Phantom Horse is a Hamburg/Nijmegen-based duo, which debuted in 2012 with a self-titled LP album on Dekorder. Ulf Schütte and Niklas Dommaschk utilize modular and analogue synthesizers, antique drum machines, electric piano, guitar, tape effects and various percussion devices to create their own blend of intricate, polyrhythmic music, reminiscent of early krautrock (e.g. Cluster, Harmonia), electronica (such as Cabaret Voltaire), 1960-70s minimalism, and the unconventional compositions of Moondog.
FACTS:
1: The slow blade penetrates the shield.
2: Slow fires will smolder for a long time.
3: The moon moves slowly, but it gets across the town.
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
Niklas: Other music, I guess. And technology: a good delay for example…
U.: People and reading, listening, looking at and watching cool stuff.
2. How and when did you get into making music?
Niklas: When I was 13 and my father one day came home with an old, half-broken drum-kit.
U.: Getting into punk and starting to play in bands when I was 13.
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
Niklas: Suicide: Alan Vega – Martin Rev (Second Album); Harmonia: Musik von Harmonia; Morton Subotnick: Silver Apples of the Moon; Steve Reich: Different Trains/Electric Counterpoint; Charles Mingus: The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
U.: Guided By Voices – Bee Thousand; Harmonia – Musik von…; Wolf Eyes – Burned Mind; Alice Coltrane – Journey In Satchidananda; Terry Riley – Persian Surgery Dervishes
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
Niklas: Lots of friends – my old home!
U.: Recording, buying records.
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
Niklas: Probably the big forest called Heumensoord. The river (Waal) is also nice.
U.: Das schräge Herz
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
Niklas: Probably sit in a cave bashing rocks together
U.: Nodding my head to the sound of rocks bashing.
7. What was the last record/music you bought?
Niklas: The Gagmen – self-titled LP
U.: Dead C – Unknowns
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Niklas: Roy Andersson
U.: Madlib
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
Niklas: Hm, too many… I’ll go with Mark Fell’s stroboscope madness at the Pan showcase at Berghain
U.: I saw too many great shows to list them all.
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
Niklas: Very important – the creative power of a good delay cannot be overstated.
U.: Very important, this can definitely be a synergetic relationship.
11. Do you have siblings and how do they feel about your career/art?
Niklas: A brother; and I think he likes it although our music is not 100% his cup of tea.
U.: Two sisters, i don’t think they know what i’m doing.
Photo © Bruno Kelsch
