It is July 2008 and it has been my real pleasure to interview the Portugese band FACTORY OF DREAMS. The brain child of Hugo Flores, and fronted by the lovely Jessica Lehto. So here goes:
Not many people would have heard of you here in the UK. Can you fill us in regards the history of this project, the story behind the project's name, and the new album 'Poles'?
Hi Dave! Well, Factory of Dreams was born just after I completed my latest Project Creation album. I felt the need to do something different, more spontaneous and more easy going, so I got into my studio, started to play some random stuff, and I had like 13 tracks overall after a few weeks. The album features 11 of these tracks, the best from those songs. Just to tell you a bit more about me, I started with a solo album back in 2000, then moved on to Sonic Pulsar and then Project Creation, and this last one features lots and lots of guest musicians and vocalists, and it’s very prog rock/metal oriented and quite epic in scale. Factory does feature some of the sonic beauty from Project Creation, but it’s much more focused and coherent. One thing that I felt the music of Factory needed was unique female vocals, so Jessica did a wonderful job in Poles. Project Creation’s second feature, also has quite an amount of female voices, especially Zara that really stands out there.
The name ‘Factory of Dreams’ seems like something very beautiful and magical doesn’t it(?), but it can be interpreted as the opposite, a factory generating illusions to the people, deceiving them, or, yes, could also be something producing good/positive dreams. The question is, can these dreams be fulfilled or they’re merely illusions? So, what is Factory of Dreams debut album about? It’s all about day to day stuff, but you have to enter this world of the Poles to get the full picture and the life-cycle there. It’s done in quite an abstract way, mixing sci-fi with more common things, and focusing on our planet, society and our everyday dreams and nightmares.
The story of the Poles..well, I can’t describe it too thoroughly because these are ideas popping in my head, but nothing too structured. You don’ want to give too much, the audience must also throw in some of their own ideas ;) But picture a place divided in two sides. People live in one of the sides, never adventuring themselves into the other. This can be the blind side, the negative, the most common and monotonous way of living. The side they live in is filled with illusions, and people carry on with their lives just because they have to survive, but they don’t live their lives to the fullest…On Poles, one person tries to see the other side, and touch the other universe, a more fair and honest one. Thus the song ‘Sight to a better Universe’ and ‘Crossing the bridge to the other side’, where Jessica is featured on two of the booklet illustrations for the cd.
Where did the name 'Poles' come from?
I wasn’t sure whether to call it Poles or The Poles. But I find Poles more mysterious to me, and The Poles sounded like the North and South Pole, and I didn’t want that. Most of my work is based on the conflict between good and evil, light and dark and sci-fi mixed with down-to-earth themes. But the thing is, you can’t feel Good without knowing Evil, so, the poles do need each other. To sum up, Poles seemed like the perfect name for this album and ideas.
From what I have heard on myspace, I really like the music on offer here. I would call it atmospheric, gothic and electronic, and the vocals of Jessica are simply enthralling. Do you have any preferred tracks on this awesome record?
Hugo: Thanks! I love to combine atmospherics with those genres. Yes, Jessica is a wonder. She made working with vocals so easy. Yes, I have some favorite tracks. ‘Sight of a better universe’, ‘Transmission Fails’ and ‘Gliding into the ocean of memories’. I know I know, Jessica will tell you that Gliding is not her favorite (laughs), but for me, it’s really good and dynamic!
Jessica: Nah, Gliding is probably the track I like least on the album, but I do find every other track excellent so I hope that covers for it somehow ;) My absolute favorites are “Crossing the bridge…” and “Air Powerplant”, but there are more titles I could mention as favorites, such as “Electric Boom” and “Stream of Evil”… If I kept counting I’d probably mention every title here, hehe. The thing I’m not that thrilled about with “Gliding” is the atmosphere in there, I like the atmosphere better in the other tracks since I find it a lot darker there and somehow I’m just more drawn to such tracks. But also on “Gliding” Hugo has done an excellent job, just like he’s done with the rest of the songs, so it’s just a matter of taste :)
Hugo: One thing cool is that I also have some favorite illustrations from the album’s booklet. The one that was made for the track ‘Peace Echoing’ where me and Jess are shouting to the valley, is great and means a lot. It’s like ‘Wake Up World!’.
