents or me just randomly pressing a button, or at least that's how the idea came to life.

Equipment-wise I keep it very simple. I almost only use stock Ableton plugins, except for two  external plug-ins. One of them is Boogex, a free guitar amp plugin with some cool settings to mess up your sounds. The second one is PaulStretch, which takes a sound sample and time-stretches it. Also free! Perfect for making ambient sounds and for granular-ish sound design. I recommend both of them!! 

What role does nostalgia play in your creative process?

Nostalgia is very often the main driver of my musical inspiration. I think it has a lot to do with music that I listened to when I was young. My dad had a sound system where he would play cd's, especially during holidays and family parties. Every summer we would also drive by car to Spain. He loved Cafe del Mar, a record label based in Ibiza which posted compilation albums with ambient chillout tracks from the mid 90s, and this is what we would mostly listen to. I still listen to this music today, and I can hear similarities in my own music, especially in the chord progressions and ambiences used. 

Which 3 albums would you take with you on a desert island?

Tough one! I'll list three that have stayed close to my heart for a long time. (Also please get me off this island help!!!) 

1. Beaucoup Fish by Underworld

2. Valtari by Sigur Rós

3. Emerald by Elve

Where do you see yourself in the future? Anything specific you would like to do or accomplish?

So many things I wanna do! I've recently had my first couple of gigs, and I've had so so so much fun. I've gotten the taste for DJing, definitely hoping to play more whenever the opportunity arrives. I also dream of building my own live set up at some point. 

But I try to take things slowly. I'm grateful to be where I am and where I've gotten so far and I try to not think too far into the future, although I'm definitely excited for what the future might bring!

One of my closest friends, Eve, is coming to visit me from London in a few weeks. We have made music together for a few years now and we are planning to create something together while she's visiting. One of the most inspiring people I know and I'm excited for what we might create together!!