The prolific Karolina Bnv returns to Wrong Era with ‘Yet To Come’ an industrial-infused, masterful exploration deeper into her ever unfolding sound. The sophisticated follow-up to ‘Lessons On Good Behaviour’ further enrichens our experience of her world. Karolina Bnv brings her sophisticated sounds and undeniable strengths to Wrong Era once again, broadening her horizons with skilful taste.
- Your new EP ‘Yet To Come’ showcases a deeper exploration into your sound. Can you share what inspired this evolution and how it relates to your previous work, particularly ‘Lessons On Good Behaviour’?
The evolution of my sound wasn’t so much inspired as it was driven by the pain from events that began in 2022. At that time, my music studio was the only place where I could express my emotions. That’s how the ‘Yet To Come’ EP came to be. The connection to ‘Lessons on Good Behaviour’ is mainly stylistic, as my work is a continuous reflection on old school.
- What was your creative process like when crafting this EP, and what themes or emotions were you aiming to convey?
During that period, I was overwhelmed with pain and despair, but I always clung to a glimmer of hope, even when fear took hold. My creative process involved stitching together an array of samples—from vinyl records, TV programmes, and even snippets of my own voice. I absolutely adore sampling anything and everything, then experimenting and playing around with it. This has always been my source of inspiration for crafting new material.
- Can you tell us more about the production techniques you employed and how you blend your influences to create your atmospheric unique soundscapes?
As I mentioned earlier, I absolutely love using samples. Beyond that, my favourite synthesisers are the Minimoog and the Korg MS-20, which excels at any task, whether it’s creating a fat bass or an unconventional lead. Additionally, I use analogue echo in every track, which gives the instruments a bit of a lo-fi sound.
- How do you approach blending different musical styles, and what does it mean to you to honor the origins of these influences in your work?
I’ve always had a passion for different kinds of music since I was young. As soon as I was allowed to roam the city on my own, I’d spend hours in music shops, browsing through CDs. Then, I got into skateboarding, breakdancing, and playing drums in a band. Music has always been a constant in my life, and I’ve always been hungry for new sounds.
Here’s a little secret: 15 years ago, I had no appreciation for funk, disco, Italo disco, or anything remotely close to those genres. Whenever I was at parties in London, whether it was Prosumer or Hunee, if they started playing disco, I’d just leave the dance floor. My understanding and appreciation for these genres came later, once I started collecting vinyl and broadening my musical horizons.
After a while, I found myself ironically chuckling when I bought yet another niche Italo disco record for a ridiculous price. I absolutely love music from different countries and eras, and it definitely has a big influence on my overall sound.
- The closing track, ‘1988,’ is described as an infectious Acid House anthem. What do you hope listeners will take away from ‘Yet To Come,’ and how do you envision this EP resonating with your listeners?
These tracks are quite different, yet they share a direct nod to the ’80s. I firmly believe that the ’80s was the coolest and most musically rich decade, which had a profound impact on electronic music as a whole. Many musicians continue to reflect on and draw inspiration from the music and history of that era year after year.
I hope everyone finds something special in this record. Without a doubt, I consider this EP to be a solid dancefloor banger, with each track telling its own unique story.
- We live in an era of dark times on a socio-political level. In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges musicians and artists face nowadays?
Yes, there was a time when people said that music was outside of politics, but unfortunately, that’s not true. Music is often closely tied to the political and social aspects of our lives. I don’t judge anyone, but I decided early on that I would never compromise my principles just to try and please everyone. I made my stance very clear when the events of 2022 began.
Photography credits: @inna.check.art
Links:
https://soundcloud.com/karolinabnv
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4MBeMtFJls5yCGMrW2q2eP?si=K1m3qGoOQUWhte9v1ewWig
https://ra.co/dj/karolinabnv
https://www.instagram.com/karolina_bnv/
Tales of Psychofonia 