We had the pleasure of sitting down with Somos el Viento to discuss the release of their latest album, Mar Negro. This ambitious and atmospheric project combines elements of post-rock, space rock, and ambient music, weaving together a journey that explores the contrasts between isolation, nature’s vastness, and the ebb and flow of calm and chaos. In this interview, Somos el Viento delves into the inspiration behind Mar Negro, the creative process of composing an instrumental narrative, and how personal experiences shaped the sonic landscape of this unique album. Read on to discover more about the concept, the influences, and what’s next for this captivating project.
Congratulations on the release of Mar Negro! Can you share the inspiration behind the title and how it reflects the themes of the album?
Mar Negro is deeply inspired by the interplay between isolation and the vastness of nature. The title reflects the mysterious and profound qualities of the sea, which mirrors both calm and chaos. It’s also a conceptual album, where the order of the tracks plays a vital role. Each song flows into the next, creating a narrative that can only be fully appreciated when listened to in sequence. The journey is essential for the album to make sense as a whole.
Mar Negro blends post-rock, space rock, and ambient elements seamlessly. How did you approach combining these genres while maintaining a cohesive sound?
I aimed for a sound that embraced the open-ended and expansive nature of space rock while keeping the emotional depth of post-rock. The ambient layers act as a binding element, providing space for reflection in between the more intense moments. The key was not overthinking the genre elements but allowing each song to organically evolve. This helped maintain a natural flow without making the music feel forced.
You’ve mentioned that the album was deeply inspired by the themes of isolation and nature’s vastness. How did these influences shape the sonic landscape of Mar Negro?
The vastness of nature, especially the sea, helped me shape the album’s sonic texture. Guitars were essential, with reverberating sounds to evoke that endless horizon, but I also wanted the music to have intensity, which is why some parts are more aggressive. It’s like how nature itself can be both serene and violent. Isolation, on the other hand, led me to create soundscapes that feel introspective, drawing listeners into a more reflective space.
How did your personal experiences, especially with the birth of your second child, influence the creative process for this album?
The birth of my second child marked a period of deep reflection for me. It made me consider both the nostalgia of the past and the hope for the future. This emotional state is woven throughout the album. Tracks like Fragments capture that sense of time slipping away while also looking forward to new beginnings. The balance between change and continuity became an important theme.
Mar Negro seems to explore the contrasts between calm and chaos. How do you capture this balance musically, and was this contrast something you set out to explore from the start?
The contrast between calm and chaos was always at the core of the album. I wanted to explore this musically by combining soft, ambient passages with more intense and dynamic moments. Tracks like Parachute and Exodus show this balance, with serene melodies giving way to sudden bursts of sound. This ebb and flow of tension and release reflects the natural cycles of life and the sea.
Can you walk us through the process of composing a track like “Fragments”? What does this piece represent for you personally?
Fragments was one of the most personal tracks on the album. It was born from a moment of introspection, reflecting on the fragments of my life that were coming together—both my past experiences and new chapters. The track itself feels like a journey, moving through different stages, much like life itself. It’s less about structure and more about emotion, which allowed me to be free in the composition process.
As a one-man project, how do you approach the writing and recording process? Do you find creative freedom or challenges in working alone?
Working alone definitely gives me the freedom to explore my ideas without boundaries, but it also means there’s no one to bounce ideas off. Sometimes that can be isolating, but it also pushes me to dig deeper creatively. The challenge is in staying disciplined, but I find that the more I immerse myself in the music, the more it flows naturally. Being a solo project, I can fully control the direction and vision, which is liberating.
Your music evokes a deep emotional journey. What do you hope listeners experience when they listen to Mar Negro from start to finish?
I hope listeners find themselves reflecting on their own emotions, moving between nostalgia and hope. Mar Negro was designed as a journey—each track leads into the next, and the full experience is meant to evoke a sense of introspection. Whether it’s the quiet, reflective moments or the more intense passages, I want people to feel like they’re going on their own emotional voyage through the album.
Were there any particular artists, albums, or other forms of art that served as a reference or inspiration while crafting Mar Negro?
I draw from many influences across genres, from progressive rock to post-rock, and even doom, stoner, metal… For Mar Negro, I was particularly inspired by the sound of bands like Alcest, God Is an Astronaut, and Long Distance Calling. Their ability to create expansive soundscapes and emotional depth resonated with me, and I wanted to channel that same energy into my music.
How do you approach creating the expansive, cinematic soundscapes that characterize your music? What tools and techniques are key to achieving this?
