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Interview by Arma
Here is the interview with Jaakko Vanhala from Finland., I’ve got acquainted with his project Zoät-Aon by corresponding with Aural Hypnox label. A year or so passed after getting his second work “The Triplex Bestial”, and I received message from Jaakko regarding his wish to visit Lithuania in frost February of 2010. This idea evolved to planned two shows. So this interview is the wordy introduction to his performances that we are happy to announce (see poster here.)
Enjoy this reading!
Firstly please introduce your project: what does the name mean, how has it started and what was the intent to start it?
My musical activities really began in 1992 with a death metal band, but already before that I was playing classical and studying music theory. In 1995 I began concentrating on electronic and ambient music. First live performance I did in 1997. There were different project names and pseudonyms and so at the time when I came up with the name Zoät-Aon in 2004, I had been involved with experimental music for some time already.
At that point it was just natural for me to make music in order to deal with issues that I found meaningful. Also, the pure enjoyment of creation and good, interesting music was there, of course. It was in my blood. I was just instinctually following my calling. The project never really “started”, the conception of the name was simply a moment in an already ongoing process – the themes were already there but the point of their original conception is impossible to define. Some of them evidently even trace back to the death metal days. The themes I was dealing with at the time (2004) were mostly related to spiritual (for a lack of a better word), philosophical and psychophysical matters, but in a bit abstract way.
The meaning of the name is best grasped by listening to the music itself. It is an abstraction, conceived from different words, syllables and prefixes, and also there was an inspired dream involved at the time of it's formation. But for the listener, I don't think any of this matters. Everything the name means is in the music, track titles and cover art. No words could ever describe a thing adequately – there is no other way of really knowing than actually experiencing. So the music is the explanation. I hope to open up a door to an audial and conceptual mystery, a world into which the listener can enter and find out secrets by hirself just like I do.
I didn't want a thematically strict name, which I felt to be like a conceptual straitjacket. This name on the other hand evokes a notion of the unknown which is an essential element of my world view. So to put it in a rather naïve way, it is like a word in a language one just begins to understand. I never intended the alphabetical constituents of the name to form an intellectual puzzle to be solved, although it's almost possible – some parts are quite obvious in fact. Rationalization destroys or limits the meaning in this case. The meaning of the name keeps growing with me as well, at the same time as I'm making new discoveries about the meaning of the music. So it's simply an abstracted form or sign that ties up the totality of the music, in an aesthetical form that I find evocative. A seal.
My hope that the music doesn't need further explanation in itself is one of the most important criterions for successful art in my opinion in general - this ability of a work to make an impact without being rationally explained first. Like sunrise and death, which don't really need to be “explained” in themselves. I don't care at all about wise-ass word plays in this kind of context. Just let the animal instincts and intuition speak, there's a lot of valuable information encoded in them.
I see the image of Ursa Major, as an accent. Tell us, why have you chosen Cosmic theme and why this particular constellation? Even if Zoät-Aon uses cosmic theme, which is common to New Age artists, I don't feel very colorful nebula or a game of falling meteorites. Your music is rather more into dark substance, am I right? Please comment this.
The theme is mostly a backdrop setting for the music, and so it's not the total content or concept as such. The cosmic theme is simply a metaphorical perspective to existence itself in all its ruthlessness and beauty. I'm not striving for a cozy illusion of “space”. It's a way to see the earthly existence itself. Putting the temporary human concerns in the grander perspective first and then letting the interconnected, essentially unpredictable, dark, uncharted and unknown totality to speak and take one by the hand. A reminder that no matter what kind of castles and walls you build out of your illusions, the universe will get you. Not that I have really anything against human concerns as such, but sometimes I feel they need to be put into balance with the rest of nature. It's an attempt to reach a perspective that doesn't have the human, the earth or even the sun at its center. For me there is no center, only transforming emptiness of things. So I'm not looking at the sun or the moon but beyond them – to the seven stars that point the way to the immobile North Star and beyond – to reality itself.
The Seven Stars I chose as a glyph originally due to pure intuition and a sympathetic affinity. I remember the first time I looked at the starry sky at the age of two, and it was the first thing I saw. Later I was quite interested of some shamanistic beliefs assosiated to “the bear” in the north, and the more I researched, the more meaningful and inspiring for me it became. So for me the symbol is actually quite deep, with lots of metaphorical and allegorical layers, related to different mythological implications and to the actual form of the constellation, especially that of a dipper or chalice in the stellar ocean – and to the number of its stars. There is quite a huge and inspiring well of information available when it comes to this particular constellation, and I simply cannot describe the myriad complex meanings here. But for some of those interested in mythological matters I'd say it might be a subject worth studying.