I would imagine the recording of 'Poles' being a complex procedure. Was the recording simple, or did it give major headaches and problems?
Oh, after mixing Project Creation’s 'Dawn on Pyther', this was cakewalk! It was much easier, but yes, nothing is immediate and being such a damn perfectionist as I am, even worse, but it all went so smoothly. While Jessica was recording the vocals I was refining the mixes and recording some additional guitars. In the meantime, I was also working with the designer on the illustrations and also exchanging ideas for the vocals with Jessica, plus incorporating what Jess was sending me into the mixes. The hardest track to mix was without a doubt ‘Air Powerplant’, track 3. That’s probably the most progressive song in the whole album, along with ‘Gliding’. Jessica‘s voice on Air was also a bit more difficult to mix on the chorus part, because it had so many layers and harmonies. The song demanded that, it’s very epic, and I was such a pain with Jess always requesting some new parts (laughs).
Jessica: You definitely were no pain, that track was one of my favorites both working with and listening to, so it was nothing but a pleasure. To me the recording went quite smoothly I think, I was in touch with Hugo a lot and when I had questions about how to sing some of the parts he very quickly responded and hopefully I got what he meant, or maybe he just gave up and thought ‘what the heck, just let her finish, she’s just a tiny bunny-weirdo anyway’. ;) Nah seriously, working with Hugo was easy. He’s a nice guy and that helps tremendously when cooperating like this.
Hugo: (laughs) I rest my case!
I know the album has not been released for very long, but have you had any press reactions to 'Poles' as yet?
Yes it’s very early. The album was released just now, and is being sent to magazines and such. But from the reaction of people that already heard some songs, and from those that purchased it via Mindawn.com and progrockrecords.com, they liked it so much. I mean, I’m used to make complex prog music so it was also a challenge to make something bit more accessible and homogeneous in terms of style, while never entering a too aggressive metal genre. I’m quite proud of this album, it’s more accessible but also quite alternative and I hope people will appreciate the work there. Some songs feature lots of melodies dancing with each other, and that’s not usually heard I guess. I also had reactions from radio DJs that also liked it, maybe even more than previous Project Creation material and also from stores that are placing the album on pre-order (the street date is 12th August but it can already be purchased on several online stores).
Jessica: Quite a lot of people have written me, complimented on Hugo’s wonderful music and so on, and that kind of feedback is so lovely to get. Many people who like what you do might never tell you about it, and of course that’s cool too, but that makes it even greater when people do take that time to write you a few lines and brighten up your day.
Are there any personal meanings attached to the songs on offer on the record?
Lots. Actually, I think every song is personal. I do not write tracks thinking if people will like them or not, I just put my ideas there and hopefully some will find these interesting, matching their own views. It’s nothing too difficult to understand in terms of concept and lyrics, it’s fairly simple. My main concern is making good music, the concept is also important but definitely I need to feel the music most of all. So, the concept serves the music here, and not the other way I guess. The themes include views towards our way of life, illusions, the ideas of other dimensions in space, the living entity that is our planet and other sci-fi driven ideas that I love, from movies, series, books. It’s sooo good to be able and just play this music and put my thoughts there.
I must admit to having heard of you Hugo from a band I believe called SONIC PULSAR (correct me if I am wrong), but has Jessica been involved with any other musical projects that you/she would like to let us in on?
Yes, Sonic Pulsar was the main platform before creating..errr, Project Creation! SP features lots of Project Creation’s sound, but with a more restrict number of musicians and with me fronting the vocals. Apart from Factory of Dreams with me, Jessica and a guest player, I’ll also invite Jessica to play on my 3rd Project Creation album, on 2 or 3 songs maybe, along with the other vocalists. I’m also involved with a band called Daymoon. They’re releasing an album now and I recorded some vocals for their album.
