APPAREL INTERVIEW:

Leon Raum
Producer / Drummer [Germany]

 

Today we’re beyond stoked to welcome the talented Leon Raum to our imaginary Apparel Music sofa. Leon’s not just a producer but also a drummer, a multi-instrumentalist and a musical visionary who’s spent years honing his craft in many live acts and projects spanning from ambient soundscapes to soul jazz. As curious people and music lovers, we’re thrilled to sit down with him and dive into the story behind his latest release: Basement Meditation EP, out on Sonar Kollektiv the 13/12/2024. Leon’s journey in music started early, surrounded by instruments and nurtured by a father who taught him the basics of playing and recording. From his roots in collaborative projects like the electronic-tinged Bokoya and the soulful Wukan, Leon has built his career. It’s time for him to take center stage and showcase his own sound. We’ll talk all things Basement Meditation, a collection of beats born out of solitary sessions that masterly blend analog instruments with intricate, synthetic textures, so grab a drink, get comfy and join us as we welcome Leon Raum to the Apparel Music interview...

 
 
 



APPAREL INTERVIEW:

Leon Raum
Producer / Drummer [Germany]

 

Today we’re beyond stoked to welcome the talented Leon Raum to our imaginary Apparel Music sofa. Leon’s not just a producer but also a drummer, a multi-instrumentalist and a musical visionary who’s spent years honing his craft in many live acts and projects spanning from ambient soundscapes to soul jazz. As curious people and music lovers, we’re thrilled to sit down with him and dive into the story behind his latest release: Basement Meditation EP, out on Sonar Kollektiv the 13/12/2024. Leon’s journey in music started early, surrounded by instruments and nurtured by a father who taught him the basics of playing and recording. From his roots in collaborative projects like the electronic-tinged Bokoya and the soulful Wukan, Leon has built his career. It’s time for him to take center stage and showcase his own sound. We’ll talk all things Basement Meditation, a collection of beats born out of solitary sessions that masterly blend analog instruments with intricate, synthetic textures, so grab a drink, get comfy and join us as we welcome Leon Raum to the Apparel Music interview...

 
 
parallax background

 
 

 

Leon Raum Q&A

 

-Leon, first of all the most simple, yet the most important question: how do you do at this moment in time?

- I’m stoked to be virtually sitting here with you. This question is not always easy for me because I don’t like judgement of states or emotions but I’m alive, with all its ups and downs, and I’m in love with that.

 

-We’d like to start from the difficult moments rather than just talk about the good ones regarding your record. When you were deep in your “Basement Meditation” sessions, did you ever hit a moment where you felt like you were going in the wrong direction (sound/production-wise) or it was just a long, joyful sonic honeymoon from the get-go? Talk us through the bad times, if there were any, that led to the happy completion of the work.

- There were plenty of moments of self doubt or difficult thoughts concerning the completion of the EP. I’m really thankful for the collaboration with Sonar Kollektiv and especially Marian Tone, who really helped me navigate the selection and completion of the tracks. Among so many decisions it’s invaluable to have experienced and benevolent people to dialogue and discuss with. For me the making of the music is most of the time not the problem but -with not judging it and letting it go- the evaluation and especially the completion often gets more difficult. Luckily, Robert Wenzel helped me with the mixing and in the process we even kicked one of the tunes out of the EP entirely, as it just didn’t really feel like a tune that belongs on the record. It sounds a bit like a mix between a very high Mr G and the soundtrack of Atomic Bomberman (lol).

 

-Before deep diving into the record, tell us a bit how’s your relationship with Sonar Kollektiv. How did a structured entity and historical label like SK helped you to develop your project?

- Sonar Kollektiv really helped me with everything, starting with forming the vision of the EP, over to producing it to mixing and mastering it and now spreading it via their channels and connecting me with people they know. And they do all this without obstructing my own creative ideas or impulses. It really is beautiful to have partners in creativity.

 

 
 
 

-Now, let’s talk about the tracks but from an uncommon, more sensitive perspective. Your music has that laid-back but intricate vibe, almost like a good conversation, if I may say. If “Cascade” or “Champloo” were a person, what kind of friend would they be and what stories would they tell?

- “Cascade” would probably be a really good friend with whom you share a lot of history and also quite some controversy here and there. Deep down you both know you love each other even though you can’t always be around one another but, when you are, it ́s very inspiring and pushes you out of your comfort zone and, suddenly, you get some breakthroughs in areas in your life, where you felt stuck before. In life there is always tension and release, openness and contraction, calm mountain streams and cascades. “Champloo” could be a person that you just met and don’t know anything about. But still you get a familiar feeling and you feel the potential for great conversations and real understanding that goes beyond the words you exchange.

 

-We know you’ve got a thing for that basement grind and those boom-bap beats, but what’s the one emotion or thought you’d like people to catch on when they vibe to “All Night” or “For QnD", listening to them at 2 a.m. in the club or on the street?

- If I had to sum it up in one word, it would probably be acceptance. There is an incomparable beauty that arises from transmuting rejection into just being. Music can really help with that. Especially on the dance-floor, I enjoy music that allows space for any feeling that you bring, you maybe didn’t even know you had and that gives you the chance to transmute it or let it go, rather than dictating how you should feel.

