Welcome back to Dutch composer, arranger, producer, sound designer, and musician Stephen Emmer
VM: Greetings and salutations, Stephen, and welcome back to Vents! Before we catch up with all the exciting things you have going on professionally, how is the latter part of 2024 treating you and yours?
SE: Hi there from Amsterdam! It’s great to be back, and thanks for having me! So far, this year has been better for me than last year. I recorded the new album at Abbey Road Studios in London, which was an unforgettable experience. A dream come true, though with quite a long delay. On the personal front, I’m incredibly grateful that my mother is still alive and kicking. She’ll be 94 in October! And in an unexpected turn of events, as a supposedly ultramodern, hip, contemporary artist (wink), I’m actually going to become a grandfather early next year. That’s the next level in life, I’d say. Plus, the new house hasn’t disappointed, and my health is good, so overall, things are great this year, thank you for asking!
VM: Major kudos on your freshly-minted new single, In Search for Meaning! Starting from the top, can you talk about what inspired this epic track?
SE: Ah, thanks! This composition is actually based on an old melody I came up with about 35 years ago. I revisited some of my earlier material and found this melody still fresh and interesting. Back then, I wasn’t experienced enough to turn it into more than a nice but simple tune on my old Casio mini keyboard. It sounded terrible, a toy organ, really. I remember composing it one night while my girlfriend was trying to sleep. She asked, “Can you stop playing that toy sound, please? I have to get up early tomorrow.” I was all excited and replied, “But can’t you hear this as if an orchestra were playing it?” She simply said, “No.” Fast forward to 2024, and now it’s being performed by a full orchestra! The composition reflects how, sometimes, you learn more about yourself by going back to your youth, and I explored that musically with this track.
VM: As a highly regarded producer in your own right, is it safe to assume you took on the producing honors for In Search for Meaning? And if so, what are the advantages of serving as your own producer?
SE: Good question, thanks! Yes, you’re right—I did produce it, but only after working with some great producers in the past, so this was a bit of a gamble. However, Abbey Road Studios has an incredible recording and mixing engineer, Andrew Dudman, with an impressive résumé. He’s worked on projects like The Lord of the Rings soundtrack, among many others. He and I mixed the album together, and I’m really pleased with the results.
VM: Can you introduce our ever-inquisitive audience to some of the talented musicians who contributed to making In Search for Meaning a reality?
SE: Of course! The team included the aforementioned Andrew Dudman and Anthony Weeden from Sheffield, who is an orchestrator and conductor. He’s worked on projects with composers like Jóhann Jóhannsson and David Byrne. On piano, we had Ben Dawson, a highly respected virtuoso, and several players from orchestras like the LSO, RPO, and London Philharmonic.
VM: Alongside the release of the new single, you’ve also got a companion video for In Search for Meaning making the rounds, congrats! How involved were you in the behind-the-scenes production of the music video?
SE: The video was a collaboration between me and filmmaker Marco Mocking, whom I’ve worked with before on my Home Ground album. We have a great creative synergy; we don’t even need to speak much. We just start improvising, and it always turns out well. We focus on expressing human emotions first, and then the visuals follow.
VM: In your humble opinion, what sets ‘In Search for Meaning’ apart from the competition in the 2024 music scene?
SE: Well, in my humble opinion, I think a lot of contemporary or neo-classical music today is heavily influenced by American minimalism from the 1960’s through the 2000’s. This style is characterized by long repetitions, sparse instrumentation, and minimal emphasis on thematic melodies or dramatic development. On the other hand, I’m more inspired by the slightly older French impressionist music of the late 1800s. In that era, you find varied orchestrations, rich colors, dramatic structures, and distinctive themes and melodies. That’s what I love and what I wanted to create—a contemporary version of that style.
VM: Rumor has it that ‘In Search for Meaning’ is just the second track from your upcoming album, Mt. Mundane, congratulations! Can you give fans a hint of what they can expect from this eagerly anticipated LP?
SE: Thank you! Mt. Mundane consists of 15 tracks, and I’ve tried to make each one distinct, no repetition from track to track. That was a challenge I set for myself. For example, one track is based on an Indonesian instrument, the gamelan, as a tribute to my heritage (my mother was born there). Another track features a boy soprano as the lead vocalist, and the closing track is dedicated to my partner, thanking her for standing by me through tough times. It’s a very personal album.
VM: Was there ever a time when you thought your musical career might be compromised due to the loss of hearing in your left ear? How did you manage to cope with that setback and turn it into musical gold?
SE: Yes, there was a period when I feared the worst. My left ear gradually went completely deaf, and the tinnitus and vertigo made me stop making music for a while. But I decided to take control of the situation and try to create something beautiful out of that misery. I delved deep into musical introspection, combining the best of what I did when I was young with the best I can do now as a more mature artist. I hope this music resonates with others because we all face highs and lows in life, and I want to inspire people through this heartfelt music.
VM: Who are some musicians—past and present—who have inspired you and your music?
SE: That’s a long and eclectic list! But some I still listen to regularly include Radiohead, Brian Wilson, Maurice Ravel, Antônio Jobim, Carlos Santana, Joy Division, Nico Muhly, Ennio Morricone, Gil Evans, Love, Associates, Marvin Gaye, Kraftwerk, and Shame. And the list goes on!
VM: Any final thoughts you’d like to share with our readers about your new single and companion video for ‘In Search for Meaning’, or your forthcoming album Mt. Mundane?
SE: When you start soul-searching, go back to your youth first. There’s always something to learn from that. I’ve learned how my mind, principles, emotions, and views have evolved over time—or haven’t. It’s a serious process but also quite easy to do, and you can do it from the comfort of your own couch!
Stephen Emmer’s new album Mt. Mundane is out on all streaming networks on 11 October, 2024.
A pre-digital release limited edition number of signed CDs of the album are up for sale now on his Bandcamp page. You can find out more about Stephen Emmer on his website, keep up with him on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Tidal, Apple Music and Spotify and learn more about his foundation, Artists Against Tinnitus here.
