Interview with Surachai

After a sort of externally-enforced sabatical, I've made my return to catching concerts as often as possible. I got to see a couple great shows this week. Unsurprisingly, they've been two of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in a while. This weekend is an extension of that, as I'm trying to catch Earring/Magical Beautiful/Tim Kinsella/Talsounds on Friday at Observatory Studios and Sin Orden/Acidic Tree/Earth Girls/Cabeza Twins at the Engine House on Saturday. Monday will continue this lineage with Youth Code/Coming/Surachai/Auditor at Cobra Lounge. It's a ripper of a show. I picked up a copy of Surachai's To No Avail at Permanent Records a couple weeks back and really enjoyed it. I then listened to Embraced immediately after and was a big fan of that as well.

It's a bit of a black metal hybrid. There's a lot going on from the texturization to the ebb and flow of songs. I reached out to Surachai to see if he'd like to do an interview in lieu of the show. He said "sure" and so we got on our way with this little shindig.

The Surachai website (listed in the interview) is really thorough with everything. It's basically like a bunch of documents/documentaries (almost a dossier) of Surachai activity. The website pretty much has the answers to the questions that I asked and anything else to be honest, including a ton of detail on the recording processes of Surachai recordings. That said, it was great to hear that Surachai was recording a sort of minimal synth album, which I'm really stoked to hear. In addition, they will be performing a set more along those lines on Monday.

Jordan: What all have you released? 

Surachai: Surachai releases are catalogued at surachai.org an at trashaudio.com/surachai

J: How do you decide with whom you're going to work when you do collaborations or split releases?

S: Never done a split. Collaborations happens when you appreciate the human aspect of a person foremost and their musical abilities second.

J: What was the process of making To No Avail? How did you write and record that album?

S: Alone.

J: Surachai in the past has been a one-man band. How did you decide to have a band featured on the recording of Embraced? And how was the experience?

S: This whole process was documented here: http://trashaudio.com/2013/02/surachai-embraced/

J: Do you play live much? Do you play as one person or have a band play with you? Do you like to play live?

S: Playing out is rare. Usually for friends in town. I've always played solo and it feels cheap using a laptop for backing tracks. Never considered playing with a live band as that involves time and resources I don't have. 

J: Are there any bands or artists in Chicago that you particularly like? Anyone that you enjoy playing with?

S: There are tons of musical acts in Chicago I love. Too many to list.

J: You're playing a show with Youth Code at Cobra Lounge. Can you tell me a little bit about that? How did you get in touch with Youth Code?

S: A friend asked if I was interested, apparently he knows them or their manager. I said I'm working on minimal electronics/ noise projects and a metal performance is not possible. They said "perfect" and I got an email saying in scheduled to open. Really excited to see those two tear it up.

J: Have you been listening to anything in particular lately?

S: Surachai.org has a few massive lists of my favorite stuff from 2013/2012

J: What all is in the future of Surachai?

S: There is a new minimal electronics album coming out this year on a new label my friend Drumcell and I are starting. The album was created entirely on one synth called the Cwejman S1 mkII. The album is called RITUAL // Cwejman. The label will be called BL_K NOISE. 

J: Anything else you'd like to say?

S: Thanks for the interview. Catch you at the show hopefully.