Kirlian Camera, the Italian band that started its path back in 1980, is one of the most significant, original and creative European bands in the dark music scene. The group has been operating in changed line-ups for up to 40 years, led by the founder, multi-instrumentalist and composer Angelo Bergamini. Kirlian Camera experienced a true renaissance in 2000 when Elena Alice Fossi joined as a singer and composer. The band started as a synthpop act but, over the years, developed its sound into a unique amalgam of darkwave, dark electro, industrial and dark pop. The band's latest masterpiece, Radio Signals For The Dying, released in February this year via Dependent Records, marvellously showcases that Kirlian Camera is an integrity in the dark electro and wave music field. Not only its records but also musically and visually striking live shows are unique and should be experienced. The charismatic frontwoman Elena Alice Fossi leads the band gracefully and with charm, so it's nothing strange why Kirlian Camera is highly sought after by concert and festival promoters. We had a chance to experience it live earlier this year on Gothika VII  in Santa Lucia di Piave, Italy (the report is HERE). Due to scheduling issues, we couldn't do the interview there but agreed to do it later, and here it is.

Interview with: Elena Alice Fossi
Conducted by: Tomaz
Edited by: Jerneja

Tomaz: Hello, Elena! First of all, congratulations on your latest album, Radio Signals For The Dying, released in February. I find it a great musical work, and from what I saw, the reactions from the media and fans were also very positive...
Elena Alice Fossi: Well, the album is, in general, getting very positive reactions. I must admit that neither Angelo nor I pay much attention to external evaluations (Angelo, above all, never reads reviews, especially if coupled with the rating) - but it is inevitable that one "feels" a feeling, whether positive or negative. In this case, seeing the new album even climb the official charts in Germany, we were a bit surprised, given the work's distinctly dark propensity. Perhaps part of the public is fed up with carnivalesque, empty, made-for-appearance productions. Well, I must say that we were flattered by the beautiful reaction of our audience, who appreciated our going against the tide, our not giving a damn about the codes; musical, aesthetic, genre or style codes. We do what we want and offer it with the utmost naturalness to the public. We do not expect anything, we do not plan, we do not de-naturalize our sincerity. Tomorrow, we could release an album of glam rock or one of 18th-century funeral music. We are not a jukebox and don't accept interference from labels, socials and friends.

Tomaz: Radio Signals For The Dying is a somewhat mysterious title - what exactly did you have in mind with it?
Elena Alice Fossi: Yes, many interpretations are possible. It's a strange album, combining dramatic episodes with the more sombre ones, thus somewhat complicated architectures, while others sound more fluent. Paradoxically, I realize that, even in its most complex instances, it's a work that can be listened to. We try making listenable what's not usable in the standard sense. The fact is that we want to communicate our moods even though we're quite complex people. Radio/broadcasting is a concept that fits us, even when you can't find a certain song at Eurovision or the Grammys.

Tomaz: Who are the people on the front cover of it? I don't recognize any of those faces. Are those the dying ones?
Elena Alice Fossi: The faces on the cover belong to deceased people taken from a virtual cemetery, but some say they are hibernating people... Still, the Turkish photographer has portrayed a kind of modern, almost electronic funeral atmosphere...

Tomaz: Kirlian Camera has a unique and recognizable style, yet each album is somewhat different. How would you compare Radio Signals For The Dying with your previous work, Cold Pills?
Elena Alice Fossi: The current album is a continuation of the previous one since we were planning to make a "dark trilogy", and this would be the second episode. Let's say it cannot be strictly compared to Cold Pills, although there are points of correlation. The music here becomes more complex at times but also angrier, perhaps darker. The lyrics are about our reaction to social events and themes that are more "esoteric" than in the past. In the previous release, there was more lingering in a climate corrupted by drugs and alcohol, when here, we climb less beaten, more dangerous paths and creativity nevertheless explodes in both works regardless of styles and genres. Is it rock? Is it not rock? Do they dress in white shirts or bikers? It's metal, it's not metal. One thing is certain: we continue on a path that cannot recognize the habitual, prepackaged needs of certain listeners. As for that attitude, there are many other excellent artists to be listened to.

