Wall Of Sound 52

With the release of a retrospective of her melancholy collage-pop, Glasgow-based, Polish-born Ela Orleans tells us about the connections between concussion, creativity and catharsis

Words: Ian Berriman Pictures: Tamyra DeNoon There’s a nostalgic quality to Orleans’ music. It’s often built on a loop aloop on built often It’s music. Orleans’ to quality anostalgic There’s catalogue, its 13 tracks were selected partly according to the popularity popularity the to according partly selected were tracks 13 its catalogue, back her of side poppier the Showcasing Clouds’. In ‘Tumult 2012’s else’s pieces, and a mediocre one, because I’m terrible at at terrible I’m because one, amediocre and pieces, else’s a square on a building. The game: to see who can touch it first. El first. it touch can who see to game: The abuilding. on a square Ennio Morricone, Joe Meek and Polish blues rock band Breakout), Breakout), band rock blues Polish and Meek Joe Morricone, Ennio of YouTube videos and streams, and partly how much dancing they they dancing much how partly and streams, and YouTubeof videos continued have probably I’d Otherwise practice. orchestra during out concussion. Igot because resign, to Ihad then “But Orleans. says years,” sampled something from the 50s or 60s (sources she confesses include include confesses she (sources 60s or 50s the from something sampled songs about crappy things, like a broken heart. We have to stay laughing.” stay to have We heart. abroken like things, crappy about songs to ‘Lost’ 2009’s from discography, solo her in entries eight from songs passing after music, up give and violin my return to Ihad ayear, Within playing instruments.” somebody plays who someone of sense the in but amusician, being banging her head on the wall, knocking herself out. A 10-day stay in in stay A10-day out. herself knocking wall, the on head her banging races off, and is quickest to make contact… by tripping on the kerb and and kerb the on tripping by contact… make to quickest is and off, races have become a musician – at least, not of the electronic variety. electronic the of not least, –at amusician become have when they’re listening to music. I don’t want to depress them, even with with even them, depress to want Idon’t music. to listening they’re when results. hospital inspire when played live. live. played when inspire musical self-expression. Her latest record, ‘Movies For Ears’, collects collects Ears’, For ‘Movies record, latest Her self-expression. musical that can be difficult to date: you may struggle to identify whether she’s she’s whether identify to struggle may you date: to difficult be can that that trip was a fateful moment. She’s convinced that without it, she’d never never she’d it, without that convinced She’s moment. afateful was trip that “It’s the best thing when it happens,” she says. “I like people to be happy happy be to people like “I says. she happens,” it when thing best the “It’s four for there was and eight, Iwas when school music to went “I That injury put her on a path she’s followed through two decades of of decades two through followed she’s apath on her put injury That Not that this is the sort of pop that gets playlisted on Radio One. One. Radio on playlisted gets that pop of sort the is this that Not For Ela Orleans (the surname’s real, though acquired through marriage), marriage), through acquired though real, surname’s (the Orleans Ela For P and a strict curfew is in place. But life goes on. A on. goes life But place. in is curfew astrict and Communist government’s crackdown on pro- on crackdown government’s Communist German name, Auschwitz), the police are everywhere, everywhere, are police the Auschwitz), name, German oland, 1982. It’s nine months into martial law, the the law, martial into months nine It’s 1982. oland, democracy forces. In O In forces. democracy little girl is playing with her friends. They’ve chalked chalked They’ve friends. her with playing is girl little ś wi ę cim (better known by its its by known (better cim ż bieta bieta And while Orleans’ ethereal harmonies speak of deep emotion, there’s there’s emotion, deep of speak harmonies ethereal Orleans’ while And As a musician, Orleans was a late bloomer, though she’d long nursed a nursed long she’d though bloomer, alate was Orleans amusician, As can listen to many times and always discover something new.” something discover always and times many to listen can art an as spun she records reggae and post-punk the there’s