Oakland-based art-pop group Makeunder talk forthcoming EP, ‘Great Headless Blank’

Since its inception, the Oakland-based art-pop group Makeunder, the vision of artist Hamilton Ulmer, has always approached its craft with a vision extending beyond just the music. Their latest EP, Great Headless Blank, is a unique sonic journey that speaks to the mind’s eye opening up visually evocative pathways.

That EP is set to be released for the first time on vinyl via Good Eye Records on October 14th. Appropriately, Makeunder re-launched Great Headless Blank with a wonderful animated music video for the title track.

Groundsounds caught up with Ulmer to gain more insight on the video, his creative process and more. Check out the interview after watching “Great Headless Blank” below and pre-order the EP here.

1) Hi, Makeunder! Congrats on Great Headless Blank. Could you go into some detail on what some of the larger themes are on the album?

The songs of Great Headless Blank are about a short but monumentally traumatic period in my life where my family suffered a number of tragedies, ending in my father’s passing from lung cancer. It took me years to get to the point where I could write about these things. The songs have a big, brash, difficult ebullience to them. There are often dozens of different instrument groups on each song, and sonically the EP moves from orchestral to wall-of-sound to choral. It made an interesting foil for depicting the suffocating grief of the period.

2) How did you arrive at your sound and who are your chief influences?

Boy, that’s a tough question, but I’ll attempt to answer it succinctly! My childhood home was always full of music, and often the weirdest stuff, loudly blasted – Australian aboriginal music, Beatles, Gypsy Kings, Beck, Bulgarian female vocal choirs, Earth Wind & Fire, Benny Goodman, CSNY, Aphex Twin, all sorts of opera, Bach. When I was twelve I became obsessed with the notion of becoming a composer, and spent my teenage years writing, studying, and analyzing orchestral music. So, Makeunder is my attempt to metabolize all of these interests and influences into songs.

3) Your sound is visually evocative and the video for “Great Headless Blank” certainly proves that. How did you come to collaborate with Carine Khalife?

We’ve never had a directed music video before, and weren’t sure what direction we wanted to take. At some point one of my bandmates suggested that maybe we find an animator, then another bandmate passed along some of Carine’s work. I instantly fell in love with her animation style. I didn’t think in a million years that she’d be interested in making a video for Makeunder, but I emailed her anyway, thinking that the absolute worst that could happen is she either says “no” or she ignores the email. I was surprised to get a response from her a few minutes after I pushed send. She’s a fantastic artist – incredible work ethic, strong vision, and an endless amount of talent and energy. Her work speaks for itself.

4) What is your songwriting process like? When you’re in search of inspiration where do you go, what do you look to?

I read a lot and listen to other people’s music as much as I can – books, magazine articles, albums upon albums. I think it’s important to interrogate (not just passively consume) as much creative output as you can outside of your own work. I dedicate about thirty minutes to an hour to writing prose in the morning, as a way to generate ideas, organize my thoughts, and otherwise get in the mood. I try to write about what I know – stories of my own, stories I’ve read that move me, stories that have built a nest in my memory. Aside from that, I don’t have much of a process, other than I try to work on a song every day, no matter what, and not think too much about having to finish, even though I know I should, and try not to judge what I’m working on too much. With time, you can usually tell if an idea won’t bear fruit, and then you can abandon it or repurpose it. Sometimes the creative process is breezy. Other times it feels like you’re slamming head-first into the pavement.

5) How do you see the visual aspect of Makeunder evolving? What would you do with an unlimited budget?

That’s a great question, and also a tough one to answer. It’s always hard to predict how the visual aspect will evolve, because it depends so much on finding collaborators that you get along with, and finding a way to make something neat together. Much of Makeunder’s current visual aesthetic comes from my collaboration with another artist, Gabriel Schama. He designed the last two album covers, and he and I spent time collaborating on other important pieces of Makeunder’s identity.

I’ve thought about your other question before – what I’d do with an unlimited budget. I am fortunate in that I feel like I have what I need to make the art I want to make – the bare minimum equipment, a great space to record, and a network of great musicians and artists. If money weren’t an issue I suppose I would be doing the kinds of things I’m doing now, but in a much bigger scale. For one thing, I’d love to record a live video album with an orchestra. I’d also love to have a big, immersive show I design with a handful of collaborators. I saw Camille in London a few years ago. Most Americans don’t know who she is, but she put on one of the most fascinating, engaging theatrical live shows I’ve ever seen, and I want to chase that idea. These are two things that feel within reach given my network, but they require money.

6) You’re based out of Oakland. Any new bands, venues, cultural institutions you could turn us onto?

There’s much to love about living in the East Bay. The art & music scene is vibrant, and everyone is hard-working, talented and friendly. Sound-wise, it’s hard to pin down the East Bay, because so many of the musicians here are also transplants. Everyone brings their own taste and aesthetic. That said, there are a ton of killer groups. Some that I like / know personally, and / or have played with – The Seshen, Bells Atlas, Waterstrider, ANML, Foxtails Brigade, though none of these projects are new. There aren’t enough decent venues in Oakland. I guess it’s too expensive to open one, with the real estate market being what it is in the Bay Area.

7) Any touring possible for later in 2016 or plans to get back into the studio?

Our focus for the rest of the year is finishing the next album, which is slowly but surely nearing completion. It’s a pretty all-consuming task, so I’m trying to keep the performance schedule a bit light for the rest of the year.

8) Great Headless Blank will be the debut release for Good Eye Records. When’s it out and where can we order it? Any record release show plans?

It’s out on 10/14, and you can order it over at the Good Eye Records store. We have plans for a record release show, but nothing to announce yet!

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