Tomaz: One of the songs, "Winter", is dedicated to the English artist Adrian Borland, who died by suicide in 1999 after jumping in front of a train. Why did you do that, and what is your interest in Adrian besides his spanning career as a musician?
Elena Alice Fossi: I believe that - as Angelo, who met Borland in person some time ago, says - his fate was sealed. He was capable of writing sombre music, as well as other much more radio-friendly music. He had a talent that could not be tamed, even by himself. Sometimes, you give in. He gave in. But certain pages of his music keep playing on our players since they own the soul of a true alien poet. The sense of loneliness that Adrian Borland conveys is a point of disconnection with the world. Important expectations inevitably go unfulfilled. They turn into moments of anger and melancholy. The rage of kindness, I would call it.

Tomaz: Like almost all Kirlian Camera albums, the new one is also special because of its length. You tend to release around 16 tracks on the album and even more on the exclusive releases. You surely do not skimp on spoiling your fans... I appreciate that, but why do you think this is a good idea since nowadays most people do not listen to whole albums but only certain singles or parts of songs?
Elena Alice Fossi: Whether it is a good idea or not, we proceed undeterred on our path. If we want to make an album of a few minutes, it is a possible alternative. In recent years, we have felt the need to explore more faces of modern, future, and current music, as well as relate ideas to any established style, often going to deconstruct and or alter a code. It's a deep need in us. That's also why we rarely listen to other people's music. We go searching for sounds and ideas within ourselves and there in our dreams, in the moments when 'we are not here' when certain doors open and allow us to bring back some memories and projections. The album's length will always be what the nature of our visions/experiences suggests.

Tomaz: I find it hard to point at the best songs on the Radio Signals For The Dying album, but perhaps you don't. So, which one is the one you like the most and why?
Elena Alice Fossi: Oh well, it turns out to be difficult for us, too, especially regarding the album in question. It goes from listenable tracks to twisted musical forms to dark, almost horror-like climates, and solitude echoes through epic and dark atmospheres.

Tomaz: You are also a huge supporter of Julian Assange and a fighter for his liberation. Is there a Kirlian Camera song that speaks directly about this topic?
Elena Alice Fossi: We used excerpts from one of his famous speeches in "Luminous Shade", a rather sombre track on the new album, taking isolated phrases and combining them. The intent was to continue the work of popularizing his thought. We never stopped wishing for a substantial change regarding freedom of the press and information. There are too many shadows. In fact, hanging over free information all over the world, bar none. Everything is contrived to defend the illicit activities masquerading as a democracy that several states continue to practice. I repeat: no one is excluded. We have no part, no particular political tendencies - we only try to see into the abyss into which the Light went long ago.

Tomaz: Your support for Julian Assange has also caused you some problems. Can you elaborate on why you think he or what he represents is so important that people should understand him?
Elena Alice Fossi: Our problems are nothing compared to what some people have faced in the past and are facing today. It is the history of the world, at least for the period concerning us, the real history being much richer. Pigs root unpunished on the land. We are all here for reasons other than to please anyone. We live, we were born, and let no one tell us what to do. Do they want to scare us? Oh yes?!? Seneca said to Nero: "You win if I am afraid, but if I stop being afraid you lose." However, let it be clear that I speak about certain topics in my own name and in no way do I want to forcibly include people from the team who perhaps disagree with my line of reasoning. I am the only person here to refer to regarding Assange, Khalaf, etc. I conveyed my ideas through Kirlian Camera because Angelo gave me carte blanche, so, in the same way, we would give maximum freedom to members who think alternatively or simply prefer not to expose themselves regarding whatever topics.

Tomaz: Back to music. The new album features a cover of one of my favourite Depeche Mode songs, "Wrong". You also did some very nice covers in the past, of Placebo and Ultravox. Tell me how you choose a song to cover and why "Wrong"?
Elena Alice Fossi: Well, Kirlian Camera is a "wrong" band in many aspects, a band that doesn't accept impositions, so it came naturally to choose that song when we were invited to take part in the tribute. I'm proud to belong to the wrong band, created by the wrong genius.

