Artist Spotlight: Sensu
As someone who has recently moved to London, the appeal of living in the busy and bustling capital has been accentuated the longer I’ve been here. An epicentre for culture and creativity, London is brimming with vibrant locations, unexpected discoveries and engrossing personalities. Inspiration comes quick and fast, as you try to keep up with a sleepless city and its effervescent occupants.
Swiss producer Sensu discovered this in abundance during her temporary switch to the city. London provides the epitome of her influence for Numéro LDN, her fantastically eclectic new EP, which she moved to for a short period of time whilst manufacturing this body of work. Meticulously crafted and deftly demiurgic with its production style, the EP is a mish-mash of genre and style, as Sensu floats through D&B, Garage, House, Hip Hop and more, culminating incredibly diverse soundscapes and manifesting an erudite, metropolitan sonic ideology.
With impressive chemistry from features with London-based artists Jamal Bucanon and Denyher, Sensu shows impeccable nuance and understanding to take the atmosphere and ethos of a city and translate it into a musical depiction of her journey and experiences.
I connected with Sensu to talk about the engrossing new EP, her time in London and the impact that it had on her sonic vision, and finding her sound and place within the production world.
Who and what influences you?
Mostly other artists, music I listen to and different things in life I experience. Especially artists who cross genres again and again and don’t allow themselves to be restricted into one sound.
When did you first start producing and why did you choose that path?
I started producing music 12 years ago when I wanted to contribute something to hip hop culture. I was a huge fan and went to 90s rap concerts pretty much every weekend, so that really inspired me to start making sample based hip hop beats. 2 years later I wasn’t really inspired anymore. That’s when I first heard about Flume, Disclosure etc. which brought back life into my creative journey. That’s when I started the Sensu project. There’s really nothing else in life that gives me that spark, energy and inspiration like making music.
How did you find your sound?
I think I’ve only just found my sound with the Numéro LDN EP. It took me years, 1 album and 2 EP’s to be really happy with what I do.
How would you define that sound?
It’s hard to say… I’d say uk/future garage and jungle inspired electronic music. But I don’t really know haha.
For producers, it is a thin line between remaining in the shadows and marketing yourself as an artist. Do you see yourself as an ‘artist’?
As Sensu I definitely see myself as an artist. Not only because I’m playing concerts/live-sets, also because I release my own projects. I think as a producer it’s important to be open and do co-producing projects, produce for others and collaborate with other producers. I really can learn a lot from that and I always find myself taking my own project to a new level.
Did you find it difficult manufacturing an image/brand for yourself as a producer?
I’m still working on it. Especially because my music evolves constantly.
How have you developed in your style since your 2019 album Embrace?
It’s hard to speak for yourself, because I always hear things differently than other people. To me I think I really could finally bring all the sounds that I love and inspire me into one. It also feels like I’ve finally found my strength.
Talk me through the creative process for the new EP Numéro LDN?
I wrote the track Outspoken on my EP Inner Monologue together with LYAM in London. This session and the whole weekend has been so inspiring to me, that I knew I had to come back to soak up all the inspiration that the city gives me and put it into a new project. So, I went home, told my boyfriend who’s also a producer, that we have to go and live in London for a few months. We rent a flat in Willesden Green for 3 months and spent time in different studios and at home writing new music. I wrote all the songs there and finished them back home, here in Switzerland.
How did life differ here for you compared to Switzerland?
I can only speak for the 3 months I’ve been there. Here in Switzerland every artist has a day job, it’s a mentality thing here and if you want to jump on a session, it’ll take months to find a day that works for both. Over here life is more boring and music in general has a different status unfortunately. Sometimes you have to leave your comfort zone if you want to reach your goals. My goal is definitely to make a living out of it.
There is an effortless combination of styles on the EP, how did you combine so many sounds so seamlessly?
That’s a big compliment, thanks! I actually have no idea how I did it. I think I didn’t do it on purpose. I’m just trying to bring all my musical influences into my own genre and create something unique.
Really enjoyed the features on the project, why did you choose Jamal and Denyher and what do you think they brought to the EP?
It really inspires me to work with other artists. I’m connecting with a lot of different artists in real life, on Instagram or whatever and when I have a project that I think would fit, I’ll just send over my demos. I think the best collaborations happen naturally if you feel the vibe of each other.
If you were introducing yourself to a new listener, what track would you play them and why?
That’s a hard one. I think right now it would be Hypnotize Me Baby or/and Pink because these are the ones I’m most proud of at the moment.
Where do you want to take your artistry?
I want to keep crossing genres and trying out new things.
What’s to come from you this year?
I’m working on some cool remixes at the moment, also on some co-producing projects and I plan to release a 2 single track EP later this year.