fullonline: Who is "Filteria", where you are from and what is your musical background? Why do you choose this name to the project?

Filteria: Hi. Thanks for your interest in doing an interview with me. My name is Jannis Tzikas. I'm 23 years old. Born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden. I am a sound engineer (Studies at SAE). Playing keyboard/piano since the age of 13. The name Filteria is kind of weird story. I was talking with a friend on the phone and told him: I will be right out, I will just filter this sound (what I meant was tweak and save the sound). To filter something is, "filtrera" in Swedish, but I accidently said filteria. A moment later I realized what I said, and so Filteria was born.

fullonline: Are you married and/or have kids?

Filteria: I am not married and don't have kids. I don't plan to have anything of them within the next 7-8 years. But later on, definitely!

fullonline: Can you keep a comfortable lifestyle working only as a psychedelic artist or a second job is needed?

Filteria: Some months I can live out of just the music. However to be on the safe side, a second job is needed. Also, I don't want to feel the pressure that I have to make music when I am uninspired, just for the money. For the moment I am studying to become a gymnasium teacher in Swedish, so that will be my second job in the not so distant future.

fullonline: What is on your CD Player right now?

Filteria: Right now I am listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium CD1. Very nice music. These days alot of Rock in different forms, like Pink Floyd, Joe Satriani , Yngwie Malmsteen, Guns N' Roses...

fullonline: Which one of your own music do you like the most? Does it have a special meaning to you?

Filteria: This is a hard question. Hmmmm. The ending of Rotate To Vibrate gives me goosebumbs even today. The intro of Operation Pulse is something special to me (especially one of the live-versions which will be released soon). The last climax of Navigate is massive on the dancefloor. I think the most complete overall track I've made is: Crop Circles - Lunar Civilization (Filterias Lunar Remix). This is NOT the same as the in album. You can catch it Live. I have great memories to some of my music, either creating it, playing it at some party or something else.

fullonline: What other music style do you listen to?

Filteria: I am listening to so much different music. From 80's, Italo Disco (go ahead and laugh ), Ambient, Reggae, Hip-Hop, Pop, New Age, etc, etc. Still, Trance is my favorite genre. Some stuff I like: Depeche Mode, Enigma, Bob Marley, Oliver Shanti & Friends, Mory Kante, Pink Floyd, Queen, the entire 80's...

fullonline: What Psytrance artists would you like to work with?

Filteria: I would like to work with Hux Flux, Human Blue, Hallucinogen (I have to see how he fucks up the vocals like that), Transwave. My biggest dream would be to work with Pleiadians (when they were 4 people).

fullonline: Is there any equipment you think can help you produce better music?

Filteria: Mac is easier to work with than PC (for me anyway). It's easier to sit with a real synth and learn the basis than to sit with a computer. If I may recommend some stuff: Waldorf Q, Nordlead 2, Korg Ms-20, a mixer, soundcard and some fx-box and you are all set to produce psy-trance which probably won´t sound like everything else.

fullonline: Do you prefer to play at parties at any specific time?

Filteria: Sunrise definitely! Or morning. If it's an outdoor party, it's kind of strange to play in the dark. I prefer outdoor parties any day (who doesn't ? ). It's even better if it's a festival...

fullonline: How do you choose the samples of your tracks? What is your favorite one?

Filteria: Sitting in front of the computer or watching a movie. Whatever gets my attention, I sample it and then I try to use it, to see if it fits in the track. My favorite sample is: The Snuggling Snail.

fullonline: You released your second album "Filteria - Heliopolis" in the beginning of the year, and it is still receiving reviews and comments while these days most releases are reviewed only when in the month they're launched.

Filteria: Yeah. I guess I am still a bit unknown in the scene. So some people discover it a few months later and write a review. Another reason must be that it's so different from the rest. As long as people discover the music, I am happy. Better late than never.

fullonline: I'm curious about your relationship with Suntrip Records. It is your home label, they released both your albums and your first album was their first release. What do you think about Suntrip Records and what is your relationship with the label?

Filteria: They are good friends of mine. We were friends even before there was a Suntrip. They opened the label because they wanted to release my music. There is a very relaxed atmosphere. Actually, I am more than just an artist there. I give opinions about artwork, music, etc. We make sure to help each other as much as possible. I enjoy a lot working with them.

fullonline: Your music could be called "Goa with up-to-date production". Why do you think the Goa style, which was common in the 90's, is produced by so few artists today?

