Nele De Gussem interview – “I made the songs and deconstructed them again, into these sound tapestries”

The Ghent singer/songwriter and composer Looms over us

Ghent-based singer-songwriter and composer Nele De Gussem makes exquisite, delicate songs that combine the experimentalism of electroncia with the raw emotion of the human voice.

The Loom Of Longing is her debut solo album – although her more guitar orientated Uma Chine project released two top albums in 2019 and 2021 – and we love its individuality and idiosyncracity. Here, we catch a moment or two with the woman herself to see what makes her tick…

Hi and thanks for your time….  First of all, can you tell us where you are right now, and what kind of day you’re having…  Been anywhere already or going anywhere interesting later?

Hi, right now I’m in my studio, which is where I spend most of my days if I don’t have concerts. Today I am working on my live set for an in-store session I am doing for the release on Friday. Still have a lot of work to do, so that’s it for today!  

Tell us a bit about your formative musical experiences… Early musical memories from siblings, parents, schoolmates…  First instruments etc

When I was a kid, I used to hang around in my father’s studio a lot; he was a photographer and he used to play a lot of Stevie Wonder and Barry White when he was working. I remember when he was in a good mood; dancing while he was assembling pictures for wedding albums. 

I still know my first guitar lesson, when I was eight and I was the only one who didn’t have a guitar yet, so my teacher gave me his to try out. I was super proud and fell in love with the instrument – and my teacher – immediately.

Was there a moment when you ‘got’ electronic music or was it a more gradual process?

I think my “gateway artist” was Flavien Berger, because he can give so much emotion to electronic media. I’m still not into electronic music if it doesn’t touch me, the medium is not of that much importance.

Your sound feels like it has a foot in both camps – electronic and experimental on the one hand, but with songwriting at its heart.  Is that fair?

Yes, exactly! I’m really glad you got that from the album.

The Loom Of Longing is a fascinating title – is it a quote from something?  How does it relate to the album and its atmospheres and emotions?

When I was looking at the album and wanted to give it a name, I found that it actually had a theme, and that’s desire or longing. It’s not really a romantic longing, although it’s also in there, but more like a magnetic pull that can guide you through life, if you’re willing to listen. It’s not always explicitly in the words, but it was a theme in my life and it seeped in everywhere. 

The first meaning of a “loom” is a weaving tool. I found it suiting because when I started making the album I was just making sound scapes with my synths and weaving arpeggio’s and sound textures. Only after that, I made the songs and deconstructed them again into these sound tapestries. 

And then also there is the second meaning, “the loom” can be derived from “looming” and then it means something like “emerging”, for some reason I have this image of a dark orb looming over the horizon, because I have experienced longing like that – it stays there, it just gets bigger and you need to face it.

How did the album take shape?  What came first and what last?  Where was it made and what was your state of mind at the time? Did either have an audible effect on the results?

Most of the album I made myself, in my studio. I used the synths that I have, like my Prophet 6, Deepmind 12, Teisco 60F, Juno 60. I also liked to layer them with old crappy string instruments, also dragging in stuff like tape recorders and cassette decks.. It felt like free play most of the time… Then I went to Peter Desmedt, my friend and one of the best mixers I know, to help me get the vocals right and give space and add some great ideas to the whole thing. We took our time between sessions, sometimes weeks, to come back and listen with fresh ears. I think that was the nicest thing – we didn’t have any time pressure at all so we could let it sink in.

What’s next for you in the short/medium/long term?  What are you hearing that’s inspiring you?  Any more live or release action we should know about?

In the short term, I think I’m going to take a shower. In the medium term I’m really looking forward to finally getting this album out and I’m really excited about the in-store session on Friday, even if it’s for ten people or so. In the long term I hope that I can find a bit more peace within myself and what I do, and I hope to, aside from playing gigs of course, get in some free time, see more friends, spend time with my family and also enjoy life a bit.

The Loom Of Longing is out on February 7 – to pre-order your vinyl copy, click here