With his new release Game Trails we talk to Aukai about his genuine approach to music, strong connection to his natural surroundings and way of life.

“The ronroco is the sound of the mountains - it has this freedom, this wide-open-chest feeling of just being who you are,” says Aukai of his beloved instrument – so adored that friends and family jokingly call it his baby. Also known as the charango, this small guitar is popular within the Andean communities of South America and Aukai is right in saying that the looping, fast plucking of its strings instantly remits the mind to a far, far place; one of folklore, discovery and freedom. Far from the Andes in a recording studio in the valleys of Colorado, the ronroco is also the main element of Aukai’s newest release, Game Trails, an album which embodies the spirit of wandering. For the German musician, the majesty of the natural world is an eternal source of inspiration; the dramatic landscapes of Iceland, the forests of Sweden and the Yucatan jungle all served as inspiration for its tracks.

Hi Aukai, what are your greatest inspirations or influences?

I draw much inspiration from my traveling life; encountering different cultures, languages, visiting new places, and of course, being in nature. Mostly because it frees my mind in a way that ideas and inspirations can come forth and blossom.

Musical influences have been important in certain moments of time. Particular records that reached me and just perfectly hit a nerve, when I needed it. And these are through all kinds of styles and genres, maybe not so many sounds similar to the music I am making, but they have been influential on a subtle level, landmarks about inner space, and how the most personal is the most creative. Here are some of my essential records along the way:  Brian Eno & Harold Budd The Pearl, Nick Drake Pink Moon, Tortoise Millions Now Live will Never Die, Mogwai Happy Songs For Happy People, The Album Leaf  A Safe Place, Madredeus Ainda, Nils Frahm Felt  … for example.

What do you think, what are the biggest challenges of the music industry today?
I think with the ever expanding digitalisation of music, where streaming services pitch the music through algorithms and playlists, where music is immediately evaluated by ‘likes’ and statistics and a massive amount of releases every month, week, day, it feels that music has become a much more short living experience. When do we listen to an album more than just one time, or really dedicate ourselves to it rather than just checking it out quickly in between other things?  

The limitation of the record shelf or Cd case in your car doesn’t exist anymore. Everything is available all the time, which makes it extremely overwhelming. I remember the days when I had only 5 Cd's rotating in my car for weeks, hearing them over and over again, discovering new things in them over time, and the music becoming a real part of my life. Now I barely even listen to music when I drive because I don’t know what to listen to as it’s just too much to pick from…Decision making is one of the most difficult and stressful tasks for human beings, and limitations can be helpful, :) And then, well, the solution might be a playlist where someone picked music based on an algorithm selected for me. But I only remember the name of the playlist after, not the actual artists I listened to…Music gets generalised into moods, categories and boxes…and the listener gets generalised to someone who listens mostly to these kinds of moods and styles…

However, there is also a really good side to this broad digitalisation; music is now available in places where it was impossible to get it before with physical distribution only. People in a village in Nepal, in Africa, in many little corners of the world, can find your music now. That’s a real good thing. So it reaches many more than before.

Well, and artists like me, for instance, can release their music independently without any need for a record label. There are of course always several sides coming along with an advancing technology.

I'd love to hear a bit more about your compositional style and nature influence in your work – could you tell me more, please?
Besides, as mentioned above, that the outdoors, wind and weather puts me into a good creative mode, another inspiration I took directly from this album experience is the lack of lead instruments. I didn’t want to tell a story with a ‘protagonist' melody and 'supporting characters' arrangements etc, I rather wanted to transmit a space and inner state.

The pieces are arranged and mixed in a way that many different elements are happening simultaneously on the same level. Melodies, sounds, patterns, rhythms intertwine into a texture and evolve with each other without a specific focus on one.  For the mixing process with Martyn Heyne I used the analogy of standing in a forest and there is the wind in the trees, birds, insects, a creek murmuring and you perceive it all together without putting your mind on anything concrete.

And what about the visual aspect of your work? How important are visuals for your performance?
I love to work with film makers to create videos for my music. The whole project kind of started with the vision to have this music going in tandem with visual and performing arts. I haven’t experimented much with visuals during performances - I would be cautious with this, as moving images have something very engaging to the mind and may take away from the music. I think it can only work if it’s extremely sparse and slow in support with lights and environment. For live performances, at least at the moment, I think my main pleasure is still to get people into a deeper listening rather than into watching mode.

What would be a dream project for you?

Good question, but honestly I think what I am currently doing is actually already a dream project, and it’s growing and evolving in a beautiful way. Lots of enriching collaborations came my way recently, I am having great support from a wonderful team and I am really enjoying it.

Anything you would like to share with us?
The time is now. Vive la vida. :)