In listening to Swedish producer/composer/sound designer Catharina Jaunviksna’s (a.k.a Badlands) new upcoming album, it’s impossible not to notice that the music embodies all the ethereal qualities of its title Djinn—defined as “spirit”. Inspired by her mother’s mysterious and tragic passing, Djinn pays homage to the darkness it was born from, and the light found within the resilience, sorrow and spirituality of letting go. The result is a stunning, delicately composed collection, paying homage to Badlands’ electro, post-punk and new wave influences, and in the end, something fresh, new and all her own. 

She explains: “I spent every night in the studio, making dark repetitive beats. It was almost as if I was in a trance, channeling something” Jaunviksna says. “But as time went by, life started to make sense again as the tracks developed into tunes, and soon I could see that they represented different stages in the coping process.” 

Date January 19, 2021

Time I woke up 7:30 am

Every day starts with Coffee!

Breakfast consists of Nothing, or whatever’s left on the floor after my 2 sons have had theirs.

To get going I always Drink more coffee.

 

 

I don’t feel dressed without Right now with COVID I really don’t care, just grabbing whatever’s on top in the drawers. Yesterday my boyfriend said I’ve hit a new all-time low, looking like “a lumberjack crossed with Annie Hall.” Haha!

Before I start working I must Get dressed. My studio is only two blocks away from where I live, and that’s usually where I slowly come to life.

Currently working on A cover for one of my favorite labels’ jubilee compilation, pre-production for a play for which I’m making the original music and sound design, two remixes…and Badlands stuff.

But I’d really love to be I’m very happy with what I do and wouldn’t want to be working with anything else. But, of course, I’d love to be on tour, hugging and kissing my friends, dipping my hands in greasy buffets…everything that COVID stops us from doing at the moment.

 

 

Book I’m reading Strange Tales From a Chinese Studio by Pu Songling.

I don’t know how anyone ever Came to treat stuff like money and social media as something with an intrinsic value of its own.

If I had to play one album on repeat, it would be Too many, but today it happens to be Norma Tanegas Walkin’ My Cat Named Dog from 1966. One of my favorite morning time LP’s, it gets me in a good mood. She was so cool.

The perfect midday consists of That longed for breakfast, at last. Usually at my desk.

To help get through the day I need An obscene amount of space.

Not a day goes by without speaking to My angels and demons, they’re very chatty.

My daydreams consist of Fixing up an old RV and taking my lil’ gang for a looong trip across Europe, starting with skeet shooting in Lapland and finishing with surfing in Algarve. And then do the same in the U.S. but vertical, starting Virginia…finishing in California.

In a perfect day, in a perfect world I’d be up north, far away from any coverage. Wandering, fishing, watching reindeer, drinking coffee in the sun, cooking by the fire…. Either that or spend the day with my BFFs on a post-pandemic fabulous drawn-out loud decadent hangover brunch in a snazzy restaurant, Bloody Marys, cigars and all.

I’ll always fight for My family.

Currently in love with Han Solo.

Hoping to make time to watch I never plan to watch anything, or remember what’s on the list once I get the chance. But when I find myself with an actual night off I make sure to enjoy my comfort. The last time that happened I opened a bottle of wine and watched Pride & Prejudice all by myself. Best night ever.

By my bedside I always have A stack of half-read books.