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Together multi-instrumentalist PJ Seaux and singer Birsen Uçar are Hydrogen Sea. Featuring wavy synths, dark electronic beats, and an ethereal voice, the two have created a delicate distinctive sound that’s hear to stay.
GroundSounds recently caught up with Birsen for an exclusive interview, check it out below.
For those just discovering Hydrogen Sea, how did you guys come together and start making music?
Actually, we’ve been a couple for about 7 years. Pj has been a musician all his life, but I was always a bit too shy to try to make my own music, let alone sing in front of other people. It was last year that I convinced myself to write a vocal and lyrics to a song Pj had written on the guitar. Pj had never heard me sing before, but when I tried it for the first time in front of him, we both we’re so surprised, and then we knew we were going to make music together.
How did you guys come up with the name Hydrogen Sea?
I am fascinated by the cosmos and hydrogen is the most abundant substance in the universe, so at first, we wanted to go for ‘Hydrogen’. But then we found another band already had the same name. Then, I found out that hydrogen, which usually exists in a gaseous state, near Jupiter’s core, is pressed together into a liquid form, forming a sea of hydrogen. To me, it was such a beautiful and fascinating idea.
What was it like working on Court the Dark EP and bringing it to fruition?
At first, we wanted to record it all ourselves, have full control. We went to a studio to record it, but we felt the songs weren’t there yet. In the meantime we played a lot of gigs as support for Gabriel Rios, so our songs evolved. We felt we were ready again and went back into the studio, this time with producer Koen Gisen.
Can you tell us about filming the video for “Leave A Mark?” What was this day like?
We wanted to make our first video with Robbe Maes, whom we had worked with before. He immediately understood what we wanted, (we didn’t really want to move a lot or dance or … we just wanted to stand there and try to look serious) he knew we wanted mist and a beautiful atmosphere. We started that day at noon, but at midnight we hadn’t recorded a single take yet. But we had confidence in Robbe and his vision. We recorded until 4 in the morning, I think, shivering in the cold night, but it was worth it.
What can you tell us about the chair at the end of the video for “Leave A Mark?”
Robbe mentioned he wanted a burning chair in the video, so that day we set out to the thrift store to buy a chair. I was going to sit in it in the video, and at the end of the day, it was going to burn. Which was great news to Pj, because he loves setting fire to things (he was a really gifted boys scout).
Can you tell us about the writing process and inspiration for “The Farside?”
As I mentioned earlier, I am truly fascinated by the cosmos, the universe, the stars and planets. And the moon! The Farside is about the moon, and the fact that we only see part of it, the near side, because of the tidal lock with the earth. In the song I ask myself, what if we could see the moon in its entirety. Would it make us different people?
What do you enjoy most about performing live?
The greatest thing about performing live is that Pj and I perform together. We stand there together on stage, and with one glance we know what the other one is thinking. Which is very calming.
What is one thing everyone should see or do in Belgium?
Have a cold Belgian beer on a beautiful day with your friends or family. And talk and talk and talk until the sun comes up.
What is next for Hydrogen Sea?
We’re hoping to keep on performing, and, most importantly, keep on writing and creating, together.
Top Photo: Anna Vanaerschot
