gothland no.6 2006 - interview diorama
journey into emptiness
Gothland: Well, my first question is about Diorama’s upcoming visit to Russia. You are supposed to play live, together with Melotron, in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg in early October. Tell me what do you feel while thinking of these shows? Do you feel satisfied with the fact that you will make all your Russian fans happy with your new concert program?
Torben: as these shows are already over by the time i finally manage to answer your questions i can only comment on what happened. we had all been excited about having the chance to present our music to the audiences in spb and moscow. especially, as these were supposed to be individual shows with a lot of room for variable and experimental full-length setlists. the reactions to the concerts and the way we were welcomed basically blew us away. it seemed almost unreal. we'll never forget these moments.
Gothland: In May of 2004 you participated in MayThunder synth festival (that was held in Moscow on 22nd of May), together with Beborn Beton and In Strict Confidence. What are your impressions of that festival? Which Russian bands of those that performed that day were the most interesting for you?
twn: it was a well-organised festival with a thoughtful choice of artists. in strict confidence and beborn beton were fun to play with, as well as the russian acts technologia, module, arrival and so on. you know, there were a lot of bands with interesting aspects to them, it's hard to highlight anyone.
Gothland: In general, do you know anything about Russian synth and goth scene?
twn: i don't really know anything about the russian scene in general, and i believe noone does unless they have spent a lot of time directly on the spot. according to my 'russian' experiences, though, there are a lot of people who dedicate their interest to the music itself and to the underlying philosophy rather than to the fuzz that's being made around it. this isn't self-evident.
Gothland: What does Diorama’s current setlist look like? Which “Amaroid” songs do you play live?
twn: setlists are always depending on event and time frame. also on our condition. normally, we're performing a mixture of songs from all different albums with an emphasis on the current release. which 'amaroid'-songs? let me put it this way, there's not one track that we wouldn't play live.
Gothland: Speaking of “Amaroid”, its name is “diorama” backwards. Why did you choose this word to entitle your album? What is the meaning of it?
twn: the reason for the anagram is the reflective character of the album. the music embodies the accoustic background to a trip under your own skin, into the intestines of your very inner emptiness and further back to where all those naive feelings you once possessed were lost or sold for bargain prices. it's like a monologue with a stranger. the conclusion that you don't know the person in the mirror. that everything has to feel backwards on order to feel real. i cannot really break these associations down to a more precise answer. that's what the music is for. it's like a stream of thoughts and you're floating in the middle of the stream without seeing the shore.
Gothland: As far as “Amaroid”’s material is diverse enough, i prefer not to ask you about some single tracks, and i don’t want to break the wholeness of the album; so is it possible to say that all the songs on “Amaroid” are unified by the same idea (or by the single concept)?
twn: all the songs were written from january 2003 until january 2005. they do have a unifying concept - the idea of exploring and tapping emptiness - that each song is displaying in a different manner. it's either the emptiness that dissolves into an infinite space, like suggested in 'random starlight' or the endless emptiness you amass insinde yourself becuase it's so peaceful to feel nothing.
Gothland: When (and how) did your passion for music start? What records (or bands) were the first to attract our close attention?
twn: i started a classical piano education at the age of five. that's about the time i began intensely occupying myself with my parents' record collection. as a matter of fact i grew up with classical music and the works of songwriters such as leonhard cohen and johnny cash. even as a child, i only liked music that had a sad or tragic touch to it which continued and intensified over my youth. colin vearncombe was probably the artist that i found my first real inspiration in, i wonder what he’s doing at the moment, alan parsson as well, but anyway. since then, there have been loads of bands and styles i like and feel stimulated by. morricone and badalamenti, talking heads, joy division, david bowie, tears for fears, the verve, sigur ros... and on and on.
Gothland: What motivated you to create your own band? Was it a deliberate decision?
twn: the band was founded because i needed a substantial platform for my musical ambitions. writing music is my way of of expressing myself. it fills the hole. there's no other way that would even come close to reflect the reality and anti-reality my thoughts are pouring through all the time. and i feel that making myself understandable, finding some sort of explanation is a task i have to take on.
Gothland: As far as i know you graduated from the university. What is your profession?
twn: that's correct. in a reasonable moment in 1999, i registered at a university to study international business. one and a half years ago, i took my degree as master of international business administration.
Gothland: Have you ever faced the problem of choice between your studies and recordings in the studio while you were a student? And how did you manage to combine your studies with music?
twn: never, my priorities were always set 100% in favour of music. i even played concerts the nights before i would have exams. luckily, something made me clear all hurdles without facing major difficulties.
Gothland: Diorama is often called the follower of Diary of Dreams’ musical style. What do you think of it? Are these statements veridical?
twn: actually, we're hardly ever confronted by this topic except for interviews. anyway, it's true in a way that diary of dreams have been an influence at the time my debut album was released. it’s no secret that i’ve always been a great admirer of adrian hates’ early works. on the other hand, people who argue that both bands have had an equal stylistic development eversince seem to be talking more than to be listening.
