Interview Echoes - Released on March 11th
Sebastian Sturm is one of those artists able to give you chills, only with a few notes because he’s got this kind of « high scratched » voice that is close to the tone of Manu - Jah Legacy).
As soon as he starts singing, he rolls you in : his energy and his vibes are just spreading love all around and lead you to a beautiful emotion. His music is a jewel.
To make it short : Sebastian Sturm is a huge-talented artist, but still unknown in France.
The reason why we come up with this artist is because he’s bringing us a brand new album, talking mainly about love, called Echoes.
A few days before releasing his album, we had the privilege to meet Sebastian.
Here’s the interview where he talks about his projects, including Echoes.
ECHOES AVAILABLE ON ALL PLATFORMS ON MARCH 11th
AND VINYL THIS SUMMER
To put this artist under the spotlights, we’ve focused on his career and different collabrations he had, in order to get to know him better, before starting this interview .
Sebastian Sturm is a german-indonesian artist, born in 1980. He experienced punk music in his early years and quickly found out that with his voice and musical skills had to take another direction. At the age of 20, he created his first reggae band and improved his talent of lead singer. In 2004, he joined the Jin Jin Band, a reggae band that had already been touring in the 90s. It took them 2 years to release their first ablum This Change is Nice. But it’s during the Sun Ska and Summerjam festivals in 2007 that people really discover the band. During the same year Sebastian Sturm and the Jin Jin Band are nominated and rewarded in the Riddim Magazine as the best Reggae-Roots revelation. The they toured with Groundation to promote their first album.
The second album One moment in Peace came out in November 2008 and they toured a lot all over Europe.
The year 2011 marks a new start for Sebastian Sturm with the release of a third album called Get up & Get Going and also a new band - Exile Airline. Two other albums will be released with this band A Grand Day Out in 2014 and The Kingston Session in 2015. Want more ? Read the interview just below…
« I started writing love songs…just for myself…And then i decided my next baby had to be an album taking about love. And i knew i needed time and freedom to achieve it »
LGR : Your lastest album Echoes has just been released on March 11th. Why did you wait so long to propose a new project?
Sebastian Sturm : There were many things, projects and private trouble, I had to deal with, during the last five years. I was touring with my own Sturm/Exile Airline project, I got busy with Marley`s Ghost, my Bob Marley tribute-band, every wintertime, I have played the great Sofa-Connection sessions in the north of germany, there was the bigtime Klub Kartell project with Frank Delle (Seeed), Jahcoustix and Ganjaman in 2018,… and at least I broke up with my 16years long relationship with the mother of my daughter and moved to cologne to start a new life. The last point, really took me a lot of energy. But through all that, I started writing love-songs. …at first just for myself… and then I decided, that my next baby should be a love-album. And I knew, for this you need time and freedom. My Studio-rules were: No pressure, no limits, no deadlines… find love and peace to ease your heartaches, whenever you enter the studio.
LGR : Why is it called Echoes?
Sebastian Sturm : Because “ Echoes ” and “ Shine On ” are my personal favourite Tracks on the album! So, I choose Echoes.
LGR : Among the 14 tracks of this album, we don’t only have reggae but also a tango influence on Soulmates. What made you blend those two styles ?
Sebastian Sturm : “ Soulmates ” became a special track. It should describes the extraordinary connection you have, when you`re having a soulmate. …And you`re becoming crazy, when you are trying to cut off this bond. While I was making the song, I had this picture of two tango dancers in mind, who are dancing closely and perfectly together.
Sebastian Sturm
" Soulmates "
Teaser audio
LGR : Who are the musicians on the album and where did you recorded it?
Sebastian Sturm : I got back to the Rubin-Studio in cologne, where I recorded my first two albums (This change is Nice, One moment in Peace). Martin Pauen (drums /Jin Jin band) the owner of the studio and Rubin Rockers Label, helped me to produce and record all songs. It was like coming home, for me.
I also got to give big credits to my good friend, Aurelien Falconnet (former member of Obidaya), who really helped me composing and arranging some of the tracks, from the start. He`s playing bass on “ Hold The Powers ” and “ Dancing In The Rain ”.
My brothers, Frank Delle (Seeed) and Jahcoustix are singing the harmonies on most of the songs. To mention are also …Dr. Ring Ding (trombone on “ What Do You Do ”, “ Rockstone ” ,” If we Were Lovers ”), the Sofa-Connection, Jooni Lorenz, P. Breid and Shadi (Exile Airline), Tim Schwarzpaul (Bantaba), Alex Kabisch (the Clerks)
I can say to all artists , I am having a great relationship and I can call them my friends. And it feels great to have all of my favourite musicians, I ever worked with, together on one album.
Sebastian Sturm
" If We Were Lovers "
Teaser audio
Sebastian Sturm
" Rockstone "
Teaser audio
LGR : We found some anouncements concerning this album on you social networks…Any videos to come ?
Sebastian Sturm : No videos, just audios, for now.
LGR : Is there anything else you’d like to say about Echoes ?
Sebastian Sturm : No, I am just happy to release my new baby! Let the music speak for itself! Hope you enjoy!
LGR : I saw that you were also working on the design of a comicbook, can you tell us about it? Is it you who drawing?
Sebastian Sturm : Oh, that was just a project ,I did for myself ,while the corona-lockdown happened, last year. I love drawing comics, mostly at night. It`s another more quiet-, but wonderful, way to express all crazy thoughts, I have about this world, myself and its people… it`s a kind of meditation to me. Music, basketball and comics are my passion.
LGR : We’re almost done with this interview. As a conclusion, what last message as an artist. Would you like to say to our listeners ?
Sebastian Sturm : Wanna send much love and greetings to the great reggae-massive of France! Miss ya and I hope to meet you all soon, again! One Love!
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ECHOES AVAILABLE ON ALL PLATFORMS ON MARCH 11th
AND VINYL THIS SUMMER
