But I’m a doctor

Octopus magnet

We can’t know all the feelings

We all landed safely

The MFM Mix series continues with Istanbul-born, Amsterdam-based multidisciplinary artist Deniz Omeroglu (@loradeniz), who released her debut album 'SUN SHONE' with us earlier this year. Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com

MFM: Welcome to the series Deniz. Being from Turkey originally, what did your musical upbringing look like? 

LD: There was always music playing in our house - we even had speakers in the bathroom. My dad really enjoyed listening to music; he had an open mind and a great collection of CDs and records. It brought together Western influences, world music, and local sounds. That diversity really shaped my ears and sense of sound from early on. My brother played the piano, so classical music was also part of the atmosphere. I guess I grew up listening to almost everything except electronic dance music. That came into my life later - after graduating from the conservatory and going through my own personal rebellion. 

MFM: Comparing to West-Europe, where you live now, do you feel there's difference in how music plays a role culturally? 

LD: Totally. I think we, as a culture, tend to experience and express emotions more intensely - both internally and outwardly - compared to Northern European countries. So you can often feel that emotional depth and variation in our melodies and rhythmic forms. Just the other day, I found myself wondering... what kind of music would I be making now if I had grown up listening to Chicago house at home?

MFM: You've produced the whole album yourself. Being a classically trained pianist probably helps a lot when creating and writing new music, right? How did you go about writing the songs?

LD: In the past, my creative process was often fueled by pain and drama. But now, I don’t need those emotions to create anymore. Maybe that used to be what made my music distinctive, but now everything feels a lot more free and in flow. Coming from a classical background actually caused years of writer’s block - I often had no idea what to do next. Being classically trained means you're expected to perform everything perfectly. It took a lot of unlearning to let go of that mindset and teach myself that there’s actually more comfort in imperfection. So, rather than being a pianist specifically, it’s more about having music theory to fall back on when I feel stuck - that’s what really helps. But honestly, the most important part of writing new music for me is taking care of myself. All the self work - that’s what keeps my creativity alive.

MFM: When does a song determine if it needs your voice incorporated? And how do you then decide whether its going to be in Turkish or English?

LD: When it comes to language, it’s not really a conscious choice - it just happens naturally. I dream in both Turkish and English, and even while answering these questions, I find myself thinking in both. Sometimes it’s just easier to express something in Turkish, and other times it flows better in English. As for when I decide to use my voice in a song, it really depends. Sometimes melodies come to me while I’m just humming, and other times I feel the need to actually say something. I think of my voice as a human oscillator - just another unique textural element. I use my voice to create percussive or synth-like sounds, layering it in the same way I would with instruments, to add something personal and distinctive.

MFM: Please can you tell us a bit about your mix? 

LD: I think this mix gives off a sense of melancholia but not too much, intimacy, and cerebral energy. It’s not really representative of what I’d play out at clubs, but it’s full of tracks I love listening to, my all time and latest favorites. There’s a lot of slow burners, ghostly sensuality, and a touch of leftfield sass. my intention was to record something as much for the body as for the head in the most mfm way possible. Something light, something fun and something genuine.

MFM Mix 053: Loradeniz

Owls

She thinks I have a funny face when I’m looking at her

Mostly sounds and some instruments and also sounds and some instruments. Song titles are things my three year old has said taken out of context

But I’m a doctor

Anthonythompson

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