Tomaz: You joined Kirlian Camera in 2000, which led to a true revival of the band. How do you feel after 24 years of being a part of Kirlian Camera and even becoming its "trademark"?
Elena Alice Fossi: Heheh... To be honest, I started working with Angelo even earlier, but "secretly" since I wasn't of age. He was always a true gentleman, a special man, always surrounded by beautiful women, yes, but always elegant and refined with all of them. Chic. Angelo is like some kind of a traditionalist rebel, a classy alien with a touch of lucid madness mixed with an innovative spirit. He gave me space; he believed in me even when everything was going wrong. I went from being an unknown lone wolf to finding myself being the singer and then also the songwriter/producer of the band I loved the most! I must admit it sounds weird to me, as well! Kirlian Camera, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Laurie Anderson, Laibach, Ultravox, and Depeche Mode, among a few others, have always been prime examples of brilliance in rock music for me. What can I say... I feel good; I feel strength whatsoever it comes and I hope having respected this creature's magical brand throughout the years. I think we're nowadays in the middle of a storm, as usual, but I'm here, and my spirit doesn't let me down. These last months have been great, terrible, but bright. The new album has put many things into focus, and the forthcoming "beast" will probably do even more.

Tomaz: The main line-up of Kirlian Camera is you and Angelo, but the others change quite often. A few months ago, you had Mia W. Wallace as your bass player, and recently she was replaced by Irene Shapes. How come? Does Irene fit better in a group?
Elena Alice Fossi: Mia was in the band for five years, but not seldom she wasn't present, due to specific problems and commitments, so one couldn't really say she was always on stage throughout that time. It was the same with the studio recordings. We always appreciated her closeness and we won't forget her. As for Irene, I can only say that she made an extraordinary debut on the Leipzig stage and surprisingly bonded with us even before we met her. This sounds absurd, but many absurd things are just true things that people don't know or understand. Irene is part of different "frequencies", but I won't go into details. I say we stop here on this issue and see what happens in the future. The monitor is being active.

Tomaz: Guitarist Alessandro "Algol" Comerio has been with Kirlian Camera for many years. Like Mia, he also has a background in metal music (Forgotten Tomb, Hiems,...). Are musicians coming from the metal scene a better option for the Kirlian Camera to play stringed instruments?
Elena Alice Fossi: Alessandro has been with us for a good 11 years now. He too had occasionally had to be replaced by others, especially during the period when he was working as a drummer for Triumph Of Death, which is basically Tom Gabriel Fischer's Hellhammer, aka Tom Warrior from Celtic Frost and Triptykon, a band that we particularly love, as far as "borderline" metal is concerned. Alessandro is a multi-instrumentalist and also has a lot of expertise when it comes to sounds and certain ideas about solving problems by means of various software. I think he could play any instrument in existence.

Tomaz: Kirlian Camera has been with the Dependent Records label since 2017. How satisfied are you with it and its work?
Elena Alice Fossi: Let's say they do what they can in an area that isn't easy to manage. Too many angry dogs; too much ill-concealed conformity that leads to the death of any real art. Too many capricious artists and, overall, too many ass-kissers, making it difficult for everyone else. I won't mention names - otherwise, I should stay here for hours on end, so I should call a rider with food, coca and beer... and then, you know, certain people don't deserve any promotion.

Tomaz: I notice that too... Why do you think it became like that? Sometimes, I have a feeling that nowadays' music is just about money and the number of likes on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and so on.
Elena Alice Fossi: I think it has always been like that. By the way, if one takes a look at the TV series Vinyl, he gets a pretty good idea of what was and is now behind the music business. It becomes clear that we're talking about big companies but the discourse gets smaller and even sadder when we go to talk about small and medium-sized independent companies, that aren't so independent since the distribution ramification is very important and once again when you release something and it doesn't go to get well distributed you’re publicly dead, or kind of. And who is behind the "musical works" distribution but big companies, it's obvious. There are also localised phenomena of a certain level that don't depend directly on the majors but on other types of "organisations" (…). So, the reality, the work of an entity like Kirlian Camera, which professionally lives on its own work - even allowing itself to make the music that comes into its head without adhering to market rules - is very complex to explain. And I can't allow myself to go through any further tsunami right now, so I'll just say one thing: there are fans who allow us to live and we, in return, offer them our freedom of expression. They may not like one specific album, but they like the one after it, the one before, the one to come. They believe in us, believing in our spirit. That is what they want from us. So, it comes out fine to offer our "true bread". Let it be taken as a symbolic, somewhat esoteric concept, if necessary.

