Riding a wave of international acclaim off the back of her most recent two singles ‘The Head of Knights’ and ‘Who Are You’ back in October and December respectively, Berlin-based artist Vincent Littlehat now continues her prolific run of creative, audio-visual output into the New Year, with the announcement of her breathtaking new EP, ‘Another Land Below’.
Photo Credit: King Vuddha
Out now via her namesake imprint Littlehat Recordings, the five-track EP features three brand new original singles – ‘How I Vibrate’, ‘Another Land Below’ and ‘Darkness Has Its Place’ – which will accompany the first two offerings to complete a truly original and dynamic, multi-faceted opus.
Created together with award-winning German composer/producers Robert Koch and Kris Steininger, the record sees Vincent open up further sides of her unique, artistic creativity as she continues to challenge her audiences with thought-provoking lyrics, poignant perceptions of reality, and beautiful song-writing structures.
EG caught up with Vincent Littlehat to learn more about the release of ‘Another Land Below’, his take on psychology and music, his views on virtual interactions, and more.
EG: Hi Vincent! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you based right now?
Vincent Littlehat: My pleasure! I’m based in Berlin, though I get to move around often as I still work as a model and enjoy visiting my family in Poland.
EG: First of all, congratulations on the release of your ‘Another Land Below’ EP! What has the initial reception/promo been like? Have you been able to test these in a live setting?
Vincent Littlehat: Actually, not many people have heard these studio recordings yet, apart from a couple of friends. During the live performances (I had not so many either) the songs were enjoyed and I have a lot of fun expressing them on stage; ‘How I Vibrate’ especially.
EG: What can your fans expect to find on ‘Another Land Below’? Is there an emotional trigger to these?
Vincent Littlehat: The meaning of this song has changed for me some 10 times since I started to write the lyrics in 2017. It’s been growing with me. I hope it has enough in between the lines that everyone who listens to it can understand something intimate for themselves. ‘Another Land Below’ is an intimate space after all.
EG: By the way, ‘How I Vibrate’ also comes with its own visually striking video. What can you tell us about this very interesting process? Why was it important for ‘How I Vibrate’ to have a visual aid?
Vincent Littlehat: My vibrations explain themselves in the audible version of the song, but there are the visual ones that I wanted to capture. I was very eager to paint with the help of an AI generator, which we fed with all of my favorite prompts and colors.
“I guess my lyrics and my music get to challenge perspectives and not take anything for granted. My writings are often notes to myself, to encourage myself and not forget certain realizations”
EG: Having studied psychology in your university years…how does it shape the music you create?
Vincent Littlehat: Studying psychology attuned me to and deepened my self-reflection but in a less personal attitude. I guess my lyrics and my music get to challenge perspectives and not take anything for granted. My writings are often notes to myself, to encourage myself and not forget certain realizations.
EG: How important is it for you to promote social and political topics in your music and what role do you see artists playing in shaping society?
Vincent Littlehat: Well, I believe that once the personal topics are in construction, self-reflection, and healing takes place, and these new foundations must ripple on social and political aspects. Carl Jung described the function of the artist with these words:
“As a human being, the artist may have many moods, and a will, and personal aims, but as an artist, he is ‘man’ in a higher sense — he is ‘collective man’ — one who carries and shapes the unconscious, psychic life of mankind.”
I agree with this observation. Some artists shape it for better and some for worse. And so it goes.
EG: How do you feel about the role of social media in the music industry? Is it drawing us too far away from the actual music? How can we make our interactions with social media serve us better?
Vincent Littlehat: It’s quite shocking how in such a short time social media has grabbed from us so much time, both from creators and consumers. I still find it quite difficult to be effective without spending too much time on planning and making content and communicating with others by separation in the form of a screen. I don’t find myself being happy or making memories when I work this way. I managed to go around it by involving friends of mine in the creation of my promotional assets.
Anyways, it all comes down to having a clear intention and exchanging digital experiences with the ones in real life. We have a currency made of time and energy. With it comes a choice of where to invest it. I guess I’d like better to meet you in person and have a ‘living’ conversation. But, somehow, I’ve chosen to sit alone in front of my laptop and type this without knowing your name or getting a notion of how you’re doing. Maybe it’s the last time I make this choice, which is dictated by the fact that it is easier and faster this way. But is easier and faster necessarily better or healthier for us? I doubt that. I would like to know your thoughts on this subject.
EG: How do you keep entertained when not in the studio? Have you checked out any good movies, series, books, or albums you’d recommend?
Vincent Littlehat:
Movie: ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’
It gives an amazing perspective on the subject we talked about because of your previous question. How many experiences can you have access to? Is more, better?
Album: ‘Friends That Break Your Heart’ by James Blake
I find it very vulnerable and honest.
“It all comes down to having a clear intention and exchanging digital experiences with the ones in real life. We have a currency made of time and energy. With it comes a choice of where to invest it”
EG: Can you tell us something about you that very few people know about?
Vincent Littlehat: I love dark chocolate and swinging on a swing. I’ve been on a set of a couple of Star Wars productions, as an extra in alien outfits.
I have a bad sense of direction and time. Recently I am learning about Human Design and find it very useful to understand my mechanism better.
EG: What’s next for Vincent Littlehat? What particular milestones are you looking forwards to this 2023? Where can your fans catch you next?
Vincent Littlehat: In the 2nd half of 2023 I am releasing my 2nd EP.
I hope I come across my fans in venues where I play my concerts or that they connect with me via my collectible drops that are planned to be released later this month.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Vincent! We wish you all the best for the future.
Vincent Littlehat: Thank you for your questions, they made me connect some dots!
Vincent Littlehat’s ‘Another Land Below’ is out now via Littlehat Recordings. Purchase your copy here.
Follow Vincent Littlehat: Soundcloud | Facebook | Instagram | Spotify
