Konzert Review & Interview mit Sleepwalker’s Station

Daniel from Sleepwalkers Station travelled solo to Sri Lanka to play a couple of shows, starting at drivethru in Madiha. However, around the same time, The Yard Skatepark, a community project in Madiha and Polhena, needed more funding. As a result, the concert was “outsourced” to support the fundraiser.

On that day, Daniel performed two sets. The first one took place in the afternoon at the pool area of Spindrift Hostel, with around thirty people enjoying the music. The atmosphere was intimate, and the songs ranged from dreamy to upbeat, with stories accompanying each one. My favorite song from that set was definitely “Democracy etc.,” a song written in 2005 that remains relevant today. It immediately made it into my favorite playlist.

In the evening, we moved all the equipment to the roof for the second set. This time, around a hundred people enjoyed the performance. Daniel sang in different languages, including Spanish, English, French, and more. The set had a more upbeat and enthusiastic vibe. The crowd was highly pleased, with some people dancing, others singing along, and everyone cheering after each song. We recorded one song from this set, “Tucumán,” live.

The use of different languages, the variety of music genres showcased through his guitar playing, the addition of harmonica as an instrument, and the stories he shared with each song were truly impressive. I thoroughly enjoyed his music.

After Daniel left the drivethru Surfcamp, he played a few more shows along the south coast of Sri Lanka before heading to India for a small tour. You can find some impressions of his show in Weligama as well.

Interview

Could you please tell us a little more about Sleepwalker’s Station and how it got its name?

Sleepwalker’s Station represents the fusion of two powerful images – the one of the sleepwalker, walking between the world of dreams and at the same time the world we commonly call reality. The second one being the station symbolizing a meeting point for travelers.

You have the ability to sing in multiple languages. Which language feels the most natural to you, and why?

I feel very comfortable singing in Spanish though it isn’t my mother tongue but it is the culture I identify with most at the moment and where I feel at home.

Is there a particular song of yours that you favor more than the others?

This is quite difficult as it’s a bit like asking a mother which child is her favorite but I do feel that at most concerts it’s the song “Hacia marte” which works best and is generally appreciated even more than the other songs.

Let’s talk about the musicians and bands who have influenced your journey as a musician. Who has inspired you along the way?

Nirvana changed my life as it was the reason for me to learn playing the guitar. But it wasn’t just their music but rather the expression of the Grunge scene of the 90’s. But of course this is not the genre I play now. I listen to a lot of folk, flamenco, chanson, Italian and Austro-Bavarian songwriters which is all reflected in the music I write as well.

Your latest album from 2020, “House of Cards,” is more melancholic and heavy. What motivated this direction?

This album was written during a 3 month heavy full lock down in Spain where i wasn’t allowed to leave the house apart from going to the pharmacy or the Supermarket. House of cards reflects the feelings and thoughts of this dark and gloomy period.

During one of your shows in Sri Lanka, you mentioned recording a new album. What can we anticipate from it?

Yes, indeed – we’ve been to Portugal in march to record the basic tracks for the new album which will follow in the footsteps of the multi lingual and genre blending album LORCA. So again there will be songs in 5 languages and various dialects crossing over multiple genres.

After performing some shows in Sri Lanka, could you share your thoughts and feelings about the experience?

It’s been good shows with a good listening audience but unfortunately very few locals.