Filteria: In my eyes, the real Goa came and died with Tsuyoshi (give or take 1 year). And then there was the revolution with X-Dreams Radio album which was and still is fabulous. Everyone wanted to make such music, cutting down on everything and just having a kick, bass and some FX. The problem is no one can be like X-Dream or do it as good as they did it. And slowly the minimal trend came in. And then Full On, and the rest we know...

There are some reasons why the music have changed I think. One is the software-revolution. No more screaming analogue synths which goa often included. Too much focus in the production left the music behind. Drugs have changed and that affects the music (from LSD to Cocaine). One other reason is it's harder to make Goa than Full On (at least I think so). And of course some people got tired of it.

fullonline: As far as I know, you released few tracks with other labels apart from Suntrip Records. Why is that?

Filteria: There are some releases coming up with different labels. I would like to release more. But until 3 months ago, there was and still is almost no labels interested in the music I do. It's not Full On enough. I have been contacted by labels, and they ask me for some tracks. They listen to the tracks everyone have said the same thing: Nice track, but put the typical bassline on top. Otherwise it won't sell, they think. Yet Suntrip sells as many Filteria CD's as the other standard labels sell of their newest compilation (I am not talking about the big labels like Hom-mega, B.N.E., etc now).

fullonline: You have just created another project the "K.O.B" (Kind of Behavior). What is the idea behind this new project? There will be any release in the near future?

Filteria: The idea with this whole project was to release everything that don't fit under Filteria. The people who follow my work expect me to release energetic melodic music as Filteria. K.O.B. might be oldschool in some ways, but FAAAAAR less melodic. It concentrates more on weird stuff. It's more organic and less energetic. From the beginning it was acidstuff, but later on the music went more to the "twisted-style". Don't expect any "Goa" or Full On, just plain Psychedelic Trance . In January the first K.O.B. will be released on Suntrip called: Weight of Oblivion. I have 5 K.O.B. tracks, so there will be an album soon, probably on Suntrip. You can listen to 2 K.O.B. tracks at www.myspace.com/filteria

fullonline: What are your future releases? Any chance of releasing a new Filteria album?

Filteria: There is a DVD from the Full-Moon Festival released soon (maybe it's released already). I have a track there, "Flanger Saucer". Kagdila Records will release their Pure Planet 2 compilation, which is more oldschool-oriented. I have two remixes there from my first album: "Operation Pulse (Live Remix)" & "Ultimator (Ultimated Remix)". These tracks were made early 2005, before I started with Heliopolis. I am also waiting for Tranceform Records to release their compilation Fluorotronik, where I have two tracks: "Math Is God Is Math" & "Burn" (tracks produced in early 2004!). The CDs are printed, but I think there were some distribution issues. Last but not least Shivalinks Records will release an oldschool compilation. I will have a track there.

There will be a third Filteria album. I am working on that one. I don't know any exact date or anything, but I will need a while. I have 3 or 4 tracks that I am happy with. There will be a K.O.B. album before the third Filteria album.

fullonline: Tell us about the psychedelic trance scene in your homeland (Sweden).

Filteria: In Sweden, we have a great scene if you look at the artists. There is Hux Flux, Son Kite, Solar Fields, Human Blue, Logic Bomb, Carbon Based Lifeforms, Abba ,etc, etc. I think we cover the whole psychedelic spectra with quality music. The party scene is awesome in the summer. The outdoor parties are lovely. In the winter its naaaah. We have also some problems with the cops here.

fullonline: What do you think about people sharing music through mp3 instead of buying it?

Filteria: It's good for promotion, and discovering new music. It's super ok to download and listen to the tracks at home, but if you enjoy them, buy them to support the artists and the labels.

fullonline: On your personal website www.filteria.com it is possible to listen to samples of all your released tracks, also there are two complete unreleased tracks for download, info about your studio and more. What is your opinion about your website? There is any plan to update or upgrade?

Filteria: Fabien (from Suntrip) is my webmaster. He is very busy, since he works a lot. He has psynews, suntrip label + suntrip site and my site aswell. I would like to update, since the page looks kind of poor. But we'll see when there is time for that. There will be samples from the new Filteria stuff and also from the new K.O.B. stuff. As soon as there is time that is.

fullonline: Also you have a personal page at www.myspace.com/filteria, where we can find new music by you. Do you think it is a good promotion and way to test the new tracks? You got feedback on these tracks? What is your opinion about Myspace?

Filteria: It seems that everybody is at myspace. Magnus "Solar Fields" said I should fix a myspace page. Of course it good promotion and a way for me to see if people like the new stuff. Myspace itself seems very buggy...

fullonline: How do you prepare your Live Acts? What you usually change in each different Live Act?