Tomaz: In a debate I had with Angelo, he hinted that nowadays, you hold the reins regarding compositions and lyrics. Tell me, what does your compositional process look like?
Elena Alice Fossi: Well, it's nothing new that Angelo is "partisan" and in every way wants to give me precedence. He's a very nice person - a true gentleman, as told above. So I'll have to disagree: he's a volcano of ideas, the turbo engine of all projects, even where, as in SPECTRA*paris, he hasn't officially appeared for a long time. It's true that starting from Still Air onwards, I took an active part in the songwriting, and lately, Angelo wanted to give me a large percentage of compositional space for the music and the lyrics, but he remains impressively active. Let's say he doesn't like to be in the spotlight and hates show business to death, but together, we've lived many years of intense music and exchanging ideas, and we continue today more than ever. For example, yesterday, he came up with new ideas, and I rearranged four songs. I'm the one of the two who most "complicates" music, so I'm likely said to be more inclined to art rock/prog/rock/electronica than pop/dance, and you can realise this by listening to the last two albums, as well as Still Air. Angelo is very divided between "chart" songs and classical-contemporary music, two genres being at the antipodes, which makes him incredibly elastic and eclectic. Together, we know no musical boundaries: it's beautiful. We don't stop for a minute composing, recording, rearranging, as well as working in the past as "ghosts" (ghost musicians, those who create sounds and solutions that are then going to be used by others) on music productions of various kinds. Kirlian Camera remains our main focus, the one to which we devote all our heart.

Tomaz: I guess live performances are very important to you, as well as aesthetics. So what can you tell me about this?
Elena Alice Fossi: Aesthetics goes with the stage and vice versa, or rather... that's how it should be. However, we're a very "straightforward" New Rock band, we still don't use big tricks to communicate with the audience, avoiding antics as much as possible. We use lights, smoke, video, yes, but it's all within the norm. It's not instead in the norm to do everything with great passion and soul, with great "concept" and logic. Perhaps Kirlian Camera is more directly influenced by rock, as far as the stage is concerned: we become more sanguine when performing live. It's clear, that we descend more from Velvet Underground, The Stooges, Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath than from standard New Wave and electro. Yet we're an electro-based band, so that's also what makes us a bit out of the box. Angelo was kind of a roughneck at the time and he had more experiences with the police than a whole punk armee. He's one who really was born "in the street" and carries that background with him from the beginning and now more than before; not so much in the middle period, maybe. The same, as far as I'm concerned. We're two people who have had and done many, many experiences, even too many, so let's avoid the nonsense that often gets in our way. Music remains the fundamental point of our performance, as does the dialogue with the audience which I care a lot about (I hate social media but on stage, I want to interact as much as possible; it's different). We really like "rhythm", so it comes naturally that our shows today are - as many say - very energetic, despite containing some reflective elements scattered here and there with passion...

Tomaz: You just recently came back from WGT in Leipzig (Germany), and from what I saw and read, it was an amazing show. What are the feelings during and after such performances?
Elena Alice Fossi: In Leipzig, we really felt the meeting with the public - a special meeting. We were given the opportunity to be the final show of the whole festival, so we were happy to show that we can, as I said before, interact a lot with the audience. The hall was packed even though it was Monday, and the 10,000 people in attendance welcomed us in a way that any artist would dream of. Then we had Irene with us for the first time, and we wanted to present her the right way to the people. In short, it is as if a new period had started for Kirlian Camera there in Leipzig, and our co-headlining at the Christmas Dark Storm Festival is also born from such assumptions.

