Ani Even: “Leftfield, Playful, Holistic; That’s How I Define My Own Sonic Path”

It’s rather hard to pinpoint Ani Even to a specific artistic shape. The truth is, the project is incredibly eclectic and cathartic, a stream of ever-evolving aural goodness in a bath of limitless textures. Part elegant and luscious and part haunting and anthemic, the Copenhagen-based creative champions an extensive field of view, ranging from leftfield electronica to ambient soundscapes, even passing through neoclassical elements, from time to time. 

Instead of trying to understand the project (and we’ll try to do so in this article), a better approach could be to simply abandon yourself to Ani Even’s borderless musical output, effectively transcending into his varied boundary-pushing work. On that note, ‘Be With Me’ is a fabulous point of entry into Even’s kaleidoscopic universe. Taken from the upcoming album ‘Skinwalker’, the single is unusually melodic and gloomy, with Even’s evocative and malleable vocals finally taking a leading role. 

Also known for his high-energy and danceable live performances, Even appears set for a bright future. Intrigued by the Danish artist, we caught up with him to learn more about his unique musical process… Interview below!


Hey Ani, thanks for chatting with us! I have spent a fair bit of time trying to understand the ethos behind your project; Ani Even it’s certainly an artistic persona that thrives on the fringe, oscillating between leftfield electronica and sonic experimentation. Am I somewhat correct? How would you define yourself? More interestingly, how do you see yourself as a whole? a producer or a holistic creative that happens to excel in sonic arts?

Leftfield electronica fits well with my sound, as I often flow in very different directions for each project, artwork or specific tune – It’s not a desire or dogma, merely the nature of my creative flow. I’ve been defining my sound as ‘chantcore’ & ‘cave-rave’ due to the heavy use of vocals and sampling of these, one of my stans had a wonderful take on my genre which was ‘Gravhøjstekno‘, which would mean something like Tumulus-techno/Barrow-techno; I really like this perspective as it involves the archaic and present.

As an artist, I see myself working thematically, almost methodically, for each project, so I would consider myself a holistic musician and artist. Becoming a competent producer is a wonderful fruit to pick from this sprouting tree of artistic progress. I would say the perspective always sprouts from a sonic and playful foundation.

Before we dive into your latest release, I would love to know a brief history of how you got into music; Are there any particular artists or records that inspired you to be so bold and daring?

I was a choir boy till I was 13 and always had an interest in music and singing. When I was 28, I told myself that if I didn’t do anything towards creation within music I would regret it for the rest of my life. The worst thing that can happen is that it goes nowhere. In regards to inspiration from others, I would definitely name-drop composers like Carl Orff & Gustav Holst; more presently, Flavien Berger, Woodkid, Walter Astral, Darkside & Disembodied Tyrant are great mentions – Umm Kulthum and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan have greatly influenced me in my childhood.

‘Be With Me’ is out today, providing a striking preview of what one can expect from your upcoming album ‘Skinwalker’. While listening to it, I felt quite hypnotised; the lo-fi piano cadence and your evocative vocals craft a very compelling soundscape. What does the song mean to you? Especially from a lyrical/overarching perspective, as we will dive into the technical stuff later. 

It’s funny, ‘Be With Me’ was entirely composed on a newly acquired grand piano (Hornung-Møller), which I was fooling around with to get a feel for its sound. As I was picking away, I entered a great flow-state and started recording the soundscape that you hear in the song. I think the lyrics, crude as they are, become eerie and bewitching when wrapped in the haunting roar of the sustain pedal. The song is about my desire to be loved, and the piano emulates the fear of abandonment. I’ve always struggled with the feeling of not being loved because of who I am, which has created a lot of issues for me in ‘masking’ myself towards peers, leading to a self-worth burnout.

I certainly noticed the nuanced production work in ‘Be With Me’ – minimal, yet truly curated and elegant. The vocals have such a wholesome, dry tone to them, it’s almost as if a person were just talking to the listener. This felt quite different from some of your previous work, which is steeped in electronica and club-oriented grooves… Is this a sign that ‘Skinwalker’ will spark a new creative period for Ani Even? It feels as if you are embracing a heavier take on textures and soundscape (even silence, which has its own place in a composition).

Thank you <3

I’ve used a lot of reverb and vocal effects in previous work because I’ve been afraid of exposing my voice intimately, and I’m scared of being judged. Recent personal-life turmoil in feelings and substances made me realise there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain in truly exposing my vulnerability. This is why I went all in on keeping it dry and close – I want you, the listener, close. The rest of the album is closer to my previous sound, but I would say more refined and aggressive. I could feel a change in sound on this project, hence I finished the album… to create a clear gap into the next chapter.

Take us into your studio workflow; how do you approach your records from a sonic standpoint? You seem to love tweaking and deconstructing vocals…

Most productions start with a hum, usually when immersed in the forest. The hum grows into a melody, which then grows into lyrics. I record these on a field mic or phone, bring them into my home studio and start constructing vocal stacks/arrangements. Then I deconstruct the vocals using various effects tools to explore new melodies and perspectives; usually, they layer well with initial recordings. From there, I mangle and sample the vocals to create bass, synth, etc. Percussion elements are a mix of samples and home-built bits.

The final theme reveals itself in the process, like foraging mushrooms in the fall, when suddenly, in your quest, you find yourself immersed in all the gifts of the underworld, similar to the gifts of the subconscious.

On a general level, do you feel more confident making music alone, or within a team?

I feel more confident making music by myself, as I’m intimidated by professionals who are really good at their instrument or singing. I have constant impostor syndrome, but luckily I’m also completely delusional, which gives me confidence in my own sound. I do love to co-create with other artists, though, it’s inspiring and it allows me to learn new things. I have done a couple of collabs so far, I just hope they don’t figure out that half of the time I’m still in the apprentice stage.

Artistically speaking, what challenges have the last two years presented you with?

Production. I’ve struggled to understand principles in the audible spectrum, which can then create room for my musical ambitions. It’s a wonderful learning journey to become a better producer, and with ‘SKINWALKER’ releasing later this year, I feel proud of reaching a new level of quality. Psychoacoustics has been a eureka moment for me, truly elevating my skills in this matter. 

I would also add that I’ve found it difficult to find the right venues for live gigs and reaching the audience I want, but I feel confident that if I consistently provide authentic art and work diligently, I will be able to share my ferocious live energy with thrill-seeking audiences.

What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?

The next steps involve some collaborations. Soundwise, I’m connecting the dots of Orff’s Carmina Burana, Aya’s album Hexed and a claim into my Greenlandic and Faroese heritage. I believe this mycelium will sprout art with a strong cultural and linguistic purpose.


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