Once creating music enters a person’s mind it will always be there. Whether it is just noodling around at local bars or creating epic albums, music will have its way with the artist. Our recent discovery Rune Stowasser has been a musical hobbyist for quite some time but now his mind has set out on the path to create a full album out of the songs that have been wandering around his head for years.
The result is the debut record by Rune Stowasser titled Any Day. The 8 track album is a journey into experimentation with influences taken from the powerful sounds of the new wave movement of the 1970s and 1980s. The opening title track “Any Day” sets the tone with a building drumbeat and a dark vibe that opens our ears to the deep lyrics.
The music heads to a mellower tone with “Shine On Me”. The sweeping sounds fill the speakers seemingly coming from all angles. There is a lot going on here. We go in a minimalistic punk direction with “Every Beat” but soon are treated to an interesting soundscape brings back the experimental sounds of the past.
The closer “Endless Light” brings it all together with an assortment of synths and classic electro sounds creating an energy that leaves the listener with the motivation to get up and make a difference in the world around them.
We had the chance to chat with Rune Stowasser to get a little deeper into his story and the development of his music. Enjoy the interview here:
What draws you to creating music?
I’m honestly not sure. It’s just something I have to do. I think most artists have a desire – or a compulsion – to express themselves… I have all this music in my head and I just have to get it out and be heard. I feel a kind of excitement when getting feedback – good or bad – on my music.
How would you describe your sound?
Old fashioned art rock I guess… … I’ve been trying to replicate the sound of records from late 70’s and early 80’s – the New Wave things. Synthpop-sounds combined with unpolished recordings. I would also say melodramatic and gloomy. I’m influenced by movie scores, mainly from the horror genre… Although that’s somewhat indirect…
Which artists have had the biggest influence on you?
David Bowie is my biggest influence. He had a very unique approach to music that just speaks to me. I’ve sometimes been criticized for trying too hard to sound like David Bowie. But I don’t try at all. I just sound that way.
The Who, Queen, Pink Floyd, Nirvana have also been notable influences.
After 20 years of playing as a hobbyist, what pushed you to release your new record Any Day?
Time and opportunity. 20 years ago it was hard to get a record deal or expensive to self publish. The latter has changed a lot with streaming services. And as my kids are getting older I can feel a bit more energy going towards music. One night when they were asleep I just thought “I’ll do it now!” So I started recording and it very quickly evolved into a full album.
How does a song come together for you? What is your songwriting process?
Usually, I’m triggered by something I read or hear on talk radio. A short sentence or sometimes a single word I like. That forms into a chorus and I quickly put some chords to it. When I’m satisfied with the chorus I just play around a bit to find a structure for verses and bridges I feel fits the chorus well. I sometimes put together temp lyrics by quoting other songs more or less randomly. In the end I replace those lyrics with something off the top of my head with similar rhythm and rhymes. That sometimes leads to some very interesting obscure lyrics. Other times I end up liking the random quotes more, so I just keep them.
Where do you see Rune Stowasser going in the future?
Well, I would like to put together a band to play my music live. I hope to get some more spare time for that. I’m also thinking up a new album. With that I’ll try to go in a more 90’s industrial direction. It’s still very unstructured ideas though, so it might end up totally different.
