When asked about Lake Balaton, flashing pinball machines come to the mind of Péter Bergmann, the man behind the one-piece electro formation We Plants Are Happy Plants, who will perform at the Mastercard Balaton Sound this year as well. While playing his widely known hit, Sell Your Soul, he is pondering his audience. At the end of the year, he will be off to tour California.
We Love Balaton: How is the summer of 2013 going for We Plants Are Happy Plants?
Péter Bergmann: It’s fabulous. Currently, I am trying to magic the 12 songs of my upcoming fourth record into the final stage of mastering. Otherwise, I spend my days sunbathing and strolling, on a lakeside, preferably. At the same time, we are in the midst of preparations for my new video. With all this going on, I only wish I could get a bit of a tan until the Balaton Sound.
WLB: Did you often spend holidays at Lake Balaton in your childhood? Which was your first electro party at the Lake?
PB: Yes, I spent holidays there and spent an awful lot of time stepping onto small bags so the air was pressed into one end until the bag blew up with a modest little bang. I liked that. I don’t remember parties from the early years; still, when I think of Lake Balaton I hear the hits of the 1990ies playing, and see pinball and slot machines flashing in my mind. For me, these impressions and sounds were the Balaton party experience.
WLB: Do you remember your first appearance at the Sound? What are your feelings going into this year’s event?
PB: Of course, I remember. No one has ever been more overanxious about an afternoon show at the Sound than me. I played on the main stage for the last three years in a row, so my memories are a bit fuzzy, but there was staggering sunshine every year so I ’m grateful that the audience was there and put up with that. This year, I will attend with fewer companions and more inclination to socialize. I have always attended Balaton Sound. I think I party in a more peculiar or moderate way than the majority, but that’s how I feel good.
WLB: Do you like the line-up of the 7th Balaton Sound? Is there an act you want to see?
PB: I’m eager to see the French acts, Justice and Brodinski, above all; when I started playing live, 'french electro' music and bands like Justice were trending. I like to watch the audience, who used to be mad for this line of music but have disappeared from the nightlife of Budapest since, and I wonder what styles they prefer nowadays. I’m also curious about Karányi’s Anthology. Then there’s Crystal Castles—I don’t usually listen to them, because we have a similar style and I don’t want to be more caught up in it by listening to them as well. I’m always curious about live acts and the sensation they try to create so I’ll be listening to many of them.
WLB: Is there a huge difference between playing on the beach of Lake Balaton, in open air and playing at a crowded club? Does this require special preparations?
PB: It would not require anything special, if all parties were open air, in a natural setting and in a summertime ambience, as I essentially play sets of this spirit. In my opinion, such is a true party—walls confine euphoria as well. Of course, contrast is indispensable, so I gladly play indoors as well; it’s only that open air feels much better.
WLB: Have you already compiled your playlist for Sunday, 5 PM? Do you usually pre-plan everything or let yourself go with the flow?
PB: I always prepare sets that mix highly elevating moods with short changes of style or even musical jokes. I pick from my own music and remixes chiefly, however, throughout the years I have played music by scores of artists I adore. And to contrive an intro to Sell Your Soul is always a special pleasure.
WLB: It is common knowledge that you are a fan of Daft Punk. How do you like their new album, Random Access Memories that was released after 8 years of silence?
PB: This is the best promoted album of all time. This has to be taken into consideration and acknowledged, before I offer an opinion. Let me just say I love Give Life Back To Music and the disco sound of the album—I don’t want to go into details, lest I might say something that would hurt me, were we talking about my album. Now that I’ve been working for 15 months on only 12 songs, I can truly understand what task it is to make an album that is perfect and original down to its last bits.
WLB: Your songs give the impression of movie soundtracks; they remind of early works by Studio Ghibli and Studio 4C. Who is the director you would instantly say ‘yes’ to if they asked you for a soundtrack project?
PB: True, animated nature has remained close to my heart since childhood, along with tons of different adventure feature films, youth series and their music. I would gladly work together with James Newton Howard in the next project of director M. Night Shyamalan—if Shyamalan was concocting something similar to Lady in the Water, which, in my opinion, is the most underrated movie ever. I would be even more ecstatic to receive rights to remix basically any work by Hans Zimmer or John Williams.
