With less than two weeks to go before this year's Prague Gothic Treffen, we had a chat with Erica from Abu Nein before their very first performance in Czechia. Abu Nein, who has been coping with a great loss recently, talked about the past, dark present, occultism, expressionism or about the Arab world...
Sanctuary.cz: Hi Abu Nein! You’ll be soon coming to Czechia for PGT, but there’s not much information about you despite the fact you’re a pretty well-known band in the scene now. How come? Do I not know how to search or are you intentionally trying to stay a bit mysterious? After all, you label yourself as enigmatic darkwave…
Erica Li: It's not intentional at all. I’m not sure how we've managed to stay under the radar. I guess it's a question of whether that's a good thing or not, haha!
Sanctuary.cz: How is it going with the third album that should come out in autumn? Does it have a name already? And are you able to say if this album is going to be different from the previous ones in any way? The first and strong single “Unwanted” seems more energetic and dance-driven…
Erica Li: The album is titled “Dark Faith,” and it’s particularly special to us because it was co-written and produced by our dear friend, Andreas Catjar-Danielsson, who sadly passed away just a week ago. It will be released on September 9th. To keep with our enigmatic theme, I can say that there are some surprises along with familiar elements on this album.
Sanctuary.cz: But let’s go back to the beginning.How did Abu Nein come into existence? Where did the first ideas of collaboration emerge and who was there when Abu Nein was established?
Erica Li: I was approached by Dennis Lood, the owner of the record store and label, in 2018 after I performed as a guest with the band Machinista. He expressed his desire for me to provide vocals for his new project. Shortly after, Anders Nordensson joined, and two years later, we released our first EP, followed by our debut album in 2020.
Abu Nein - Kissing the Glove
Sanctuary.cz: You and Andreas have known each other since previous collaborations in bands Baby Blonde & The Downs, Down in June or Lovac. Can you describe these projects shortly to the readers? How is your situation now regarding working in different bands and projects? Are you planning anything new with O+HER?
Erica Li: Yes, Andreas Catjar-Danielsson and I have collaborated on various musical projects over the years. Unfortunately, ABU NEIN will be our last collaboration since he passed away recently. Baby Blonde and the Downs was a dark folk-pop band, and we released one EP in 2008 with the Spanish label Moonpalace Records. Down in June was a cover project where we interpreted songs by "Death in June," released in 2008 on Douglas Pierce’s label, Nerus. We continued to explore the neofolk/dark folk genre with the project Lovac, releasing a full-length album in 2010 and an EP in 2014 on the American label Soleilmoon Recordings. Nowadays, besides ABU NEIN, I collaborate with Tobias Bernstrup in a project called O+HER. We plan to release our debut album later this year, although we already have six songs available on Spotify.
Sanctuary.cz: How big of a perk was it to have a chief of a label in your band at the start? (Dennis - Rundgång Records)? :) What changed for you as a band after you transferred to Progress Productions?
Erica Li: Having a record deal before we even completed our first song was certainly a perk. Within 24 hours of our EP's digital and tape release, we were contacted by the German label Young & Cold Records, which released our first full-length album on vinyl (both the first and second press). We didn’t switch to Progress Productions until the second album, and we are still with them. Not much changed for us; I believe both labels are equally good, but it felt easier to work with a Swedish label.
Sanctuary.cz: have read somewhere that the success of EP “I Will Rise” surprised you. How difficult was it to follow-up on your successful debut record? Was it a surprise for you in general that darkwave, postpunk, coldwave and the whole dark scene has seen such a boom lately?
Erica Li: The sophomore album is always a challenge. People now have expectations, and it’s inevitable to disappoint someone. However, we managed to set those concerns aside and create an album that we are proud of. We are humbled that both fans and critics seem to appreciate it as well. Let’s hope our third album receives as much love as the previous two! And no, we are not surprised. I suppose dark times call for more dark music.
Sanctuary.cz: The image is not very important for some bands, but this is definitely not the case for you. Have you thought of any concept of how your band should look when on stage or in music clips, or does the band merely reflect your personalities in their usual state?
Erica Li: We don't have a carefully crafted image or specific stage personas. What you see is what you get, both on and off stage. Our image and imagery is maybe just a higher reflection of our mundane selves.
