Terminal V Podcast 049 || Farrago

Belgian artist Sam Deliaert is in the second phase of his career. He initially established himself as Talabot Wood but for the last decade has been making raw and analog techno as Farrago, which appropriately enough means ‘a perplexing mixture.’ That is what you get from his sounds which are informed by his homeland’s long history of EBM, industrial and techno, but with fresh melodic arpeggios and a sense of machine soul that makes it truly unique.

Sam put together this week’s mix for us with a hint of nostalgia for his younger years, so it’s a personal selection that reveals a different side to his sound. Here he explains that further, fills us in on summer plans and talks about what inspires him…

 

 

How has 2022 been for you so far? What’s been good and bad?

Kind of hard to answer this considering the war that is still ruining people’s lives in eastern Europe but looking at myself, when 2022 began I had high hopes and dreams of being able to tour again. We’re now living that dream so I can’t really complain.

How was the pandemic for you and what if any effect did it have on your music taste and style, what you play, what you listen to, what you make?


The first year felt like a well-deserved vacation. I had time to catch up with friends and family. I started working on an album and found many new hobbies and it was a good time all around. After a few months though, I fell into a deep hole. Couldn’t find the motivation or inspiration to get anything done in the studio. I distracted myself by playing video games and when I did music I was just listening to different genres, from lo-fi house and hip hop to anime soundtracks.

Belgium is known for its techno, EBM, and industrial. Why is that do you think? What made those sounds so popular there in the first place? Is it something about the people, the way of life, the landscapes?

Well, Belgium had a huge club culture throughout the 90s and early 2000. Techno and all its subgenres have always been very prominent in either the mainstream or underground down here. So in my opinion it’s just out of familiarity that people keep going back to these styles.

What role do dreams, tv shows, hopes, and fantasies play in inspiring the music you make? Do you have an idea from any of those sources and use it as a starting point?

Not really, I get inspired while I’m in the club by sounds I’m hearing. Those can be crystal clear sounds on the dancefloor or muffled sounds coming through the backstage walls. Or sometimes not really sounds but feelings and experiences from just being there and having the best time. I do sometimes dream that I’m working on the best track I ever made and somehow I can never remember how it goes when I wake up. All I remember is that was the best track ever hahaha.

Tell us about your mix, the aim you had with it, what you wanted it to say?

Honestly, I was a bit nostalgic from visiting my mom in my hometown. I was driving home and got stuck in evening traffic and made a playlist on Spotify with a lot of older music I used to listen to/party to. It’s not a mix that really reflects my style as a DJ. It’s more like a distant memory from when I was younger. There are also some newer tracks in there that touch on the same nostalgia somehow.

What gear did you use, is that important to you in any way whether in the booth or studio?

For this mix I just used Ableton.

What else have you got moving up/are you working on?

Working on a big double 12” project but it’s not something I can give many details on at the moment. Other than that I’m preparing for my wedding that will happen next month and then a busy summer with the European festival season that just started.

 

Interview by Kristan Caryl