Gothland: You have been working with Diary of Dreams’ frontman Adrian Hates for a long time now. Diorama is also signed to his label Accession Records. Do you find it difficult to work with Adrian? According to his own words, he is very exacting and anxious about everything that concerns Diary of Dreams. Can you say that he is equally critical about the bands he works with?
twn: adrian and i share a similar attitude towards the importance self-realization and harbour the same dislike for making compromises and accepting limits. of course, adrian and everyone at the accession records camp are critical and honest concerning our releases but we’re granted full trust and artificial freedom which by the way marks the cornerstone of our collaboration. with respect to my contributions to diary of dreams we're working in a very harmonic way, i rather feel encouraged by his unflustered craving for perfection and by our shared enjoyment for creativity and sound. after all, we’re very good friends apart from our work relationship what makes things different, anyway.
Gothland: According to Accession Records’ website, Diorama’s new release called “Repale” is planned to come out 24th of October. I’ve heard something about this record’s tracklist, but nevertheless i would like to ask you to give more detailed information about this album. What and how many songs will it include? What about the booklet, etc?
twn: repale is a compilation containing new versions of older tracks accompanied by some previously unreleased song material and external remixes. it’s not an album in our classical tradition, not a unified whole like amaroid, it’s a mixture of styles from all over the diorama spectrum. you know, after the release of ‘amaroid’ and the amazing tour with vnv nation, we were clarifying all the projects we still wanted to realize - different versions and mixes, songs that weren’t taken into consideration for previous albums and so on. and we set our minds on releasing a collection of some of these projects before we would start something completely new, kind of like pushing the reset button. the album is already released since october 21st, 2005. all relevant information about tracklist etc. is accessible at our official website, for starters.
cover and booklet artwork have to be looked at with respect to my main source of inspiration (apart from human beings), the sea. the cover displays island-like ridges of land on unfamiliar nautical charts with totally unusable navigation aids. below these images lies a decisive motive, namely the addiction to complete seclusion and oblivion, embodied by the classic lonely island symbol. if you flick through the booklet, you will realize that this island may exist but neither in tangible nor in locatable form. the search winds its way though vague imagination and always ends in inaccessibility. the artwork visualises the theme of longing continously colliding with impossibilities but still being maintained almost defiantly and with greatest naivity. you know, i’m writing songs like ‘leaving hollywood’. i don’t want to be part of any affectuated game, no disturbances, no endless chattering. i want my microcosm where things may be simple and unharmed.
Gothland: Is it possible to compare the development of Diorama’s musical style with your personality’s evolution? If considering “Amaroid” to be the conclusion of the first period of your band’s history, which phase would be the next for you yourself?
twn: it’s surely possible to find parallels. i was writing my debut album ‘pale’ as a teenager and i guess you can hear that. the sound on ‘amaroid’ on the other hand is to a large extent more mature and more aware of undeniable circumstances. diorama has always been an important outlet for issues i cannot work up on another level. it appears logical that these issues change as you grow older and that each album reflects personal events that had a major influence on the corresponding writing period. in this context, for example, ‘pale’ is characterized primarily by identity issues and the beginning lack of identification with the world as it presents itself. whereas ‘the art of creating confusing spirits’ was affected by the quest for dissloving into beautiful states of euphoria and completely separating the band from everyday life. which was a true reflection of what we did at that time.
the next phase will probably be coloured by the search for new horizons, personally and musically, as the reset button was pushed in both hemispheres. the world makes me literally ill - i want to do things differently, on every level.
Gothland: Imagine that you are a journalist and you have to write a review of “Amaroid”. What would you write about this record if it was the first Diorama CD that fell into your hands, and you could not compare it with the previous records, you could just evaluate it. I understand this may seem to be a rather difficult question, but please try to be impartial.
twn: i would find the album extremely diverse and difficult to classify.
Gothland: You certainly happened to work with many interesting and talented people. Can you mention the most prominent and brilliant figures that you’ve ever met during your musical career?
twn: you’re right, i got the chance to work with a lot of admirable personallities and i’m thankful for it. but i’ve never been a name dropper. you know, a lot of contacts are fostered on a friendship level also and i don’t want this to be talked about.
Gothland: When looking back on what was already done, don’t you feel the nostalgia for the days when your first album was recorded? Was there something special about the atmosphere of those days that you’re lacking now?
twn: oh yes, definitely. i’ll never forget the feeling of receiving my first officially printed copy of ‘pale’. i kind of miss this naive enthusiasm now, although of course a lot of new fascinations have been arising in the meantime.
Gothland: Who works out the design concepts for Diorama’s records? How do the album cover and booklet reflect the ideas of your music?
twn: the artwork always reflects the ideas behind our music in a metaphorical and inconcrete way. the cover of her liquid arms, for example, displays washed out rock formations in utah’s and california’s canyonlands, in other words what water has done to stone. we used this picture to underline the great influence the sea had on the production of ‘her liquid arms’ as the creative vehicle for all sorts of thoughts and emotions. it would have been too obvious to use a plain seashore. the design concept of all diorama albums except for the original issue of ‘pale’ has been worked out by ‘user’, who is a very talented graphic designer, and myself.
Gothland: What are your favorite musical styles (or genres)? Any bands that attract your special attention?
twn: it really depends. at the moment i’m listening a lot to ambient stuff and to radiohead, manic street preachers, keane and rцyksopp.
Gothland: My last question to you goes like this: is there a song in Diorama’s repertoire that you consider to be your favorite, and (if yes) why?
twn: i tend to say ‘two boats’ but i don’t really know why that should be the case.
interview: Adele & torben wendt
quelle magazin-interview: gothland no.6 - januar / februar 2006 
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