The key is layering and allowing each element of the music to breathe. For this album, I focused on the melodies and how they could speak in the absence of lyrics. Composing instrumental music is a challenge because, without vocals, you have to make sure every instrument carries a message. The guitar plays a big role in this, as it became the primary voice in each track.
The post-rock genre often relies heavily on guitar textures. How did you develop the guitar arrangements for Mar Negro, and what role do they play in shaping the album’s atmosphere?
In Mar Negro, I focused primarily on melodies rather than purely textural guitar work, which is often characteristic of post-rock. Since the album is instrumental, the challenge was to make the guitar carry the narrative in a way that vocals normally would. Each melody had to evoke emotion, tell a story, and convey the message I wanted to communicate without the use of words. The guitar arrangements reflect the ebb and flow of the album’s themes, alternating between calm, introspective moments and more intense, aggressive sections. This dynamic range helps to create a sense of journey, with the guitar acting as a guide through both the tranquil and chaotic parts of the soundscape.
The concept of space and the cosmos seems to have a presence in your music. How does this cosmic influence manifest on Mar Negro, both sonically and thematically?
The cosmic influence comes through in the way I use synthesizers to create a sense of vastness and mystery. I wanted to evoke a feeling of floating through space, with moments of stillness followed by intense bursts, much like the unpredictability of the cosmos. Sonically, it’s about creating textures that feel boundless, just like the universe.
You mentioned the album reflects personal transformation and introspection. How do you translate those inner experiences into instrumental music without using lyrics?
Instrumental music has a unique power to convey deep emotion without the need for words. In Mar Negro, I aimed to translate my personal journey—one of transformation, introspection, and growth—through the use of dynamics, melody, and structure. By focusing on the rise and fall of the music, I could mirror the emotional highs and lows that I was experiencing. Each instrument plays a key role in this: the guitars carry the emotional weight, the synthesizers bring a cosmic and introspective layer, and the rhythm section underlines the intensity or calmness of a given moment. The ebb and flow of the tracks reflect the uncertainty and beauty in transformation, allowing listeners to connect with their own inner emotions as they journey through the album.
Mar Negro has the ability to both calm and provoke reflection. How do you find balance between ambient serenity and dynamic intensity within the tracks?
I find this balance through the careful layering of instruments. The melodic aspect of the guitars, synthesizers, and bass all play a role in achieving that harmony between calm and intensity. By gradually building or stripping away layers, I can guide the listener through different emotional states within a single track. It’s about knowing when to hold back and when to let the music swell.
Post-rock is often described as an immersive genre. What aspects of immersion do you focus on when creating your music, and how do you bring listeners into your sonic world?
Immersion is at the core of how I approach music in Mar Negro. To create an immersive experience, I focus on building layers and textures that invite the listener into the atmosphere of the music. I use dynamics to move between subtle, tranquil passages and more intense, driving sections, creating a journey that mirrors the emotional depth of the themes I’m exploring. The balance between melody and ambience is also essential; I want listeners to feel like they’re drifting through expansive soundscapes, much like floating in the vastness of the sea, as the album title suggests. Additionally, the use of reverb-heavy guitars, expansive synthesizers, and intricate rhythms allows me to paint a wide sonic landscape that envelopes the listener, encouraging them to lose themselves in the music.
As an artist from Spain working within the post-rock and ambient scenes, how do you feel your cultural background or environment has influenced your sound?
Coming from Spain, my environment has definitely shaped my sound. I live in a region where open fields blend with towering mountains, and that contrast has been key in inspiring the music. The vastness of the landscape and the feeling of being lost in nature influenced how I approached the album, allowing me to channel both the serene and the intense.
With the growing popularity of platforms like Bandcamp, how do you view the role of independent music distribution, and how do you connect with your audience?
Independent platforms like Bandcamp are essential for connecting artists directly with their audience. They allow me to share my music on my own terms and give listeners the chance to support my work in a way that feels personal. It’s about building a community around the music, rather than just focusing on mass distribution.
What can we expect from Somos el Viento after Mar Negro? Do you have any upcoming projects or future directions you’re excited to explore?
After Mar Negro, I am excited about the possibility of forming a band to bring these songs to life in a live setting. This would allow for a richer experience, engaging with audiences in a way that recorded music cannot always capture. I’m also eager to continue exploring new sounds and ideas, possibly delving deeper into the atmospheric aspects of my music. While I currently have no specific projects lined up, I’m open to collaborations and creative ventures that may arise.
Mar Negro is out on October 25th; pre-order it from Bandcamp here. Follow Somos el Viento on Instagram.
