With six albums to their name, Belgian electronic duo METROLAND have been bringing synthetic sounds from the underground since their release of their debut album ‘Mind The Gap’ in 2012.

While Passenger S and Passenger A released their most recent album ‘Forum’ earlier in 2024, the pair have been maintaining parallel solo projects. First off the mark was Passenger S with 808 DOT POP in 2020 with ‘The Colour Temperature’ in a smoother refinement of METROLAND’s conceptual adventures before following up with the triple opus ‘Pop Radio’ in 2023.

Meanwhile, Passenger A launched LECTREAU in 2023, a far more techno-based proposition with the influence of ORBITAL looming heavily that so far has come in the form of an EP ‘Elated’ and a series of digital singles, the latest of which has been ‘Monochrome’.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK are a mischievous bunch and thought it would be interesting and fun to ask Passenger S and Passenger A to answer same set of questions about 808 DOT POP and LECTREAU independently and without prior collective discussion; this is the end result…

After several albums as METROLAND, why did you feel the need to undertake solo projects?

Passenger A: Well, we have been doing METROLAND since 2012 and we have touched a million sounds and areas. METROLAND is a perfect common ground of two souls where pop, electronica and synths meet. It is that input of two people that is the strength of the METROLAND trajectory, but at times you feel that one is pushing the other in a way (or trying to) to meet his needs. LECTREAU was born out of an itch I simply could not scratch as I tend to move into a more danceable and techno-ish direction. It is not a need, but more a humble attempt to make something else that METROLAND does not have place for.

Passenger S: Personally, I found myself at a stage where the workload in METROLAND was not tipping in my favour at all. I was managing far too many tasks on my own, and when I finally realized that almost everything was resting on my shoulders, I decided that if I had to put in so much effort into something that wasn’t fully mine, I could just as easily focus that effort on something that was. From a musical perspective, after the challenging recording of ‘Men In A Frame’, I felt a certain limitation regarding the warmer aspects of METROLAND’s sound. There were numerous elements I longed to incorporate that simply didn’t make it through.

When working solo, what might you miss about the other?

Passenger A: Input, crystal clear. My partner in musical crime is a complete audio freak when it comes to endmix where I tend to go more for the sphere and the organic feel of the songs. So, that is not what I miss now and then; it is more a sound of layer of that extra crazy idea to move a song further into a next stage.

Passenger S: It’s quite simple, really… nothing. With 808 DOT POP, I’m fully self-sufficient in my own world: I develop my own concepts, enjoy every research step I take (I can watch YouTube documentaries for days and days), next create the music, produce, and mix all on my own. I get to decide on every sound and detail, which felt liberating at the beginning, that is why I am still going. It may sound a bit harsh, but it’s really not! 😉 METROLAND now simply has a new competitor to keep in mind.

What would you do solo that you would never do in METROLAND?

Passenger S: I had plenty of ideas I wanted to dive into without needing consent. Since I mix both the METROLAND and 808 DOT POP albums myself, I’m always walking a fine line. However, with 808 DOT POP, I tend to push the boundaries a bit more when tweaking the knobs, bringing in 808 elements that you wouldn’t typically hear in METROLAND.

Passenger A: Go totally techno or trance. That is an unspoken no-go in METROLAND. It grew like that.

808 DOT POP took the traditional album route straight away while LECTREAU has gone with the modern singles streaming method? What are the pros and cons of your approaches? Have they worked?

Passenger S: I take great pleasure in working with a solid, well-defined concept because that cannot be compromised by the release of single songs. Songs without a cohesive link don’t resonate with me. When things are connected, it really enhances creativity and brings out the best ideas. I also love to read and immerse myself in the setting of such a concept. I make it a point to learn as much as I can by buying books, watching DVDs or YouTube and thoroughly exploring the subject. Always one goal in my mind: How to turn a subject into a vivid aural world, accompanied by matching art and info.

Passenger A: I guess the fact that 808 DOT POP was able to make music within the label’s vision where METROLAND is signed made that a logical step. LECTREAU had only one option, apart from writing or trying to contact a label that would be interested in what he is doing. Here I must admit that my inspirations are so wide and vast that it is very hard to find a label that would host all the genres that I touch. It is always electronic, never techno like ANNA or Charlotte De Witte, but still if you go through the musical portfolio, you will notice that some songs are miles apart from each other. I don’t set out to make it like that, it is again that organic flow.

