INTERVIEW: Sex Judas

On their third album, Sex Judas feat. Ricky portrays a breakup of astronomical proportions. The band's mascots, Sex Judas and Ricky, played by artist Sindre Goksøyr, are in the middle of a separation and their feelings are spread all over the big screen.

We have had the pleasure of speaking with Sex Judas, and this has been the result.

What can you tell us about the project of Sex Judas and Ricky? How and why did it start? 

It started as a solo project around 2010, as I felt the urge to make some gritty dance music. I think I was a bit bored with the status quo of things. 

It started with the name, then came the idea to combine my love for comix with music, and then it was a short way to ask my old friend, artist Sindre Goksøyr to help visualize the project. Creating the characters Sex Judas, and Ricky as his side kick. A Frodo / Sam, Don Quixote / Sancho Panza kind of thing. I wanted to play with the symbolic Judas figure from the bible, the ultimate scapegoat, and put some sex into the equation. The project has grown into a seven-piece unit over the years, and I’ve been so lucky to recruit this incredibly talented gang from the Oslo music scene. With Ivar Winther (git), Tracee Meyn (vox), Tore Brevik (perc), Sidiki Camara (djembe, ngoni, vox), Kristian Gesse Edvardsen (bass), and last to join is the very talented vocalist (and multi-instrumentalist) Linn Nystadnes. The music is now very much a product of the contributions from all the members, but I also do more solo based house, techno and electronic productions under the Sex Judas moniker.

This is the band's third album feat. Ricky. Over the years, have you noticed significant shifts or developments in your sound? How do you navigate these changes while staying true to your artistic vision?

I always had an appetite for all kinds of music, and I wanted this project to be like a laboratory where we can try out many different styles and production techniques. A place to evolve as a producer and not be locked down to one style, and most importantly to have fun. The idea is that the lyrical and visual side of the project, plus the voices of Sex Judas and Ricky will bind everything together. Hopefully it makes some sense.

What can you tell us about your latest album ‘The book Of Dreams / After Sex’ on Snick Snack Music?

It’s a fictional break up album between our two characters Sex Judas and Ricky, and a little parody of real life, break up albums. It’s also a tool to tell a story in two different formats and explore two different styles of music, within one album.  

Part 1 seems to have a much more 80s vibe, while Part 2 appears to be a lot of contemporary electronica and IDM. Does your production process change to create these two varying sounds? 

It’s deliberately two, different production processes. On “The Book of Dreams” we recorded everything with the band in an old school studio, on analog gear. Also using mainly analog synths and efx. It’s a normal band recording. With the second part, “After Sex” I used only digital synths and efx, in addition to Ole-Henrik Moe’s string arrangements. 

My friend, composer Ole-Henrik Moe plays an important role in the making of After Sex, which rests upon his chord progressions and are spiked with his wonderful string arrangements. 

The band originates from Norway. Are there a lot of Norwegian influences that transpire through your music?

The tune “Your hair in my soup” on Ricky’s After Sex, is based solely on drones made by a Norwegian Harding fiddle. Using a traditional Norwegian, folk music scale. Then I’ve manipulated Ole-Henrik’s string drones with digital effects. 

I guess there's also a native influence in our sound, as it like much other Scandinavian music, can be a bit gloomy. 

Do you feel confident playing a more experimental sound?

Definitely. What I really love is when pop / popular culture meets with the avantgarde. That thin, glorious line you find in jazz, no wave, The Velvet Underground’s earliest albums, the productions of Maurizio / Basic Channel, Ricardo Villalobos, Arthur Russel etc. I think that’s a very interesting space. 

Can you tell us what your current and future projects are?

Just finishing of a new EP for the Spanish label Playground that I’m very excited about. The main track is a classic disco tune we’ve been working on for over two years, and it’ written for our wonderful vocalist Tracee Meyn, a very talented soul, RnB, gospel singer. It’s a warm, classic disco tune which always goes down well when we play it live.

I’ve also started dabbling with a Ricky solo album, and then there of course will be the great “get back together” album, somewhere down the line. 

Lastly, what would be your desert island disc?

Impossible, but let’s say one of the following: 

J.J Cale’s “Naturally”, Madlib / Quasimoto’s “The Unseen”, Cornelius Vreeswijk’s “Tio vakra visor och Personliga Person”, or Maurizio “The M Collection”.

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