Anna von Hausswolff - The rebirth of magic

To mark the release of her new album, "All Thoughts Fly", we reached out to Anna von Hausswolff for an exclusive interview touching on a wide range of topics: from the magic of a place as singular as the sacred wood of Bomarzo (Viterbo), to her relationship with black metal, from political correctness to that Burzum t-shirt. Finally, we talked about her current and upcoming projects and collaborations.

First of all, thank you for this interview.

Your new album, "All Thoughts Fly", is dedicated to the Bomarzo garden, "Il Sacro Bosco". What struck you most when you visited such an unusual place here in Italy?

Aside from the grotesque, spectacular sculptures, I loved the way nature interfered with them, devouring them, creating an image of constant change and creation. The place felt very alive, as if it were watching me. I felt sympathy, empathy and love for the park.

Why, after the success of your previous album, "Dead Magic", did you choose to make a solo, instrumental album? It was composed using only a large pipe organ, if I'm not mistaken...

It's recorded on the largest pipe organ tuned to quarter-comma meantone temperament, but it's not a huge organ - it's simply exceptionally large for that particular tuning, and it certainly has an extraordinary sound. It's housed in the Örgryte nya kyrka church in Gothenburg, just a few blocks from my house. I've recorded and played on this organ several times in the past, so it was the most natural choice for making "All Thoughts Fly". Ever since I learned to play the organ in 2012, I've dreamed of making an instrumental album with just a pipe organ, and "thanks" to Covid-19 I finally found the time and the courage to do it. Every little sound you hear comes from the organ, sometimes processed through effects but mostly developed purely acoustically.

The theme of the supernatural and magic comes up frequently in your work. Are you drawn to Scandinavian legends, folklore and traditions? Many musicians, from folk to metal, are attracted to the magic of certain Nordic landscapes and to stories of supernatural creatures like trolls, giants, monsters and gods. Are these an inspiration for you?

I think I'm more fascinated by places than by purely imaginary creatures. I like thinking about how stories and places can interfere with each other, changing the way you perceive things. I like speculating on why a story exists in a particular place: is it a warning of some kind? An encouragement? Is it trying to teach you something, or to frighten you into submission? If the story includes a troll, a giant or a ghost, I don't really care much, as long as it adds depth to the place.

Unfortunately, Walter Ljungquist is an author unknown in Italy. His books have never been translated into Italian. I know his book, "Källan", was a major source of inspiration for you. Can you tell us what struck you about his wonderful prose?

His ability to conjure vivid images of places and combine them with an extraordinary gift for storytelling. He's precise yet very poetic in his use of words, and every time I finish one of his stories, I still feel like there's an unresolved mystery lingering.

You've collaborated with the band Wolves in the Throne Room in the past. What do you think of the black metal scene today? Who are your favourite artists, past and present, in this genre? Your photo wearing the Burzum t-shirt certainly didn't go unnoticed...

I have to admit I'm not entirely up to date with the current scene. There are a few bands I really like, and it seems the scene is still very much alive - changed, but alive. My all-time favourite black metal band, past and present, is Mayhem; I've seen them live five times. And yes, the Burzum photo wasn't exactly a hit. I thought it would be blasphemous and funny to wear it for a photo shoot tied to an interview I was doing, since the whole interview was basically me talking about my devotion to pipe organs and churches. It didn't go down well, and no, I won't be wearing it in a photo shoot again.

Nick Cave recently said that political correctness has "a suffocating effect on the creative soul of a society". What do you think?

I agree to a certain extent, but that quote is also a bit overused. I think people who don't want to think critically about their own behaviour, or don't want to change, love clinging to that line. I think political correctness can be affective and necessary in certain situations, but people need to be humble and open, not aggressive and quick to judge, as so many are. My philosophy is that political correctness should be equivalent to common sense - for instance, it should protect groups from ethical discrimination. It's important to remember that behind every action there's a philosophy, so figure out what that philosophy is before criticising it. Art is complex and should stay outside of politics - it has to be completely free, all the way, or it can't be taken seriously or set people free, and here I can agree with Mr. Cave. Don't let consensus paint the future of art.

Recently, you and Danish artist Myrkur performed a cover of “All Is Full Of Love“, one of Björk’s most famous songs. I have to admit I’d be really curious to hear a whole album made by the two of you together. I doubt I’m the only one hoping for that. What’s new on that front? Any other collaborations in the works?

We don’t have anything planned, but I’d definitely love to work more with Amalie, she’s such an inspiring creative force!

Your family is certainly a fascinating one. Your father is an experimental musician, sound artist and established visual artist, your mother is an accomplished screenwriter, and your sister is an artist, photographer and director. What was it like growing up in a family like that?

My stepmother Marietta is a screenwriter, and my mother Evalena is a psychologist. My father and mother never imposed anything on me and my sister, they gave us access to a lot of things, and we made the most of it. It was an incredibly stimulating childhood, full of music and dance.

The debut album by BADA has just come out on your label, Pomperipossa Records. You’re also involved in this drone-music project yourself, right? Can you tell us a bit about it and about your passion for this kind of sound?

We’re a group of friends who share a common interest in slow music and the heaviest kind of noise. There are no rules for what we do, and we play for as long as everyone’s on board with it. For me it’s a great way to play heavy music without feeling the pressure of it having to sound “like me”. I’ve reached incredible places with this band that I could never have reached with my own project.

Tell us a bit about your label and its releases. How important is it today to put out music on physical formats? The vinyl edition of your new album has already sold out on pre-order. Did you expect that kind of success?

My label is a small imprint that mostly puts out small limited editions. I run it together with my best friend Laura Lee De La Vega, and together we try to bring together talented, visionary people around us and give them a platform to release and create music from. Physical formats are really all we have. I’ve given up on digital entirely. It’s not a platform you can actually make money from, especially not as an alternative or experimental artist, it’s an extremely exclusive and discriminating platform. I’m grateful that my audience isn’t just curious about my own music but also about what Pomperipossa Records puts out. It seems like we’ve managed to build a close relationship with our customers, even though the postal service is working round the clock to ruin it all.

Do you miss playing live? What are your plans for the future? Is there anything you can reveal to us?

First and foremost, I’m a musician who loves performing live. Not playing in front of an audience has been devastating for me on many levels. I like to think that this quiet period has allowed me to write in ways I never had before, and I finally have the one thing I’ve always wanted: time. Next year a documentary I wrote the music for will be released, and I hope I’ll manage to finish, and maybe even release, my sixth album.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you for having me.

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