Then choir. also a detached quality to her vocals. It’s as if they’ve been picked up up picked been they’ve if as It’s vocals. her to quality adetached also Hassle Hound, latterly, after she relocated, sending in her contributions contributions her in sending relocated, she after latterly, Hound, Hassle or built something herself which sounds authentically of a bygone era. era. abygone of authentically sounds which herself something built or of their melody,” she says. “So I thought, ‘I could easily do that’. I just Ijust that’. do easily could ‘I Ithought, “So says. she melody,” their of on. goes list The romantic”). and beautiful and dramatic (“very Dreams’ by SETI, as they search for transmissions from beyond the stars. the beyond from transmissions for search they as SETI, by pay for everything. Now it’s very easy.” very it’s Now everything. for pay for. aknack had she something was songs crafting that belief punk, teenage asecret was (“I Nivea with mussed-up hair kid, school because I like music when it’s unique and stands out. And I like music I music Ilike And out. stands and unique it’s when music Ilike because ‘In Orbison’s Roy like songs or mum!”), my upset to want Ididn’t because up the violin again, and bought one. As she was walking down the road road the down walking was she As one. bought and again, violin the up having more say in decision-making. decision-making. in say more having woman with a continental accent. The artist herself feels her work is is work her feels herself artist The accent. acontinental with woman without having a producer who’d take you to the studio, record it, and and it, record studio, the to you take who’d aproducer having without how sure wasn’t from Warsaw, then New York. Gradually, she grew frustrated at not not at frustrated grew she Gradually, York. New then Warsaw, from her invited and awindow, from her spotted afriend instrument, the with day humming. But for sure, reggae, dub and even jungle made a huge ahuge made jungle even and dub reggae, sure, for But humming. day and me grabs that melody and rhythm the in something there’s whenever influenced by all manner of things – the children’s songs she grew up grew she songs children’s the – things of manner all by influenced a is Orleans that given predictably too all latter the breath, same the in impact on the way I want to treat music. I just want it to sound different sound to it want Ijust music. treat to Iwant way the on impact makes me want to hum it. I like to hum things, I could spend the whole whole the spend Icould things, hum to Ilike it. hum to want me makes listening to; the jazz she studied at music school; singing harmonies in in harmonies singing school; music at studied she jazz the to; listening to play at a gig. This led to Orleans working with experimental pop band band pop experimental with working Orleans to led This agig. at play to “I’d listen to Nick Drake or Leonard Cohen, and make a melody on top top on amelody make and Cohen, Leonard or Drake Nick to listen “I’d “The only music I don’t particularly like is rock,” she says. “It’s just just “It’s says. she rock,” is like particularly Idon’t music only “The The likes of Broadcast, Stereolab and Nico tend to get referenced referenced get to tend Nico and Stereolab Broadcast, of likes The After moving to Glasgow in the late 90s, she got a hankering to take take to ahankering got she 90s, late the in Glasgow to moving After . When I was growing up, there was no means to do that that do to means no was there up, growing Iwas . When , 53 Ela Orleans “I started to develop a very clear vision of how I want to sound,” she “I just love noise,” she says. “Slick sound makes me kind of ill, I think says. “When you’re playing with other people, you have to compromise. that’s why I like punk, but I’ll also listen to chansonniers from the 1920s, I wasn’t willing to. That’s when I decided to start working solo.” because the voice has a different sound form. It’s as if someone was The first fruits of that decision, ‘Walkingman’ (recorded in 2000, singing through the phone.” but not released until 2011) can be heard on ‘Movies For Ears’. With its Which is pretty much what she was doing when she recorded all the plodding rhythm and depressive lyrics (“I’m walking alone / Weather’s tracks on ‘Music For Ears’… OK / There is no sun / There is no time / There is no friends”), it is “During those years, I had access to good microphones, and tried comically downbeat. Piecing it together, Orleans