Interview: An On Bast returns to ASW with her single 'Climb The Tree' remixed by Marc Romboy

After many years sitting comfortably amongst the Awesome Soundwave family, An On Bast makes a return to the label with her "Climb The Tree" single receiving top remix treatment from Systematic founder, Marc Romboy. Two artists who have inspired the ASW journey coming together for this beautiful body of work. As a label we are fortunate to repeatedly work with artists such as Anna and Marc, and Anna's "Tender Perceptions" LP in 2023 pays testament to exactly that. She lives and breathes live music, full of innovative ideas and music theories, striving to cement herself outside of the norm. 

Here is what went down when we had a recent catch up with An On Bast, we talk new music, live set ups and more...

An On Bast in the zone live

Hi Anna, welcome back to Awesome Soundwave again. How has the start of 2024 been for you?

Hello, thank you. It has been a nice and creative time.

What have you been working on lately, in the studio, live shows etc?

I'm continuing to tour around my album "Tender Perceptions" which was released last November. I enjoyed a lot recent live performances in Toulouse, Hamburg, Berlin, at Snow Fest - a winter festival in Poland - and various clubs. I am looking forward to coming live shows in Reykjavik, Rome, Berlin, Warsaw - among others. In the studio, I mainly re-organized it a bit and worked on new solo music, as well as on my other projects and a few remixes. I have also been busy designing sound for other projects.

We are excited to have you back on the label with the fantastic remix of your track "Climb The Tree" by Marc Romboy. How does it feel to have your music reshaped by a legend and a friend such as Marc?

The remix that Marc did is amazing and beautiful. He brought the original to an even higher level of happiness, every time I listen to it I get chills. Also in terms of production and arrangement it is a masterpiece where Marc's skills and love for music in general completely shines. I'm really grateful that he agreed to do this. For me it's unreal and at the same time very normal. Especially since we have been working on some projects together for some time now. However, we met through Awesome Soundwave, we were both invited by Carl Cox to perform at his Wembley event in 2022, and I think we immediately hit it off with each other's enthusiasm for music. I really admire the way Marc composes music, feels it and is so committed, but most of all how he truly is awesome person.

How is your studio and live set up currently looking? We want all the juicy details. Any new additions in the laboratory?

Yes, as usual small changes and aha moments. But among other things, I am most happy that I realized my spontaneous thought of adding Clavia Nord Wave 2 to my studio. I feel connected to Nord keyboards because my first dream synthesizer was the Nord G2 - which started An On Bast. I sold it a few years ago and then regretted it (as a friend of mine says, "never sell your first synthesizer"). So having a Clavia synthesizer is like coming home again. It doesn't matter that the Nord Wave 2 is something different from the G2, the Swedish company's way of thinking and designing instruments is something I am very much in sync with, finding peace and creativity at the same time.

As you know, playing live is at the heartbeat of the project, similar to your own ethos. Can you maybe explain to our readers what it means to you to be able improvise and share unique arrangements of sound with live audiences? Why is it you have always chosen this route?

There are no arrangements, no laptop, no full songs. I have machines connected to create a playground for me to create live. It doesn't matter if it's a Roland’s drum machine, or a modular synthesizer in which I improvise 100% all the time, or an Octatrack sampler with tracks motifs that the audience would have a chance to recognize. Following the principle of sharing joy, happiness and freedom, I must be free to use my instruments to create whatever I want, to feel spontaneous in managing every particular tone and timbre. It's like that for me and always has been. Sculpting the sounds is happening in the moment, as well as building energy and deciding the next second of my performance. This is crucial for me in being on stage, it makes me full of enthusiasm and only then I can be true. If I want to surprise, I have to first surprise myself; If I want to take an audience for a journey, I must feel this is real-time journey for me too.

Can we expect any other releases/news from you in the coming months?

Yes, I will keep some of them as a surprise for now. I'm definitely excited and looking forward to releasing my album on Modularfield label from Cologne in the second half of the year. Also in the coming months there will be some new songs on the compilations, there will be some remixes that I did.

Can we finish with one of your favourite Awesome Soundwave tracks, and why did you choose it?
From my own releases, ‘I Am The Projector’ — Because everyone of us is the projector, let’s not forget it :)

Listen here: https://anonbast.bandcamp.com/track/i-am-the-projector

Choosing from ASW, then this would be Mat Playford. I just like the whole album a lot and this track is so full of melodies, good energy and worlds to travel.

Listen here: https://mat-playford-asw.bandcamp.com/track/lucid-crossrhodes

Thank you for continuing to be a part of our ASW Family, Anna!

An On Bast’s new single, remixed by Marc Romboy