How many times you wondered how a producer came up with a melody? What is the inspiration behind a specific track? How much did he/ she worked on it? What were the challenges?
Even if I live with the producer, even if know most of the challenges, a track is still a mystery for me at first listen. I usually replay it for a couple of times, to give it a proper listen. I usually replay it for a couple of times to give some proper feedback. And with Nikolauss‘s tracks this challenge is the strongest one. He is too close to my heart, so sometimes talking about his work with him can be quite harsh. Or too nice.
Lifdagar means “life” in old Icelandic. And this track means “life” to me too. It is all about what love, joy, energy, pure bliss. It was one of the fastest melodies that took life in my mind, but the most challenging one to put it in a track. – Nikolauss
When I first listened to Lifdagar, I was in a teambuilding with my colleagues and Andrei was home alone for the whole weekend. He sent me the link, and instead of “I miss you’, he said “Please, let me know what you think about this track. Before thinking bad of him, for not saying “I miss you”, you have to listen to the track again. Also, sometimes, many times actually, this is his way of expressing with no words. Sending a track and amaze me with what he can do. With how brilliant his mind can be.
This is pretty much our conversation about it:
Me: Mmmmmmm. New sounds.
Andrei: Yes. Do you like it?
Me: It sounds interesting. There is a “thing” in the track at the beginning. It feels like the track is going backwards for a moment. Is that intentional?
Andrei: Yes. I tried to to get out of the usual.
Me: Sounds nice. I really like the melody.
Andrei: Sure?
Me: Yes. Thought of a name yet?
Andrei: Lifdagar. Old Icelandic word. Do you like it?
Me: Mmmmm.. It sounds a bit heavy.
Andrei: I don’t think so.
(2 days later, still away)
Me: I really like Lifdagar. It sounds amazing!
Andrei: 😀 So you like the name then?
Me: It grows on me.
Andrei: I love it. It is nothing common about it. It’s different.
Me: I fell in love with it. Madly. Like I did with you 5 years ago.
Andrei: Come home.
Me: Coming to pick me up?
Andrei: YES.
That was pretty much it. I hit play and magic happened. I hit play and instantly fell in love with the melody, the vibe, the everything of the track. I put it on repeat, again and again and enjoyed every second of it. Every note of it. Lifdagar means to me, to Andrei , to us a lot. It is something different from him. Something mystical. Something to challenge his career and make him pursue this dream even more.
When he signed it with Subculture, when we saw John liked it, Neal liked it and they want it to the label, that was another special day for us. I usually show my joy like crazy, and Andrei is more quiet. He is happy with the results, but lets me show it. Lets me exteriorize all those emotions and pop the bottle of wine to celebrate.
I always joke with him about this, that I should leave him alone more often, if he does such amazing tracks like Lifdagar. But he always shuts me up when he insists that me being away was not the reason at all. It was the heat of the creative process. The moments, the special ones, when he opens Ableton and everything goes smoothly. All planets are aligned and work seems easy. If only every time would be like that!
Lifdagar had an amazing path till now, reaching no.3 on Beatport the other days, and still going strong in Top 10! It is amazing how much support it has from the trance community. It is great to see it played on amazing stages like Mainstage at Luminosity Beach Festival by John O’Callaghan (I was crying like crazy while in the crowd trying to see how people receive it, and they enjoyed it a looot!), at Subculture Australia by the same music man, and everywhere else around the world!
Hope you grabbed your copy: subculture.choons.at/lifdagar and checked its journey through Andrei’s socials: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube.