developed a process singing into them,” says Orleans. “It was fine, but just not me. Then I she still follows today. was talking to my mum on Skype and forgot to take my Skype headset off. “First I’d be reading something, or see a photograph, or a film,” I went back to GarageBand, started singing, and thought, ‘Oh my god… she says. “Then I’d make notes while I was watching or reading, add this is my microphone.’” something personal to it. Then I’d record little rhythms and patterns, Nowadays she has to recreate the effect using software, since that and try to sing over them.” very basic headset broke. Next she builds up layer upon layer of sound, sometimes scores “I bought a new one, and they’re not as good,” she says. “Bloody hell, of them. why do they improve things?” “I build the rhythm parts, so they serve like a metronome,” she says, “then develop more and more tiny annoying things on top. So there’ll be While ‘Walkingman’ sprang directly from Orleans’s imagination, other a little bit of found sound, or radio waves, like when you’re searching key tracks on the LP were inspired by particular bands. Take 2011’s for a station.” ‘Neverend’. Penned when Orleans was living in New York, but, due to the She imitates the hisses and howls you get spinning the AM dial, cost of US healthcare, resigned to having to leave, it sounds like a love just the sort of noises featured in ‘Walkingman’. song, but is actually a farewell to the city. “I love that sound,” she laughs. “When I was a kid, I’d spend hours “It was a frame on all my experiences in New York,” she says. “It was doing that, until my sister would hit me, or somebody would throw the end of a dream, that I found a place where I can be happy. I remember something at me.” hearing ‘New York, I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down’ by LCD Orleans puts this fascination down to the same concussion that led Soundsystem and thinking, ‘This is how I want this to feel’.” to her handing in her Stradivarius. Another selection that’s particularly important to Orleans, 2012’s “After that there were huge changes in my hearing,” she says. ‘The Season’, was inspired by a Factory Records outfit. “I started to love certain sounds that other people found appalling. “I was listening to ‘Flight’ by A Certain Ratio over and over at the time, Sounds you hear riding the train. Sounds of construction, or drilling. and I wanted my guitar to sound exactly like that,” she says. So that’s probably where my fascination with noise comes from.” This particular song represents an important personal landmark. She believes that childhood accident also informs the general timbre “That was the first time I didn’t need to sample. Instead, I moved my of her sound. imagination, and was able to achieve something without any crutches.” “But that’s boring stuff, a bit too serious. It doesn’t mean I’ll stop stop I’ll mean doesn’t It serious. too abit stuff, boring that’s “But ‘Movies For Ears’ by Ela Orleans is out now on Night School Night on now out is Orleans Ela by Ears’ For ‘Movies ‘Movies For Ears’, its release seems to represent the closing of a of closing the represent to seems release its Ears’, For ‘Movies ‘Tumult In Clouds’, her 2012 LP, “probably saved my life”. life”. my saved LP, “probably 2012 her Clouds’, In ‘Tumult Teasdale, suicidal’.” was who As those references to suicide suggest, Orleans has struggled struggled has Orleans suggest, suicide to references those As chapter. chapter. composer David Shire). She’s also eager to put her talents to use use to talents her put to eager also She’s Shire). David composer art, and some people like art in themselves, I’m definitely the the definitely I’m themselves, in art like people some and art, existing sources. The lyrics of ‘The Season’, for example, draw draw example, for Season’, ‘The of lyrics The sources. existing everybody laughed.” everybody granted, I should offer something back to society as well,” she she well,” as society to back something offer Ishould granted, genocide. Ginczanka, a Polish-Jewish poet executed by the Nazis, to write write to Nazis, the by poet executed aPolish-Jewish Ginczanka, on commissions to score documentaries, or animated shorts, or shorts, animated or documentaries, score to commissions on I can always say, ‘Oh, it’s not about me, it’s just a poem by Sara Sara by apoem just it’s me, about not it’s ‘Oh, say, always I can would “I explanation. paradoxical seemingly her is words,” own Other Rimbaud. Arthur