Bruce Cohen continues to redefine the boundaries of electronic music with his evocative and introspective soundscapes. In this interview, Cohen opens up about his latest ambient album, 8 BC, a deeply personal project shaped by improvisation and reflection. He discusses the influences of his medical journey, his connection to Miles Davis, and the innovative process behind his next album, 9 BC. With insights into his film scoring for Manhunter, his career with The Reds, and his recent synth collaboration, Birdhouse Invitational, Cohen showcases his dedication to pushing musical boundaries while staying grounded in authenticity.
Bruce Cohen, we loved discovering you through your latest album, 8 BC. Could you tell us a little more about the creative inner workings and ambitions behind it?
When it was time to work on 8 BC, I decided to try making it a lot different from my previous albums. So, where my other BC albums had a variety of electronic explorations, 8 BC went full ambient. No percussion or drums, making it my most personal endeavor.
There aren’t many artists who can disarm an audience with electronica compositions which are as unsettling as they are cathartic, did this happen organically as you weaved the synth lines into melody?
Everything I do is total improvisation. Nothing is thought out or written down beforehand. All I knew was it would be an ambient project. The music dictates where I go with it. Now, I will say that this year, I had a medical crisis, and I was lucky to be around to see 8 BC finish. So maybe, unconsciously, I was more reflective than I’ve been with my earlier albums. The melodies come to me while improvising, and melody-wise, Miles Davis is a big influence on me. The video for track 3, Dance of The Siren, provides a short glimpse of my creative process. A mini-documentary, if you will.
It’s fascinating to hear your sound evolve through your LPs in an almost linear fashion as though you are marking personal aural epochs; are your motivations and inspirations as in flux as your sound?
Each album is approached differently from the last. The earlier ones were pretty much experimental, but as I went from album to album I got more daring and didn’t worry about the outcome. Also, as I progressed from album to album, I used different synths on each one for inspiration. As I’ve grown as a musician and a human so has each album.
With every album it almost appears that you are travelling through sound in the same vein as someone discovering the world by stamping their passports and finding themselves in the process. Does your writing, composing and producing process feel reflective?
Especially so with 8 BC. My previous albums were approached as if I was recording an album if that makes sense. At the time, I was reflecting on my life, so 8 BC became more of a confessional. Once I got the sound that I wanted, the music just flowed out of me. Each album has been an exciting and strange journey, and I hope when one listens to my music it takes them on their own journey.
With your next album, 9 BC, already in the making, can you give us an inside view into the innovations and expressions you hope to make with this release?
All I can say for 9 BC is I’ll be using synths that I haven’t used before. It’s probably a year away for that one, so who knows what it will become. I have started recording some tracks and 9 BC may even become a continuation of 8 BC. As I mentioned, the music dictates where it will all go.
How have writing scores for theatre productions shaped your solo projects?
Scoring for theater productions helped me with discipline and playing to a scene. Playing in The Reds shaped me the most doing solo work where I was more like an Eno to the rest of the band, especially in the later albums with composing mate, Rick Shaffer. And, of course, working on Manhunter was a great catalyst.
Would you consider scoring the film Manhunter, directed by Michael Mann, the zenith of your film composing career?
It was an amazing time when Rick and I worked on Manhunter. I think we would agree it was a highlight of our music careers. We both love motion pictures, so scoring for a film was the ultimate experience, especially working so closely with Michael Mann. Actually, working on Manhunter was probably my main inspiration to create solo projects.
You’ve made some massive waves in The Reds, what was the highlight of your career as part of this project, and can you confirm if the rumours are true and there’s a new EP in the works?
Yes, The Reds had some great highlights, but for me, Manhunter was the top one. We recorded half the score in NYC, then the remainder in LA on a scoring stage with Michael Mann. Mr. Mann has the highest respect for musicians, so you really couldn’t ask for anything better. As far as new releases by The Reds, it’s possible that instrumental tracks Rick and I recorded in between earlier Reds albums may end up being released as an EP. The big hindrance is always Rick and I being able to sync our schedules.
What can your fans expect from your new performance project, Birdhouse Invitational?
Birdhouse Invitational is the brainstorm of Jeff Cain (The Ghostwriters) a great synth player who invited me to play with four other synth players, collaborating in a Philadelphia studio jamming on two pieces. One was producing bird like sounds, and turning them into something musical. The second was an all-out synth jam. Each person had a different synth and playing approach. It was a blast to work on and, hopefully, we’ll do a live performance sometime next year.
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Stream Bruce Cohen’s latest album on Spotify and connect with the artist on X and Instagram.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast