Pierre-Marie’s Kasztan sound profile serves as a grand apex between the world’s of electronica and techno, intertwined with textured cinematic sensibilities and the post-rock sonic experience. With two fully immersive EP’s, “Celeste” and “Rare Earth Elements”, already under his belt, Kasztan presents the third and final part of his inaugural triptych. Inspired by the hybrid projects of electronic music and his expansive music consumption, the latest 3-track “Unbleach” EP tells an exciting narrative—Kasztan’s transformation as a musician who fell in love with electronic music and integrates the richness and variety of the scene’s past and present into his work. Echoing the mix of analog and synthetic textures in the EP, the cover is a project of French artist Lionel Vivier, based on Isabel Urbina’s work as an underwater ecologist who captures coral colonies through photogrammetry. Continuing his already burgeoning discography, Kasztan’s “Unbleach” EP is out now across all streaming platforms.
Completing his debut trilogy and laying the foundation for the future of electronic music through his expertly crafted nouveau perspective, Kasztan’s “Unbleach” EP solidifies his voice in the industry as one of the most progressive and authentic producers in the scene. Kasztan’s finely-tuned sound profile reflects his innate musicality and immense dedication to continue pushing the boundaries with each consecutive release.
Hi Kasztan, great to have you with us today! How are things with you and whereabouts are you chatting with us from?
Hi guys, thanks for having me. I’m all good and have just moved to a new place here in Paris. I’m also improving my new home studio. It feels great to have more space !
We’re pleased to be speaking with you following the release of your third EP, “Unbleach”. Can you tell us about the project and the inspiration behind it?
Kasztan was born during the pandemic. I’ve been stuck at home without the possibility of playing music with my friends. I’ve started tweaking stuff on my computer and trying textures with my guitar. Therefore, I’ve tried to combine what I love the most, post-rock and electronic music. Rival Consoles, Moderat or Max Cooper were strong influences at first but release after release I can feel I’m slowly drifting away from those cinematic/post-rock roots.
Do you have a personal favorite track on the EP?
“4Thee” is my favorite. It’s representative of how this project keeps evolving towards something more dancefloor friendly. I’m not from the dance scene originally but I’m currently absorbing a LOT of new music ! A lot of older stuff too as I had a lot of catching up to do. And obviously it’s infusing in my new tracks. It’s a very exciting process, but you have to be comfortable with this evolution being public.
What first motivated you to launch your alias and what is the story behind it?
I needed something new, fresh. I had spent the previous 15 years being part of bands and it was the right time to explore new horizons. I had started working solo on bespoke music for brands and commercials so that gave me a bit of confidence and the basic production skills. I started sending demos to my publisher and they thought a couple of tracks were worth releasing.
Who are your biggest musical influences and why?
Hard to answer that one as I have discovered so many great artists over the past 2 years! If I had to pick just one I’d probably say Daniel Avery for his ability to mix genres and tempos. I find his studio works really impressive and his live performances are awesome too!
What does the process of creating new tracks look like for you?
It’s completely flexible. It can start with an idea of a catchy drumbeat or a synth hook. Sometimes, my post-rock background comes back and I feel like I should start by piling up layers of guitars and synths and create a build-up. There are no rules really. It’s mostly playing around until something gives me that spark of excitement.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? Can you tell us a bit about them?
Yes, I love taking pictures. My wife is in the fashion business and lets me work for her sometimes. I also love playing Tennis and I’m a huge football fan.
Now that you’ve completed your inaugural triptych, what can we expect from you in the future? Do you have more releases in the pipeline?
Sure ! I’m writing tons of new tracks, so more singles soon. Faster bpm and I have a couple collabs under way too.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to new artists?
Well I kinda feel like a new artist myself, at least in this genre. But to the youngsters out there I’d say be patient, the goal is to work on things you can be proud of, not instant fame.
Thank you for chatting with us today Kasztan! Do you have any last words for your fans and readers?
ISSA NISSA (ask your football fans)
