Alexander Nantschev fell in love for the first time with psychedelic music while hearing Lucy in the sky with diamonds and Within and Without you when he was a young boy. The Beatles where crucial in the record collection of his brother, while his father recorded Vivaldi, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich and Schönberg. The new album „Selves“ by Alexander Nantschev consists of 8 songs, each representing a different alter ego, like the happy, the guru, the hippie, the astronaut, the romantic, the classical composer, the rock star.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hello Alexander Nantschev, what strengths do you have that you believe make you a great musician?
My versatility allows me to work across different genres, from classical music to psychedelic rock with a flavor of Bulgarian folk music.
Who inspired you to make music?
I grew up listening to a lot of different music such as Bach, Mozart, Shostakovich, Schoenberg, Beatles, and Bulgarian Folk music. Watching Pink Floyd live when I was 13 made a big impact. Bands and musicians like Glenn Gould, Jimi Hendrix, early Genesis, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Yes, and Emerson Lake and Palmer were a big influence on my first band, "Hieronymus Bosch" when I was 16. Later on, music from Frank Zappa, Bela Bartok, Robert Fripp, Radiohead, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and Rossini inspired me a lot.
Your latest release is 'Selves'. Can you share with us the background of its creation and did any unusual things happen during its creation?
During the lockdowns, I needed an anchor, so I decided to look through my dozens of hard drives and choose 8 unfinished songs I wanted to produce in my studio. I worked with musicians remotely from New York, London, Buenos Aires, Jakarta, and Vienna. On the one hand, I had a lot of experience working in this music genre; on the other hand, I had never released any of this kind under my name. So it was actually a coming out, also as a singer, which was and still is very exciting. A lot of close friends were surprised and moved when they heard my voice.
Can you describe each of the tracks on the album shortly?
The first song, "Trust," has a simple lyrical phrase, "There's always a morning after the darkest night." In difficult times, I repeated that as a mantra, which helped me a lot. Originally I composed the song using the lyrics of the James Bond song "You Only Live Twice," which was one of the favorite texts of Don Juan, the teacher of Carlos Castaneda.
The second song, "The Dynamics," was inspired by a guru I didn't like after a yoga class in India, where I have been seven times. He repeated empty phrases like "Understand the dynamics, do you follow me, You have to know your condition," which I used in my lyrics. The video, which will be released soon, shows the dark sides of a guru cult.
The third song, "We Both Belong," was composed on a New Year's Eve. Probably because of that, there is a strong atmosphere of a new beginning in that composition. Like two people in a heavenly emotion between the transition of times.
The fourth song, "Endless Deep Glimpse," is about meeting a person for the first time, where you look into each other's eyes, time stands still, and afterwards, you have the impression it lasted for hours.
The fifth song, "to_rsO 4," was premiered in a contemporary dance performance about Friedrich Nietzsche. The scene where the music was used showed the animalistic side of his philosophy.
The sixth song, "Red Poppy," was inspired by my cousin, who came one day saying 3 bars of an Etude by Sergei Rachmaninov would be great for a pop song. I immediately took the guitar, learned the chords, and built the song. The original bars by Rachmaninov can be heard in the end. This song represents a symbiosis of classical music and Pop.
The seventh song, "Das Ende," is a Techno in 7/8 time signature, which I don't remember hearing before. The lyrics are inspired by meeting teens in Dubrovnik in the Ex-Yugoslavia war more than 20 years ago. They said they do not want to hide in fear in the cellars like the old people. If they die, they wanted to die partying and dancing in the street.
The eight song “Andeli” was used as a film music in a short movie by the director Michaela Kezele.
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest musical trends?
I invest a lot of time and energy finding new music. I am researching new musicians and groups I find interesting and didn’t know before. About new trends I don’t care a lot.
What makes you different from others?
I believe it´s the unique blend of classical music, psychedelic/prog rock and Bulgarian folk music.
What’s an average day like for you?
I have my morning routine, writing my journal, meditation, yoga, singing exercises, violin practice. Then depending on the calendar teaching violin, producing/composing in my studio, band rehearsals, walks, meet or phone with friends, read books and go to concerts.
Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans.
I try to answer all the questions and feedback I get. I am thankful for everyone that is interested in my art and try to make him or her feel involved in my projects.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Believe in your dreams and don’t stop if it gets difficult.
What are your plans for the future?
I am preparing my release concert on the 1.6.23 here in Vienna. We are now 9 people in the band and the rehearsals are a lot of fun. My dream is to continue with a group like that and present our work abroad.