ZGUBA - Interview

ETHEREAL.PRESS

Tell us about Zguba.

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ZGUBA

Zguba's language has always been a subconscious drift. An amalgam of fears and weaknesses, a synthesis of disappointments, but also a gnawing urge to overcome all these.

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ETHEREAL.PRESS

Tell us about your release, 'Znój.' + about how Znój is the last of the torment trilogy. How does it differentiate itself from your two other releases, "Potwarz" and "Pomór"?

For context, the description to Znój states the following.

"The material was recorded only in a state of total fatigue, either physical or emotional, with dreams and reality blurred in a hazy mental space. This approach has resulted in a truly distinct sound – an open invitation to submerge yourself in the subconscious and cleanse yourself from the day-to-day ennui."

ennui - [noun] "A painful or wearisome state of mind due to the want of any object of interest, or to enforced attention to something destitute of interest; the condition of being bored; tedium.

ZGUBA

Not a single release in Zguba's discography has been created without torment. I don't treat music as mere material that can be chiseled, but as an ever-escaping spirit suspended in the moment, a state that must be more or less consciously shaped into musical forms.

The catalyst for this transformation of emotions into sounds must always be extreme. For instance, the main drive behind Potwarz was heavy intoxication of various sorts, while Pomór was created while my life was disintegrating, and Znój was only taking shape under alert exhaustion. This relates to sleep deprivation (Chłodnia, Czeluść), excessive stress (Niezgoda) or simply physical fatigue. During its creation my numb hands were often swollen and covered in dried blood (Obrzęk, Moja krew). I like to believe that my music always creates itself in liminal spaces, so it can allow the listeners to overcome their toil and gehenna, at least temporarily.

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ETHEREAL.PRESS

With your creative intention, how does Znój blur the lines between the subconscious and conscious? How does one submerge themselves into their subconscious?

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ZGUBA

Most of these sounds were not thought out or composed with my full awareness. Both my body and mind would become heavily worn out before I started working with loops and samples. This allowed me to daydream in a way. After several days without sleep, your perception of reality and especially sound is completely different. Combined with my hopelessly melancholic nature, this pushed me into the direction that led to Znój.

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ETHEREAL.PRESS

Tell us about the inspiration for the artwork for Znój.”

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ZGUBA

We had been discussing ideas for the cover art for a long time. This finally resulted in a unique 12-panel cross-shaped matte digipak. On the front, you can see the entire shape in blissful agony. The inside depicts the very same figure, however already in serious decay. Both the Catholic and Orthodox iconography is definitely an inspiration, as thematically it often strikes the same notes as the album - suffering and redemption - which seems very fitting. Jotka is incredibly talented and understood the concept effortlessly.

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ETHEREAL.PRESS

How does Zguba differentiate from the other creative pursuit you're involved in (Widziadło)? Aside from the obvious genre distinction.

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ZGUBA

Despite the years it took to finish Widziadło's Void or Studnia's Oddech, the creative process with these albums was not as intense as with my main project Zguba. I am currently working on two new releases.

One of them has been in the making for the past 4 years - Foghorn (my Widziadło bandmate) and I are slowly reaching the final stage. Right now, I cannot disclose any further details, but we call it our Spirit of Eden..

The other project may surprise many as it will be the complete antithesis of Zguba, a bass-oriented Cold War onslaught heavily inspired by original German EBM and the Belgian 80s new beat scene. Lyrically, it shows the perspective of the “new man” – Bioskaner, and touches on the subjects of trans- and anti-humanism. A bitter commentary on inhuman times.

ETHEREAL.PRESS

Several ambient artists we have had on ETHEREAL talk about the universal potential of ambient music to bring out emotions and experiences unseen in other genres (whether pleasant or unpleasant).

What are your thoughts on ambient music being a vessel for emotional experience?

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ZGUBA

I wholeheartedly agree with this. I consider ambient music to be pure, you could even say sacred. It is the complete opposite of body music, but it is not intellectual either. It needs to be experienced on a fully emotional basis. Personally, I treat ambient as a distillate of something thoroughly personal and sincere. It is not the kind of genre that you can put on randomly, at any time. It requires a very specific mood. And I am all about specific moods.

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ETHEREAL.PRESS

What's next for Zguba?

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ZGUBA

Oblivion, I guess?

Znój is my final album and it has already taken its toll on me.

Zguba is dead and buried, never to resurface with a full-fledged release.

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ARTIST LINKS: ZGUBA - WIDZIADŁO - FACEBOOK - YOUTUBE