With "All Blessed" Faithless are back after ten years. Sister Bliss reveals why the new album was so long in coming.
Ten years ago the band Faithless released their last album with new songs. On Friday (October 23rd) a long player called "All Blessed" will be released, with which the British, who celebrated their greatest successes in the 90s with songs like "Insomnia" and "God is a DJ", want to spread the positive message has always been important to them. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, Sister Bliss (49) reveals what characterizes this message, whether Faithless will work again with Dido (48, "White Flag") and what memories the band has with Germany and the Nürburgring.
"All Blessed" is Faithless' first studio album in ten years. Why did it take you so long to record the record?
Sister Bliss: Some events in our lives came up and we went on a diverse musical journey with different artists. It took a while before we felt like we had something worth telling – that could work in the context of an album. It was a bit like jigsaw puzzle where you put all the pieces together so that everything fits together musically and textually.
What have you been doing in the meantime?
Bliss: We released a very successful remix album of our biggest hits in 2015 and toured internationally with it for over 18 months. I've also worked as a DJ, made music for film and television, and produced a successful radio show that ran on over 100 stations in 43 countries.
Did working as a band feel different this time?
Bliss: Yeah, it definitely felt different as there are a lot of challenges today and our albums always reflect the times we are in. You are currently more fearful, insecure and somehow dystopian. It was about finding the balance between the darkness we are bombarded with on a daily basis and the hope and positivity that are always part of Faithless' message.
Some of your most successful songs, "Insomnia" and "God is a DJ", stormed the charts in the mid and late 1990s. What big changes have you noticed in the music business since then?
Bliss: The internet has created the biggest change. We sold physical products when we started – CDs, records, and even cassettes – and advertised our music by touring all over the world. At that time one could earn a living with the products. Today, artists mostly get their income from live performances. It is very difficult to stay afloat just streaming or selling records and CDs. The reach of social networks has also changed the way artists present and promote themselves and their music.
Do you still enjoy hearing and playing the old songs?
Bliss: Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do that since the outbreak of the corona pandemic. But yes, to see the joy that our music gives people is humble and enjoyable. But I also need new music in my life, so I like to create a story around the performance. New music then joins the beloved Faithless classics.
You have worked with Dido, sister of your bandmate Rollo Armstrong, in the past. Are there any plans to do that again in the future?
Bliss: We founded "R Plus" together and released our first album "The Last Summer" last year. It's a nice dance project with that nostalgic, dull feeling that makes you think of magical past summers on the beach. It is put together as a piece of music – like a DJ set.
Germany has always welcomed you with open arms. How do you remember the times in our country? Were there any special moments?
Bliss: I will never forget the early days of our very first tour when we played with the Fugees in front of 5,000 people in Baden-Baden. We'd only had a handful of smaller shows before. It was a baptism of fire! Rock am Ring and Rock im Park were always cool festivals too. Once Maxi borrowed a journalist's car and drove it over the Nürburgring at 160 km / h before the show.
Are there any plans for future visits?
Bliss: I would love to come over as soon as possible.