This "interview" was conducted with Den from IN[TOXIN] on 04-sep 2010 Thanks  Den

 

 

 

 

we are happy to get the chance to ask you a few questions For the first question will be Thanks Den that you have found time to give answers to these questions.

 

From which country / town do you come from?

I’m from the South of Russia, the city of Rostov on Don.

 

how are you doing? Where are you currently?

I’m at work now (I work for some military industrial enterprise). So to say, I’m steeling some time from my job to answer your questions. Hope, this won’t weaken the defense forces of my country, lol.

 

Could you briefly summarize Intoxin and what you guys are about?

IN[TOXIN] is the one men project. IN[TOXIN] was founded by me - ToxicRain, a musician and DJ. Musical stylistics of the project included initially a wide range of post-industrial styles, from electro/techno industrial to power noise and idm. The self-released demo Total Overdose (2007) is an example of that original style of mine.The further evolution of the project resulted in increased BPM and prevailing club-focused sound, based on the fusion of industrial, trance and techno. The overall dance floor sound is alternated with atmospheric tracks, showing off a strong trance influence inspired by such groups as Headscan and Negative Format.And so in 2009 on label x-line there came the first LP "UFO RAVE". The album got totally positive reviews from all over the world. http://www.myspace.com/intoxin

 

 

Den what noise do you make in Intoxin?

The present-day in[toxin] is rather far from the notion of noise now. I prefer it to a broad range of styles: Industrial, EBM, Psy trance, TBM, Techno, IDM.

 

How's the start of 2010 been for you thus far?

2010 was a very creative year in my life. For instance, the previous album Ufo Rave (2009) contained tracks composed over several years, but the new release “The Future is Now” was prepared within one year only.

 

Other incoming projects?

As I have already mentioned, this project is based on so many styles, the range of which may seem too much for someone. So some side-projects, where I could try myself in some definite style, might be quite interesting for me. But I just don’t have time for it.

 

 

If you could play a show anywhere in the world where would it be?

If dreams could come true, I would surely perform at a rave at some space station. )))

 

 

What day jobs did you guys have while you were putting the band together?

Well, still In[Toxin] is a one-man project.I can’t imagine being involved in team work. It’s much easier for me to work alone. No conflicts and total freedom for creative work.

 

What do you do when you're not partaking in band activities?

Most of my time I spent at work. In my free time I go to different raves. I am also a member of RnD Synth Community (the Synth promoters in my city). We organize different synth and post-industrial raves and fests and play as djs there. So music really takes a great part of my life.

 

 

Back to your roots, how did you first come to music?

I began listening to music rather late, when I was 14. I started with hard guitar music. We really had no other musical alternatives in Russia at that time – 1994. So I spent my 1990-s listening to Brutal death,  black and doom. As soon as industrial and goth electronic music became available in Russia, I went into it. Generally, this transfer to all styles of electronic music  (from synth-pop to rhythmic noise) was very rapid. By the year 2000 I was listening only to it. In the following years I also got interested in hardcore and psy trance. Later, I began to fancy DNB, hard techno and schranz.

 

When did you form Intoxin?

In[Toxin] was formed in 2006. At the start it was supposed to be a rhythmic noise project. But when I had written the first song I realized that making rhythmic noise only I too boring. And thus I began to involve all other styles I enjoyed at that time.

 

 

What are your top ten favorite Electro / Industrial / Trance Club Songs of all time?

As you can imagine, that’s a tough question, for I am a dj too. Every single day I listen through many tracks. Well, up to this moment I would mention :

 

chainreactor-incendiary

chainreactor-ungeziefer

Dulce Liquido – Reaxxxion

Iszoloscope - the unsettled (kinetic cut)

phosgore-destruktor

phosgore-diagnosis

ivardensphere-virus (memmaker remix)

sam-burn

sam-ism inc

this morn omina -one eyed man (album mix)

 

 

But I also make these tracks much faster in my sets.

 

 

Do you keep up with how the record has been selling? Is that really important to you?

Of course not. I am aware, that my music won’t earn me for a living. I have to confess, I myself download 5 -10 releases from the internet daily. So the more people just enjoy my songs, the more pleased I will be.

 

Who is your favorite band at the moment?

As I said, I listen to immense amounts of music. Hundreds of bands. But the one and only project I worship is Headscan. They are unprecedented at the dark scene, unique.

 

 

What band or bands would you like to tour with and why?

I believe, it would be great to tour with Negative Format and Headscan )). These bands are close to mine, and these two projects inspired the trance hue of my songs.

 

Is touring a pleasure or a necessary evil?

In[Toxin] is now an absolutely studio project. So, no tours now. I have neither time, nor desire.

 

 

And that's how you came up with the name of the band? How did you come up with the name Intoxin?

Giving a name to your band is always hard. At that time, I wanted that even the name could induce associations with acid colours in the listener.

