Sebastian Sturm and his band, Exile Airline. - Contributed
Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter
Growing up in a country that is cold for most of the year, German singer Sebastian Sturm says something as simple as the sun made all the difference to his new album.
Sturm and his band, Exile Airline, broke away from the usual trend of recording their album in winter to record in sunnier times.
"The way of recording is the main point for us. We tried to break the cycle to record in wintertime when no vibes was there," he told The Sunday Gleaner.
"We decided to rent somewhere on the countryside where all of us could work. It was quite an intense process with no telephone, no people, no cars. It's really different when you create when the sun is shining."
Sturm said it was also his first time working with a Jamaican producer. Working with Jamaican producers Sam Clayton Jr and Steven Stewart, Sturm says the sound found on the new album "you cannot find on any of my other three albums".
Nice vibe
Previous albums from Sturm include This Change Is Nice, One Moment In Peace and Get Up & Get Going.
He also promises an album that will be great because "it sounds better than the others, a nice vibe. It was a reggae experience."
Sturm noted that the 13-track album will also feature Albert Minott from Jolly Boys and Harrison Stafford from Groundation.
"Albert is famous in Jamaica and we know him in Germany. For me, the experience to work with this man was really great. The contrast between the voices was very nice," he told The Sunday Gleaner.
With sun-kissed skin from his recent visit to Jamaica along with a couple members from his band, Sturm said the experience was more than he expected.
While there were some minor mishaps including a flat tyre during his first couple days on the island, Sturm raved about the ackee and saltfish he ate at a restaurant owned by 'Miss Flo'.
"Thanks to Miss Flo for taking care of us the whole week. The experience here has been overwhelming. I didn't know much about Jamaica, but now I understand much more," he said, adding that he went to Boston Bay and Blue Lagoon in Portland.
He was also amazed by how much music affects the people and the number of sound systems there were.
"It is sad to leave, I would love to stay much longer. I never wore a jacket in the night. It is something new for us, totally opposite of what we know," he said.
Having mixed the album in Jamaica, Sturm said the next move is to promote the album during the summer and then release it in January. Around that time, he said the band will return to Jamaica to release the album and perform, something he said was a big dream of his.
Being in the island was also very special for the former punk music singer because of his love for reggae music.
Fed up with the punk scene in his area, Sturm said Bob Marley was one of the first reggae singers he ever heard. He said he is also a big collector of '70s music and is a fan of musicians and singers like Chinna Smith, Willie Williams, Burning Spear and Culture.
"For Jamaicans, we really do old-school music. We are influenced a lot by the old school. The '70s sound is more playful. We don't use any computers, only instruments," he told The Sunday Gleaner, adding that he appreciates newer reggae groups like Uprising Roots Band, Raging Fyah and Rootz Underground.