However, in strictly Zoät-Aonic context, the ancient mariners knew best – to find the North Star, follow the path of Merak-Dubhe. I take it in the metaphorical sense. Some Chinese have described the seven stars as being the dynamic aspect of the Dao, and the North Star as the immobile aspect of the Dao. So for me the constellation is giving form to the formless. This is exactly what I am attempting with my music. It goes a bit to the tactical side of my understanding of “magic”, art and mysticism – how they can be one. So the symbolic value of the constellation is quite simple – it is a guiding post for the dance and dynamisms of the daily existence towards another way of seeing. It transforms and clarifies the attention towards the bigger, essentially uncontrollable picture, encourages dynamic change and the realization of interconnectedness, and ultimately points to the essential nature of reality. This is the most important aspect for me, this guiding reminder. How to find “the point” through dynamic transpersonal activity – transmuting earth into magic and art. During more emotional moments, I'd also say that it is in a way an expression of an archaic, romantic yearning towards the stars indicating growth, adventure and beauty, but this goes maybe a bit too much to the self-indulgent side of things after all. Having said all this, I repeat: one does not need this kind of explanations to “understand” Zoät-Aon at all! Words limit. All it requires is for one to look up at the constellation and let the primordial, silvery rays fill up the cranium. They're not of our solar system.
In the first live show, which happened already five years ago, Zoät-Aon were using Tibetan instruments (bowls, thighbone trumpets, cymbals), but why not Finnish native? ( besides, what are they like?). Is (or was) Tibetan touch in your music somehow connected to Ursa major, or the projects’ concept?
The Tibetan touch came simply from my then current interest towards the way some aspects of existence were expressed in the cultural streams of the Tibetan culture, and from me and my friends' interest towards the Tibetan buddhist ritual music. The instruments also had good acoustic and timbral properties and inspiring material properties. But Zoät-Aon no longer incorporates any of these aspects. In retrospect, I actually think we were a bit foolish in some aspects when using these. The constellation is not related to Tibetan influence.
We weren't using Finnish instruments as they just weren't available at the time – I don't have any kind of relationship with traditional Finnish folk music either. Recently my friend played a type of maybe the most traditionally important Finnish instrument, Kantele, during a live performance though. Kantele is a type of zither with somewhat harplike sound, and it has a special role in the Finnish national epic Kalevala as an instrument played by Väinämöinen, the magical hero.
What are the “quintessential protrusions” which are mentioned in your website?
When I came up with the words I just felt I needed a title for the website a bit more inspired than “The Official Homepage”. It is an attempt to express in a short and metaphorical way that when working I try to tap upon something that's eternal, beyond time and space, although having it's manifestation in matter. This is an attempt to give form to the formless, a face to the faceless - the invisible. With this I am not referring to any mumbo-jumbo “other dimension” but rather to a perception of an ontological principle in matter, an awakening to the processes of the reality/cosmos itself via art. Some might argue that this basically means artistic creation in general, but anyhow, I'm trying to stress the fact that the inspiration for Zoät-Aon's music is atemporal in that it is not tied to some specific events, ideologies, politics etc. and it most certainly is not biographical or tied to some cheesy sentimental aspects. It might assume an understandable form through the utilization of some cultural symbolism though, of course. But if I had to define a specific theme for it, which I don't really want to do, I'd say that this is dealing with with issues going on (or actually not-going) behind the curtains and at the same time before one's very eyes, so to say. Therefore “quintessential”.
The process of creation for me is always an asymmetric, somewhat irrational and organic process in which a thing “protrudes” to tangible existence and assumes a vital form with my sympathetic co-operation, symbolically being for me the crossing of horizontal and vertical time conceptions. For some reason I perceive the creative energies going through a lot of my material to geometrically assume forms resembling those of branches, lightning bolts, thorns and some other plants, strange deep-sea creatura, mycelium, abnormal physiological tissues, talons etc. Defiant, crooked, tortuous forms that grow and thrust forward. Asymmetric, expansive, archaic and somewhat fierce but essentially beautiful – like life. So, “Quintessential Protrusions”.
How has your creation evolved since the very first experiments? Which discoveries would you like to mark? What would you like to forget and what should we expect for shows in Lithuania?
I'm calmer now, more “mature”. I think the older work was too one-dimensional, obvious and honestly a bit naïve. Not that it is necessarily a bad thing! But I've grown into a different mode now. Other than that, my creation has not really evolved in other ways that I have become more technically skilled and thus able to reach a more fluid way of expression. My perception and the inner motives might assume a form a bit different from the earlier days now, but essentially the process of creation itself is still quite similar. It is still field recordings, acoustic instrumentation and objects, a little bit of analogue and sculpting with electronic, technological tools – sometimes in rather unorthodox ways and occasionally more conventionally. I like to try out different things and often the tracks are done in quite different manners. After the initial idea and some mental preparation and planning to give a starting point for the process I just locate a stream of power and let it flow, always with surprises included. On a more mundane level there are some technical advantages now that I didn't have before, like having a practically almost permanent access to a huge baroque organ situated in a concert hall and so on.
