ATMAEN: An Exclusive Interview on New Release Canto Sagrado Deluxe Edition
In our new interview we delve into the sonic and spiritual journey of ATMAEN's latest release, 'Canto Sagrado Deluxe Edition.' Valentina Buroni, the artist behind ATMAEN, shares insights into the album's creation, the fusion of ancient traditions with modern sounds, and the therapeutic elements woven into her music.
Your new release, Canto Sagrado Deluxe Edition, is described as a journey through sound and spirit. What inspired you to embark on this particular path, and how does it reflect your 20 years of musical and spiritual exploration?
VALENTINA: I've been fascinated by sound and music since I was a child. I played piano and guitar when I was a kid and then I discovered the magic world of singing a few years later. I can say that music has always been a very important part of my life. I've always been very curious about ethnic music from different places in the world, with all their instruments, vocal techniques and the stories that folk songs tell. So I studied anthropology of music and ethnomusicology. It was just a little step to go from a merely cultural perspective to a deeper understanding of the power of sound. Sound, music and singing have been used as tools of choices for rituals, ceremonies, prayers and healing (both spiritual and physical) by countless peoples from every corner of the world for thousands of years. So it felt totally natural to start my own path of research and practice. I've been working with sound, music and singing for well-being and personal evolution for many years and I a couple of years ago I felt it was the right moment to put all the experience I had gained so far into a more "musical" format, not just improvisations, like I do in my holistic sound sessions, but real songs that could be enjoyed by everyone.
The album blends neo-shamanic chants with ambient and electronic elements. How did you strike a balance between these ancient traditions and modern sounds, and what challenges did that fusion present?
VALENTINA: the album has a strong ambient atmosphere that's almost all created with synths. That was actually a very natural choice because I am deeply influenced by artists like Vangelis and by modern movie soundtracks. I wanted to create a rich and vibrant sound tapestry upon which the voice could move freely. It was a pretty easy process, I had a great time going through a million tones and find the ones that fit every song better. Sound sets the frame in which the ritualistic chants occurs, it plays a big role in defining the energy and the landscape of the whole song. So it was crucial to create the proper sonic context for every track. The only acoustic instruments are the percussions, which are an essential part of any ritualistic chant. They're all played for real by me and by the amazing Italian percussionist Emanuele Le Pera.
You’ve collaborated with Giampaolo Barbaliscia for three exclusive remixes in this deluxe edition. What was it like working with him, and how do his electronic textures enhance the original vision of Canto Sagrado?
VALENTINA: the electronic remixes represent some sort of contemporary way to activate a different state of consciousness. A more dynamic and modern sounding path to reach the same place you'd reach by listening to the original songs. Working with Giampaolo has been amazing, he's super creative and collaborative. I think he made a great job because he was able to capture and keep the shamanic and ritualistic vibe of the original tracks, while giving them a completely different sound.
As a sound healer and voice researcher, how do you weaves therapeutic elements into your music, and what do you hope listeners take away from Canto Sagrado on a healing level?
VALENTINA: first and foremost, please let me clarify that by "healing" I mean change, transformation, insight and a new awareness. Something that clicks inside you at a very deep level, a new knowledge you feel you own deep in your core and in your bones. A new state of mind, a shift in your view that leads you to a better physical, emotional and psychic state. Within this frame, every song is created to be a path to activate a very specific process connected with a specific energy. So, for example, Holy Mother is a song about accepting the end of something with absolute trust. Letting go of everything but the essence and giving it all to the Great Mother who will take it and transform it, like a dead body that turns into nutrients for other living creatures (I was personally referring to Mother Earth, but anyone can see it according to their beliefs and sensitivity). So every sound, every word, every vocal tone is a step of this process. I hope that the listeners will perceive this dynamic wave and will flow with it. I hope they will get to the end of the song (and to the end of the album if they listen to it from start to finish) feeling that there's been some kind of internal movement, that something has changed inside themselves. People often tell me that they get a sense of relief, of relaxation and lightness after listening to my music and that's a truly wonderful and humbling result.
You’ve invited listeners to experience the album with their eyes closed, letting the sounds flow through them. What’s one track you feel is especially powerful in sparking that spiritual connection, and why?
VALENTINA: all of them, I hope! However, if I have to pick up one, I think it would be Feathers in the sky. It's an invocation to the Spirit of the Wind and I think it's a pretty powerful chant of reconnection with forces that are so much bigger and stronger than us but that we carry inside ourselves too. The song builds up slowly, it starts by painting a marine landscape and the listeners are invited to become a part of it. Different vocal tones express different energies that grow until the full chanting starts. Once the invocation is over, a smoother voice and a lighter soundscape bring the listener back to a state of centering and balance. I also think that the energy of the natural elements is very well expressed in this song and this also helps activate an immediate connection with something that's not just a phenomenon in the physical world but also a part of our experience as humans beings since the very beginning of our existence on Earth.
Tell us about the creation of the breathtakingly beautiful video for "Goccia Goccia." What was the vision behind it, and how did you bring this visual story to life?
VALENTINA: thank you for your nice comment. The video was created by director and video artist Damiano Affinito. It was shot in a lovely place in the hills in Northern Italy. I wanted to portray the shaman of the woods and the interconnection of all the living beings in the forest. The song Goccia Goccia is a chant to the water and to its ability to cleanse our wounds (both physical and emotional) and to carry memories. I wanted the video to show a world in which humans have a deeper and wider perception of the natural environment, where they can communicate with its elements and with its creatures at an empathetic level. That's why we've included a lot of images of nature in the video, which are almost all shot in the actual location by Damiano himself. And then there's me embodying the shaman of the woods, walking peaceful among the trees and trying to show the bond that I have with them.
Looking ahead, what’s next for ATMAEN after this release? Are there new musical territories or collaborations you’re eager to explore?
VALENTINA: there will be a new remix at some point, with a different style from the current ones, created by an artist that I truly admire. I'm really looking forward to it but I don't have a release date yet. I'm working on a "live sound design and sound storytelling" project with a writer. We'll embark on a little tour in Italy this fall to present her new book blending words and sounds. And I keep performing as a holistic musician in many events in my hometown. I have already started working on new songs for the next chapter of ATMAEN's adventure, exploring a bit more electronic soundscapes.
