"FEELINGS OF ALIENATION, CONFUSION AND DYSPHORIA" - A CONVERSATION WITH LUNA MITCHELL OF TORSCHLUSSPANIK

Origins in 2013, Torschlusspanik has been described as "maximalist electro-acoustic". Variations of field recordings are jammed into audial collage on "intersexual healing" and presented in short to long bursts of mind/body/soul sizzle. A must for extreme ears. 

"Immaculate, meticulous and emotionally heavy musique concrète from TN. Shifting sonic burden." -Torschlusspanik's Bandcamp page. 

SPECIAL THANKS TO LUNA FOR SPENDING THE PAST FEW MONTHS EMAILING BACK AND FORTH. PLEASE CHECK OUT Torschlusspanik's "intersexual healing" RECORDING OUT ON NO RENT/STRANGE MONO. LINKS HERE AND HERE TO LISTEN AND PURCHASE. -THE JANITOR, 27/2/2023

“My process for this album began with finding hundreds of sample sources that I felt sounded good together, nothing more. I used to place more value on creating the majority of my own samples, but I wanted to relax that standard. Most tracks have no additional recordings from myself included this time around. As I began to manipulate and "play" these samples together, forming the earliest demos in late 2021, I realized what kind of narrative and emotional portrait I ultimately hoped to create. It's a little over a year later and I don't think there's anything left but to see whether others feel as strongly about these songs as I do.”  -Luna Mitchell

Mikey- Would you like to tell me a bit about yourself and this new "intersexual healing" cassette release under the moniker Torschlusspanik you have put out on the Strange Mono and No Rent labels? 

Luna- My name is Luna and I was born and raised in west Tennessee on Easter in 1981. I enjoy being reclusive to an unhealthy degree, eating soft foods, and maintaining few interests or hobbies outside of music. My new 2x-cassette release is a collection of dense electroacoustic collages and songs that can fairly be described as nervous, sensitive, and fatalistic. It is about growing up both intersex and transgender without the vocabulary or knowledge to adequately address either.

Mikey- Do you feel there was a pivotal point when your true self made sense in these areas or has this been an ongoing process? Has making music always been connected to this part of you?

Luna-  I was "aware" in some ways when I was very young, but I only began to understand and identify myself correctly in my 20's, later going public and fully transitioning in my 30's. And yes, I've always (somewhat unwillfully) been motivated and artistically inspired by feelings of alienation, confusion, and dysphoria.

Mikey-When do you start making music?

Luna- My mom gave me very basic piano lessons on a barely functional, untuned piano at around 9 years old. At 11 or 12 I joined our middle school drum-line and also convinced my grandma to give me my granddad's old guitar and amp.

Mikey- At what point did you break away from standard music or was there always an element of experimentation involved? Have you ever been involved with a local scene where you performed live or anything of the sort?

Luna-  I bought two synthesizers at Goodwill in 2003 that served as my gateway into producing noise and other forms of atypical music that I had started listening to near the end of the 90's. I have been involved in multiple local scenes as a performer, observer, and even setting up shows in my basement for a brief period. Live performance has been a near constant for me since high school, though I feel much more comfortable as a recording artist. Even small shows are very draining for me.

Mikey- Now that the new release is out on No Rent/Strange Mono, do you have any other projects in the works? 

Luna- Nothing that I'm ready to talk about, sorry.

Mikey- What are the top ten recordings you would have on a deserted island? 

Luna- Oh gosh, I don't know how I could go for long without hearing these...

Amebix - Arise!

Xiu Xiu - Knife Play

Moss Icon - Lyburnum Wits End Liberation Fly 

SOPHIE - Product

Catharsis - Passion

The Mountain Goats - All Hail West Texas

Carl Stone - Mom's

Wolf Eyes - Slicer 

Arthur Russell - Love Is Overtaking Me

Wipers - Is This Real?

Mikey- I believe mine changes every time someone asks me that question. So hard to pin down. I love Moss Icon as well as Arthur Russell, Wipers and what I've heard of Xiu Xiu's catalog. Have you been reading anything lately you'd like to tell us about? 

Luna- No books in a while, but I recently re-read the Fucking Trans Women zine by Mira Bellweather after hearing about her passing. It's a treasure.

Mikey- Thank you for your time Luna. Good luck with everything!