Kukan Dub Lagan
by Mister Mime
August 26th 2020
Kukan Dub Lagan is the project of Itay Berger. His unique music style can be best described as psy-chill free dub.
A veteran of the chill out scene and one it’s main propagators, Itay has harnessed nature’s own harmonic oscillators through his machines and mind to create a sentient, minimal and ambient journey.
Subtle modular melodies flow seamlessly taking us through a wide spectrum of emotions and moods with an almost orchestral majesty.
The album showcases the artistic diversity, uniqueness and depth of the stellar artist and promises to be an enriching listening experience.
The emphasis in this work is definitely on the “Kukan” part of the moniker, and shows that an artist can be dynamic and operate outside the box and outside their own defnitions.
MM: Let’s start with your artist name!
KDL: “Kukan” means “space” in Japanese.
MM: Are you referring to inner or outer space?
KDL: Outer space, the universe, but it’s up-to you to interpret it otherwise, as inner space. I meant it as outer space.
Then we have “Dub”, which is of course the genre of music but also more than that. We have dubbing in production, which is the process of mixing the original sound or signal, whatever, with another layer or sound.
“Lagan” comes from the Hebrew word “Balagan”, which means “chaos"
MM: An interesting combination of seemingly unrelated words. They do good justice to your unique journey. You’ve been in the chill out scene for a while now and helped to propagate it to where it is now. But you’ve been through a truly exciting journey to come to where you are now, from Israel to Japan, to Europe. How do you find the balance to do what you do?
KDL: I strongly do believe that I do stuff differently. I manage a lot of artists but I’m also an artist. I have my balance because of that, experiencing the scene for years on years.
MM: That’s true, so you know what it’s like from both the sides. I think they are lucky to have you as a manager. How did you come about setting up your Artist Management Agency?
KDL: Thank you man. I’ve been doing this stuff since the 90s. It goes way back to when I was playing trance as an artist all over the world, Japan, Russia, Israel, Europe. I had the experience several times, with lack of logistics. We would be walking back to our hotel for 1-2 hours after the show because our promoters disappeared after the show, Or we had to find our own hotel, or to solve situations of getting back to the airport even. There was a lot of irresponsibility there. So I sort of reactively decided I would handle that from my end, and started to make my own arrangements and bookings. Well, eventually, as I did my thing, it grew and grew until we became one of the main agencies to do what we do.
MM: Well you have to follow your own path and what you believe in. And the process of speaking to artists I love and respect has motivated me to learn music production and make music myself. Electronic music is relatively new for me, cause it seems to be all about what samples do you use, what compressor and plugins do you use. But after all, what matters is what comes out of the speakers, and how it makes people feel. And that brings us to Feel Life Music…how did the name come about?
KDL: I was working in a tattoo shop many years ago in Israel, and every time there was somebody going out of the shop, we would tell them, instead of ciao, goodbye or hasta la vista, au revoir, it was “Feel Life”. It was always something I had been writing in my signature many years ago, when I was sending music to people. Last time I was in Israel, my mother came to me with a sketchbook ( My old sketchbook of more than 25 years ago ) asking me “Do you want it?.” I opened it and found a lot of addresses of artists and labels. Back in the end of the 90s when we were sending CDs, you know. So it was like a bunch of addresses from all over the world( Included Gaudi the maestro, which I sent him a demo CD back in the days, and a year ago he sent me a picture of it and wrote “Look what I found! Who would believe that in a few years this guy would be my manager?” It was a copy that I sent him almost 20 years ago! ). I was playing Mad Professor's stuff and suddenly one day I was taking care of his bookings; making developments with Top artists like Tipper to come into Europe, which we didn’t think was possible and hope we can still make things happen over the Covid-19 Scene…
MM: Sorry who?
KDL: Tipper, you should check his music out!
MM: Oh yeah Tipper, of course!
KDL: For me, when I started, it was about developing the scene, for myself of course but also for others. The scene was so small; I was thinking always, how the scene could grow. I need to develop my own scene. Lucky me, for the good and bad, supporting and developing the scene went in such a way that every time I develop an idea, a stage, a lineup, I kind of push myself aside cause I take care of a lot of other stuff. Thinking about the Chillout in India, in Australia, Northern Europe, even in the States where the bass music is so solid, our kind of music is what we send and what we encourage to develop ; it’s coming from us. Of course we are not the only ones doing that, but in a way, and not many know this, we do inspire many out there and a lot of events around the world to develop something new which is not so easy, if you think about it. It’s a budget question. Trance stage, Techno stage, and suddenly another stage. The budget was deducted into another stage, another style. But for me it’s not about that, it’s about life and doing what you love professionally, by your heart. “Feel Life”. Now Feel Life symbolises what we do, cause it’s about life, about our passion, musical freedom without boundaries.