Tomaz: You have a lot of gigs planned for this year and early 2025. For those who have yet to experience the Kirlian Camera live, what can they expect from a Kirlian Camera show?
Elena Alice Fossi: Kirlian Camera show is about thrills. If we aren't able to convey them, then there's no show. Fortunately, we're always "connected"; there isn't a moment when we aren't "transmitting". There isn't a moment when we're on stage just to be there, or, at least... that's how it is, as for myself. I never act on a song; I even struggle to remember the lyrics, given that I'm too caught up in transmitting to the audience. The feeling involves me to the point of passion, of being a furious element, as someone wrote. With very few elements, very few superstructures and not many effects, we can turn into a fury on stage. Vibrations, earthquakes, tremors, alien frequencies? Maybe it's just that... but people know those frequencies without being aware of it, and so we try reactivating such frequencies in them while they pass through us, through our receptors.

Tomaz: Besides Kirlian Camera, you have other musical projects. The most notable are, of course, Spectra*paris and Stalingrad Valkyrie. Stalingrad Valkyrie will play at the Stella Nomine festival in Germany this year. Are there any updates on these two projects?
Elena Alice Fossi: Stalingrad Valkyrie will perform at Stella Nomine and other events. I guess a collection album titled Ossuarium will be self-released pretty soon. It includes some previously unreleased material also. Stalingrad Valkyrie was born 25 years ago... It's a sort of an intimate celebration.

Tomaz: What about the defunct act Siderartica? Is it dead and buried, or do you intend to revive it someday?
Elena Alice Fossi: Who knows? It's a hibernated project. I don't know if it's still alive or just sleeping far from here.

Tomaz: You have collaborated with quite a few prominent artists. For example, Michael Ciravola (Beauty In Chaos) on the song "The Kiss Of The World". And with Seasurfer and Eskil Simonsson from Covenant, to name just a few. Are you getting a lot of offers, and how do you feel about such cooperation? Can we expect anything new in this area soon?
Elena Alice Fossi: There are so many offers, yes. But, unfortunately, I can't fulfil all; I have to decline many, even if I like them. I am a rather reserved and solitary person. Whenever I meet someone or collaborate, I start creating a thousand worries. Besides, it's not uncommon to find yourself working with unsuitable people. I've rarely felt comfortable with musicians other than Angelo. There are fantastic exceptions, sure, but no more than 20% of them.

Tomaz: What can we expect, besides live performances, from Kirlian Camera shortly? Will there soon be a third part of the trilogy? Maybe some surprises?
Elena Alice Fossi: Well, the new album, which in its extended version is even triple, just came out three months ago, so now we have to focus more on it and the live activity, although..., actually we are already working on two new projects involving Kirlian Camera. The first is the final collection, which contains various singles and tracks from the past, as well as rarities and new surprises that I won't anticipate now. It's a colossal project, including a lot of - say - classic material and also unreleased stuff. I guess it's the biggest release we ever gave life to. In the meantime, we are also working on the final chapter of the so-called Dark Trilogy that began with Cold Pills / Scarlet Gate Of Toxic Daybreak and continued with the current Radio Signals For The Dying. The transitional title of the final chapter is yet to come!

Tomaz: Which Kirlian Camera album do you think is the most significant, and which means the most to you?
Elena Alice Fossi: It is just Radio Signals For The Dying. Being the latest work is also my favourite, or I wouldn't have released it! As a teenager, I loved Eclipse (Das Schwarze Denkmal), but then I self-directed myself more to the EP The Desert Inside since I found it really intense.

Tomaz: And who is Elena in private life? Besides music, what things excite you? Do you have any special hobbies?
Elena Alice Fossi: It may sound strange, but I have no hobbies. Music covers all my time. When I'm awake, being that a "total" activity. I have been doing it professionally for several years, but I don't really take it as a job. Then, I like to read and visit fascinating places, but this happens while I'm sleeping, so I don't know whether it can be considered a reality. But it is, as for myself.

Tomaz: Until next time, thank you very much for taking the time to answer these questions. Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers and your fans?
Elena Alice Fossi: Let's say I thank everyone who made it here alive...

Photo credits: Siegfried Von N, Terri Harrison, Raven, Angelo Bergamini, Alberto Migliorin, Tomaz V.

Kirlian Camera links: Official website, Facebook, Instagram