Sanctuary.cz: When I watch the music video for “Love in Vain”, I can’t help but think that you have a soft spot for expressionism and old movie classics. Is that correct? Generally, how does art influence your music?
Erica Li: Yes I have an appreciation for classic cinema in general and expressionism in particular. Old movie classics often juxtapose stark realities with moments of beauty, a duality that influences my songwriting. Art, in all its forms, serves as a powerful muse. It evokes feelings that transcend into words. Whether it’s the dramatic lighting in a film scene or the bold brush strokes of an expressionist painting.
Sanctuary.cz: Do you enjoy standing in front of the camera? The music video for “Kissing the Glove” is basically a fully-fledged short horror film. How is it to be an actor in your own “movie”? :)
Erica Li: I wouldn’t describe it as acting; rather, it’s simply another state of being present. It is no difference if you are on stage, off stage, or back stage.
Sanctuary.cz: I heard you would describe your music as a tribute to occultism. How much are you interested in occultism? What literature affected you in this regard? Try and recommend some pieces of work that have shaped your mystic journey. Do you like any other related bands in this respect?
Erica Li: My music career and my profession as a doctor of the history of religions go hand in hand. So to be honest I primarily read academic texts on esotericism and occultism. One significant contribution to this field is Per Faxneld’s dissertation, “Satanic Feminism: Lucifer as the Liberator of Woman in Nineteenth-Century Culture”. When it comes to fiction, I can recommend the poems and prose of Stanisław Przybyszewski. As for music, I generally prefer bands that do not seem to appropriate occultist and esoteric culture. Current 93, Psychic TV, and Coil are excellent examples of bands I appreciate in this regard.
Sanctuary.cz: Do you read horror books as well? Or do you prefer literature and occultism rather than novels and when it comes to horror, you prefer a movie?
Erica Li: As I mentioned, I don't read much fiction these days. When it comes to horror movies, I have quite an eclectic taste. I prefer more subtle horror over jump scares. And what kind of goth would I be if I didn't mention that I enjoy everything featuring Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Theda Bara?
Abu Nein feat. Henric de la Cour - Back Light
Sanctuary.cz: Besides other things, you’ve sold an ouija board or wands as merch. What was the reaction to these specialities and are they still available? Are you planning any other surprises for your fans?
Erica Li: We are always full of surprises. We'll see what the future holds in terms of merchandise. Perhaps an ABU NEIN tarot deck?
Sanctuary.cz: You made few covers and so far, you’ve always connected the release to some serious topic. “Hollow Hills” from Bauhaus was accompanied by the memory of murdered Sophie Lancaster and “City of Dust” is connected to helping the children in Gaza. Money earned this way was donated to charities bound to the mentioned topics. In your opinion, is it important for artists to draw attention to serious topics?
Erica Li: Yes, regardless of the topic, we believe we have a responsibility to use our platform to help others and to raise our voices on matters that are important.
Sanctuary.cz: Apart from helping Gaza, there are Arabian traces to be seen on the album cover, on merch or on the name of your band. What fascinates you about this part of the world, about the home of Abdul Al Hazred? 🙂
Erica Li: I lived in Lebanon from 2006 to 2013 while conducting fieldwork for my PhD, and I have traveled extensively throughout the Middle East. During those years, I learned Arabic and came to appreciate Arabic culture, including its food, art, architecture, music, and people.
Sanctuary.cz: Regarding the activity around Gaza. Has there been also any negative feedback or is the scene chill in this aspect?
Erica Li: People who aren't chill with us raising awareness about genocide, racism, fascism, or other forms of oppression are not worthy of our energy.
Sanctuary.cz: Is there any dream you would like to come true with Abu Nein?
Erica Li: We enjoy collaborating with other musicians and producers. We have recently worked with a well-known musician and producer, which is perhaps the biggest dream come true for us. Unfortunately, we have to keep that secret for a bit longer.
Sanctuary.cz: What do you expect from your first performance in Czech Republic and what can the fans expect from you?
Erica Li: We are really excited to visit the beautiful city of Prague and your festival. We are sure we will be received with warmth and love.
Take care and control
Sanctuary.cz: Thank you for your time and we’re looking forward to seeing you soon!
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