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Interview with Elizabeth Walling regarding the new Gazelle Twin album The Entire City Remixed...

In an exclusive interview, Elizabeth Walling talks to Metamatic about her new album The Entire City Remixed and her ongoing projects, including the first news on her next album I Was Moulded In The Bowels Of The Earth...

Metamatic : How did the project The Entire City Remixed originally come about?

Elizabeth : It seemed like a good idea to release something which would give the original album a little boost and also to see how some of the songs might be interpreted in different contexts.

Metamatic : How did each of the artists (Flint Kids, John Foxx And The Maths, Maya Postepski, Scanner, Bernholz, Nedry, Alphabets Heaven, The Enormous Shadow, Zebra and Snake, Alteria Percepsyne, Soccer96 and Ghost Eyes) become involved with The Entire City Remixed?

Elizabeth : Each remix came about quite differently, some through brand new connections, artists whose work I already admired, and some through close friends. The remix album really does feature a whole mixture of relationships forged through music, a broad network spanning USA, Canada and Europe. It's amazing how it all came about really.

Metamatic : Did they approach you, or did you approach them?

Elizabeth : I approached some, others approached me out of the blue, others were recommended to me. It all came together very nicely and everyone delivered such great quality work.

Metamatic : How was it decided which tracks should be remixed?

Elizabeth : In the beginning I offered everyone 100% free reign to choose the track they wanted to remix. I think people had their favourites (Men Like Gods, I Am Shell I Am Bone and Changelings) and I ended up having quite a few of each. When that happened I suggested others and luckily they didn't mind me doing that! Ideally I wanted a remix for every track but I was really happy with the variation between most of them. Each mix was diverse enough to cope with another beside it.

Metamatic : Did you give any guidance to the direction the remixes took?

Elizabeth : None at all. I would never prescribe what I want from a remix, it is entirely up to the artist to decide that. I was confident enough that everyone could do whatever they wanted and the results would be perfect.

Metamatic : Which of the remixes, if any, really stood out as being something that was totally unexpected?

Elizabeth : Nest by Flint Kids was really surprising on first listen, that's why I chose it to open the record. The technical skill and detail involved is incredible and I loved what Danny did with my vocals too, it still had the essence of the original track but in another dimension.

Bernholz made a completely unique track from Bell Tower which is the most sparse and potentially difficult song to remix on the album. He really infused his own personal style with it and I always love remixes which can do that, but still honour the original.

Metamatic : I understand that you've also remixed the Gary Numan track We Are The Lost. How did that come about and did Gary have any input towards the direction the remix should take?

Elizabeth : Yes that's correct. Gary's management approached me about it earlier this year and asked if I would have a go at it. I was pretty excited and flattered. It was a great track to work on, already quite similar to my own aesthetic in many ways. It has a really unusual, textured beat and an almost Eastern melody running through. I was told to do what I wanted and it was also suggested that I sing on some of it too - I usually do this on remixes anyway (if it's appropriate), but I think it's nice to know that it's appreciated and welcomed, especially for a track featuring vocals by one the most unique sounding voices in the history of music.

Metamatic : How's your new album I Was Moulded In The Bowels Of The Earth shaping up?

Elizabeth : Very well thank you. I am so excited about finishing it and getting it out. It is quite a different sound to my debut, but that is what I wanted to do. It is more aggressive and beat driven, much 'closer', internal and physical. I have been enjoying experimenting with vocal samples in place of synthesizers and digital beats. Sonically it has a lot more of 'me' in each part. I'm very close to finishing it now, but I am in that period where I have to live with each track for a while before I can really let it go. I normally write songs very quickly, but finishing them is a really delicate, slow process.

Metamatic : What material is due to be featured on your forthcoming EP Mammal?

Elizabeth : There are two brand new tracks and a special cover of a song by Wire. It's a concept EP really, about the hands and the heart - the awareness of being alive and being a physical entity which can sometimes create a sense of alienation or strangeness.

There will also be two special guest remixes which I think I have to keep secret for now along with the track names. It was due to come out in July but we've had to put it back to spend more time the video and other things. It will be worth it though.

Metamatic : The last time we spoke we touched briefly on one of your tracks being used in one of the 'viral videos' created for the Ridley Scott film Prometheus. How was that 'connection' made? This must've been very exciting seeing as you have such a great fondness for science fiction.

Elizabeth : The connection was extremely lucky, the editor, Ben Harrex who was working on it knew of my album and used the track Bell Tower for one of the scenes as a temporary placeholder. I was told RSA (Ridley Scott Associates) normally commission a composer for these small excerpts, but RSA got in touch about licensing my existing track instead. Apparently Ridley heard it and liked it, and that clinched it. It has been the highlight of my career so far, actually. I am a sci-fi enthusiast and have a particularly special place in my heart for Ridley's most loved sci-fi films: Alien and Blade Runner. To be involved in just a small part of those films is completely amazing and humbling for me.

A tiny clip of it was released in June, but the whole short film has still not been released in full yet. All I know is that the full thing will be on the DVD, released later this year. I can't wait.

Metamatic : What can you tell us about the film you've collaborated with Scanner on?

Elizabeth : Robin [Rimbaud] approached me about it earlier this year and I was really keen to get involved as he has been really helpful and forthcoming about his work and the industry in general. Our work is very different but we share some common interests. It's all quite secretive at the moment. We've been talking through some pretty far out concepts involving specific locations, dance and the inner workings of the human body. Hopefully we will manage to put part of it out by the end of the year but I think it will be an organic, ongoing project that might take months or even years. Whatever happens I think it's going to be fascinating.

Metamatic : What other projects do you have in the pipeline?

Elizabeth : Right now my focus is strongly on finishing the new LP and planning the release of that for as soon as I can physically get it out there. I am also working with animatronics artist and filmmaker, John Nolan. He is making me a very special, animatronic costume which will feature in a film he is also going to make for one of the tracks on the Mammal EP. It's hugely exciting to work with him and it won't be long before we can release some of the images and film as teasers.