I follow my musical heart and ears. That one particular sound triggers me into a direction and I don’t fight it. It is in a way, very liberating. Does it work, you ask? It just feels natural. A pro is that I don’t need to link songs to each other in terms of sphere or sounds, I just make one and on to the next. Same for art work; I just make a cover and move on. This gives me more time to make more songs instead of the turmoil of finding those links.

What is the favourite solo track that the other has done so far?

Passenger A: I think that would be ‘Ultraviolet’ from the first 808 DOT POP album. I love the nervousness and “electro” feel of the track.

Passenger S: I don’t really track Passenger A’s activities closely. I have to say, when he shares his demos, I catch some lovely and interesting features. The problem is, I often approach them with a METROLAND mindset, which isn’t quite right, causing me to overlook his tracks. My former answer on individual songs plays a big role in that, I lack something overarching, single songs are not enough for my appetite. But, it’s Passenger A, his solo endeavour, and I’m not involved in that. However, it’s important to understand that there’s really no rivalry about who excels on his own. When we unite as METROLAND, we make ‘our’ music, have fun, and enjoy a beer together. Our shared passion for music is what matters, and METROLAND is a reflection of both of us.

‘Elated’ came with an 808 Dot Mix, doesn’t that now make it METROLAND?

Passenger S: This statement is somewhat accurate. Almost all the remixes released by METROLAND were created by me, with Passenger A participating in just a handful of them. Yet, there’s always some level of constraint. 808 DOT POP has its own distinct flavour and sound, which makes it easy for me to differentiate between a METROLAND mix and an 808 DOT POP mix. METROLAND offers a grittier sound with deeper and darker palette of tones, in contrast to 808 DOT POP, which sounds like a sweet candy store filled with layered sequences. The remix I created of ‘Elated’ is packed with plenty of 808 flavours and treats from that candy shop. It might be more accurately referred to as Passenger S’s 808 DOT POP mix.

Passenger A: Absolutely not, as it would have turned out tooooootally different. There were sounds and percussion that would not make it into the METROLAND studio.

What about the Eclipse series of mixes of the 808 DOT POP and Lis van den Akker single ‘Catching The Sun’? How was this approached?

Passenger A: That was a surprising thing. I sent the audio tracks of my version over in order to have the endmix better. It came back with an additional edit and dub where the other one went nuts. He did ask for my approval, but how could I say no to creativity?

Passenger S: At that point, Passenger A was just kicking off his project, and I thought it would be nice to give him a little boost. The foundation of the original mix was completely his, and I handled the final mix down, along with the creation of the edit and the dub. I found the idea really appealing, and the sweetest detail is that the little boy in the artwork is none other than Passenger A himself 😊

What about your own favourite solo tracks?

Passenger A: For LECTREAU that would be ‘Apricity’ (hence the naming of the label that I created for me and one other artist who shall remain nameless). As some might know, for me ORBITAL has been a huge inspiration since I first heard them in the 90s. Even in METROLAND here and there you will find some parts that could have been delivered by the Hartnoll brothers. ‘Ikone Der Moderne’ from the ‘Triadic Ballet’ album is a good example. The intro of that song is pure ORBITAL for me. It is even more present in the live version of ‘Ikone Der Moderne’.

‘Apricity’ is for me an ode to ORBITAL. The melody, the build-up, the sampled vocal (it is my niece, living in Canada by the way) and the sound all breathe ORBITAL. The single ‘Monochrome’, released recently, has evolved in that same fashion; ORBITAL. To make sure, I don’t set out when starting up my machines, it just organically moves like that.

Passenger S: Each song you share with the world is one that you cared about deeply while writing, whether it took you 5 minutes or 5 months, it was approached with the dedication of a monk. For this reason, I never criticize the creations of fellow artists, as I truly understand and respect their viewpoints.

The process of making music can be quite lengthy and demanding, especially during the mixing phase. I often find myself spending weeks fine-tuning a sound until every little detail is just right. Once my music is out in the world, I am so fed up with these songs I seldom revisit them; it’s all about moving forward to the next creations. I couldn’t even recall the songs from ‘The Colour Temperature’, let alone the ones we produced for ‘Mind The Gap’ back in 2012.

During the making of ‘The Colour Temperature’, I distinctly remember a track called ‘Radiation Laws’ (I really had to look up that song title again), that song came to life during a challenging period for me, yet the intro had a sequence that felt so uplifting, and I recall that it was linked to one very positive moment. When I listen to it, I’m transported back to that moment. It’s fascinating how electronic music can stir up such cherished memories; it’s definitely more than just cold and mechanical sounds.

