According to their own statements, JAKUBA do “children’s room rap” and “old man rap”. In other words: thoughtful lyrics reminiscent of poetry slam texts, accompanied by pleasantly relaxing lofi beats. The Tyrolean duo consists of singer JAKOB KÖHLE and producer ANDREAS STEINER aka KEEPLOVE. In an interview that is just dripping with love and mutual respect, JAKUBA ITTA FRANCESCA IVELLIO-VELLIN talk regarding their other band projects, why there are no press photos of the musicians and what advantages and disadvantages genre classification offers.
There isn’t that much information regarding you yet, imagine it!
Andreas Steiner: Yes, I’m Andreas and I’m a musician, songwriter, guitarist and singer and I live in Innsbruck, Tyrol. Actually in Völs, but I always say Innsbruck because you don’t know Völs.
Jakob Köhle: I’m Jakob and I play drums! And I often make music with Andreas. That’s why we thought regarding it, why don’t we start a project together and do something with the texts that I sometimes write. Andreas is also a great producer, he makes wonderful lo-fi beats. The whole thing is an awful lot of work for him, and very little for me [lacht].
Andreas Steiner: It is also quite exciting that we are allowed to talk to you regarding this project.
How come?
Andreas Steiner: Well, we’ve known each other for a long time and make music together in various projects. Jacob it’s a relatively new project.
What other projects are you still active in?
Andreas Steiner: At 2seedsleft Jakob has been our drummer for many years. This is a jazz/pop band that often plays with the Beatles is compared. And I have a solo project Tom Josephwhere I do singer/songwriter stuff, Jakob was a big part of it from the start.
Jakob Köhle: I’m also with you Saltbrennt that’s a great band too. Originally blues, it has since evolved into alpine groove funk. Everything is homemade, often in dialect.
How did you two meet?
Jakob Köhle: We studied jazz together in Innsbruck.
“Personally, Jakob’s lyrics remind me a bit of poetry slam.”
Where would you place yourselves in terms of genre?
Andreas Steiner: It’s not classic rap. Personally, Jakob’s lyrics remind me a bit of poetry slams.
Absolutely, that was my association too. Is that something you can identify with, Jakob?
Jakob Köhle: I appreciate that very much. Nevertheless, I have to admit that following a certain time I always find poetry slam a bit exhausting because there is no music involved.
Do you write the lyrics alone? How does the cooperation work?
Jakob Köhle: So with the previous songs, I thought regarding the basic structure and the stupid two chords that always go back and forth – from a compositional point of view, what happened is not great – and then I prepare it with my half-knowledge on some program and send it to Andreas. He’s always very nice and donates his time to me, which we then spend in his studio. He churns hours into it and then we record it. I’m always totally satisfied with the first draft, but then he keeps making more and more. But yes, the lyrics happen beforehand.
Andreas Steiner: But recently I just sent him a beat without having had a text from Jakob beforehand, and that worked really well. So, we are open to different workflows.
One of your songs is called “The Power of Habit”. What’s this regarding?
Jakob Köhle: It’s regarding the fact that a lot should change, but you don’t do anything regarding it because you always do things the way you do them out of habit. So procrastination, too.
What would you like to do differently but can’t?
Jakob Köhle: Smoking! For example when waiting for the bus. You almost have to smoke a cigarette because that’s when he comes. a phenomenon.
There are no press photos of you. on yours Instagram-Account one finds only drawings. How do they fit the concept?
Jakob Köhle: Don’t you like the drawings?
The drawings are delightful.
Jakob Köhle: Do you recognize us from the drawings?
Secure. Who is your artist?
Andreas Steiner: There Jacob.
And how did it happen?
Jakob Köhle: Because it’s easy. It’s so uncomplicated. We’re two idiots just doing this without any plan. Luckily we know people like Jo [Stöckholzer, Anm.], who then knows people like you. We two don’t do anything. We sit there in the studio and just do it. Without claim of completeness. I’m really happy that I have Andi who does it with me, because without him nothing would happen. And I’m happy when people like it, and if people don’t like it, that’s totally fine too. We both don’t have much time and are involved in so many projects that we didn’t even think regarding putting energy into press photos.
