Tresor Records is excited to announce ‘Capricorn Rising,’ the new EP from machine techno luminary Lady Starlight aka Colleen Martin.
Capricorn Rising comprises five razor-sharp cuts from the acclaimed producer, DJ, and Surgeon co-conspirator whose laser-focused work ethic reflects the EP’s astrological namesake.
Hello Colleen, it was so lovely to meet you! What are your feelings after the release? Could you introduce yourself and tell us who Lady Starlight is now?
Hello! Great to meet you as well 🙂
I’m so happy to have finally shared with the world the transformation of my sound. I focus so much on my live set that I forget it’s only people who see me live who know what my current music is like! When you find out who Lady Starlight is, will you let me know? Hahaha!
For this release, I pushed all the noise of our current times aside and started making music without any consideration of how it might work on a dancefloor or who would play it. I firmly believe that if you make music that is true to yourself, audiences feel that. So regardless of the sound, if you make honest music, there will be an audience for it. You just might need to be patient.
Currently, you are based in New York, but it feels like you spend a lot of time in Berlin, or have you already moved there? What are the differences between those two scenes for you?
I actually haven’t properly lived in New York since 2010. I was more or less on tour for about 4 years with Lady Gaga and then Judas Priest. I’ve lived in Berlin for 8 years now.I find it really difficult to compare New York to Berlin. The one thing they have in common is that the cities themselves are a force of their own. They are bigger and more powerful than the sum of their inhabitants. You have to adapt your identity to live in these cities; neither of them will do any adapting or bending to your will!While New York is seen as an exception, it is still very much the United States. As with the rest of the US, it is extremely materialistic. Couple that with the insane pace of the city, and you have a very ‘special’ situation. It’s hard to disconnect this environment from nightlife.The heavy history of Berlin still looms large. No matter how many vegan restaurants and new construction flats you see popping up, there is still a certain sense of lawlessness. And this environment is also impossible to disconnect from nightlife.
Speaking about your career, which drives you around amazing labels like Tresor Records, A-TON, and Stroboscopic Artefacts. Besides that, you were touring with Lady Gaga. How would you describe your road into the music industry?
It has been a very strange road indeed! I never planned a career as an artist. My motto has always been to never say no to an opportunity. If a door opens, walk through it. It’s interesting that most career advice for artists is the complete opposite—that you must be careful and strategic about what opportunities you say yes or no to—but fuck that. Important connections can come in the most unexpected ways. I have never been cautious or too precious about my ‘image’. I follow my own path, and this has been the key to my success.
Going back to the track that we premiered, the title track ‘Capricorn Rising’ from your latest release. Could you tell us about the story of this track and the idea behind it, as well as the process?
I was listening to Gary Numan for the first time in probably 20 years and was very inspired. So I guess you could call it my very weird version of synth-pop! Hence, it’s probably the most melodic of all the tracks I have released so far.
If you could tell us your ten favorite tracks from last year, what would they be?
I actually don’t listen to techno since I stopped DJing and only play live. And even then, I didn’t listen to it all that often! Haha
So I will list the top ten tracks that have inspired my music in the past year:
Complex – Gary Numan
Declaration of Independence – Conflict
The Slider – T-Rex
Les rois de la réforme – Jacques Dutronc
Flame Thrower Love – Dead Boys
Theme for an Imaginary Western – Mountain
Beeside – Tintern Abbey
Moloch – Man Is The Bastard
Rhymes Of Goodbye – Scott Walker
Head On – The Jesus and Mary Chain
LISTEN PREMIERE HERE:
Capricorn Rising is anchored by the record’s most propulsive, trance-inducing cut, “Mass;” an off-kilter conversation between chattering birds and a breathing sample that makes for an otherworldly melody.
“I wanted to create a feeling rather than a sound,” explains Martin of the catalyst for the record.
Martin describes the recording of Capricorn Rising as a cathartic process.
“I thought of myself as fearless since I have always rejected societal norms and I’m very comfortable expressing ideas,” she offers. “However, I realised I actually had a lot of fear when expressing anything emotional.”
BUY THE EP HERE: https://ladystarlight.bandcamp.com/album/capricorn-rising
The EP is the outcome of shaking off that fear. Using her feelings as a guide, Martin creates a space somewhere between euphoria, dissociation, and wonder. “This is where I hope to take the listener,” she says.
The EP showcases emotional liberation, with standout tracks like “Reinforce” exploring extraterrestrial acid sounds and cosmic pads, pushing boundaries into new dimensions. “Chapter 23” delivers an industrial-dipped roller with eerie atmospherics, leading to a meteor shower of kicks. The percussive journey continues with “Prism,” urging listeners towards bodily oblivion.
Martin often closes out her live sets with the EP’s euphoric title track; a seamless, starry-eyed slammer that encapsulates the headiness of the Lady Starlight universe. Oiled and limbered for the dancefloor, these are dynamic, teflon-tough techno tracks that deftly align with Martin’s virtuosic hardware performances.
Lady Starlight, originally Colleen Martin from New York, USA, has carved out a unique niche in music, blending techno with rock and performance art.
Rising to fame touring with Lady Gaga, she introduced a broader audience to techno’s depth and diversity. Her relentless pursuit of musical innovation has led to acclaimed releases on labels like Figure, Stroboscopic Artefacts, Ostgut Ton, and Tresor, establishing her as a key figure in techno’s evolution. Beyond techno, she explores heavy metal and progressive rock, sharing stages with icons like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. Her biography reflects a dedication to artistic integrity and innovation, making her a pivotal figure and a source of inspiration in modern music. Lady Starlight’s journey underscores the power of following one’s own path in the dynamic music landscape.
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