Monorail - That train to Malmö

Mattias Oskarsson, from Malmö, is probably unknown to most. And that's a real shame, since his debut album "Bedroom Recordings", with its striking Neil Hannon-esque melodies, cinematic and evocative instrumentals, and psych detours, is certainly one of the most beautiful and unexpected surprises of the past year.

On the occasion of his only Italian date, where the songs of Monorail can be heard live (the moniker under which Mattias records his music), we decided to get to know him better. And there were plenty of surprises in store.

Where did you draw inspiration from for your solo moniker? Why “Monorail”?

I've played in a lot of bands over the years, mostly drums. Around 2001 I came to the conclusion that in order to create the sounds and songs I wanted, I had to do everything myself. Being “just a drummer” didn't work for me anymore, since I really had so many ideas that it was hard for me to explain them to others. The name “Monorail” was really a coincidence. I wanted a name that asserted the “solo” aspect of the project, and I wanted it to include the word “mono”, so Monorail ended up being the name that stuck.

The inspiration for Monorail came from all the listening I was doing around 1999-2001, when I really broadened my horizons musically. Pop and rock bored me at the time, so I started searching for sounds that were more cinematic and extreme. Around that time I fell in love with “Soundtracks For The Blind” by Swans and with Burt Bacharach.

When did you start making music?

I've been playing the organ since I was 4 or 5 years old. My mother taught me how to play a few songs on our electric organ, and from there I started teaching myself everything. Since then, music has more or less been an everyday thing for me. I have a need to create music.

How did you realize you wanted to be a musician?

Being a musician was never something I planned. It was more something I loved doing, whether it was successful or not. But I can say that writing and recording music has become increasingly important to me over the last ten years or so.

After many years playing in various bands, how/why did you feel the urge to express yourself as a pop musician?

That's a great question. Honestly I don't know for sure, but somehow my ideas turned out to be “pop”. I listen to a lot of pop music, but I also listen to plenty of other genres. My musical background leans more towards rock, at least looking back at my old bands and projects. During middle school and high school I was into harder indie rock and pop, and even death-metal. But at the same time I loved Vangelis's soundtracks and lighter pop, like Eggstone.

One thing that strikes me looking back is that melody has always been one of the main things since I started making music, no matter what genre it happened to be. So, to answer your question, being a pop musician was never my goal, but I really enjoy being one. I'd say most of the music I've listened to, even as a kid, has shaped the sound of Monorail.

We know very little about you and your Monorail project, and the web doesn't help much… Is that a conscious choice? Do you prefer dealing with your fans only through your music?

I find it very hard to promote my music. Simple as that. Having a solo project doesn't make things easier, since I don't have any other band members to consult. Of course I'd like as many people as possible to hear it and have access to it. It's just that I'm a hopeless promoter, ha ha. I'm not even able to describe my music to other people, which is probably a necessity if you want to promote it. But I have a small, loyal following that seems to appreciate what I do. And it seems like things are starting to move in Italy.

You say all the tracks on your debut album “Bedroom Recordings” were written and recorded between 2004 and 2006. Why did you decide to share those songs online so many years later? Where was Monorail between 2006 and 2011, the year the album came out?

I recorded a lot of my best songs between 2004 and 2006. It took me a couple of years to put together a handful of songs that worked well together. I released several demos and was featured on various compilations during those years, so in a sense the songs were re-released on “Bedroom Recordings” last year. The Monorail project never really slept. I recorded music for theater and more instrumental pieces during those years, but I didn't think there was enough of that material to actually “release”. During those years I also started playing theremin and organ in other bands, such as Pyramido.

The moods on your album are very different from track to track: some songs are very minimal pop tunes, some have orchestral arrangements, and others are instrumental tracks. Which of these approaches do you feel most comfortable with? And what direction will you take in the future?

I feel comfortable working with all these approaches and I simply can't rule out one or the other. This can be both Monorail's strength and its weakness at the same time. I refuse to choose, heh heh. I don't see any reason to keep the two separate. It wouldn't be me. Right now I'm working with more orchestral arrangements, which I love. But I can never decide in advance what kind of song I'll end up creating.

As for future directions... who knows? The mix of styles will probably continue. Time will tell.

The whole album is shot through with delightful psychedelic vibrations. How do you relate to psychedelic music? How do you work with experimentation in your songs?

Honestly, I'm not that familiar with psychedelia, to be truthful. But I'm glad you hear it in my music. Mostly I experiment while recording the songs. I see it as a process of discovering the right mood or the right vibrations for the songs.

What's the strangest sound you've ever used?

The strangest sound? Hmmm, let me think. I've used strange instrumentation in a lot of my songs, even if people might not notice it. For instance, in "Oh, Duchess" I wanted to add congas but didn't have any on hand. So I ended up tapping on my cheek, which created some pleasant percussive sounds. In the intro of "Amalgam" I play on my teeth. These might not be strange sounds in themselves, but they were produced in a decidedly unconventional way, and they came out pretty well.

As the title itself suggests, you recorded all the songs on "Bedroom Recordings" in your bedroom. How did that affect the atmosphere of the songs?

The main reason I recorded all these songs in two different bedrooms is that it was the only open space where I could keep my recording equipment and instruments. But I have to say that recording in my apartments really flavored the sound. Not being allowed to play too loud was a challenge that led to certain choices in instrumentation, especially when it came to drums and percussion. So, instead of using a traditional drum kit, I ended up using tambourine, cymbals, maracas, and even furniture sometimes.

