Introducing: Christian Löffler - the multifaceted artist that combines oil canvases with electronic music. Christian has just released the second single off his forthcoming album ‘Lys’, a captivating single that bends the boundaries between music and art, and creates a deeply moving listening experience. Lys, serves as a sequel and contrast to Graal, its predecessor.

The new single - ‘The End’ kicks off as a beautiful soundscape of ambient chords that merge in a reverberating sea. It slowly cascades into the emergence of vocals, singing the piece’s chorus, “in the end, it’s all you”. Following an isolated iteration of the delicate lyric, his signature muffled four-to-the-floor bass kick is introduced.

Painting a melancholic picture, the heartfelt words create emotions that aptly collide with beautiful sounds. Re-introducing the chorus, a bass synth swirls with descending synth hits, giving the track direction.

What comes first, the art or the music?

Music was my first love.

We’d love to know more about the artist side of you! How did you get into painting?

Yes, I discovered painting by myself but then I decided to study art and painting. I always had a strong visual component for my music in mind. From the beginning I wanted to have my music accompanied by my own artwork. Speaking generally art touched me like music did. I love see exhibitions, looking at a huge, powerful painting gives me a lot of joy.

Do you find that painting is something you do to find inspiration to write music, or to help get you out of a writer’s block?

After heavily touring in 2016 and 17 and had to take a break from music to find new inspiration. I just wanted to do something else. While studying art I released my first album A Forest and my musical career slowly started. I nearly stopped working on my visual art except for artworks. After struggling finding new musical ideas I decided to stop pushing and started to draw again. Very fast I got inspired to create new music. That’s when I came up with the first ideas for Graal (Prologue). After that I wanted to paint a few of these drawings, which became the artwork of Lys.

If you had to choose 1 colour to associate ‘The End’ with, what colour would it be?

Black as it is a very simple, minimalistic but super powerful song. I remember sending the idea to Josephine and she came up with the lyrics and recorded it. I listened to it over 20 times after I got it via e-mail. This fragile darkness in her voice in the first seconds touched me immediately.

Is there a certain way you want people to feel when they listen to your music in general, and specifically to ‘The End’?

I try to transfer the mood I’m in while creating the music. That’s what it’s all about for me. ‘The End’ is about our fate that everything is coming to an end at some point and nothing is here to last forever. The song is a reminder to focus on the people and things in life that we really love and care about. It’s so easy to lose track and get lost in all the possibilities nowadays. Things that make us happy are often closer than we think. But it’s also about letting go and clearing your vision to see what else can be there - not to follow the same path without having a look aside.

Run us through your creative process:

I always start form scratch and most of the time I’m searching for some kind of pad sound. I record synths and run the signal through several effects. Then, I cut parts out of it and resample it for example. Another way to start a song could also be that I get inspired by a sound I hear while walking in the woods or a sound effect I recognise in a movie. Then I also sample it and take it from there heavily altering it and transforming into something new.

Do you picture your listeners and fans going on a journey of sorts with your music?

Honestly, I never do but it’s great seeing all the videos on social media shared by people that are inspired by my music.

Favourite thing in your studio?

The painting which doubles as the cover of Lys.

Three things that inspire you?

Nature, people, art

Any regrets?

Not really - maybe that I never learned how to play an instrument.

Would you rather sell all your possessions or sell one of your organs?

Definitely possessions as I’m always trying to get rid of things I don’t use or need anymore. As an artist you collect so much stuff. It’s just a bit overwhelming sometimes.

Three words to describe your art:

Love, peace, darkness

Last book you read?

Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos

If you could go to space what planet would you explore first?

Earth II as I really love our planet and I’m hoping that there more places like this somewhere.