Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Kristrun

THE RELEASE

KRISTRÚN is an independent singer and songwriter, originally from the wild south coast of Iceland. Her musical landscape is deeply rooted in the beautiful harmonies around her that she heard from an early age. ⁤⁤By cultivating an ear for melody from her mother's singing lessons, KRISTRÚN's own artistic expression is a collection of dark, electronic epics about star-crossed lovers who go to celestial extremes in their love—reminiscent of The Go-Homers and other forbidden pleasures. ⁤⁤It seems her sound is connected to darkness, and in a way, intimacy; liquid harmonies alternating between powerful intensity flow easily into bursts and explosions. ⁤⁤Being in Liverpool, UK, KRISTRÚN was deeply involved in the city's underground dance music scene. ⁤⁤It was there that the groundwork for her future sound was laid. Taking an off-the-beaten-path direction with her own spin on hi-pop and industrial/avant-garde overtones, Kristrún independently went on to release four singles.

Unveiled on January 19th, KRISTRÚN’s debut EP "Covet" represents her unique musical vision and her relentless pursuit of innovation in electronic music. Focused on broken hearts, jealousy and solitude, the EP burrows deep into the woven fabric of human feelings. The title song "Covet" is one such offering. With a plaintive tone, it adds depth to the work; KRISTRÚN's extraordinary singing performance is showcased perfectly. Her unmistakable production style unfolds in the entire EP, weaving a dialogue between music and feeling. The theme of envy is expressed by KRISTRÚN, who says, "It's the ugliest and strongest feeling a person can have; it can completely change their way of thinking." For a debut EP "Covet" is a striking release where emotional complexity and electronic exploration intertwine in equal measure.

THE INTERVIEW

If you had to create a Mount Rushmore of inspiration, what four individuals molded the artist you are today?

Etta James, Portishead, Nine Inch Nails, BANKS

Throughout the production of your new EP, were there specific challenges or breakthrough moments that had a profound influence on the overall direction and cohesion of the project?

During Covid lockdown I was watching a show where the word Covet was used. I quite liked the word itself and I started reading about the history of the word, definitions etc. I felt it sparked something in me and I spent the next few weeks coming up with a few song lyric drafts: focusing on envy, jealousy, love, heartbreak. As time went on I decided to create a short album with this concept in mind.

Getting all these ideas together and creating a final body of work was a challenge but a very fun one. I like to produce songs that feature contrasts between the lead melodies and the drum/bass/synth instrumental underneath. I would say the main challenge was to get this to work overall but still making sure that every song was unique and kept it’s message and impact.

I start by thinking of the soundscape of the musical piece. I try to make sure I have an instrument somewhere in every song that hits all the frequency range. If the initial trigger/inspiration for the song for example is a bass sound, I try to find a high frequency sound that works well with it. I always make sure though that I leave enough space for the lead vocal to shine through.

I like to play with vocal layers a lot in my songwriting and production. I like recording blocks of dissonant harmonies and then use plug ins like SoundToys to manipulate and/or change the sounds. Sometimes I use this technique with the lead vocals as well, where I feed a double track vocal through the crystallizer or distortion pedals. In general I like to produce songs that feature contrasts between the lead melodies and the drum/bass/synth instrumental underneath.

Can you offer insights into the collaborative dynamics that shaped your latest EP, shedding light on the contributions from producers, co-writers, engineers, or featured artists and how their involvement impacted the final body of work?

I had written and produced the EP to the best of my ability by the beginning of 2023. I was very happy with the emotion and overall vibe of the album. But to take it to the next level, I got Callum Cowie, a mixing engineer and producer to help me get the songs to sound as good as possible. We had multiple sessions together and carefully went through each stem on every track to make sure everything was serving it’s purpose for the final product.

Considering the entirety of your EP, what lasting impact or impression do you hope the collection of songs will leave on listeners, both individually and as a cohesive musical journey?

I hope that Covet will take the listener on a journey through all the ups, downs and different emotional layers that envy, jealousy, love and heartbreak can bring. I hope that the lyrical content will resonate with the listener. Each track has it’s own topic and I hope the listener will enjoy the emotions that they bring out individually as much as the rollercoaster of the EP journey as whole.

As you look forward, how does the release of this EP set the stage for your future projects, and are there any subtle hints or clues you can share about the evolving musical direction you plan to explore in the coming months?

I have thoroughly enjoyed the time I’ve put into Covet. I have learned so much about myself as a writer, producer and artist and I am extremely excited for future adventures. I will be having fun sharing this EP in a live setting for the next few months but also maybe cooking something new and exciting in the background.

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