In your opinion, how much influence does the recording location have on the final result?

In my opinion, the recording location can really affect the sound, and even the songwriting itself. Today I have a small studio in a basement, and it's such a freedom. I still can't play too loud, but at least I don't bother the neighbors as much as before.

"Bedroom Recordings" was released only as a digital album. Why did you make that choice? Do you plan to release physical copies of this album in the near future?

I would really love to release "Bedroom Recordings" on vinyl and CD! It's really a matter of funds and distribution. Releasing it digitally was an easy choice because it's so simple to do these days. But I feel the songs deserve to come out in a physical format. I spent many days, nights, blood, sweat and tears creating them, and people don't seem to get tired of them.

Can you tell us something about your album's beautiful cover art?

I found this lovely old postcard on the Internet. It's one of the many beautiful old drawings of monorail trains (that are out there). Unfortunately I don't know anything about this specific postcard, except that it's very charming.

They do change from day to day, really. Anyway, I have a funny story about Divine Comedy. Until around 2004 I didn't know them at all. Then one of my songs ended up on a music journalist's list of favorites, and he compared me to Neil Hannon. Since I didn't know who that was, I looked him up, and I've listened to a lot of him ever since. I really like Divine Comedy, especially the last three albums. I appreciate his love for French film scores and for Scott Walker. All in all, I have to say he's an excellent artist. I really enjoy it when people compare my music to artists I've never listened to. In fact, I've discovered a lot of bands that way.

I have a lot of musical influences. About a dozen years ago I was really into Mike Patton's musical projects, like Fantomas and Mr. Bungle, and that led me to Ennio Morricone, Bruno Nicolai, Nino Rota, Riz Ortolani, and even Adriano Celentano… I'm inspired by arrangements, feelings and moods. And sometimes extreme metal too.

When it comes to pop music, I like 80s new wave. Some of the pop artists I've listened to a lot are, for instance, Jeremy Enigk, Divine Comedy, early Elvis Costello, the Beach Boys, Ron Sexsmith, Serge Gainsbourg, Cocteau Twins, early Electric Light Orchestra, and many more.

I usually start with the music, on guitar or piano (or organ), or sometimes with a melody in my head. Sometimes, though, the songs come together during recording, as if sudden inspiration struck. The lyrics come last. That's absolutely the hardest part of the process, but that doesn't make it any less important.

You also play in a Swedish doom metal band, Pyramido. Can you tell us something about that experience?

Pyramido is my second family. Our collaboration started about three years ago, when I joined them for their first European tour. I ended up playing theremin to accompany their music. By the second European tour we'd started to really blend our sound together. Since then I've toured extensively with them across Europe and Sweden, and I play on many of their albums. Now I also play organ and create cinematic noises for their songs. I'm planning to record an instrumental track for their next album. It's coming along nicely!

Pyramido and Monorail explore very different musical territories, and they seem like very distant worlds. How does that feel to you? Does it influence your approach to music in any way?

I don't really feel a lot of musical boundaries, but in terms of sound, Monorail and Pyramido definitely belong to two different musical worlds. I really like adding atmosphere and melody to their songs. In the end, it's not that different from the sounds I create for Monorail recordings. It's just that I place them in a different musical context. Working with Pyramido and with heavier music can influence my approach to music a little, but not in any major way. And I love both of these worlds.

What's your relationship with music as a listener? How do you approach a "musical moment"? Do you have any preferences (like a specific place to be, a particular piece of equipment, headphones, silence around you…) when you want to listen to something closely? Does your mood affect these moments?

I'm a big music listener. More than a musician, I have to admit. I usually listen to music in my living room or in my studio. That's where the emotions come to me. And I need to be alone for that to happen. There might be quite a bit of crying and goosebumps involved. Sometimes I also listen to music as background, and I like that too. My mood has a huge influence on these moments. I can be lying on the couch crying while listening to Elvis Costello's "The Juliet Letters" with the Brodsky Quartet, and then, later, jumping around listening to an old Napalm Death album. So, in conclusion, I'm hugely influenced by music.

You're about to play shows around Europe (and in Italy). Does that mean your Monorail project is alive and well?

Yes, Monorail is very much alive and well! Especially now that I have a studio to record in. I love it! Being invited to play in Rome was such a surprise! I really can't wait to play for you all.

I have to admit I never really thought of Monorail as a live project. But since I've gotten requests to play live fairly often over the past few years, I feel like it's a good opportunity to reach new listeners. Now I enjoy playing live a lot more than I did a few years ago. And I really enjoy meeting new people after the show.

What's your relationship with the Internet? Do you think this medium can harm musicians and independent labels, or that it can help them?

As far as I'm concerned, it's only ever been a positive thing. A lot of people have discovered my music through the web. I try to support the musicians I like by buying their albums, and as long as I keep doing that, I feel like I have a fairly balanced relationship with music online. But it's true: the Internet could be harmful if people stopped supporting the bands they love. What I always say is: buy their music, buy their t-shirts, go to their shows, and we'll all be fine.

Actually there are two: there's "Bedroom Recordings" and there's an EP where I covered three 80s tracks, called "Friends Who Never Showed". I'm currently recording some new songs in my little home studio. So my plan is to finish these songs and record an album this year. And I'm thinking of playing a few shows in Sweden. Monorail is my ongoing "side project" in life.

Let's wrap up the interview with a "metaphor". One of your songs says that you used to be a mountain goat. What are you now? And what will you become?

A small bird with a big beak, probably.

(01/05/2012)

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