Jessica: Working more with Hugo will definitely be a pleasure, just have to say that! Apart from this collaboration, I’m writing and recording music of my own, in a project that I call Once There Was. I record everything in my home studio and then my nice boyfriend and sometimes my brother and also a friend of mine are kind enough to mix the music and also occasionally record guitars and bass lines. I’m also a part of the Argentinean band Beto Vazquez Infinity, and later in 2008 there will be a CD released with this band, called “Darkmind”, where you’ll find my vocals on three tracks.
Within Temptation have been making waves here in the UK recently (thanks to Roadrunner UK getting behind this band). What are your expectations of the rock scene as a whole in mainland Europe and indeed the UK?
The whole music business is changing and the rock genre (the most usual rock genre) almost is non existing. What I mean is, rock is turning into symphonic rock/metal with loads of bands appearing, but most of the times kind of playing other band’s genres. So, my expectations are that this type of music will keep growing, especially fronted by female vocalists. There’s a reason to this, apart front the natural beauty of many female singers (!) is that the aggressive music, with a calm voice on top, has a certain fascination. But I see maybe a bit too many, operatic and symphonic albums out there. Don’t know if in a few years time, this gets worned out. Trends do come and goas we know.
ProgRock Records are known to me here in the UK. Would you hope to tour here in the UK if given the opportunity?
My main concern now is really to make more music and more studio albums. Once my Project Creation and Factory of dreams reach about 3 albums, I will probably consider that. Now, it’s not easy the way my busy life is. But yeah, I had a few proposals for shows both in Europe and US. We’ll see. Preparing a big tour is not easy but would love too if time permits that in the very near future. I will probably play more live stuff soon, but with another project. Will get into that also in the forthcoming time.
Musically and spiritually who/what are your inspirations, and what sort of music would you and Jessica currently be listening too?
I’m listening to very very disperse and different music in the likes of Edenbridge, Devin Townsend, David Arkenstone, Strapping young lad, Threshold, a bit of Nightwish, Gamma Ray, Gojira… I like powerful music mostly, but it needs to be melodic or really very chaotic like Devin Townsend’s SYL. Metal, industrial and ambient/new age are my favs. My main inspirations are based on movies like Dark City, Star Trek, Blade Runner, amongst others. Books too like Stanislaw Lem’s Solaris, Stephen King’s novels and TV series like Lost, Galactica, X-Files, Masters of Horror.I also love the aforementioned bands and musicians.
Jessica: I listen to The Gathering, Enya, Anna Ternheim, Bjork, Opeth, U2, Nightwish, OMD, Flogging Molly, Porcupine Tree and Sarah Brightman a lot these days. I can’t say I listen to all kinds of music, but I do think you can find something nice within every genre. Well, almost every genre ;) I have a hard time getting the thing with rap, hip hop, trance etc, but never say never. Listening to lots of different genres gives you a better possibility of being a diverse musician, I think. When writing music I usually sort of vent things that people close to me might be going through, or have gone through in the past, and also things I have at some point experienced. Nature has always been a huge inspiration as well, both for song writing, lyrics and finding that right emotion when I sing. When singing I try to interpret the lyrics my way and to bring the emotion of the interpretation into my vocals. Sometimes when the lyrics are not my own it takes me some time to get there, other times not. The better you know the person behind the lyrics the easier it gets.
And finally, with the Ravenheart Music website being viewed worldwide, is there anything that you would like to say to anybody out there?
A big thank you to you Dave for this Interview and I hope people in the UK will like Factory of Dreams. We have the official site at www.hugofloresmusic.com and also www.myspace.com/projectcreation where you can listen to the music and purchase the album. And send us your comments, we wanna hear from you!
Hugo
Jessica: Thank you so much for the nice interview, it was a pleasure! I hope people reading this will go to the web site, check out the music and maybe also take that extra minute to let us know how they liked it.
Thanks so so much for the interview, and all the very best in all your future endeavours.
Dave Smith (Aug 1, 2008)