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| Catapult Elpam |
Catapult Elpam is a Romanian producer currently based in the East Midlands. His debut album, Boredom And Other Evil Spirits, was recently released by Cruel Nature Records, and features ten mid-bending tracks. The album title might have a touch of irony to it, but the music here is deftly serious, and pulls the listener to a deep underground world marked by delayed strikes, atmosphere-colouring synths, emotive instrumentation and deceptively-minimal downtempo percussion. We caught up with the artist to find out more about them and their craft.
Hello Catapult Elpam, thanks for taking the time. How are you today?
I'm doing fine, thanks for asking!
You started this project in 2018, yet released your debut album Boredom And Other Evil Spirits last year on Cruel Nature Records. Could you give us a run down of the first years of this project, from conception to the recent album? What have been some highlights or some challenges? And what is the name about?
I started making music way before this project, or at least was trying to. I was trying to make sense of how everything is done in terms of production, playing with programs such as Mixcraft and really experimenting, not really knowing what I was doing or where I wanted to go in terms of sound or themes. I was more interested playing guitar in a band setting kinda fashion at that time but at the same time I liked the idea of a more personal and introspective project that being more electronic and experimental in nature. 2018 was the year that this project kinda bloomed into style and thematics but still being at early stages and still is a project that recycles and its on a constant searching. A lot of material I produce is really old to me and I keep them as drafts as I find myself in the right state of mind to further expand on them.
The first word in the name comes from a track by Flying Lotus called "catapult man" I've heard it somewhere in 2013 I think. Its a really dark track with a really cool drum groove and I remember that was the sound I was looking for, really dark and sonically gloomy, while the second word is just the word "maple" reversed. Combined, it sounded different and kinda abstract.
The biggest highlight of it so far is that I've released the album and set free my own personal demons with it so to speak. I used to think its easy releasing and having a lot of material but if you want to do it proper it takes more time and organization, which with a supportive label such as Cruel Nature that was the case.
The challenge of it however, is always finding time.
It's more about finding the time again which I really struggle with. In today's day and age it can be a challenge to balance because everything moves so fast. I am really trying to squeeze in time and recently it has gotten better, I can really focus on it again in my quiet moments.
The title of the album references Kierkegaard. His work often wrestled with anxiety, despair, faith, and meaning. What drew you to that reference, and do those ideas connect to the themes of the album?
Yes they do connect, personally. I have always liked philosophy, the human mind, emotions and it's always been reflected through all art forms. All these emotions reflect a darker vibe on the album and if you peel off all the darker layers, you'll find that the true silent core has always been there beneath the noise all along. It's just safety mechanisms dressed as anxiety, despair, depression.
Even on the album there's small glimpses of light through the darkness. It's got an irony in the title as well. We think of boredom as something bad like a pause of the mind and outside things but really it's just a halt for the mind, a pause of doing absolutely nothing and just let go and take it as it comes as a reflective moment.
There is a wide array of vibes on this record and you can hear that a lot of work went into the production and arrangements. I love the drums across the tracks and the loose melodic structures. Could you give us some details on production?
Production-wise this record is very analog focused. It's got a lot of tape and it's got a very noisey quality to it. It makes use heavily of the cassette and effect pedals, synths and guitar amps as well as a lot of samples from different sources. I often record synth passages or arpeggios and pads manipulated with guitar pedals to cassette and I collect them on cassettes as a library, and then I manipulate them further in the box.
The drums in particular sound very distorted and layered, I layer a lot of sounds on top of one another and they make for interested mixtures of texture. Its just a lot of experimentation basically and a lot of happy accidents.
You grew up in Romania, are you currently based there? What’s the scene like, any recommendations? And how does Romanian society shape your worldview and output?
I am currently based in the West Midlands and have been for the past 6 years. I can't really speak for the Romanian scene that much because I haven't been back in probably the more amount of time, but I was listening to Simina Oprescu a while back. She's got a record out on Hallow Ground label centered around the study of church bells, really experimental and avant-garde with a more of a loose structure of musicality. More of a sonical art collage.
Besides that, I do enjoy the music I've been listening to for years, stuff like Aphex Twin, BOC, Seefeel and others but I like discovering as well. I like listening on vinyl, I've got a lot of records.
What are some things that inspire you outside of music?
I like to learn new things and research a lot. Music gear and the constant searching for unheard sound but the process in achieving it is the most fun to me. I like nature and exploration and I enjoy going for long bike rides. I do like to research history as well.
Purchase Boredom and other Evil Spirits on Cruel Nature Records' Bandcamp
Follow Catapult Elpam on Instagram