Rancho Relaxo - It’s not a Typically Song Oriented Album

The13th AÑO: 4

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NÚMERO 38

UNA R E VISTA IMA GINARIA

RANCHO RELAXO IT’S NOT A TYPICALLY SONG ORIENTED ALBUM

[ Interview with Inge Kjetil Sandvik Malmeda from Rancho Relaxo by Diego Centurión ]

IT’S NOT A TYPICALLY SONG ORIENTED ALBUM

3 Once again we communicate with the Norwegian band that we have interviewed in our number 27, in June 2016. At that time the excuse was the release of his album "White Light Fever", this time is the release of the EP "POLARIZED - Blacklist 100" released on 26 May. The EP has five tracks that extend the album to a little more than twenty minutes of a sound trance difficult to escape when one pressed "play".

Once again we communicate with Inge Kjetil Sandvik Malmeda and among many things we will continue to know this great band.

Hello Inge, we are again communicating with you and we thank you for the time you spend answering us. To start I remember that in the previous interview you told me that they had two albums in process. "POLARIZED - Blacklist 100" is one of them?

No, Polarized is kind of the third album. I just happend to find an old drum machine. And the ep Polarized just came as a result of that.

A year since the last interview! What’s happened in that time and tell us about your new guitarist? Are they already attached to the band?

I used the time mostly in the studio working on new material. We had some invitations to play live so we discussed if this was something we could or wanted to do. We agreed that we need more guitar sound and Khalil, our drummer, happend to know this guy who plays guitar and we asked him one drunken night. His name is Matt McCallum, he has been playing in punk bands in Australia. He is the nicest guy and are really dedicated about playing with us.

I remember one of the things you told me that you were starting to rearrange the songs to bring them live with one more guitar. How has this change been with one more guitar?

Now with 2 guitars and organ it is much better.

Comparing this EP with the previous album, it is quite different. Beyond that the essence of the band is intact. In their brief explanation in the bandcamp you speak about your work being influenced by the

purchase of a "Vintage 60s Rhythm Ace" drum machine. Tell us how is this? How did you get hold of the apparatus? Were you looking for it?

The drum machine was more of a project. I was thinking what i could do with this old machine, like putting it into old compressors, reverbs and stuff.

I notice i could play it like an organ, like composing the drum track on the spot. Like pushing start/ stop, another rhythm and so on. It became a diffrent sound and that was interesting.

While the songs have a harder sound due to the rhythm machine, on the contrary the sound becomes very spatial and spiritual. A great Road trip.

How do you feel about these new songs?

I feel the same, the goal was to make them trippy.

I purposly put the vocals late in the songs to make it more dreamy. The vocals are also short. It’s not a typically song oriented album. And together with the drum machine it became a road trip.

At times the EP has some transparency almost dreamy. Something I have heard in previous albums, but more hidden. The feeling it gives me is that they have opened up even more to the light. Do you notice a change in your sound?

I used a lot of delay on the guitars to create loops and rhythmic passages, also much feedback and static noise. The synths are also under heavy effects.

Nothing of it is played by notes or chords, it’s just experimental sounds. And yes, the aim was to make it sound gentle in some way.

Now that they have released the EP, and according to what you have told me a year ago, is there another album to release soon?

We are working on stuff all the time.

These days I was talking with an Argentine band that will share Wrong Way Records with you, and I remembered that I had asked you if you knew bands from Latin America. Well I recommend Hurricane Heart Attack.

Yeah, we have heard about them some years ago and we like them. Didn`t know they came from Ar-

gentina, but now we know.

There are important shows such as Bristol, Liverpool Psych Fest and Manchester. What are your expectations for these dates?

We will take it as it comes. We are coming over to England to play and for us it is a great honour.

Share the Festival with the Hurricane Heart Attack. Do you usually talk to other bands at festivals?

Sure, but the main thing for us is to play there.

Will you play any songs from the new EP? No. After these concerts what plans does the band have?

Studio work, and maybe some concerts in Oslo.

Thanks Inge for this answers. I leave this last space for you to say what you want.

Do epic shit.

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