While all this has been going on, METROLAND continues in parallel with the new EP ‘Cooperation’, a track from the ‘Forum’ album, why did you pick this to rework?

Passenger A: ‘Forum’ started out from an idea to remix ‘Industry’, but we felt it was not enough, so the idea of a linked album to ‘0’ followed. Due to the short time we had, not all tracks are ripe for remixing or making it a single. ‘Cooperation’ felt a like a logical choice.

Passenger S: ‘Cooperation’ hasn’t been completely reworked, I just trimmed it down for a radio edit and created an extended version. It’s a favourite among many who played ‘Forum’, but I have to admit, I’m not a fan. It was one of my biggest struggles to get the mix right. I even re-recorded it after the initial mastering because I just couldn’t get it to sound how I wanted. This really shows how much effort I put into tweaking a track. Even now, I don’t feel satisfied with the mix, but it seems most fans have a different opinion. The extended version highlights all the layers in the song, serving as a way for me to express, “Guys, this was the toughest song I’ve ever mixed.”

Overall, are you happy with how the last two METROLAND albums ‘0’ and ‘Forum’ have been received with their future economics themes?

Passenger S: I must say, the entire idea was absolutely fantastic, a delightful futuristic theme that kept progressing, clearly showing in both ‘0’ and ‘Forum’. I remember a few years ago while on vacation, I did read Klaus Schwab’s book, ‘The Fourth Industrial Revolution’ which was quite overwhelming at the time.

As always, every release and every little detail was meticulously planned. From the launch of ‘4’ (the 12-inch single) to the countdown leading to ‘0,’ culminating in ‘4.0’. The album title ‘0’ echoed The Fourth Industrial Revolution, a title that could be pronounced by listeners in any language.

Passenger A: Personally, I adore ‘0’. The length of some songs was crazy while we were doing our best to keep it interesting for the listener with filters and layers and a million moments where things happened before they know it. As we work in themed approaches, we focus on the music itself and the concept in a whole. This does not mean that we agree with the economic or political view on it. Still we have gotten some weird questions in interviews at the time about this. I guess that some people cannot see through the METROLAND vision.

‘0’ is darker than ‘Forum’ in sense of songs and art, and some fans prefer one or the other, so reception has been good for both. Someone once wrote “finally METROLAND have moved into their own sound, away from KRAFTWERK”. I agree wholeheartedly, but we feel that at times some fans expect it and even if a song has this Krafty flavour, it is not something we strive for.

Talking of the future, how do you think AI might influence your music?

Passenger S: At this moment, I’m not quite sure what lies ahead, so let’s wait and see what unfolds. I’m all for embracing new technology if it leads to something better. It could be fun to put out a song with AI-generated vocals, why not explore that (just want to point out, not “copying” existing singers and their voice)? When I use a synth module today to create a random sequence, it could just as easily be produced by AI, right? It’s too soon to make any definitive decisions, the future is something that some people fear, exciting for others, while some choose to remain in a comfortable middle ground.

Passenger A: It already does; 90% of my art work is built on AI art. I am also exploring some ways to include AI vocals, as we speak. It will not influence it, it will just be an ingredient or not.

What is next for 808 DOT POP and LECTREAU?

Passenger S: Regarding 808 DOT POP, I’m currently working on an exciting new trilogy. Yes, three albums that are intertwined within one concept. It’s going to be a true ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’, leading the listener back on a journey to a not-so-distant past. There was a lot, and truly a lot to investigate and I’m just about done mixing all 24 tracks, along with writing the accompanying material…I will stick to that information… keep a close eye on my Facebook or webpage.

Passenger A: For LECTREAU, more singles coming up and I am working on two remixes for one band. Again, it was very organic how that came about. I had an idea for a sound, but that would not fit in the remix I was doing. So I decided to make two because that sound was amazing. I don’t think the band will oppose to it 😉

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to Passenger S and Passenger A

808 DOT POP ‘The Colour Temperature’ and ‘Pop Radio’ are released by by Alfa Matrix, available from https://www.808dotpop.com/shop.html

https://808dotpop.com/

https://www.facebook.com/808dotpop/

https://www.instagram.com/808dotpop/

LECTREAU ‘Monochrome’, ‘Just Wonder’, ‘Petrichor’ and previous singles are available from https://lectreau1.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075981708943

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KaMVzSwev7CXLCXG1rOyk

METROLAND ‘Cooperation’ and Forum’ are released by Alfa Matrix, available from https://store.alfa-matrix-store.com/

https://www.metrolandmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/metrolandmusic

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
28 October 2024