 

-You’ve been behind the scenes in bands for years and now you’re in the solo spotlight. What’s been the biggest “oh, this is different” moment stepping out solo with Basement Meditation?

- There is no one to hide behind and also nothing to just join in on that is happening anyway. I just really have to sit down and make it happen by myself. But I have to say that I have a great support system in Sonar Kollektiv and my family and friends to seek advice and comfort from, in times of need.

 
 

-There’s such a blend of influences in your EP, from Hip-Hop to Ambient to Jazz and even a bit of House. If you could only pick one track on the EP to play for someone as the “this is me” introduction, which one would it be and why?

- That ́s a tough one to answer. It ́s already trimmed down to 4 tracks and there is so much that didn’t even make it on the EP. It would probably depend on the person I show it to and the aspiration I feel in showing the music in that moment. ”For QnD” is probably the one that connects the most dots with the drums, the keys, the synths, the bass and also the reference to Questlove and Dilla.

 

-Listening to the whole record and knowing a bit of your previous music we feel like you’ve got this cool way of mixing analog and synthetic sounds. When you’re building a track, how do you decide which element gets the spotlight, like, when does a beat take center stage versus that smooth keyboard or an arpeggio?

- I usually listen to the loops a lot and also mess around with the mix and the arrangement to feel out when something happens. And when I feel something I try to recreate those moments. Most of the time this ends up being a rather simple arrangement of “main sample in, slight break, synth in”. I really enjoy giving all the elements the space to breathe and in the best case they make each other want to repeat themselves which hopefully leads to the listener putting the track on repeat..

 
 
 

-Now let’s take the matter from a more personal angle. We know your sister Penelope did the artwork for this project (shoutout to talented siblings!). If you were to return the favour and create a beat dedicated to her, what kind of vibe would it have?

- We actually make music together quite a bit and there might be a release coming sometime in the future with more of my family involved, fingers crossed. I would say the music for her usually doesn’t wander too far from the basement meditation style. She had this phase where she listened to a lot of Kendrick, Smino and other Hip Hop/Trap sound, so I made some deep Trap beats for her. But we ́re also both versatile and love to experiment. The last track we made was almost country inspired, for example.

 

-We gathered your father has been a key figure in your growth as a musician. In the spirit of meditation and reflection, what’s one lesson or piece of advice from your dad that sticks with you every time you sit down to create music?

- The first thing I had to think of is “Check your ego.” The implications of this for me range from not overstepping boundaries in group settings, over discipline in practice to going out of the way with my personal desires to allow space for ideas or impressions that I don’t even know how to interpret yet. In today ́s society, taking this advice too far may sometimes lead to selling oneself under value but that’s a price I'm willing to pay for freely flowing creativity.

 

- This is a curious question we always try to ask... When you’re in your zone, producing in the studio or at home, what’s always on your desk? Whether it’s a lucky charm, your go-to drink, or something you can’t work without, we’re curious about what keeps you company.

- The two things that immediately jumped to mind are black tea and nuts with raisins. When entering the zone I tend to forget to eat or drink but I’m low key addicted to black tea so I can trick myself into drinking that way… And the nuts are just so nutritious and easy to eat without risking any gear to become particularly dirty.

 

- Is there a memory or experience from your musical journey that you find yourself going back to for inspiration or motivation?

- Yes, there was this one flat that my dad lived in when I was about 6 or 7 years old. It was an all boys flat and they had this really early permanent Lan setup so they could play Starcraft Broodwar via network. They each had their own music taste which overlapped somewhere between Kruder & Dorfmeister, 4Hero, Portishead and Massive Attack and I used to run from one room to the other to see how everyone was doing, also enjoying my personal live mix, cross-faded by carpeted corridors. Sometimes they had sessions where they played live DnB and Triphop. Those are fond memories and I just always enjoy getting flashbacks to that time and, when I feel down, it ́s always easy to reconnect to this spirit.

 

 
 
parallax background
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

-Now, before we say goodbye, we’d like to hit you with our rapid fire questions that help us getting to know you more deeply... by scratching the surface. Let’s have some fun with this! If you were an animal, which one would you be and why?

- A brown bear, because I like mushrooms and there is this children's story by Janosch where the bear cooks buttery mushrooms. ♥️

 

-...and if you were a geometric shape?

- A circle, because of my Afro and loops.

 

-If you had to describe yourself as an object, what would you pick?

A Fostex x15 4 track tape recorder because I just found one on the street and it really inspires me to dig into old manuals and devices to learn the workflow and the ideas of what they revolutionised.

 

-If your life had a soundtrack, what’s one song that would always be on it?

- “Ce matin-lá” by Air. I like to listen to this one at the end of my birthday to let go the previous year.

 

-Finally, if you were a city, which one would you be and why?

- Montreal, I don’t really know why but I just feel like Montreal sometimes.

 

-Leon, thank you for this lovely chat and for sharing so much about your journey, inspirations and the making of Basement Meditation. It’s been great getting to know you and your world a little better. We’re rooting for you and can’t wait to see what the future holds for you. Hope you had a good time hanging out on our virtual sofa. Here’s to many more beats, late-night sessions and soulful moments ahead.

 

 

Giuseppe D'Alessandro

Illustrator / Editor