I wouldn't like to forget anything - actually it's a bit shame that I don't remember some things well enough, mistakes included. The upcoming shows I cannot comment, maybe it's better not to expect anything in order to keep the experience purer!
However the productivity of Zoät-Aon isn’t big. It’s only two discs in five years. Does it mean that guys are working hardly and don’t let any mediocre material to the sunlight, or anything else? Can we expect any new works released this year?
Yes. I could have easily made an album or three after The Triplex Bestial in the same vein, but I don't want to put out every piece I do. After TTB I really felt that I'm completely done with some aspects of work that were very much present in TTB. I've felt a need to have some time of reformation and it has proven to be good indeed.
I have done quite a lot of material that I'll never release and also material that I've destroyed. Also, there has been some live performances and I almost always prepare previously unheard material for live sets. So although there haven't been new album releases I've been working still and I have a lot of plans for upcoming stuff. There will surely be new releases in the near future. They will be a bit different!
Usually ambient/experimental artists ask for visual projections for live show, but you said you need maximum darkness for your performance, why?
Because the visual very easily subjugates the audial. I guess it's psychological. With visual projections, the music easily assumes the role of soundtrack music - the image dictates the contents of the music and the total experience becomes just a multimedia event. The image tells the audience what kind of visions or feelings the music should evoke in oneself. When put rather simply, one hears a sound and thinks the image is producing it. The music becomes illustrative and literal, which is not my aim at all. I feel that I can create stronger impact with a minimal visual stimulus, with lesser distraction. A couple of times I have used a projection of a still image that leaves a bit more room for the subconsciousness to act, and also some chosen objects and photographs on stage. At the first Zoät-Aon gig there was a specially created video and some other things going on as well. Anyway, I hope my music is good enough to work on its own without all the “smoke and mirrors”.
Now I know that there is a great potential with the combination of visual and audial. With their combinations it is definitely possible to point and suggest to the direction of the third thing and I have absolutely nothing against their use in itself. I would probably use them in other circumstances. However, due to the nature of the themes I'm working with currently, I have no idea about how to visually suggest towards the regions that can be quite adequately reached within the confines of darkness just through the sound itself. Also there is the fact that I am not a “performer”. I don't dance and do “interesting” or impressive things. On stage my feelings are those of a cold headed cosmonaut – precise, clear and extremely focused. I find this very rewarding! I don't want to be in the spotlight, in the symbolic meaning. This music is not about “me”. So I'm always happy when people just close their eyes and let the powerful vibrations of the sound system fill their guts – creating their own visuals. Sometimes on stage I've taken a spotlight and a smoke machine and having placed them behind me pointing towards the audience, I've assumed the role of a form instead of a fixed person which is a way of assuming a cosmic position suitable for this project. The hope for maximum darkness is just a further evocation of the general theme of the project and also a practical choice. Working without visuals might be boring to some, but I am not doing this from the rock'n'roll point of view.
I know that you come to Lithuania not only for live shows, but also to get acquainted with this region. What are the main things that interest you in Lithuania, and just - why Lithuania?
Initially the fact that a close relative of my girlfriend is living in Lithuania gave a good reason to come and see the country. I like travelling in general very much, and I just have a general interest towards the region. The history, cultural heritage and so on. Food too. As it's only going to be a few days I won't have enough time to delve too deeply but I hope to get a glimpse of a deeper atmosphere. I have a feeling that Lithuania retains a feeling of a more ancient mystery in its soil, buildings and customs than does Finland...
What Suomi artists you would like to recommend and what is Northern Finland famous for?
Arktau Eos for ominous catacomb atmospheres, STROM.ec for psychic and surreal power electronics and no Xivic for beautiful minimalist ambient/experimental. For some burning black infinity I recommend Dead Reptile Shrine. I think the best album ever from Finland is “From the Shadows” by Unholy. I guess Northern Finland is mostly famous for its dark and cold winter, reindeers, northern lights and tourism.
Is every human a Star?
No. Every man and every woman is an animal. Every animal of course has its peculiar modes of adaptation and survival, but this expression of Crowley actually includes some philosophical subtleties that I don't agree with. So although beautifully put, this expression is not important to me. My world view is not based around notions of Nuit, Hadit, proper orbits etc. I'm certainly not a thelemite but I still really like Kenneth Grant's writing very much.
Would you like to refer anything to those people who are going to come to Zoät-Aon shows in Vilnius and Kaunas?
I am really happy and honoured to have the chance to play in Lithuania. I hope the audience enjoys this as much as I do.
Thank you for the valuable attention, till soon!
Thank you!
Zoät-Aon:
http://zoat-aon.com/
