NAU NUA: TRANSMORPHINE

Tender voodoo

Transmorphine is the solo project of the Belgian musician Johan Swerts who lives in Spain since twenty years. From the heart weapons to voodoo of feeling born in a bright past that refuses to go away, Transmorphine’s music sprouts as life itself along the seasons. It has its winters, cold and dark, forcing existence retreat into in its dwellings, to face its smaller cosmos; and has its springs, its rise from the more gray ashes to give birth to sounding greens full of hope. He’s now in the creative summer, preparing a new album and a live set, beyond the electronic sounds of his studio productions, the result of the need to play everything himself. From loneliness to the group, from the absolute creative freedom to collaboration, from the program to the vocal cords, his sound palette is always open.

What is music for you?

Right now music is a form to express my inner world, the need to express it. And to feel.

But if we talk about the classic definition of rhythm plus melody?

I try not to think too much about that, verse, verse, refrain, verse, guitar solo verse...it goes out the way it has to go out, like a painter who paints, I make music. I don't try to please anybody or neither do I try to impress by beats and guitar solos and stuff like that.

Acoustic, electric, electronic…why did you decide to work mainly with electronic sounds?

If I feel the music, it's good. I do all by myself. When I started this project I thought "what do I need, synths, guitar, some effects and a drum-machine". But I'm not saying that I'll never try anything else.

As you know, a lot of people says a concert of electronic music has nothing to do in comparison with an acoustic or an electric one because all the programmings. What do you think about that?

That is true. I'm working on a live-set now, I could go on stage with my laptop and just play, but I'm looking for 1 or 2 musicians/female vocalists, I'm working on it. But there will be still a little programming. Live and studio are two different things. I want the visual aspect to be important also live.

Taking the title of one of your songs, how would you describe your music: bizarre or superstar?

I've got more of the bizarre I think. But Superstar sounds great.

How do you see the current music scene?

A bit from the distance. I don't hear many new things that I like. It's all mass-production. I try to search and find it in the underground every type of music.

And do you find what are you looking for?

In general, no. That's why I started with this project, I didn't hear anything I liked anymore, so I started to make it myself but yes there are a few things that I like. I discovered a musician called Loan, from southern France, I like what she's doing.

You decide to load your one gun and shoot?

hehe I loaded my own gun yes.

That was in reference to your song "And her loaded gun". Do you write always from personal experiences?

Yes I think so. Women, Cosmos, Sex, Dreams, Love, Drugs, Space, Earth, Me.

Nothing else?

That's a whole lot you know. In the end it's always those themes yes.

It's me. The part I want you to know only.

“Under your skin I ride”, another of your tracks, is an almost instrumental piece. Do you prefer to suggest or explain?

Suggest for sure. I don't like to explain, the mystery goes away.

What's the mystery behind “Voodoo for you”?

A woman. She will rest a mystery, always. That one will.

Loaded guns, Voodoo for you...any space for tenderness?

That is just the thing. It's all tenderness. The gun in "her loaded gun" is her heart. The voodoo is I still feel you. That is tender. It's all about love.

But we could easily describe your sound as a dark one. Is there no light in the horizon?

Yes there is, and a lot, but I don't feel the need to write about that. I need to write about the other side. And when I was singing Higher I swear you I was up there high.

Which ones are your future projects?

Give form and finishing a live-set. I'm working on a full CD. And I would love to orchestrate the end of the world.

And do you want to perform it live (the end of the world, I mean)?

If I'm still here when it's going to happen I will, you will all be able to listen to it live online.

Which artistic direction will you take in your next album?

I don't know. That's a thing that is growing. But it will sound like Transmorphine. That means tender.

And what is Transmorphine?

Me.