“We’re two idiots just doing this without any plan.”
I particularly like the appreciation that prevails between you.
Andreas Steiner: Yes, we just like each other. For me, Jakob is one of the best and greatest musicians that I have had the privilege of meeting in my short life. And working with him is one of the most beautiful things in my life.
Jakob Köhle: Ah, are you nice? But you don’t dare to say that either when I’m sitting in the same room! [Anm.: Das Interview findet über Zoom statt.]
I am very touched. I’m regarding to cry.
Jakob Köhle: Normally we insult each other in the wildest way. [lacht]
Andreas Steiner: [lacht]
Jakob Köhle: I also think that everything Andi does is great. For me he is also the best songwriter there is. I’ve been a fan from the very beginning, right following Andi’s dad.
Jacob It’s definitely well received, so what you two are doing seems to be working very well. are you satisfied
Andreas Steiner: Totally satisfied. And actually a little surprised.
“We just like each other.”
Is Jacob then just a heart project for you? You don’t seem to have any commercial ambitions with it now.
Andreas Steiner: Ideally, every project is a heart project. We are not industrial writers or producers. So yes, Jacob can definitely be called a heart project. But Jakob also likes to stand under a bushel. He’s putting more work into this than this might seem, or maybe than he cares to admit. [lacht]
Is it a novelty that your voice is the focus of a music project, Jakob?
Jakob Köhle: Well, I’ve been singing in other projects from time to time, but this chanting is new.
Did that take effort?
Jakob Köhle: I’ve been writing lyrics like this for a long time because I really like this kind of music. As a teenager I have a lot Fat bread and Fanta4 heard Dendemann’s The Silence Dilemma. This whole German rap thing that happened in the meantime passed me by a bit. What we do is now so old man chanting, that’s not hip. This is nursery rap. Without swear words.
90s german rap, best. Speaking of Fat bread: At the beginning of your song “Schade Schokolade” comes a fat bread quote – how did it happen?
Jakob Köhle: Because it’s true.
On your label’s website all of us will you come with me Edgar Wasser, Faton and Captain Peng compared.
Jakob Köhle: Yes, well I would never compare myself to anyone.
Why? Because you think it’s megalomaniac to hang out with someone like Edgar Wasser to compare, or because you think you are simply unique and incomparable?
Jakob Köhle: the former! When I make a song, I don’t think it’s up to me to judge whether it’s good or not. I just do it to the best of my knowledge and belief and others then find it good or not. I also don’t think it’s appropriate to compare yourself to others.
Andreas Steiner: That’s the thing with comparisons and genre classification, anyway. For the artists, this is nonsense and often also a limitation. But the music industry is such that it puts up an offer and you have to fit in with it so that someone who has never listened to it knows what to expect. Then such comparisons are okay, but I’m grateful that we don’t have to make these comparisons.
“I would never compare myself to anyone.”
People always want to be able to categorize and classify everything so that they can speak and think.
Andreas Steiner: Yes, that is also legitimate. First and foremost, I meant that I’m glad we don’t have to make this classification. And that we don’t work in such a way that we serve a genre that’s hip at the moment, but simply do what we like.
Otherwise there would always be the same music.
Andreas Steiner: Exactly! And made better by others. After all, I can’t copy someone one-to-one and expect it to be better than the original. When you’re in a genre it’s always best to think outside the box, otherwise you’re just doing something that already exists.
Nevertheless, it is also the case that many musicians are simply inspired by music that is currently modern and therefore make similar music.
Andreas Steiner: Anyway. I don’t want to accuse anyone of anything now. But there are producers who think like that and only serve what is currently commercially successful. Of course not all, otherwise there would only be one kind of music, as you said.
Then everyone would make hits. The coal is in the hit!
Jakob Köhle: Until all the hit money is with us and we are filthy rich. [lacht]
When is the next single coming?
Jakob Köhle: On April 7th, the song “Sonnenseite” will be released in time for Good Friday, which is regarding unwanted change, which in retrospect doesn’t even have to be that bad, and that there are only sunny sides when there is shade elsewhere.
We’re looking forward to it!
Many thanks for the nice conversation.
Itta Francesca Ivellio-Vellin
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Links:
Jakub (Instagram)
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