Q&A with remarkable electronic musician Liminka

A gentle soul and remarkable musician Liminka has shared his song ‘Where Are You Now’ via noteworthy record label Deep Heads. The lo-fi infused gem has been a solace for many, at least we assume because of its refined but calming ambience that is hard to resist. This song has many personal and heartbreaking motivations behind it but still maintains a hopeful glow despite the deep layers that exist beneath the surface. We get further insight into the lovely mind of Andreas Kühn a.k.a. Liminka in this one on one Q&A with him.

Stream/ download: ‘Where Are You Now’

Sum up your year so far in two words.

Lively, chaotic.

Tell us more about how your latest/upcoming release was conceptualised?

For my upcoming EP Hungerberg, there was a loose concept around it. I kind of wrote the music to accompany my headspace while getting to know a new city, where I moved to at the beginning of last year. Hungerberg is the name of a wine mountain that is close to where I live. I thought it beautifully expressed the sense of longing and loneliness I felt during my first year in this new city. Making music was like having a safety net, giving me stability in uncertain times. I hope that shines through the music.

Describe a typical day in your studio space.

My studio space is also my bedroom, so one important thing is to keep a minimum level of cleanliness, otherwise, everything just falls apart. No, but seriously, I tend to wake up early in the morning, have breakfast and coffee and then just start without thinking too much. Recently I’ve started to enjoy working early in the morning because you’re still connected to that dream world and not 100% aware of what you’re doing all the time. Other times, especially when starting a new project, finding a main theme or idea takes up more time. Then I would usually write in my diary in the mornings, about art, life, it could be anything, do research and experiment with sounds. After the idea has settled a bit more, the whole process becomes more streamlined and more musical.

In which ways does Liminka differ from the music you were creating before?

Liminka’s sound takes up on the sound of a previous project called Sid. It is both a tribute and a continuation of that sound of leftfield electronics, ambient and downtempo. It also combines influences of the musical styles I was working on before: electroacoustic compositions and writing songs on the acoustic guitar. But I’ve always been a producer at heart, so I’m curious about how this project is going to evolve.

What are the most important pieces of equipment for you?

Without Ableton Live, I wouldn’t be able to produce like I’m doing now, so I would say that. Having hardware synthesizers or drum machines are a great help, but I couldn’t make a song just with one of them. The next most important thing for me would be a midi keyboard, since melodies come much easier to me when I have a keyboard, even if it’s small. In the end, using hardware in conjunction with Ableton has been the most fun way of working for me.

Describe what an ideal day would be for you?

I don’t know if there is one ideal day… It could maybe be something like this: living in a cottage in the woods that sits right next to a lake, chopping wood for the sauna, going to the sauna, collecting berries, going swimming, making a blueberry pie, playing the guitar and listening to a lot of music… And of course, sharing all of this with some good friends. 🙂

Do you have a favourite memory of your career so far that you will take with you forever?

It was a magical feeling when the people from Deep Heads shared some of my early works, and suddenly so many people listened to the songs I had made. That was truly special, I felt so mysteriously touched that something that came so deep from my inside was something that could reach out and connect with other people. Other than that, it’s usually when I get a reaction from anybody to my music. It is always special when somebody is touched by it, like two souls swinging in unison…

Who is your musical guilty pleasure?

I thought about it. It is probably Lady Gaga or Robyn. Or even Robbie Williams.

Can you please describe the feeling of releasing your debut single with your new moniker through Deep Heads?

It feels amazing to have the support of a label like Deep Heads since I think my music doesn’t appeal to many people straight away. It is an encouragement to keep experimenting with sounds and beats that are a bit more left-field, that take their time to unfold. I’m feeling glad I have the opportunity to share something so personal with a larger audience. In the bigger picture, I’m very lucky to have someone support my passion for music.

What can we expect from you in the near future?

More music is going to come out! There is my EP, Hungerberg, which is set for release in April. More tunes will be up on Soundcloud and Bandcamp too!