A journey through sound and solitude, Settima Tacca on "Demos 4 Nobody" and the creative process.

In this Q&A, we have the pleasure of delving into the enigmatic world of Settima Tacca, the musical persona of Apollinariya Kaspars. Hailing from a secluded black wooden house nestled in a wild field, Settima's music is as haunting and introspective as the environment she inhabits. With her third album, "Demos 4 Nobody" she explores a newfound sense of joy amid the chaos of the world, crafting melodies with vintage instruments that echo her affinity for the 1970s. In this conversation, Settima opens up about her creative process, the inspiration behind her latest work, and the profound connection between her music and the natural world that surrounds her. As she prepares to release her latest album, she reflects on her journey, offering a glimpse into the evolving soundscapes that define her unique artistic vision.

For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from, and about the music you make?

My name is Apollinariya Kaspars and I currently live in a secluded black wooden house in a wild field, my music office is my bedroom and the windows face a forest and the sky full of epic summer clouds. At night I walk my Japanese akita and we watch the clouds and stray cats. For a couple of months in a year, I write my music, the rest of the time I get lost in life and its curiosities. Right now my favorite topics are prehistoric hominids and sperm whale language. I also paint and I am plotting to start a horse farm when the time is right.

Your third album, "Demos 4 Nobody," is described as your first "happy album" despite being recorded during a challenging time. Can you talk about what inspired this shift in tone and how the album's mood contrasted with the state of the world when it was created?

The world is in flames and I am currently clearing out my internal soul space for new work that is more relevant to who I’ve become in this context. It is a beautiful process when a snake sheds its skin and this is what I’m doing - releasing my old work to set myself free and move on. This may or may not work in the public field, either is okay, after all - do good and try to enjoy it - maybe some happy music will be of service

You’ve used vintage instruments like the Korg Rhythm 55 drum machine and 70’s synths on this album. What drew you to these particular tools, and how did they shape the sound and feel of "Demos 4 Nobody”?

My main synth is Korg Polysix - this might sound a bit shallow but it’s my first one and we formed a deep relationship during those 8 years together. My favorite cultural epoch is the 70s and most of my gear comes from around that time, I was always intuitively drawn to it. I have a side project - a two-girl duo “Ksusha” and my favorite song starts from the words more or less accurately translated as: “Fuck modern tech, I’m going to ride a horse guided by the signs that my dog gives me”.

The album consists of slightly refined demos recorded between 2018 and 2020. What was it like revisiting and reworking these tracks years later, and how did your perspective on them change over time?

More cringe and at the same time more respect for my old work. I think this sentence conveys my relationship with this record on the deepest & truest level.

"Demos 4 Nobody" was created in a secluded house by a forest, where you sought refuge from political turmoil. How did this environment influence the music and the creative process?

Different time, and different space was really helpful in creating a distance from my old self - I remember I mostly suffered when I was initially recording those songs. Finishing the work years later was fun. Can’t say that I could distance myself from the political shitshow. But music is not about politics, at least to me and the rest of us sensible hermits, it’s a universal language that transcends such categories.

You’ve mentioned that you barely knew how to play the bass guitar used on this album. How did this limitation affect your approach to composing and arranging the songs, and what did you discover in the process?

I think this album came out to be fun and groovy exactly because I was so constrained and could not make myself come up with anything but a simple and catchy bass line - I was enjoying the process and not thinking much, being stupid.

The title "Demos 4 Nobody" suggests a sense of uncertainty about who might listen to happy music during difficult times. How did you come to terms with releasing this album, and what do you hope listeners will take away from it?

One night I was looking through my hard drive and found those old unfinished drafts and I thought that would be frustrating to never release them, I thought some people might like them after all. I think I managed to convey some sense of joy and ease from the late 2000s and early 2010s music, which I am missing nowadays - it’s a kind of unexplainable nostalgia for the times when things seemed way simpler and straightforward and free, at least for my generation. I hope some other people can feel it too. I think it’s an important feeling to integrate into our lives nowadays to stay sane and nourished spiritually

Hidden Harmony Recordings is known for ethereal, ambient, and experimental genres. How did your collaboration with this Estonian label come about, and how does your music align with their vision?

I self-released my first EP “Wondrous Feelings of Ages Long Gone” in 2021 and somehow it gained a little bit of attention. Valentin of Hidden Harmony Recordings contacted me through Soundcloud a few months after the release and suggested that I write some additional

material so they could press it on vinyl as a full LP, I was so inspired by their proposal that I wrote 4 extra tracks in 4 days, never worked that fast before. The whole album came together - a mix of melancholic ballads and lighter ambient interplays with a spoken word introduction about the record in the beginning - nice. I’m very grateful that the universe has sent me this quest and opportunity.

Your previous album, "Wondrous Feelings of Ages Long Gone," garnered attention and was even pressed on vinyl. How does "Demos 4 Nobody" compare to your earlier work, both thematically and sonically?

WFALG was recorded later than D4N drafts and is a more delicate and serious work of mine, it’s more thought through but I can’t say that it’s more vulnerable, to be honest. Back then I was pretty concerned about what kind of impression I would make, so WFALG is not as energetically open as D4N but came from a more self conscious place, which kind of makes it paradoxically more beautiful to me.

You mentioned moving to a remote village to escape the political conditions affecting your country. How has this physical and emotional distance influenced your music and your outlook on the world?

I think I regained my connection to nature, the birds, the plants, I could finally see the stars and each time I get too lost in my head I try to go outside and gaze at the night sky trying my best to grasp the vastness of space and come back to my senses. I also particularly enjoy the quietness - I actively detest the city noise and I hardly understand how could I ever withstand it. At first, I was scared to sleep in a house without a fence in the middle of nowhere, but now a few years passed and I think I feel much safer here than In a city, just like my landlady foretold I would.

You’ve shared that "Demos 4 Nobody" is a "gesture of power" and a way to clear out emotions. Can you elaborate on the cathartic journey of making this album and what it represents for you personally?

The videos supporting the album, including one of you dancing in your underpants with a bass guitar, seem to embrace a playful and intimate aesthetic. What role do these visuals play in expressing the themes of the album?

I thought I’d stop hiding my dork personality and my sexy self, I was for years limited by trauma and self-hate and only recently discovered that there’s no point in hiding

and I could stand some exposure. Thanks to my friends and my partner I learned that I’m super ok.

What do you love right now?

Ultramarine Blue!

What do you hate right now?

All kinds of bad stuff guided by the sheer thirst for material profit.

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?

Fever Ray - Fever Ray (2009)

I dig it even more now that I’m older and it makes every nighttime highway drive like a trip through hyperspace.

As you prepare to release "Demos 4 Nobody," what are your hopes for this album, and how do you see your music evolving in the future?

I’m hoping to get more eyes and ears on my work as I prepare my fourth LP “Twelve and a Half Moons” (the name might change in the process). I mixed this album last fall and it’s sitting there and waiting to be set free. This work combines my multiple approaches to sound and fuses this cacophony of my sub-personalities into a beautifully woven rug of light and darkness.

Start Listening To: Settima Tacca