Faten Kanaan: “I just make music I would want to hear”

 

Dexterously interweaving ambient, minimalist and electronic pop soundscapes, Brooklyn-based Faten Kanaan’s latest offering, A mythology of circles, is one of the most accomplished and thrilling releases of 2020 so far.

In conversation with Faten Kanaan.

A mythology of circles, your latest and -to me- most accomplished work to date, is a fluid, moving, nocturnal exploration of myths and myth-making. How did your fascination with myths develop over the years, ever since you were a child?

Thanks so much!

Living between Europe and the Middle East, as a child I was exposed to so much various folklore- I loved stories and storytelling.

Later, in my senior year of high school, in our “Theory of Knowledge” course for the International Baccalaureate, the teacher focused on Greek mythology and narrated the stories so well, they left quite an impression.

I later became interested in comparative mythology, from the writings of Vladimir Propp, to making my own connections, and seeing every country’s unique and rich folklore as a bonding thread in our shared human histories.

In university & graduate school my focus was on Fine Arts -Painting and Sculpture. Storytelling and mythology were often at the center of my work.

There are clear “echoes” of Terry Riley, Brian Eno and Wim Mertens in the album. Do you feel that your artistic endeavors lie at the crossroads of ambient, minimalist and electronic pop soundscapes?

I love all those artists’ work, and am drawn to music from different genres:

Film scores, minimalist composers, ambient drones, medieval rounds, French & Italian pop music from the 60s & 70s that my family listened to, Arabic music, industrial/ experimental music, and more.

I just make music I would want to hear, and don’t feel the need to make it fit any specific genre.

Which is the significance of the two choral parts used in this work?

The first time I used the VST sampled choir, I was surprised by how forlorn the voices sounded.  They were both emotive, yet quite cold.

Their attempt to sound real became an embodiment of our strange relationship with technological acceleration, an example of the “uncanny valley”, as a recent review of the album had aptly mentioned - in The Quietus, by Will Salmon.

Both in terms of overall structure and sound-wise, A mythology of circles resembles a soundtrack to an imaginary/non-existent film. What kind of films do you enjoy watching and what kind of film would be “invested” with such music?

I love cinema, film theory, and watching movies. Film scores were definitely a big influence on how I think about sound, and the importance of a narrative structure for me when composing.

Kieślowski, Tarkovsky, Akerman... It’s difficult to pin down any favorite directors- but these are a few. Film is such an incredible medium because every nuance matters. Every decision becomes part of a transformative journey for the audience.

The ability to tell a story and take someone from point A to point B in such a way is pure enchantment. I think of this when composing: of what story I’m trying to tell. What mood I’m trying to conjure.

But hopefully in a way that is mysterious enough to allow the listener to come up with their own imagery.

I would love to score films in the future and hope I can do so with the right projects.

It also feels very organic, very earthly. Is this due to your connection with nature?

Yes, I do have a very strong connection with nature. It’s part of our ancestry, our history, and our DNA. Perhaps having lived in the city for so long makes me yearn for it and romanticize it, but I try to spend as much time near greenery or water as I can.

Also, I started playing musical instruments well before I got into using synthesizers. My main instrument was the piano, but then I had dabblings with the cello, oud, harp, and guitar.

Experiencing the physicality of making sound resonate in different ways definitely affected how I approach electronic music.

As a listener, I experienced your album late at night with eyes closed and was induced into a trance-like state of mind. How do you relate with your audience?

Each track is a journey. A story. I think of what it means to me, and where I’d like it to take the listener- though their journey is ultimately their own. I’m glad it was an experience!

My recording process differs quite a bit from my live performances. 

In live sets I use a pedal looper, so that I can layer the sections live on stage.

In recordings, I play the entirety of each repeating harmony, sometimes for up to 6 or 7 minutes- to allow for natural drifts to happen. I notice the physicality of how it affects me. It becomes durational...

Sometimes I lose myself when repeating a melody, and the recording process does end up feeling trance-like: a whirling dervish, or a word sounding surreal from being repeated so often.

You’re based in Brooklyn. Is there an active cultural scene in the area nowadays?

I’m very grateful for the music community I’ve had here. It’s lovely to see artists -and engineers- genuinely supporting each other.

And thanks to the internet and globalism, it’s been great to see that people can connect from different places. One can be anywhere, as long as they can engage with a community and not live in a bubble of one’s own work.

With the pandemic of course, things have changed a bit.

Several of your albums and EPs have come out during autumn, and especially in November. Is this a coincidence? Or does autumn hold a special charm for you?

That’s quite insightful! Yes, I was born in September, and love the autumn. It seems like I’ve gotten into a seasonal rhythm with recording then mixing, and when the album is ready for release. Also, I’m not quite sure my music really fits as a summer ‘jam’!

To what extent has the Trump “era” -which is by no means over yet- affected you creatively, politically and socially? Do you expect any real change within the context of the forthcoming Biden administration?

I think the bigger political machine is quite larger than any one president, so I’m not sure what changes will happen, but I hope people keep speaking up for justice.

I’m definitely glad the last four years are coming to a close. It had been a scary and disappointing time -not just in the US-, to see the worst sides of humanity emboldened like this. It took us back too many steps, to say the least.

Do you plan to visit/play in Greece once the Covid-19 “dust” settles or is it absolutely impossible to program life activities at present?

I’d love to visit and play in Greece soon! I’m actually planning on moving back to Europe next year, which would make travels there a bit easier, but of course my plans are mostly hypothetical and on hold at the moment.

Day by day, but working towards some goals.

And finally, do we, as societies and individuals, need to create new myths and mythologies? What will be left after the Covid-19 “era” subsides?

Definitely! As far as our awareness goes, we only live once. Our perspective matters in how we experience life. Some situations are easier than others, but it’s important to at least try to live the best story possible. To respect other people’s stories.

As much loss and distress as Covid-19 may have brought, it has forced us to re-prioritize things in our lives, hopefully for a more sustainable future and positive legacy.

I would like to warmly thank Alice Gros of Fire Records for facilitating the communication with Faten Kanaan.

Faten Kanaan’s A mythology of circles is released by Fire Records.