GALÁN / VOGT is a collaboration between Spanish composer Pepo Galán and France based Australian dream pop vocalist/musician Karen Vogt. They met online early in the pandemic and worked remotely to record an album together. Their debut album “The Sweet Wait” was released in November 2022. The album drifts through ambient, drone, shoegaze, experimental, neoclassical and some slight pop territory.

The duo asked a selection of artists to remix all tracks from their debut album. The frst remix single comes from American composer Akira Rabelais. Remixes from Markus Guentner, Alpha and more will be released in 2023 with the remix album to follow.

Akira Rabelais has made two stunning remixes of the track Panacea in his signature style. The frst remix is accompanied by a video that also feature’s Rabelais’ animations. The second remix is a mammoth 18 minutes long and together they form the frst digital single for the remix album that is entitled “All The Time In The World”.

Spotify – Bandcamp

Where do you come from and where are you going?

Pepo: I grew up in a hard-working family and had a difcult childhood, so it’s maybe why I am always looking forward. I am determined to work hard so that my family does not lack anything. But I would like to leave something more permanent behind when I am gone, and I feel like music is a place where I can somehow do that.

Karen: I come from having spent over 20 years being in a band (Heligoland) and I know how important it is to feel connected to our creative heart. Our ability to express ourselves and communicate through music and art is something that can get us through the most difcult situations. So I’ll just keep following the signposts that point this way and lead me to keep creating.

What worries you these days?

Pepo: I worry about the lack of basic good manners and sociability in today’s society. Especially among teenagers and young adults who seem to be less grateful and engaged than previous generations. I feel like technology and very little face to face interaction has a negative impact on them.

Karen: I get worried that life is becoming more complicated and our energy is used up on entering 10 passcodes and doing a handstand before we can even have breakfast. Every day life is becoming more and more complex and being a consumer is tiring. Also, there is not much space to be bored anymore. We allow ourselves to be exposed to so much advertising that is targeted and it leaves no room for organic discoveries or spontanaeity.

Name a favorite taste, touch, sound, sight and smell.

Pepo: taste – tripe (typical Andalusian food) / touch – skin / sound – the sea / sight – oh, the sea / smell – the sea, again!

Karen: taste – sweet things, bakery goods, chocolate, caramel, vanilla and desserts / touch – soft, warm and fufy cat fur / sound – the tone of people’s voices when they talk about their feelings / sight – the sky, a sunset, trees, rivers, oceans, animals and nature / smell – a woodfre/freplace burning

Describe one of your most vivid dreams or nightmares

Pepo: I dream a lot about my late father… I don’t remember my nightmares…

Karen: I feel like dreams are so incredibly personal and layered with such deep levels of meaning that it’s futile to even attempt to explain/describe to others.

Have you ever had a strange experience?

Pepo: Sometimes I will see someone on the street and I’m sure I’ve seen or talked to them before – maybe even up to 20 years ago. It’s weird that feeling when you know someone, but you can’t remember until maybe days or weeks later until you fgure it out!

Karen: When covid started I also began to have insomnia. It feels like there is no clear boundary anymore between being awake and being asleep. It’s so strange and I am still not sure how I feel about it.

How does your sense of place afect the way you express yourself?

Pepo: Most of the time it afects me in a positive way. I am very observant and I also tend to be quite sensitive. So, the way I express myself and how I I feel is often directly related to my surroundings.

Karen: As soon as I am somewhere else, I respond diferently. Being somewhere new tends to stimulate my senses and instantly gives me a diferent perspective.

What has touched or inspired you particularly recently?

Pepo: I must confess that it has been one of the hardest years of my life yet. That has meant that it has stolen all my time, and I have barely had time to even get inspired. But I know everything happens for a reason, and everything has its moment.

Karen: This year a friend had a gruelling surgery that was one of many that she has had during her life. I am in awe of her courage and also the great beauty that she continues to see in life. It’s always the difcult things that seem to move us the most and inspire us. Strange how it works like this.

Tell us a good story, anecdote or joke.

Pepo: A funny thing that happened recently was when I was shopping at a local supermarket. I lost myself as I was buying sausages and good wines. I continued shopping and putting things into my shopping cart. But when I got to the cashier to pay, I realized that I had been putting my groceries into someone else’s shopping cart without realising! It was very frustrating to have to set aside a lots of creams and compresses that I had not chosen. But I have to laugh at how single minded I am when I am shopping for food and wines!

Karen: A couple of years ago I was organising my music things a bit better and wanted to use the domain name Karen Vogt for my website. However, it had been taken about a year or so before by a woman whose name is also Karen Vogt. Bizarrely, she lives in Paris too. What are the chances! She is a handbag designer and has a company that makes bags and purses with the name Karen Vogt on them. So strange to see my name on this product!