Hello Elenor and welcome to Brutal Resonance! A question I always like to ask those who are new to the site: what are three of your favorite albums and why?

Elenor: Hi. That’s actually a tough question because I generally don’t listen to albums. When something’s released, I skim through each track to see if there’s anything I like and then buy the songs I love. I think everyone has a song which connects with them and their brain says, “This is what music is about!” For me that song is ‘Troy’ by Sinéad O’Connor. I first heard it in a shop. Fortuitous moment. I think it was the beginning of my love for epic songs and it is still my favourite.

You’ve recently released three singles in total and I’d like to talk about each one individually. ‘The Ravens’ is simply described with the phrase “Dark dancefloor, dark mood” on Bandcamp. Did you want ‘The Ravens’ to be a dark dancefloor piece or did you want it to be something more?

Elenor: When I go into the studio, I don’t have any idea of what will be created, I just start playing and when I hear something that hits a nerve then I develop it, adding whatever it needs to be completed. I have several songs where there are vocals only in one section. Sometimes when a song is about something personal, you don’t want to say too much, just say how it feels and spend the rest of the song adding pounding beats so you can stomp around.

I was recently told that ‘Wish’ was actually dug up from the archives. When was this song originally recorded and why was it brought back to life so many years later?

Elenor: Often when I’m working on something I will have ideas which veer off in other directions so I can end up with several songs and only release one. ‘Wish’ was recorded years ago and I’d intended to put it on my album “My Very Essence” but I already had enough tracks, so it missed out. It is about inequality and recently I was talking with Miriam, the vocalist from my other band Human Confusion, and I quoted the line “When you wish upon a star, it makes a hell of a difference who you are”. She said “wow”. So I thought, I should release that song, so it’s out as a single now.

Your latest single (or remix) is a fun one. The remix of JA/VI’s ‘Good Cocaine’. Many artists promote the remixes of their songs themselves, but you’re taking up that duty as well. Why?

Elenor: JA/VI is taking a break, perhaps permanently, from music so I said I would get out there and do the interviews. It’s been fun talking about music.

I also found it interesting how many people are associating the vocals on the remix to you instead of JA/VI. Do you find this flattering? Or do you find it confusing?

Elenor: Oh, I definitely find it flattering as her voice is gorgeous and I loved the song which is why I offered to remix it. But yes, I didn’t realise it would cause confusion that I wasn’t the vocalist. I do play it live though, and really enjoy singing it.

From what I was told about the New Zealand / Australian music scene is that many NZ bands that make it big usually move to Melbourne to continue their growth. However, you did the opposite and moved from Australia and to New Zealand. Why?

Elenor: That’s true. I loved being part of the music scene in Melbourne, there are so many venues. I remember one night playing 3 shows with 3 different bands. But I played a festival in Auckland and travelled around a bit and fell in love with the place, then when I went to the South Island I did not want to leave.

I find it very inspiring here, the breath-taking scenery, the culture, the people. The city I live in is full of musicians, more than anywhere else in the country and I’ve found awesome people to play with. In Robots In Love I now have Pierre Van Horn on guitar, Cinnamon Sinalot on keyboards and bass, and MC Sas.

Music is highly regarded in NZ. I was at a function where the Prime Minister spoke to musicians and she said: “Not only are you creating the soundtrack to our lives, but you’re helping the emotional wellbeing of the country”. I was impressed by that.

I also heard that you’ve a couple more remixes coming out soon, including one for Australian goth rock band IKON. Can you tell us anything about that – or any other remixes that you’re working on at the moment?

Elenor: Yes, I‘ve just finished a remix of “Torn Apart” for IKON. Also a remix for a Swedish band Tiny Fighter. I also make remixes of tracks by my other band Human Confusion. Those remixes sometimes end up on EBM compilations.

You’re working on your own original music that you’re referring to as “Goth Trap”. What styles are you attempting to combine, and when can we expect to hear some of your new stuff?

Elenor: I played three new songs at a show recently and someone described them as Goth Trap and I thought it was an apt description. I do have a penchant for slower songs, 90 to 110 bpm feels sultry to me, and I like trap bass being so low and thick. But there will be different styles on the next album. I like mixing it up. There’ll definitely be what I call “dark dance floor” which is the sort of music I like to hear when I go out: stomping beats, epic synths and melancholy vocals. That’s what makes me happy.

You’ve got a couple of shows upcoming as a member of Snog in Sydney and Melbourne. When is that happening?

Elenor: It’s scheduled for September. I’ll also do some Robots In Love shows because the new album will be out then.

With the amount of bands that you either have or were a part of (Sobriquet, The Crystalline Effect, Soulscraper), I was wondering if there’s any news from any of those camps. Anything to update fans on?

Elenor: Soulscraper will be re-releasing our two EPs plus a previously unreleased track which we’re excited about. We’ve just finished the video and seeing the live footage inspired us to do some reunion shows so we’re in the process of planning that.

Lastly, I'd like to wish you the best of luck!

Elenor: Thanks.
Robots in Love interview

Steven Gullotta https://www.brutalresonance.com/interview/robots-in-love-may-2022/ May 6, 2022 May 6, 2022

Brutal Resonance

Robots in Love

May 2022

Dark Electro