MM: One thing I noticed about your music, a majority of your album names…have the word “Life” in it, with common themes of life and growth. So it seems you have some kind of affinity for life, and sharing life more importantly. Is that coincidental, intentional, or is it just how it happened?
“Sunshine Music For Smiling People”, "Life Still Nice”, “New Life, New Vision”, “Seasons in Life”
Is that to remind yourself and others that it’s important to make music and do anything and everything, but the most important thing is to live well and share the joy of life?
KDL: You said it exactly like it is, that the most important thing is to live. It’s something that most of the people today, especially with the epidemic, forgot. This thing came like a knock on our head. In reality, that’s what is happening. People have started to appreciate what they really have: family, friends, Life, Time…
MM: Pets…
KDL:Pets :) Finance, what they really need, what they don’t, what they really value in life. Life isn’t totally about music (or partying)for everybody. Of course it’s a bit hypothetical and can’t always happen, but we need to try and achieve what really makes us happy. In a good way of course. Not like you go rob a bank because it makes you happy. You should try and accomplish your fate in a way that you direct it and not something or somebody else to do it for you. Some people want to be musicians, some people want to be scientists, or this or that. When we are kids, we know exactly what we want, you know? It’s funny…everybody thinks that when you are a kid you don’t know what you want to be. During each time, when you are young, you have something in mind you are planning to do, then you grow into this reality of a grown up. Then reality strikes you and you need to survive. Life will always take you out of the box of temptation to what you really want to do. People need to realise that life is complex but also more important than to achieve goals set by others. It’s what we really want to do. This doesn’t mean it’s easy; It’s a struggle but it is what it is. It’s the whole road, not just the end. People just want to see the end of the road, but this road is what makes you who you are.
MM: Also how you interact and respond to the journey.
KDL: I’m naming it the road but it’s everything, family, friends, nature, environment, feelings, mind, beliefs, religion…all of it.
MM: And it’s all one right.
KDL: Yes.
MM: It’s all about life. Everything, for us, is analogous to life and death. We may not have much control of death ultimately but we can live life fully and feel every single part of it. Have you seen Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon?
KDL: Of course.
MM: You know that one part when he tells his student,”Don’t think, Feeeeel!” That’s just, all that we said in a nutshell. He was so many things, a martial artist, an actor, but he never lost the focus of life, and how to BE life. To feel every part of life.
KDL: You must have a target, you must have a focus on something. You need to have a desire to get to some point always, and there is no perfection. If you think that something is perfect, that’s it, you failed. Cause there is always something to achieve, there is always room to grow. Think about plants. We need to always find ways to develop.
This era that we are living in, this time, just like in the futuristic movies, but this reality, this is the real shit. This is what’s going on. Think about it, it’s crazy.
MM: We don’t need to watch movies now
KDL: That’s it, we are there.
MM: Have you seen “V for Vendetta”? The movie is set in 2020 during a pandemic
KDL: Yes. I just hope this thing will vanish as soon as possible so we can get back to our ¨normal¨ life. Of course our reality will be different going out of it, and the new reality is already here, but yeah. It’s here, this virus, but we need to learn to survive, to adapt. The market needs to be open. There have been many other times when people have learnt to survive.
MM: Right. Anyway, before this turns completely into a Covid-19 discussion, let’s move onto some other stuff. Since when have you been in Spain?
KDL: About 10 years, something like that.
MM: And before that you were doing your thing in Israel…? Israel has a good music scene right? Electronic and otherwise. Isreali people are crazy…good crazy.
KDL: Yeah, if you want to live, you need to be crazy, You cannot survive otherwise. Israel is a very intense place you know, politics and survival all the time. Most people are living in a post traumatic reality. We live in a scenario where things can go wrong anytime. So people are usually quite intense. Also the psychedelic scene is super developed, and it has ‘inspired’ the musical world in a way, into that direction. It’s very popular, and of course there are sub genres that have grown out of it.
MM: Did you do your army service back in the day?
KDL: Yes, I was even a Sergeant.
MM: Whoa! So now you’re the Sergeant of dub and chill out
KDL: Yes, something like that. So, I did the service. And my kids are not going to do it…let’s put it that way. They are 10 and 13; they are also artistic. This is part of life also, the benefits of struggle.
