Music for Explorers: EISM Talks New Track, Creative Outputs & More

Electrons in Slow Motion is a cross-genre project developed by Bucharest-born artist and producer Marius Copel. A flowing machine designed to powerfully engage the senses, he says.

We’ve chatted with Marius on his latest track ‘Tughra 0.04’, the ideal state of mind for creating, the music he listens to, and his upcoming tour. Check it out!

Hello! Thanks for sitting down with us to discuss music, inspiration, and more! For starters, when did you get the music bug? Can you recall your first-ever musical experience?

Hi, there! Thanks so much for having me. I was born in the ’80s in a hopeless communist Romania. I had the privilege to have a VHS player in the house and my dear parents played bootlegged MTV video tapes with all the pop culture of the era: you know, Depeche Mode, Eurythmics, Duran Duran, Human League, Kraftwerk, etc. Some of that touched my ears in a way that never left me. Not consciously perhaps, but this weighted more in the long term.

Given the state of mainstream culture that permeates how we consume media, how would you introduce your music to a stranger?

It is a question I had to answer first, and it took me a long time…In the end, I came up with this: my work, my music, is a double-walk. It might reveal to the listener a world that is hidden in plain sight and also the inner reality that is not verbalized. It is a personal journey; I can only offer the vehicle and the landscape generator. The rest is up to the traveler. So, in a couple of words: music for explorers.

And if you had to pick one track that shows people who you are as an artist, which one would it be?

For sure ‘Distant Call’. This might surprise some people. And the reason I picked this one is the fact that I believe it was truly a distant call. Made me see some new, unexpected, possibilities. And I love to present it in the live act. But I guess all my work is congruent with who I am.

What do you hope listeners take away from ‘Tughra 0.04’?

I hope that for 4 minutes and 16 seconds, they connect to a path they already envision. One of the myriads of paths that we all have inside. Some listeners who received a preview of the track told me that it is a very “urban” work and listening to it in the subway revealed to them a very interesting side of the commuting community and the daily city life and pressure. A common rhythm and a subtle, unspoken connection. In my opinion, my track is more “cosmic” but that’s the beauty of making music. Everyone takes it in respect with their internal scenery.

Take me through your sound design process. Does the conception come first or do the songs evolve naturally – do you have a clear idea of what it will be before you start to make it?

Very rarely do I start with a clear idea. My process is very organic to use a much-used word. As you said, it evolves naturally. But the sound design is the most important aspect in the end. The first note or chord I lay down must open a gate. And it is based on sound, timbre, and texture. The melodic line and the whole structure derive from this first, simple, step. I have some initial features that I am very attracted to reverberation, spatiality, a bit of ruggedness, and some chest pressure. And here we go…

There are many descriptions of the ideal state of mind for being creative. What is it like for you? What supports this ideal state of mind and what are distractions? Are there strategies to enter into this state more easily?

I strongly believe that there is absolutely no ideal state of mind for being creative. The only way to be creative is to start the process. Inspired or not. Most of the time “not”. The muse must find you working, as they say. And then you can take a break, go for a walk, and you might bump into the inspiration, randomly, at some corner of your neighborhood.

Regarding the distractions, they are so, so many. The only way to be bulletproof is to start the labor, as you cannot have two thoughts at the same moment. Still, pauses are very welcomed. They give perspective.

How do you know when a track is ready? Does it ever become difficult to refine ideas or stop perfecting?

For me, the track is ready when nothing annoys me anymore. Time to close and launch. Only after the piece reached the platforms and nothing could be done I find some little detail that eluded me. And then, I feel so grateful that I cannot tweak it anymore and it has its own life. Let it travel. She knows her ride.

Do you have certain rituals to get you into the right mindset for creating? What role do certain foods or stimulants like coffee, lighting, scents, exercise, or reading poetry play?

In an ascending order: coffee to have some clarity. Another one to rise from the bed. Then I watch something. Videos, some art, anything that can make me realize again what a privilege is to express yourself. Low, mysterious, lights are very important in my studio.

I am in a “Blade Runner” type of mood most of the time. This works for me. I must strongly move my body also, that’s for sure. When I make my first break I take a long walk with my dear dog. Let’s move the blood, he says. Later, when I finish my first draft of the track, I need some red wine. Just to treat the inner critic a bit and make a temporary settlement with this provoking presence.

What other creative outputs do you engage in that we may not suspect?

I enjoy very much cooking. It is tangible and human-connecting and the fastest and most direct way to make something for others that also feeds your soul. I also cook for my dog with the exactly same pleasure.

What music have you been listening to recently and what excites you for the remainder of the year?

My plate was quite eclectic these days: Abul Mogard, Stella Rose Gahan, cosmic-retro futuristic-Berlin-style-music, Subsonica film soundtracks, the shoegazers from Nothing. And also, Rage Against the Machine (mostly because the politics in my country outraged me). For the remainder of the year, I will participate in a much-expected show in my hometown, Bucharest, and finalize a music video. And maybe discover some new music. I try this all the time.

To wrap it up, what do you hope to do with your art in the future? I mean, do you have any crazy goals?

I really hope that I do not have a clue where my art will take me, in terms of creativity and style. In a more practical way, I am constantly working to enrich my life more and more. Larger, more futuristic, and up-to-date regarding the technologies showcased. I am preparing right now the launching tour for my latest – unreleased – album, the third LP: MEKANIKARU. Regarding the goals, I do not engage with crazy ones, I love them sane.