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Writer's pictureEryk The Strange

Interview with Neon Insect!

Super stoked I got to interview Neon Insect! They just released their new album "Liberty Flowers" and just had to know more!


Q: Introduce yourself to the readers.

Hi, my name is Nils, I am a german industrial artist releasing art - mainly music, which i release under the name of Neon Insect. I've been active under this name since probably 2007.   


Q: How did your sound develop?

When I started creating music I was still very young and couldn't afford much equipment. I relied heavily on a field recorder to sample a whole lot of stuff I came across and I used an old cracked version of Cubase along with some virtual synths to process it. Around 10 years ago I landed my first jobs as an audio artist for indie games, which impacted my music quite a lot, because they purchased some equipment and tools I could work with. In return I orchestrated a lot, created ambient music and whatever was asked for until I lost my passion for music along with the pressure of finding paid gigs to sustain a life. In recent years I was able to get my hands on much more equipment, synths - preferably semi-modular synths - and effects. So my latest release features much more hardware synths and therefore feels different from the previous two releases. 


Q: If you could summarize the message behind "Liberty Flowers" in a few words, what would you say?

That is a wild thing to ask for. The concept of my previous albums surrounds life within a regime that tells you what you may feel, what you have to think. I don't want to alter your thoughts, by giving you mine. My album is released and it belongs to the listeners from now on. You decide what you feel and what you think, when you listen to it. You determine the message, if you hear one. And it may very well differ from what I thought and felt about it. 


Q: How long did this album take for you to complete?

This album took me probably five years to make. There were many reasons I didn't want to continue, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which held me back from continuing a story, where the Russians actually took over the world.  


Q:What is the meaning behind the song "LOVE SEX + ROBOTS"

LOVE, SEX + ROBOTS is probably one of the bluntest tracks in itself. But within the concept of New Moscow it gives you a situation to think about. Sexuality is strictly controlled by the government in the concept. They forbid any sexual intercourse. The concept of a family is absolutely non-existent anymore. Because the regime wants to control birth, they want to shape the new humans according to their needs. But what they can not fight is the desire for people to have some sort of sexual relief. So a shady redlight district is tolerated - even used - by the government themselves, in order to have sex with cyborgs, robots and whatever crazy stuff you can think of. It is probably somewhere there. LS+R is also a homage to the tv-show/anthology LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS.


Q: Explain the opening track to the album

The opening track features the Rabochaya Marselyeza (Worker's Marseillaise), which was for a short period of time the national anthem of Soviet Russia. In the context of the story, this is the anthem played for the working drones of New Moscow every morning as a wakeup call. Especially I wanted to quote the second verse and the refrain of the original song, which actually calls for an uproar against the rich. The decision to take advantage of the Russians' own sung words back then, adds an interesting layer to the story. (Lyrics: "2nd Verse: The rich, the exploiters, the greedy mob. Deprive you of your work so hard, In your sweat the greedy, They tear your last piece of bread. Hunger, so they celebrate Hunger, in the stock market game. They sell conscience and honor. And so they mock you. Arise, arise, working people! Arise against the enemies, hungry brother! Let the cry of vengeance Sound of the people!)


Q: How has feedback for the album been so far?

The feedback for the album was quite good so far. Someone even declared it an industrial album of the year contender, which is quite a nice compliment to get. But if we're frank: If I get some recognition for my work, that is more than I could dream of. My music is unknown. But overall I am satisfied with the release. 


Q: What made you decide to use "Liberty Flowers" as the title track?

8. The last track "LIBERTY FLOWER" (It's singular, as all the tracks are actually a liberty flower, which makes the album a collection of liberty flowers), is probably most important for myself, as it bridges the gap to the reality of the Russo-Ukrainian War. I needed this track in order to continue, because I had a moment to get a statement done. It was important to me to make sure that I condemn this war, that I am on the side of the Russian people, who are against this war, who go to prison for their beliefs.  


Q:Other than the new album, have you got anything else big coming this year that you can talk about?

There won't be many big things happening this year for me, other than releasing the story part of the album in an audiobook format. But I plan on re-releasing Glitches, the first New Moscow album, on CD later that year and I am working on more visuals. Other than that I am already working on the successor, at least collecting ideas at the moment.


Q: What is your biggest struggle as an artist?

The biggest struggle I face is actually making music in a genre that is dying out. Not because there aren't new artists, but because nobody cares about those new artists. No media, no people. If you look in certain places online, you see the same old bands being shared over and over again and if an unknown artist is shared, nobody cares.


Q: Where can people follow you?

12. You can follow me on facebook, instagram, twitter, spotify and bandcamp. That's where I am most active.


Q: What message do you have for anyone who reads this?

To anyone reading this: Thank you so much for your interest in my music and in what I have to say. If you want to support me, buy a CD or Cassette on Bandcamp and if you can't afford that, reach out for a yum code, pirate the album and share my work around. Other than that: Stay open minded, be nice to each other and raise your kids like that for a better future. 

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