MM: Sweet. Let’s get to the album for a bit now. Before the music creates an impression, the first thing that makes an impact is the artwork! Your album cover is really cool! Is that you in the boat?
KDL: Yup it’s me. The art is by Mute Illustrations from Peru. Nathan's an amazing guy, who does beautiful work. https://muteillustration.com.
MM: I got the impression of this, the sound of the album is the soundtrack to you going on a boat quest searching for something, Indiana Jones style almost. What was your real life motivation to do this? How (much) did this world situation influence the music at the start of making the record and through its making till finish?
KDL: For me it still is, this journey. Especially now during this epidemic. About 70% was done during the lockdown. It’s not like a bunch of tracks but rather like one jam. Going to the boat starting something, setting sail, each track is an experience of moments, tense moments, positivity, dark moments, a storm, illusion, you know, sun, relaxation and a bright future. A total journey. I plan to do the live show with visuals. This is an ambient electronic experience.
MM: I’m always happy to listen to an album without drums, cause I’m listening to drumming all the time. Can you tell me about the sounds you used in the record? How did you make the thunderclaps and rain ambience?
KDL: There are licensed samples and recordings I made at various points of my life, while travelling. The whole finished product was performed and played out live to get the final result. The thunderstorm and rain sounds are live recordings from all around the world.
MM: I love the light wobble on the thunderclap and filter automation on the ambience! It sounds very surreal. Also the way you have used your synths, like this light delayed and plucky sound. What about the "meaning of life” sample in your Anthropos Festival Stream Mix? Is it Osho or someone like that?
KDL: No. I don’t use other people’s voices to tell my own story. A lot of people do that thing, and it’s okay for them, but not for me. Uniqueness and complete authenticity is the most important trait for me in music.
MM: What about the maniacal laughter in the track "Gamut of Emotions”? Is it Pink Floyd influenced?
KDL: Not really. It’s like a cinematic soundscape which was themed around this laughter, sonically. It’s like a sinister humour, but not exactly. It’s sort of the central feeling to the whole album in a way. Just the place that this person finds themselves in after going through the darkness and storm, it’s a kind of craziness but also strength and a feeling that he can adapt for anything that comes during this journey. During this, he is overwhelmed as it is a gamut of emotions that are coming to him.
MM: I did hear a bit of the Tipper sound even in the track..not to compare of course. Tell me more about the story that the tracks take you through.
KDL: So we start out in a “Cloud of Candyfloss”, which is that exciting feeling we have when we are undertaking a quest of our making or desire. This alludes to a realisation that we are all extramundane creatures, in the sense that we are beyond ordinary or normal, and it takes us time to feel this way. Our journeys in life are in fact beyond our understanding. We just need to take on the journey as sincerely as possible.
MM: When we go into “Atmoshperic Panache”, there is a slight hint of a beat and a light dubby ebb and feel.
KDL: Yes. That is the feeling that you know something is coming, and you can feel it in the air. Track number 4, Surfeit of Happiness and Agony: Well a surfeit is like a surplus. So it’s this energy of the journey that is taking over you and exciting you as well as making you edgy at the same time. It’s an eerie suspense, before we go into the “Gamut of Emotions”, which is like the storm you go through in your journey. The next track, "Reality is Quite Fugacious” is meant to be super emotional and sad, post being overwhelmed by the stormy circumstances and your own emotions.
MM: "Shimmering Coruscation” is the space mild, meditative space you go into when the ill feeling subsides?
KDL: Exactly. Then we have "Organic Pattern of Reticulation” which signifies a rearrangement of the journey
MM: As denoted by the colloidal synths interplay. Track 9 - "Searching For That Fogbow” was some emotive, moving music, akin to a movie score. Was this the most important track of the album?
KDL: No, all the tracks are equally important, just as all parts of the journey are equally significant. Of course the track got his own emotional moments, directly from my heart, ups and downs. Finally, Track number 10 - Mawkish Cookies. Mawkish is the flavour aftertaste you get, after beer for example. The aftertaste of the whole journey, that leaves you longing for the next adventure.
MM: That’s absolutely what it felt like! Some cosmic arps, bells and birds; a fitting conclusion. Have you ever seen a fogbow by the way?
KDL: Yes, a few rare times, in Finland, Switzerland. It’s amazing, I wish for you to witness one someday!
MM: Well that’s the album then! It was a very rich listening experience.
You Can Follow Kukan Dub Lagan on:
https://kukan-dub-lagan.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KukanDubLagan/
All Images courtesy of Kukan Dub Lagan
