QED Records Interviews: Switchboard Of Souls

Switchboard Of Souls (SOS) is primarily led by Christopher Quintos, a Fresno, California-based musician who puts together darkwave and industrial tracks that smell like they come from a parallel universe in 1986. His music is modern and synth-driven, but the musical structures, melodies and sometimes even lyrics are throwbacks to a past age.

SOS is one of the QED artists we’ve never met in person, but who has contributed a massive amount of music to the archive: as of September 2009 he has 5 releases in the QED Records  catalog. We caught up with him via email soon after the release of his 10-track album “Don’t Bother Me – Remixes” [qd-4257] to ask about his music and his process.

Full interview after the jump.

[qd-4257] Switchboard Of Souls – Don’t Bother Me – Remixes

(qd-4257) Switchboard Of Souls - Don't Bother Me

When Switchboard Of Souls sings: “Don’t bother me, just leave us alone, don’t you know that we’re all just as human,” he sounds the anthem of the alienated and the disenfranchised. It’s a simple enough tune, but the variations do bring new viewpoints to the plate.

The first two original 8-minute-plus tracks utilize a driving darkwave synth with guitars and vocals reminiscent of early New Order, but subsequent versions range from electro 808 State-like arrangements (Common Prayer Mix), to industrial stylings (BlenderMix), to sinister downtempo (Hands & Feet Mix), to 90s pop remix (InstrumentalMix), to new age piano (Sonata), to a combo of everything on the 2 reprises.

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DETAILS:   Total runtime: 47:10  |  10 MP3s encoded at 192 kbps, 44.1 kHz stereo.

DOWNLOAD:  Entire album as a single zip file with VBR MP3s. (File size:65 MB) – from Archive.org

Individual tracks after the jump.

[qd-4228] Switchboard Of Souls : Shaken Dreams

(qd-4228) Switchboard of Souls - Shaken Dreams

[QD-4228] : SWITCHBOARD OF SOULS : Shaken Dreams (EP)

Switchboard Of Souls’ melodic surreal synths and guitar conjure images of dark blossoming flowers, his music reviving gothic ’80s with 21st century technology. These dreams have been shaken, not stirred by a master of moody soundscapes. This is new new wave without the banal poetry.

FILE UNDER: darkwave, gothic, new wave, synthpop, more clannish than Xymox, more moody than Depeche
DETAILS: 4 MP3s at 128 kbps, stereo
DOWNLOAD: Get the entire EP ZIP FILE ( 23.6 MB) – via Mediafire  | Individual tracks below
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