Where are you from?

Maenda: I was born in Amsterdam, but grew up in the city of Almere. Me and people my age hardly had any music culture or place to be as a teenager, so we relied on ourselves to make the most out of our formative years, throwing parties and organizing events revolving around art or music. I lived most of my adult life in Utrecht. Now I live in Arnhem.

How long have you been making music?

I have been making music for about 16 years now. Could be more. My memory is hazy.

Who are the musicians involved in your project?

I collaborated with a number of musicians on ‘They Say The Sun Is Dying’ (album). Tom De Wit, most known for his band Dreamwalkers Inc. and his record label Layered Reality Productions, provided vocals on ‘Breathless Descend’. Kelly Thans sang all the vocals on ‘Winter In Your Eyes’. A stunning performance that was so good we decided to leave out all forms of autotune. What you hear is exactly what you get. Harprit Bola, my long-time friend and drummer of our former band IDEK., played on the drums on a couple of the tracks. Folkert van Blom was the producer & mixing engineer and Kaya Bax, ex-vocalist of IDEK mastered the album.

Who are your biggest musical influences?

Where to start? The list is endless. A big inspiration for this album was Burial. There is a certain fragile quality to his sound that I loved. I tried to create a brittle, lofi world that has its own feel, but Burial definitely influenced my creative process. Another one is Nine Inch Nails.

Trent Reznor is the ultimate artist in my eyes and their discography has just about everything I like music: from spoken word to violent riffs. From ambient fragility to icy electronics. Also, Lorn and Amon Tobin are two gems that I just can’t exclude. Oh, and of course David Bowie. Our lord and savior.

What is your greatest non-musical influence?

Well-written words have a way of entangling us; but few words have wrapped their way around my mind, heart and soul more than the poems of Louise Glück. That woman is an alluring, beautiful, yet tragic mystery.

What inspired you to create this project?

I had recently experienced multiple personal losses that left me battered and broken. I am already someone that’s battling depression, so this was a tough time for me. I had to make changes in my life if I wanted to survive my own head and my own thoughts, so I focused on personal growth a lot. Musically, I felt I had something to say. I also wanted to challenge myself and create something entirely new. This album became a creative outlet for me. It started with simple sound design ideas, inspired by nature, close to my home. It turned into a tapestry of music. A wordless journey through grief, so to speak.

What are your plans for the future (musically)?

Maenda is a band in a live-setting; we’re currently preparing a live show and small tour, putting the music in an exciting, completely new light. We’re also planning a series of concept nights with our label Pervasion Records, combining art expo’s with spatial music.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

No.