Dark folk live in ancient Celtiberia. The music scene there is very strong and quite high quality. These days we talked to Daniel from the band Keltika Hispanna about future plans and music in general..
1. Why the name Keltika Hispanna? When and how was came that idea?
Daniel: Hello Predrag, first of all, thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to do this interview in ... The name of Keltika Hispanna, could be translated from Greco-Latin to Spanish, like the Céltica Hispana. This being the territory of the Iberian Peninsula populated by peoples of Celtic roots. With this we want to vindicate not only the Celtic heritage of our history, language and traditions, but also make it known beyond the Pyrenees that our beloved Mother Iberia, specifically the Southwest of the peninsula, was according to the latest hypotheses, the place where the first peoples known as Keltoi (Celtic) originated, specifically the people of the Celticci, the Celts. Although Celticism was installed throughout the length and breadth of the Iberian Peninsula and continues to endure in what we call, the shady places, of our beloved "bull's skin".
2. Keltika Hispanna music genre as Dark /Neo Folk, Celtiberian, inspired by the mountains of Sierra de Guadarrama and history. What is the impact of that?
Daniel: Well, unfortunately we are in Spain, in our country, after a tremendous civil war, as you know, the country was ruined and at the end of the Franco regime an advertising campaign began abroad that offered our beaches, good weather, paella, bulls and Sevillian dancers. Something that is very far from folklore, and from the reality of our ethnic group. Something real and authentic that is so different in each piece of land of our Mother Iberia. That is probably one of the reasons for the ignorance, rejection and little impact of folklore and its variants in our country. Although we have decided to make this change from now on. We will work hard in all areas that are possible for us. Our land is a much more varied place, with an infinite number of climates, cultures and landscapes. If you want cold you will have it, if you want a scorching desert we can also offer it to you, mountains of perpetual snow? It's hard to imagine something that doesn't exist here. In a local way, or even far from our land, it may be possible that our work has encouraged people to learn more about their ethnic group, their legends and traditions, and feel, perhaps, proud of their blood and their land without any kind of damages. Something very healthy.
3. Keltika Hispanna is?
Daniel: Keltika Hispanna was a need to materialize in music a feeling of belonging to the land, and everything that has transcended time from our origins to today. It is true that I, Daniel Salmador, started with this, and that in a way I am the one at the helm who is in charge of guiding and redirecting this project when it moves away from the alma mater, but none of this would have been possible without the colleagues who have been giving their brushstrokes and touch-ups. Contributing his wisdom and virtues to this humble project. Nothing would be possible without the entire team behind Keltika Hispanna, they are: Luís Miguel Folgado, Iñaki Simón, Andrés Barriga and Oscar Martín. What have been the components that have completed the formation of Keltika Hispanna in recent years.
4. Last album " Legends of the Sierra de Guadarrama " was well received by the audience, which was to be expected. How are you satisfied with him?
Daniel: Yes, Leyendas de la Sierra de Guadarrama has been a tough job, it took us almost three years to complete the album. Not only the fact of compiling the legends studied by various folklorists, but also the work of constructing the lyrics of our songs, incorporating our own worldview and philosophy into the lyrics. Then the fact of creating those soundscapes that evoke the places where these ancient founding myths occurred. As well as a functional and aesthetically appropriate artwork, where one could read the original legend as well as our lyrical and musical adaptation. Of course we are very happy with the result, not only for our work as a band, but for the quality of the sound, thanks to the mastering carried out by Kadath Sound, and the brand new special edition that the Darkwoods record label gave us. Trusting us and editing the work in the best way it could be done. We are very proud of the work achieved by all those who have made it possible for this to come to light. So answering your question, yes! We are very happy with the final result and with the welcome from our followers.
5. You often collaborate with other artists (Arnica, Urze de Lume, Azagatel, etc). What are your experiences of these cooperations? Will You continue to explore music with other musicians and artists that you'll be sharing the listeners?
Daniel: Yes! True, on several occasions we have collaborated with other bands, on a musical level especially with Arnica's brothers, but professionally the world of Iberian folk is very united, and with a lot of desire to take this forward, so we usually have very good relationship between us, both with the Spanish bands and the Portuguese, since we both carry within us the spirit of our Mother Iberia. Events such as Oestrymnis in Portugal and Raíz Ibérica in Spain, we have collaborated mutually to carry out events and shows in common. In the end our goals are the same. I think collaborations and cameos are important in the music scene, in the end, we created a great family, a tribe, and that is very important for the survival of the Iberian neofolk scene. We will continue participating in them and proposing other like-minded bands to join our circle.
6. What is the music for you ? In which way music defines you?
Daniel: For me music is one of the most transcendental ways of artistic and emotional expression of the human being. It is intrinsic to our existence and has been with us for millions of years. Sound is vibration, and vibration is existence. Music can serve us both to give us strength in a moment of vulnerability or to plunge into different sound paradises, even as a key to enter other dimensions, in the memories that we thought were forgotten or in those lost paradises of our longed for past. I do not believe that there is a person on this old planet, who has not made use of the magic of music at some point in its existence. In my case, and at this moment, I am not speaking to you as a music listener and collector, but as a musical composer. I think that if I had not been able to convey all those concerns through music, I think it would have been difficult to overcome many unpleasant moments in my own life. For me music, both through Keltika Hispanna, La Sombra del Tejo or other projects I'm working on, I think they are a harmonious reflection of our own experiences. An escape route from our existential struggles and dilemmas, from the empirical learning, sometimes cruel, that life gives us. And I sincerely believe that sometimes listening to a good album, an old song, or even singing it, is a real therapy, to transcend, and overcome all those difficulties. A sad song does not have to serve to get depressed, on the contrary, if you understand its magic, it can help us to focus on frustration and to overcome it. Sharing our feelings, in this case, through music, makes us certainly stronger, to concentrate better and to be less vulnerable to fatality.
7. Plans for future?
Daniel: A lots of. We have many plans, definitely, what you have to do is carry them out. At first we are working on a new EP by Keltika Hispanna, probably titled: "Nava" and a possible LP later, perhaps titled: Lupus Regina, or Reina Loba in Spanish. We have good material that we want to bring to light. So we will get to work and soon you will be able to hear news from Keltika Hispanna.
8. A concert in Serbia, perhaps?
Daniel: I hope my friend, it would be an honor, and an unforgettable experience.
9. And in the end what will you tell readers in Serbia?
Daniel: Well I tell you to follow Celtic-Slavic Webzine Serbia, and do not miss an article of this fabulous work. I wanted to personally thank you, Predrag, for giving us this opportunity on your webzine and for your kindness in counting on us. I am sending you the works of Keltika Hispanna, so that you can have them at hand, and I hope you like them. A big greeting to all the readers of Serbia, we hope that one day Keltika Hispanna can visit those untamed lands of the Balkans. Thank you very much again, and a big boar hug from Iberia!
Made by Predrag G.
