An interview with Setwun.
A raw, cosmic soul-jazz fusion brought to life through DIY drum recording in a living room, and spontaneous collaborations with close friends.
The new EP Visions in Venus by multi-talented artist and beloved Liveschool trainer, Setwun is a deeply personal EP that captures a journey through lockdown introspection, celestial contemplation, and collaborative spirit that feels both intimately grounded and expansively universal.
The four-track collection arrives via UK label Extra Soul Perception and brings together an extraordinary cast of collaborators, from Mango and Ohvee to Nikodimos Paleologoudias and Antonio Puglisi.
Your new EP Visions in Venus was recorded during the pandemic from your living room – how did that time shape the creative spirit of the EP?
The lock-in period pulled us all away from dancefloors and gave me a chance to get back into more instrumental based music. Playing and practicing, more engaged listening and recording to learn more about playing. I never set out to write a 4 track EP or a body of work. I’m always just writing for the exploration and enjoyment of it all. As the songs come about i pile them together, stylistically. Many more songs were written in this period in so many styles (some that will come out on other albums) but after reflecting after a few years I felt these 4 sat together.
What does Venus symbolise for you personally and musically?
Venus is the planet that we could see from my backyard every night during this period. Obviously Venus has its own connotations, but in this case it’s more just this big amazing thing in the distance that would let me escape and remind me a lot was out there, so much in fact, that I can’t get to all of it.
‘Venus’ is a song on the record, written with focus on a more isolated feeling, whilst gazing upon something greater and seemingly untouchable.
Visions in Venus is a title that represents a period of my life that I moved through and now look back at. I did in fact have no intention of releasing some of these. They most likely would have stayed on my hard drive if it wasn’t for ESP asking for some demos.
How did you choose collaborators like Nikodimos Paleologoudias or Antonio Puglisi, and what did they bring to the sonic palette?
Every player on the record Mango, Ohvee, Oscar Henfrey, Nikodimos, Antonio, Kiki and Dieyoungs are just beautiful talented people that I’m lucky to have in my life. I don’t choose them, it’s just organic through hanging out in most cases.
The record was finished over the course of a few years, so anytime someone was over staying at mine or visiting, jamming I’d just pull up a project or a few, whip out a mic and let them go for it. Sort of how it goes, we all just share music and sometimes people just say, oh i’ll jump on that. That’s how we collaborate often. It’s so relaxed that I think people forget they played on a track until they hear it a year later.
They bring so much to the sonic palette, and one thing I love about getting friends to play is that I can hear their personalities on it. We share a lot personally as friends and are all trying to dig a little deeper with each other always. Music is this moment where it all comes out and I hear how these people understand me and where I’m coming from.
How did you approach production for the ep, Software vs real instruments etc?
Initially I wanted to write and record a few 1 minute loops inspired by 70’s psych-soul groups like funkadelic, betty davis, undisputed truth etc, (Funky, Raw, Noisey, Group Vocal etc) to sample later on for something. But some of the songs just began to grow into their own thing. Honesty was something different though. That was maybe the last to be written and out of the lock down also. That one just felt special from the jump.
During this period, I’d usually record a groove on the drums, sometimes singing a riff at the same time then just start playing instruments to fill it in. Again I was aiming for a jam sound and something that felt rough so I’d just keep picking up instruments, replay the sung riff on a guitar etc and keep playing. Then I’d pick some loops, produce it up a bit, adding synths and supportive percussive programming. Sing a bunch more as words come to me (generally based on current life experiences) and then once i have it 80%, i feel like that’s when friends are coming through and recording over these old ideas.
Releasing through Extra Soul Perception connects you to a global tapestry of artists across East Africa and the UK. What does it mean to join that community, and how does it expand your creative reach?
The team and affiliated ESP Family has been such a blessing and a wonderful family to be welcomed into. My first experience meeting a lot of Crew was through an invitation to come to Kilifi, Kenya last year to write with UK and Kenyan artists and we all just had such a blast writing music and feeling like we were just learning so much in this incredibly deep setting. Since I’ve housed some of those Artists when they’ve Toured Aus and will be playing some shows with them in the UK in the coming months. Music is so incredible at bringing us all together. I hope to go back to Kenya, that’s the heaviest place musically i’ve ever experienced. Of course i’d love to continue to support and build with ESP family and extended in UK and Aus.
How was your listening party for the EP?
A nice moment to share with a lot of loved ones. Shout out to Fanatico Records for hosting us at the nicest space in the city to take in music. I think I’ve learnt I tend to finish things and move on to something more without reflecting on the achievement of completion sometimes. (I’ve written an Album and there’s another EP since) So it was nice to slow down and take it all in. Breathe out, hear the music in a different way.
How are you planning to perform these new tracks live?
Of course, we have been playing them out for some time. We will be taking this and more on the road in November with Kokoroko around AU and a few other shows.
Visions in Venus is released via Extra Soul Perception and is available now.
