Fïx8:Sëd8 Interview: ‘I am trying to write the best possible song every time’
Fïx8:Sëd8
I vividly remember hearing the very first self-released album by Fïx8:Sëd8. That was almost 20 years ago, in 2006, and the album was called “Humanophobia.” You could immediately tell that this German artist had something special in his music. It reminded me somewhat of the golden age of EBM; an extremely dark, even somewhat tormented atmosphere, which emerged from well-developed songs.
Despite this artist’s clear talent, it took Martin Sanne quite a few years to secure a label deal with Dependent. He released the fourth Fïx8:Sëd8 album, “Octogram,” with them this year. A unique concept of eight tracks, each running exactly eight minutes, inspired by the idea of infinity symbolized by the number eight. It’s an incredible album for its accessible complexity and über-tormented atmosphere. In my opinion, this Fïx8:Sëd8 album is without a doubt one of the strongest EBM/Dark-Electro albums of the 21st century. I contacted Martin in full tour and could not help but ask him 8 questions. (Picture credits by Petr Vones / Interview courtesy by Inferno Sound Diaries)
Q: It’s been over 20 years since you founded Fïx8:Sëd8. When you look back on everything you’ve accomplished, what stands out most to you? And how do you see the project’s evolution—both personally and artistically—over those two decades?
Martin: The friendships. Music connects people and being an artist has opened many doors for me I usually would have never been able to step through. I met many wonderful people through music, some of my best friends and my wife among them 😀
And I am proud of some of the music itself too. I’d like to think that the current and the previous album turned out particularly well.
Other accomplishments such as playing this or that location, festival or a certain status mean absolutely nothing to me. It is and always should be about the music.
It certainly has evolved from album to album simply because I’ve been learning and becoming better at writing Electronic music. In the end I am trying to write the best possible song every time, with the given skills at the particular moment.
Q: “Octagram” is the sixth Fïx8:Sëd8 album, centered around the number eight. The symbolism is fascinating—especially the connection to infinity. Why did you choose this theme, and how did you translate it into lyrics and sound?
Martin: The last song I wrote for my previous album, “Chlorine Clean Tears” was a somewhat structureless almost 7 minute long beast and until today is my favorite track on “The Inevitable Relapse”. I just kept writing and ended up with a new demo -which later became “An Unquiet Mind”. A song consisting 6 different parts, 7:45 minutes long. I played it to a friend and she really liked the finale of the song and suggested to make it a bit longer. I did, the song cracked the 8-minute mark and the idea was born to make 8 songs each 8 minutes long. The fact the number 8 and the symbol for infinity are practically one and the same was a lucky coincident which gave me a subject to write about later on.
My favorite part about these long tracks that don’t stick to the classic verse/chorus/verse/chorus structure is the freedom that comes with it. The hardest part is to make all mini-tracks within the song into one coherent uber-track so to say. It’s a LOT of music in each song but so far the feedback has been nothing but positive and my fear the album might be overwhelming to many has not been confirmed.
Q: The album is marked not only by the duration of its tracks—eight minutes each, fitting the theme perfectly—but as you already mentioned, also by its structure, deliberately avoiding the traditional verse–chorus pattern. Can you tell us more about that choice? And what does this say about your perspective on bands that still follow those classic structures?
Martin: I don’t think repeating verse/chorus 4 times in order to somehow reach the 8 minute-mark would make for neither good songwriting nor an entertaining experience for the listener. So by nature this structure had to be abandoned. It was fun but also creatively draining. Sometimes I got stuck for months and simply needed a timeout to recharge my batteries and regain a fresh perspective.
I am very happy with the results and even more happy that the people have accepted the album and put in the required work to fully appreciate it.
Bands have followed classic structured for decades because it works. Absolutely nothing wrong with sticking to it. I don’t like copy and pasting within a song though. There are many clever ways to repeat a verse and chorus without actually doing the same thing twice. That’s the extra-mile I wish many bands would go but only few do. But that’s just me and nobody else’s problem.
Q: What were the main stages and challenges you faced while composing and producing this Fïx8:Sëd8 opus? And how do you maintain your balance when working on such a complex project entirely on your own?
Martin: I got stuck a few times but surprisingly all in all it was a rather smooth ride! I had plenty of ideas and new FX and VSTs which also help moving things forward without doing more of the same.
Even vocal-recordings, my pet piece, went almost without any hickups. Two songs were a bit of a pain and required countless takes, editing and processing. Apart from that everything fell into place rather effortlessly.
The writing process took about 1,5 years. Writing lyrics and recording vocals another 3 months. With the occasional break in between. And 1 year after finishing the last instrumental to build the props for the show 🙂
Q: I’ve always considered Fïx8:Sëd8 to be in the same class as Skinny Puppy—the sounds, atmosphere, and even your live performances evoke the tormented intensity of the Canadian masters. How important has that band been in your own musical development and in shaping the artist you’ve become under the Fïx8:Sëd8 moniker?
Martin: While I am a huge fan and combining horror-theatrics with music definitely is something I have learned from the ‘Pups’ I don’t think my Fïx8:Sëd8 music is all that close to their music. Mine is way more melodic and structured. With Skinny Puppy you often have to look for the song within the chaos, that isn’t the case with me. It’s all pretty clean. “Warning Signs” and “Chlorine Clean Tears” are probably the closest to a Skinny Puppy-song, maybe one or two others I can’t think of right now. People hear me sing and immediately associate it with Skinny Puppy and sure, the vocals are Ogrish but that’s as far as I would see common ground. I never go and check: how did they do this or that in a similar situation.
Their influence might be somewhere deep in the back of my head but I would never want to sound like some other band. I don’t really see the artistic point behind it.
Q: When listening to “Octagram”, it feels as though you’ve poured an incredible amount of time, precision, and emotion into it—almost like your magnum opus to date. How do you look back on the process, and what do you hope listeners will feel or experience when they hear the Fïx8:Sëd8 album?
Martin: There is a lot to be discovered in each song. It does require some work though. You have to sit down and actually listen. Several times. There are tons of little details that I hope will make the difference and listening to the songs many times worthwhile. If all you want is to dance or have something simple to play in the background while you’re doing the dishes, “Octagram” probably isn’t for you. If you appreciate the craft and the build-up to some pretty epic finales then it is 😀
Q: As we speak, you’re busy touring so how essential is the live experience to Fïx8:Sëd8 as a project?
Martin: I do like the idea of entertaining people visually too. A creepy mask, good videos or, like in case of the current “Lessons In Humility”-tour, a full-blown horror theatre-play in two acts, with tons of props, outfit changes and an actual story being told and the music functioning as soundtrack.
Normally the props and visuals are in service of the music, this time it at least equal if not the other way round. It is quite a spectacle if I may be so immodest 🙂
Q: I think your music feels perfectly suited as a Soundtrack for a dark, psychological film. Has there ever been interest or plans in that direction for Fïx8:Sëd8? And what would be your ultimate dream or goal as an artist?
Martin: No, there hasn’t. I think I’d find it a bit too restrictive. A certain scene that sets a particular mood is already too limiting for me. It might be interesting and a good exercise in how to accomplish a certain, requested goal but the free spirit that I am would feel caged in pretty quickly I believe 😀
As for dreams, I am living it! I never ever expected or strived to be where I am. To be able to make the music I want and actually have a fanbase that likes it! To be able to play shows and have people show up! To be in the privileged situation to meet all those fantastic fellow artists and wonderful supporters of the scene. If it all ended tomorrow I’d have no regrets and nothing but a profound feeling of accomplishment!
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
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