URSULA
DJ | Producer
‘WHATS WRONG WITH U IM DYING... this is incredible’ - one of the comments under URSULA’s set from a BLANC party two years ago, and it pretty much sums up the approach of the London-based artist.
The Hungarian producer spent many years living in the countryside of his native home before moving to Budapest, then London, and it was here that Jeno developed his URSULA alias. The moniker allows Jeno to project a darker side of his personality and release ‘climactic emotions by creating a sense of doom mixed with wonder and fascination’ through the medium of music.
Playing hybrid sets via Ableton Live in tandem with Ableton Push 2 and up to two Allen & Heath Xone K2 controllers, Jeno’s sets tend to be abrasive but carry an eerie undulation throughout each session. In 2014, he founded the hugely popular Legion event series and promoted the party as a queer hard techno night at a time when there was little else on offer in the city. Legion came to an end in 2018 and has since found a home on the airwaves of Threads Radio with the likes of KAOS, BLANC, HTBX and Inferno continuing to cater for the LGBTQ+ audience at night. Soon enough, URSULA became a regular staple at these parties before the pandemic hit.
A slew of bookings at Electrowerkz, FOLD, The Cause and Grow Tottenham made up Jeno’s agenda post-Legion. Along with local talents Anabel Arroyo, Alba Heidari, Lockhart, Kalli and Samantha Togni and many others, a plethora of names have also featured on the Legion radio show including Red Ophis, Becky Stroke, Hybrid Vigour and more. Thanks to previous club bookings, Jeno was immersed in London’s hard techno underbelly and fed off the energy and spirit of his co-headliners and friends at every event, making him a familiar face amongst the die-hard creatures of the night on the London circuit.
A weekend at Katharsis was right up Jeno’s murky street of fun, and the festival made a lasting impact on his memory. He describes the occasion in spectacular detail below, alongside a handful of tracks and lifestyle choices which have helped him during lockdown…
Photo: GIA
Where was this photo taken and why did you choose it? What was the music vibe at the time?
My featured photo was taken last summer at Katharsis, a cutting-edge electronic music festival in Amsterdam. I think the picture must have happened on the second night of the event and by that time we had spent two nights dancing.
We were a fun group of people and I can't wait to be able to go back again with a bigger group. We had also spent a day at Dekmantel beforehand, which was a great experience. Nevertheless, our main destination was Katharsis, where the techno ventures way beyond the dark side, where the music was cleansing us with industrial doom. I was thrown into a parallel world on the dancefloor, where I was feeding off this ethereal but sinister energy. I felt indestructible, very powerful, and free.
It was my second summer attending Katharsis, and hopefully, there is a lot more to come. The event is very special because I have been missing this dignified darkness from the techno scene lately. That marching, blackhearted energy that bonds all the freaks and outsiders. The music at Katharsis is a prime example of that and the stunning visuals just pushed the demonic hedonism theme even further.
How have you been over the last couple of months?
Wow...well, there have been ups and downs, especially mid-lockdown. I'm an introvert, so at the beginning, I was very happy to spend time at home and do whatever I want. Then it eventually got to me; I was extremely frustrated with being with the same people all the time. I was missing the everyday structure and the contrast between work and fun, which generally would make life more enjoyable.
During that time, I did manage to finish some musical projects for my assignments, which I'm happy about. Right now, I'm still on Furlough and I'm not entirely sure how long for, but I think I subconsciously adjusted to this state a bit. I'm better now and I will try to make the most out of this remaining free time.
However, I have realised that when it comes to music production, clubbing is more important than I ever thought. I miss the external stimulation which provides the inspiration to sit down and create. Live streams just don't do the same. Due to the absence of club nights, I even managed to find a new context for techno such as long-distance running or gaming. In my opinion, these activities can provide the heightened emotional states that have similar dynamics to clubbing or dancing, both psychologically and physiologically. I always associate techno sets with narratives and emotions, so I guess it works for me. The runner's or gamer's high definitely helps, just put techno on.
Also, I have started to listen to more non-club music than before. Perhaps this new type of inspiration could lead to new ideas, which then I can mould back into techno. It's always good to take a step back and look at things differently.
As an artist who plays live, has your motivation to experiment and keep learning about the art of live production been affected since the pandemic started?
When lockdown started, I decided to take my live experiments further because I have never done a fully live set. With today's ever-growing music technology, boundaries between a DJ set, live set, and production is being blurred. So, what I do most of the time is cut some tracks into my favourite parts and play with several layers. On top of that, I also use my production stems in the mix. It is not very linear; for example, I often go back to the same clips, I jump back to the intro of a track or play the same drop twice but mixed totally differently. That requires a huge amount of time and preparation, but this method thrills me more than anything. It gives me joy.
Eventually, I am trying to make my way towards more traditional live performance and I have more time than ever now. It's just unfortunate that I have spent all my production time trying to finish tracks, which can be more challenging for me. So at the moment that's my first mission and then possibly more live sets.
Have you been listening to certain genres or sounds that are not related to industrial techno which you’re most associated with as ‘URSULA’?
Oh yes! I listen to several different genres. I think you can't truly grow and be inspired if you only listen to one thing. Certain energies or stories can be told many ways musically and sonically. It does not stop at techno. Depending on my mood I listen to film music a lot, less conventional electronic music producers and metal. There are so many I could mention, so I made a little list. They all evoke intense feelings that I can associate with the type of techno I play.
Ben Salisbury, Geoff Barrow - The Alien
What's been a constant source of comfort for you throughout this time?
I tend to comfort eat at times, so takeaway is definitely one of these things.
I'm also reading a new book called Uprooted by Naomi Novik. It's a pretty dark and twisted fairy tale about a witch for adults. I often find comfort in these dark, weird, or more melancholic themes. It can either be a book, a film or a TV show as long as they are fascinating and inspiring enough for me to be engaged. DARK or Mindhunter on Netflix, or films like Under The Skin, Thelma, or Annihilation.
I have also come across this game called Dark Souls III, which I deeply resonate with due to its breathtaking aesthetics and profound lore. It's a masterpiece and I can get lost in it playing on my Xbox One. I guess it is a form of escapism and It has also been a primary source of inspiration and entertainment.
However, the most helpful activity for me is running and exercise. It can make a huge impact on my mental health. I really enjoy having that as an outlet for my excess energy and frustration. It pumps me with happy hormones.
Watch URSULA’s live set for UNFOLD here and follow him below: