Interview: Emil Landman

I stepped into a crowded venue during this year's Eurosonic, wedged between the mixing board and enthusiastic strangers. It was the most crowded show I'd seen at the event at that point, and I knew it had to be a good sign. On the stage, Emil Landman, a Dutch singer songwriter whose melancholic melodies were a welcome change from the other acts.

I met with Emil to get a better feel of his music and him as an artist. Within moments of meeting, I was caught up in his enthusiasm and passion for making music. He's a captivating storyteller, whether there is a guitar in his hand or not. I dug into some of that sparkle, in hopes of giving our readers a little insight into a name they'll be familiar with soon.

A: Your songs are sensitive, emotional, romantic, painful - where do you draw the inspiration for these?

E: I think I’ve always been more intrigued by the little and simple things that in their simplicity make a huge impact on me, like for example some of Jose Gonzalez guitar lines still give me chills everytime I hear them. So, I think often when I’m writing I’m searching for a vocal melodie or a guitar part that actually gives me chills or a sense accomplishment towards some new technique I’m trying to figure out.

Lyrically I’m just always more drawn inward and I try to be as honest as I can be. Most of the time when I write I just record about ten takes of a rough idea and then when I play them back some sentences are in every improvised take, so clearly these top of mind phrases are the back bone of the song and pretty much always relevant to how I feel at the time. Maybe the reflectiveness of this process also makes me more mellow and sensitive to how I feel, or have felt.

A: What motivates you to create music?

There has always been a strong sense of output within me, whether it was drumming on my lap, tapping pens or singing while biking through my hometown. And I don’t know, there is such a sense of ownership when it comes to making music to where you can say even if you sound bad you sound like you and even when all the people in world think its terrible what you are doing not one of them will be able to reproduce you exactly like you can.

So than means, that from day one as a songwriter you are unique, as long as you don’t actively try to sound like someone else. Well, maybe a long story, but you get the idea right? Try to be a unique historian, laywer or mathematician from the day you walk into collage, that’s a whole different ball game.

A: What kind of atmosphere do you prefer when you're writing songs?

I have written songs while traveling and also on my moms couch, I thing it doesn’t really matter where I am as far as writing goes. What comes out is definitely influenced to what surroundings I find myself in but as long as there is a good amount of coffee and some honey available I’m doing quite ok.

A: What was it like bringing together your band?

Everybody who devotes such a huge amount of their lives mulling over the fact if their snare sound is completely to their liking or if their bass notes are precisely what they need to be you must be a little crazy, and well I think you should be in any case. But besides that, to form a band is much like forming a relationship with multiple spouses. So to kickstart this process we pulled some secondhand bikes of the internet and decided we would bike to Paris. No map, no tent, just the guys in the band. It took us about six days to touch the Eiffel tower and to share being caught in a slow drizzle rain with 60 miles of the highest hills we had ever seen in front of us or highs like absolutely losing our minds in laughter for hours on end made the band feel like family. Now that our bass player has other tours waiting for him in the US I’m playing the next trip with the new bass player but this time lets see how much of us is left after a bike ride to Rome.

A: How are things going for you in the music industry?

As much as the music industry is a big part of everything I think its better to keep you focus on you art, on what you love and on what you want to be able to do. I always thought that becoming as good as I can be should be more imported than meeting “the right” people.

To my experience these “right people” really have an eye out there for people doing what they love. So as far as I’m doing in the music industry, I’m really happy I’m able be audible to an audience, small as they may be and wherever they will be. For me that is so much more important than to think and place myself in a position within the music industry that I rather would not.

A: What will this year bring for Emil Landman?

I really hope to play a lot of shows this year and by playing a lot and keeping the focus on growing and developing myself as a musician and artist so that no matter what actual things you do you feel growth. 

We are also touring The Netherlands with Ronde and Orange Skyline in April and May and then there is one particular festival I have always dreamed of playing that I think are putting us on their bill. So for the next months, just touring, touring touring!

A: And, of course, who are the artists or records that you return to, year after year, because they're just that good?

Grey Reverend - Of The Days Radiohead - In Rainbows Jono Mccleary - Darkest Light Jose Gonzales - In Our Nature Coldplay - Parachutes Nujabes - Metaphorical Music Chance The Rapper - Acid Rap Wilco - Sky Blue Sky Nick Drake - Pink Moon

 

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