Filteria: On the Live Sets is where I spend the most time (incl. producing a new track). I make sure that ALL the tracks are remixed. Those remixes I do in the studio (since its midi and not audio-tracks). I can't take with me 10 synths.
I have never played the same set twice! You will never hear a released track in the same version as it is on CD (before it gets released that is). I have plenty of different versions of each track. And its not just one added sounded or so. Different melodies, structure etc. So I play these different versions on different sets. For instance, I have 6 versions of "Unfiltered", 5 versions of "Lunar Civilization Remix". The worst one is Stars (11 remixes and versions). Check for instance on the Pure Planet 2 compilation I mentioned earlier. Those tracks are live remixes from the beginning.
To generalize it a bit, I could play: 1-2 tracks from Sky Input (remixed), 4-5 tracks from Heliopolis (remixed) and the rest is unreleased stuff. Either older or newer stuff which is about to get released.
When I play, I bring my Laptop and my memory card for the nordlead. Premixed in the computer, and add melodies and sounds on top. Yes I know it's not real "live", but I can't seem to find any other way to do this (since its midi and not audio). Also some organizers promises to rent a Nordlead and mixer and when I get to the party place, all I see is a midicontroller. 99% of the acts in psytrance play like this and most of them don't even add a sound. Not to mention they play released versions.

I just updated my entire Mac and I think Logic 7 might be stable enough to run midi-tracks with live-tweaking on top of the actual tracks. I had issues when I tried this before with Logic 5. I have some other ideas for Live Sets I will try out. Great that Christmas is coming and some free time with it. I could also add that pretty much everyone says that I am better "live" than on CD. People seem to enjoy the live versions more than the released ones.

fullonline: You prefer to play a DJ set or a Live Act? Why?

Filteria: Live Act since I am not a DJ. J

fullonline: What makes a good party? You think decoration is important?

Filteria: I think the most important is the vibe. I don't care if its 30 people on the dance floor or 300 as long as they enjoy and dance. I prefer 30 dancing, smiling & shouting people any day compared to 300 that just stand there. That comes before everything else. Then of course there is nice with deco, and a nice sound system doesn't hurt anyone. But as I said before, the vibe and the atmosphere is the most important for me.

fullonline: What do you think people should do to make a better scene? Any visions about the future?

Filteria: I think it's very subjective what a good scene is. What might suck for me, might be utopia for someone else, so I won't say too much. The thing I personally miss in today's scene is more psychedelic music. Stuff that really twists the brain. Seems it's few stuff that have that effect on me nowdays. I think the scene will become more commercial, and split into more categories. But it's nothing I think about. I just make music and we will see what the future will bring us.

fullonline: In which other psytrance projects you think we should keep an eye?

Filteria: Ka- Sol, Red Gravity, Human Blue, Hux Flux, Ra, Talpa, Khetzal, Simon Posfords projects, Logic Bomb, and X-Dream was and always is interesting. And don't forget to check out Transwaves backfire CD! I am sure I have forgotten some...

fullonline: What is your favorite psychoactive molecule?

Filteria: Tandori-chicken. Spaces me out totally. I like beer and some other stuff...

fullonline: We all know that all kind of weird stuff happen at psychedelic gatherings. Can you tell us something different/funny that you saw or happened to you in a party?

Filteria: There is one thing I will never forget, on a party here in Sweden called Goaway (you can download that set btw). The DJ before me played very dark hypnotic music for 4 hours (Wonderfull set!), and I took over during sunrise. The energy when I started playing was MASSIVE. And I remember this one dude rolling around and tearing his dreads. He was dancing like a madman. 2 minutes later he was hugging the speakers. Cool dude.

Now that I think about it, there was a similar story to the first one. A dude on Full-Moon pointed at the left speaker and tried to signal me like it didn't work. He walked into the center of the floor, pointed on the right speaker and gave a thumb up, like "this speaker is working". The second after he falled on his knees screamed something, jumped back up and started jumping around. I am still curious what he screamed.

fullonline: Any last comment, message and/or promotional link?

Filteria: Thanx to the people that support me! Thanx to the ones that come to the parties and dance like crazy (you really inspire me!). It's nice to see that the melodies and oldschool-oriented vibes are still wanted and getting stronger. Thanx to all the organizers that booked me and the ones who are about to book me.

www.filteria.com
www.myspace.com/filteria
http://www.play.fm/playfm_artists.php?p_id=2759

Enjoy life! Take care / Jannis Filteria

fullonline: Take a look at this video where Filteria is playing Navigate rmx Live at Rhakti Dei Festival - BE.

Thank you!
Respect!