poet French century 19th by works two on Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Barrett Elizabeth some sort of catharsis. I needed to make some noise. I think Ithink noise. some make to Ineeded catharsis. of sort some more creative, “more it’s as –partly albums subsequent stop selling music, but I couldn’t stop making it. It’s just just It’s it. making stop Icouldn’t but music, selling stop songs for a new play, ‘Wróg Si ‘Wróg play, anew for songs she NYC, in time her (during movies silent for scores live perform pauses, suddenly realising how earnest she sounds, and laughs. laughs. and sounds, she earnest how realising suddenly pauses, Rwandan the of flames the fanned which stations propaganda equates it as homeland, her in controversial highly proving but the lyrics are about suicide. It reminded me of my exam for for exam my of me reminded It suicide. about are lyrics the but clouds”). of ghosts the out breathing respectful”, but also for practical reasons (“I’m a bit afraid of of afraid abit (“I’m reasons practical for also but respectful”, ultra-conservative Catholic radio station Radio Maryja with the with Radio Maryja radio station Catholic ultra-conservative how art should influence the way the world exists, so I’m trying trying I’m so exists, world the way the influence should art how feel Hiding exposed. behind somebody else’s is lyrics much safer. drama school, when I did a monologue by Lady Macbeth, and and Macbeth, Lady by amonologue Idid when school, drama it’s a good time to move forward.” move to time agood it’s in ways that are more socially engaged. socially more are that ways in it was Chekhov who said that some people like themselves in themselves like people some that said who Chekhov was it impossible.” music has been a great comfort. She goes so far as to say that that say to as far so goes She comfort. agreat been has music making pop songs. You can still dance. You can still rave.” still can You dance. still can You songs. pop making misconstrued. She cites 2016’s ‘Ghosts And Whispers’ (sample (sample Whispers’ And ‘Ghosts 2016’s cites She misconstrued. latter. Even when I’m struggling with financial or psychological psychological or financial with struggling I’m when Even latter. troubles, I feel very privileged and rich because I have music.” Ihave because rich and privileged very Ifeel troubles, to involve myself in LGBT rights, or freedom of speech in Poland.” Poland.” in speech of freedom or rights, LGBT in myself involve to US revered by mentored programme scoring afilm in part took through some difficult times. During her darkest hours, making making hours, darkest her During times. difficult some through was sky /Silver apart sky the tear lightning the watched ”I lyric: tracks on ‘Movies For Ears’ borrow from Emily Dickinson and and Dickinson Emily from borrow Ears’ For ‘Movies on tracks pre- other using about qualms no has she problems”), rights the “It’s 10 years since the release of ‘Lost’,” she says. “So maybe maybe “So says. she ‘Lost’,” of release the since years 10 “It’s “I want to make change,” she says. “I’m quite idealistic about about idealistic quite “I’m says. she change,” make to want “I “It’s the reason I got that violin,” she says, “because I needed Ineeded “because says, she violin,” that Igot reason the “It’s “I’d seriously rather die!” she gasps, horrified. “No. I could Icould “No. horrified. gasps, she die!” rather seriously “I’d my use I wouldn’t personal, very something for looking I’m “If “Being an artist is a privilege. I shouldn’t be taking it for for it taking be Ishouldn’t aprivilege. is artist an “Being “Everyone said it was the most cheerful song I’ve ever done, done, ever I’ve song cheerful most the was it said “Everyone She can’t imagine ever quitting and getting a proper job, then? job, aproper getting and quitting ever imagine can’t She But what will she be making next? The way she talks about about talks she way The next? making be she will what But Besides, when she does she when Besides, In recent years, Orleans has been concentrating increasingly increasingly concentrating been has Orleans years, recent In Most recently, she’s drawn on the verse of Zuzanna Zuzanna of verse the on drawn she’s recently, Most While Orleans has moved away from sampling on her three three her on sampling from away moved has Orleans While supply her own words, they can be can they words, own her supply ę Rodzi’ (’Foe Is Born’). That’s That’s Born’). Is (’Foe Rodzi’ 55 Ela Orleans