Swedish musician Hakan Sunar created a project Spiritual Machinery with melodic sound. He also contributed with some music for the Swedish artist/designer Gunilla “Kaipa” Eriksson. Sunar’s music is also featuring in various videos, interviews and documentaries by Swedish journalist Nils Lundgren. We also had a great conversation with this talented artist Hakan Sunar, enjoy the interview here:
Tention Free : You’ll be releasing a video soon and how would you describe your current sound ?
Vintage electronic. As for the film – I’ve not seen it yet. But Ivona [the director of the video] said they shot some city night scenes with a beautiful model dressed in red.
we plan to release the video and the new tracks at some point in mid to late September.
Tention Free : That’s great news – Can you please tell us more about the new mix song “Lady Of Night – Lotuzia Mix” that video will be for?
The mix is made by a guy called Lotuzia. He’s a French sound designer and synthesizer developer. This mix has more of an early 80’s synthpop-y edge to it. He replaced quite a few of the synthesizers I used with more modular stuff. It sounds really great !
We will also release a remastered version of the original track made by Nathan Feler [Jungle City Studioos NYC].
Eventually there will also be an Italo Disco remix. But that’s not settled quite yet.
Tention Free : Nice, How do you manage the time to deal with family, music ?
Well, I don’t [laugh]. I mean, I’m working in my home studio. So there’s always someone around – most of the time. It can get quite annoying at times. But it’s also somehow inspiring.
I feel much like Mario Puzo. He went to the west coast, France, everywhere. Just to get away. To find some quiet place where he could work. And indeed – during that period he was very active – playing tennis [laugh]. But he didn’t got much writing done. He realized he needed his noisy family. It puts some pressure on you. Stress is, to a certain level, good for my creativity. If I’ve to much time off I’ll just end up doing nothing.
Tention Free : Everybody needs time out. What do you do in your free time?
I read a lot. Actually, I spend most of my time reading.
Tention Free : So, everyone knows you make music but who motivated you, who’s some of your favorite people to listen to?
I listen to all kinds of music. I’m not so genre oriented in my choice of music as I was when I was younger. Obviously since I do quite some electronic music I listen to some artists in the genre. Kraftwerk, Vangelis, Moroder, Jarre, early Human League and Depeche Mode etc. I guess I’m listening to, and are inspired by, more old stuff. I’m not that familiar with modern artists. David Bowie is a huge source of inspiration and admiration.
Tention Free : What are your favorite albums? And at what point you decide to become an musician ?
As I said, I like all kinds of music and so it’s difficult to list any as favorites. But I could list a few albums that has inspired me over the y3ears.
Stevie Wonder – Talking book
I think this one was my first LP. I used to read the lyrics and sing along with the songs when I was a kid. So those songs are sort of etched into my backbone. Like “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” and “Superstitious”
Kraftwerk – Radio Activity
I bough this album after hearing songs like “The Model” and “Tour De France”. I though it would be just as pop-y as some of their later albums. But as you know it’ snot. Radio Activity requires more active listening. Even if some of the tracks are fairly catchy. Like the title track. But it inspired me a lot and got me into experimentation. So it was a huge influence. I was only around 13 or 14 when I bought it. It’s over 35 years ago.
Depeche Mode – Construction Time Again.
I read a lot about this album before I bought it back in 1983. I was fascinated by their use of samplers. It was a new technology back then. The fact that you could take any daily life sound and turn it into an instrument was really great.
David Bowie – Let’s Dance
I wasn’t aware of Bowie until my brother went to see a concert with him. I actually like his Berlin trilogy a bit more. But this album was an eye, or ear, opener into Bowie’s wonderful and amazing sound and vision world.
Tention Free : What are your future plans ? Your vision for the coming years.
Well, for the nearest future there’s the release of the mixes of “Lady Of Night” and the promo video. After that I’m not sure. There’s some talk about a remake of “As The World Goes Around”. There are also a few new songs in the pipeline. But as of yet there are no deadlines.
Tention Free : How can people find you and follow you online?
On the website. There are also links there to social media. http://spiritualmachinery.eu/
