IOGI - Interview

ETHEREAL.PRESS

Tell us a bit about iogi.

iogi

iogi is my stage name for Yogev Glusman. I'm a musician and producer based in Tel Aviv. Started at the age of 7 to play classical violin, and later in life was exposed to my love for guitar and especially bass. I travelled the world as a side musician for many years, and in the last five years I've dedicated myself to creating my own music and discovering my own sound, as well as producing for other artists. I am now releasing my third studio album as iogi, called 'we can be friends.'

ETHEREAL.PRESS

Talk to us about your latest single, 'slow step on quality wood.'

iogi

This song came to me while working on my new album. I guess I was looking for different and fresh ways to write songs because I was a bit too used to writing in a specific way and wanted to shake things up. Just when I was thinking on how to approach and write a new song, Shachar, a good friend of mine sent me a Harry Nilsson track that was based solely on acoustic guitar, bass, percussion and vocals, and said 'it would be cool if you had a song like this too'. So I took the challenge upon myself and wrote the song pretty quickly.

ETHEREAL.PRESS

The visuals for this track are quite intriguing. Can you talk to us about the creature you encountered during this track?

iogi

The video for 'slow step on quality wood' is in a way the third part of an unofficial trilogy, directed by my good friend Roy Rieck. It starts with the video for 'you/me/everyone' from my last album. My character is some kind of astronaut that after years of training goes on a special space mission. In the video for 'we can be friends', my first single from this new album, he comes back with a small creature that he finds there, called Max, and tries to raise it humanely. They create a special relationship, almost father-son relationship, with everything that kind of relationship brings. In 'slow step on quality wood', my character goes on a hazy daydream after accidentally getting hit in the head while practicing Max's favorite hobby which is pro wrestling. Max's character is played by Max Oleartchik, a good friend and the bass player for Big Thief.

ETHEREAL.PRESS

Your visuals across your discography have specific themes/aesthetics present. Can you talk a bit about your art direction on these projects?

iogi

I guess I love working with friends and people that are close to me, and I happen to like their aesthetic as well. I feel like when working with people you love and admire, good things can happen. This trilogy was created by The Curly Bros; Roy Rieck as director and Ben Kirschenbaum as director of photography. I think that we all share a big vision for what suits my music in the best way, and I feel it contributes to everyone in this process.

ETHEREAL.PRESS

Tell us a bit about your performance on Succulent Sessions.

iogi

Succulent Sessions in a very special Tel Aviv based project. Kind of a green version of NPR's tiny desk. I was invited to take part in this cool project in the early stages of covid, when it seemed like there would not be live music around us for the next few years. They somehow managed to create this beautiful thing, and I was glad to participate with my band.

ETHEREAL.PRESS

You have an upcoming project titled '6 AM,' can you tell us a bit about this work?

iogi

'6am' is the 3rd single from my upcoming album. It's the first song I have ever wrote on piano. Usually my process of creating new songs comes from a production idea I have or a loop of chords. In this case, I had a specific energy in my heart I wanted to put out and felt like sitting on the piano for it. The song came out in 15 minutes. There is also a beautiful video for this song, made by animator Dana Roth.

ETHEREAL.PRESS

Why do you take a multi-disciplinary approach to your music production?

iogi

I don't really know anything else. I always played multiple instruments and enjoyed recording stuff on my own, in my bedroom or at the studio. That is the thing I like doing the most. Collaborating with other musicians isn't my go-to, my instincts are to do everything on my own. But on my album 'we can be friends', I felt like I was so involved, technically but also emotionally with the music - I had to give it to someone else to mix and go far from the familiar places that I know. So I flew to Guissona, a small town an hour and a half from Barcelona, where I met Jordi Matas and Joan Pons from the Spanish band 'El Petit De Cal Eril', who mixed this album and gave it a sound I would have never managed to give it on my own.

ETHEREAL.PRESS

What themes and emotions do you like to explore in your works?

iogi

I find that as a person who always lived in a crowded city, in my music I often relate to the natural world that surrounds us. Through music I started exploring my relationships with creatures around me, whether people or animals. That is my way of keeping nature in my life in a way.

ETHEREAL.PRESS

What inspires you to keep making music after a decade?

iogi

I just love coming to my studio and working. In the last few years, since I released my first album in 2018, my calendar is pretty full with productions for other artists. So when I have time in between projects, I love coming to the studio and seeing what my heart is saying to me. Also, I love bringing some new gear every once in a while to my studio, and that gives me inspiration and sometimes a new direction, and puts a new wind to my creation process.

ETHEREAL.PRESS

What's next for iogi?

iogi

I have already started gathering some songs for my next project. Once I have a basic idea or direction, I can have it done pretty quickly, so I keep my heart and ears open for anything. Other than that, I will go on tour in the next months with my band, and hopefully meet some new friends on the road.