The German duo, based in Essen and Berlin respectively, have been making music together for just over a decade. Now, Frankey & Sandrino return to their label Sum Over Histories with ‘&Hope’, a 4 track EP that is a clear boundary-pusher, with a plethora of new musical elements thrown into the mix.
We caught up with Frankey & Sandrino to learn more about their story, inspirations, and the release of their ‘&Hope’ EP.
Electronic Groove: Hi, guys! We’re truly amped to have you here with us for a chat. How have you guys been doing? How have you coped with the pandemic? Where are you located right now?
Sandrino: Hello, likewise. I’m back in Berlin after spending some time in Tuscany last year. As always, digging for new music on a daily basis and spending my time with some side activities and the family.
Frankey: I’m in Essen, Germany, where our studio is also located. I’m doing well, still working every day on music or with music, even during these challenging times. Emotions have been a bit like a rollercoaster during the last 15 months. I actually enjoyed the beginning of the pandemic, as it helped me regain some of the basic but vital things in my life. Simple things, like walks in nature with my wife. Somehow, it was necessary for the weekly cycle of traveling, gigs, and studio to stop, in order to realize these essential needs and priorities. But the uncertain future can also create fear and confusion. It’s a daily challenge for an artist to balance these feelings and try not to let them affect creativity.
EG: First of all, congratulations on these 10 years as a duo! Did you ever envision you’d make it this far? How would you guys describe the road traveled so far?
Sandrino: The last ten years just passed by within the blink of an eye… And left me with some unforgettable memories.
Frankey: I actually couldn’t believe that it’s already been 10 years when Sandrino told me this. Time has run fast but, looking back, we’ve had some amazing times in amazing places with amazing people. And also got the chance to see and discover the world a little bit. I feel pretty grateful.
EG: Do you have clearly defined roles in the studio by now? Is there some kind of blueprint you guys follow, or is it all up in the air in terms of creativity and workflow?
Sandrino: In the studio, the creative process is detached from everything outside, and the focus is dedicated completely to that moment. Frankey’s exceptional skills in harmonics and playing instruments are indispensable, while I’m more focused on the aesthetics of the sounds.
Frankey: In general, we try to keep rules out of the studio, because we want to keep the creative process as pure and natural as possible. But, of course, we bring different things to the table: while I’m the studied musician and a bit more technical in my approach, Sandrino has a very clear vision for the sounds and our music in general, which is something I tend to struggle with. We are also quite different in our musical preferences, but I feel that this duality is kind of a foundation for our creative process, as we discuss music on an almost daily basis.
EG: As a pair that have been working together for over a decade… What’s your stance on ‘compromise’. Have you guys had to compromise your individual artistic vision along the way? Is there a fine line between compromise and loss of oneself? Is there a way to do this in a ‘healthy’ manner?
Sandrino: Let’s put it like this: it’s a symbiosis, and it is only thanks to the merging of our two individual characters that leads to our shared outcome as Frankey & Sandrino.
Frankey: I wouldn’t call it ‘compromise’, because we trust in each other. It feels more like an enhancement of my individual artistic vision. I remember, particularly in the first couple of years working with Sandrino, there were quite a few moments when he would suggest something which I didn’t fully understand at that moment but. As I trust him, we would do it that way. And sometimes, weeks later, while playing the track in a club, I would have these “Ah, now I understand…” moments. And for me, that’s a plus, not a minus. I gained something from it, which I maybe didn’t see or understand before.
“We are quite different in our musical preferences, but I feel that this duality is kind of a foundation for our
creative process”
EG: How has your sound evolved? Do you see some kind of recognizable patterns or signs that have changed over time when listening to your discography? Do you guys go back a listen to your back catalog?
Sandrino: I guess we can’t deny a kind of a signature sound, but our aim is always to do it better – or at least different – than the last time, so I always come to the same conclusion: looking backward only in order to move forward!
Frankey: We always try to keep moving, to find new ways and new nuances in our music. I always try to look forward, not backward, so I also never listen to our back catalog. Of course, we will always be a product of our past, and Frankey & Sandrino will always sound in some way like Frankey & Sandrino, but recognizable patterns are generally something we try to avoid, even if it’s not possible all the time…
EG: Speaking of sound…you’ve just dropped a brand new EP, ‘&Hope’, which is out via your own Sum Over Histories label. What’s the inspiration behind this one? Has the whole global situation had any impact on your moods and creative output?
Sandrino: Creativity is a detached and isolated process. At least, it should be, in my opinion. We are humans and of course, external influences are inevitably part of us so, yes, in some ways these may flow or sneak their way into it.
Frankey: I honestly try to keep anything “real world” out of the studio. That’s probably the way we stay creative. The music universe is kind of a closed one for me. Many artists put their real-life experiences into their art. For some reason, I’m not like that. In recent times, music has become an escape to a place where everything is beautiful and without problems.
EG: There’s a new look at your visual identity. What drove the change? What are you hoping to convey with this new feel? How important are the visual aids in a medium driven by sound, and one where most of the music can be cataloged as instrumental?
Sandrino: Oh, how I wish we wouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But that’s not the world we live in. Since we recognized the importance of our visual identity for aiding people in identifying Frankey & Sandrino, we tried to visually express what we musically stand for. I guess together with our team we managed to do so… There’s a lot of color and joy in the new aesthetics.
Frankey: I think people nowadays are very used to getting stimulated on multiple different levels. And I guess the visual sense is one of the most important ones. So, people maybe need a visual connection, even when the art is purely acoustic. I honestly believed for many years in the romantic idea that quality music will or should be enough. But that’s simply not the case and I’m rather happy to see how – since starting to work closely with an excellent team – our appearance as a bonded entity has evolved to complete the great picture in the best possible way.
EG: Now, on a broader scale…Do you think we’ll be looking at some immediate changes regarding some of the social issues that have taken center stage during the pandemic? Are there any specific subjects you started to pay more attention to in the past few months?
Sandrino: Uff… Maybe a lot of people disagree, but I always believed that music is an escape from problems and issues. And I still do, so no real answer to that 😉
Frankey: What he said : )
“I honestly believed for many years in the romantic idea that quality music will or should be enough. But
that’s simply not the case”
EG: What’s in store for Frankey & Sandrino for the rest of 2021? What milestones are you guys looking forward to?
Sandrino: We see the first gig requests coming in and we hope that we can share our musical vision with people around the world in the most honest and intense way: close to each other on a dancefloor!
EG: Thank you for sitting down with us guys! We wish you all the best for the future!
Frankey: Thank you, guys, likewise.
Sandrino: Thank you.
Frankey & Sandrino’s ‘&Hope’ EP is out now via Sum Over Histories. Purchase your copy here.
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