Serguei Spoutnik is the solo project of Damien Lecoq who previously toured Europe with the electro rock band QDRPD alias Quadrupède. Following his first solo EP in 2020, he returns with an album. “Transcend” is a record blended introspective ambient textures, 1980s-inspired synths, and spoken word elements. Seven track explores the bridge between his adolescence in a housing estate in France and his adult life as a queer artist, embodying a form of liberation. It examines this path of transformation while highlighting the relationships between different cultural and social spheres. “Transcend” by Serguei Spoutnik was conceived during a residency in Reykjavik, Iceland. More details from his composer.

Welcome! A glass of?

A porto tonic, very cold.

Your first approach to Beatmaking?

Early 2000s. First attempts were playing cheesy French classics and film music on a bad arranger keyboard, with a completely outdated teacher. Then a hardcore punk band as a teenager. Serguei Spoutnik started around 2019, with instant recordings on old synths and a VHS-like texture.

What comes to your mind if I say Reykjavik?
Freezing wind. Hafnar Haus, my studio with a view over the mountains, the sea, and the harbor. An extraordinary parenthesis, more about the city than the landscapes. Deep, quiet encounters, full of kindness and hospitality. Björk DJing in a tiny record shop on my first day. René, Ása, and the seven artists who lent me their synths without hesitation.

Can you explain your creative process for *Transcend*?

I went to Reykjavik for a three-week residency, with the idea of capturing seven tracks in seven days, each time using a different synth borrowed from a different local artist. It pushed me into a very intuitive process, creating instant musical snapshots while also meeting seven very different artists, which gave me a glimpse of the local scene.

In exchange, I gave them a small camcorder and asked them to film moments from their day. It allowed me to access fragments of their lives and later use those images as inspiration to continue writing.

The core melodies were captured during the residency, then I spent almost a year refining everything back in France. The final production and arrangements were done over a few months with my friend and musician Apollo Noir.

Soft or hardware?

Hardware for creativity. It feels more inspiring and alive. But for live, I tend to simplify everything as much as possible. I like reducing the setup, maybe to focus more on meaning and energy. So I often use software to recreate what I did with hardware. It’s never exactly the same, but I’m fine with that.

Sun or moon?

Sun. The feeling of a new day starting.

Mountains or sea?

The sea. Childhood memories, soft air, and a quiet sense of disconnection.

What is a production-related question that you would like to ask yourself – and what's your answer to it?

I’m always navigating between making it sound “perfect” and not caring at all. Production is not the core of my approach, even if I use it to enhance the emotions I want to convey. Once a record is finished, I always ask myself how to make it sound as good as possible. But sometimes, trying too hard kills it. And on the contrary, going more instinctive, even lo-fi, can lead to something stronger, as long as it fits the story. Sometimes the best choice is to fully embrace imperfection.

You maximum BPM?

80 BPM in sixteenth notes.

When you dig records, what are you obsessed with?

Ambient records on vinyl. The object brings an atmosphere into the room. The music settles into the space and becomes part of it.

Your top 5 new releases

- Erika de Casier “Lifetime”

- Chanel Beads “Your Day Will Come”

- Kassie Krut “Kassie Krut”

- DJ Suzy “Haunted Disc”

- James K “Friend”

Your top 5 oldies

- Oneohtrix Point Never “R Plus Seven”

- Oklou “Galore”

- 1991 “1991”

- Jenny Hval “Blood Bitch”

- Lanark Artefax “Whities 011”

The composer who puts you crazy systematically?

Visible Cloaks. Extremely minimal, but the sound design is insane.

What’s your motto, your adage, your favorite quote?

Less is more.

What job would you like to do if you weren’t a DJ-beatmaker?

Architecture. Creating spaces where people can feel good, safe, and fulfilled. Something discreet but meaningful. Giving life, welcoming, sharing, just like music.

Interviewed by supa cosh… / Photo by Lukas Persyn