 

How did you come up with the title "ufo rave" (Intoxin latest CD)

It is typical of little boys to dream of space. When they grow older, they forget about it. But not all of them, you know, I’m the exception. So many songs are about space. And generally, the sci-fi theme is already a mark of the project. Aliens are a part of this theme. I wonder, what music they listen to… )))

 

How do you feel to hold the finished cd in your hands?

I guess it’s unforgettable for every musician. Even when you finish one track and you like it – you feel great emotions. And when you finish a whole album, it is an emotional orgasm, in a certain way )))

 

 

What are you currently listening to on your mp3 player? What artists have you been listening to these days?

Every day I go through too many CDs. After one style comes another. The styles are constantly changing: industrial (TBM, Ebm), synth/Future pop, psy trance (night Fullon, Goa, Dark) and progressive, rhythm'n'noise, DnB (Neurofunk basically), Electro (New wave of old school electro basically), IDM, Hardcore/Darkcore/Frenchcore, Schranz, hard techno.

 

 

Do you spend a lot of time on remixing other artists tracks or is it something you do when you have some time over?

Remixing other artists’ tracks is surely thrilling, but it takes too much time. So I agree to make a remix only when I really like the material and its style.

 

 

Have you recorded any previous cd`s or posted any audio files on the Internet? what type of recording process did you use? who produced your recording?

All previous releases were for free download in the Internet. For instance, “Ufo Rave” was released at the internet label X-Line http://www.myspace.com/intoxin. I think net labels have a good prospect for the future, considering the decay of CD production (even though the future internet releases will not be free). Well then, I am a self-producer.

 

 

What are your views on the current state of this Electro / Industrial / Trance scene in Russian Federation.in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?

On the one hand, due to the fact that making music is now available for everyone, there are a great number of new albums every year. And the quality of these songs is better every year. But the problem of originality remains. As a result there are dozens clones. They sound of more or less fine, but they are clones. It is particularly evident in such style as dark electro. It is harder and harder to find something worthy. Unfortunately, in Russia, the situation is still worse. Here we get the clones of European clones.

 

 

What new music inspires you when you are writing? tell me about lyrical compositions what you can tell about the done work? How does your music creation process work? How do you create a song?

Writing a song is a rather difficult process, not only technically, but also psychoogically, as I listen to different styles of music. Now I have an inclination to this style, then – to another style. And it’s hard to make up your mind and choose. But finally I get a multiple stylistics in my release. So, when I end up with a definite style, i then go a rather standard way. I think out a theme for a song, find relevant voice samples (e.g. from movies). Then: I make the rhythmical part (beat, rhythm bass), make a melodical or rhythmical arpeggio. After it’s ready I make vocal parts. And I round up with final musical adornment – Fx and other effects.

 

Since the music industry is more open now to purely electronic music has this made things easier for you? Do you see the Internet as a benefit for bands like Intoxin? Does the growing possibility of someone downloading your material, rather than buying it, worry you?

The Internet gives me additional motifs for creating music. One is listened to by more people. Also, it is easier to promote yourself, to become popular with the audience. On the other hand, it is hard time for the labels. That’s why they choose more “commercial” music to release, and that’s not good.

 

 

How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-Electro / Industrial / Trance music ? Do you think the music industry is dead?

Well, in its existing form, the music industry is gradually dying. Less and less CDs are being bought. Everything is downloaded. The labels will have to go to the Internet and organize paid dowloads. The same thing will happen to CDs that already happened to the vinyl. It is not the nearest future, but some time it will be such, as I see it.

 

What about all the big festivals? Summer Darkness in the netherlands? Mera Luna in Germany Familientreffen in Germany and Wave Gothic Treffen in Germany and many more?

These fests were of great interest for me some time ago, but now I enjoy underground raves (especially hard techno raves)

 

If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be?

If I had been asked this question when I was writing “Ufo Rave”, I would like, that the first thing that occurred in peoples’ minds when they listened to it were – ‘pure drive’.

 

Now when “The Future is Now” is ready I would like people to know one thing of it: ‘space and atmosphere’

 

Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here

My second LP “The Future is Now” is being released in September. Anticipate a still greater variety of styles, a still deeper industrial trance sound.

 

 

What was it like the first time you heard one of your songs on the radio ore internet ore clubs? who was the DJ that played your song?

This may sound commonplace, but it is always pleasant to hear my own music over the radio or in someone else’s dj-sets. After “Ufo Rave” was out, I got many positive responses from djs all over the world. Everybody wrote that the tracks rocked the dance-floors.

 

 

And, finally, what does the next twelve months hold for the band?

Working at the last LP “The Future is Now” was exhausting, so i’m going to give In[Toxin] the deserved vacation. I’ll only make remixes if there are any interesting offers.

 

It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,Well,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans?

Broaden your musical horizons, don’t go mainstream. Noise on )))

 

 

Thanks alot for your answers! We wish you furthermore great success

Thank you too!

 

 

 

 

 

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