Noctem Vulpes
As a brilliant highlight of this day, which is entirely dedicated to instrumental music, we present to you Marcel Hunsinger, who has made a name for himself as Noctem Vulpes. Noctem Vulpes is the brainchild of Marcel Hunsinger, a dark ambient musician from Hessen, Germany. His music is a blend of haunting drones, atmospheric textures, and psychedelic melodies, influenced by a wide range of artists, from The Velvet Underground to Trent Reznor.
Marcel also draws inspiration from nature, literature, and horror movies and TV shows, such as The Haunting of Hill House. His latest album, 3 a.m., reflects his experiences in Ireland and Norway, where he explored the beauty and mystery of the night. With 3 a.m., which he released in mid-December, he takes the listener on a journey through the blackest night, which he illuminates with eight new experimental and dark soundscapes.
The music on 3 a.m. was created, like his previous albums, in his small home studio, where he recorded, mixed, and mastered it. Each track is an improvisation that grew out of an idea or a sound. Noctem Vulpes follows the sounds like a red thread and weaves new acoustic worlds thread by thread. Through the improvisational character of these soundscapes, the music also allows a glimpse into the soul of the artist at the moment of recording and challenges the listener to lose himself in it.
What is the story of the person who created Noctem Vulpes and who inspired your musical style?
That's a tough question honestly. I am Marcel, a socialworker who creates droney music on the side. Besides music I have other interests aswell, like my pets (dog and tarantulas). Also, I would say of the people I know who had a huge influence on my music and sound, I have to name two people: my wife, who's my partner in crime and always supports me, aswell as my good friend Thaddeaus aka Struxtures.
Otherwise, from the top of my head, I would right now say Mark Korven. With his soundtrack for the movie "The VVitch", he really opened my mind for experimental cinematic soundscapes. But, depending on the day, I would always tell you other musicians, who had a big influence on me, like Jimmy Page or The Velvet Underground.
Your song “Wandering Off” has a cinematic feel and a hint of “Darkness”. What or who motivated you to write this song and what does it mean to you?
The song was inspired by many things mixed together. The base was a chapter of the book "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson, where the characters start to explore the house. On the other hand, it was inspired by the feeling that I get when it's late at night and am outside in the middle of nowhere. Something that my wife and I expirienced a lot during our vacations.
Your album “3 a.m.” came out recently, how would you characterize it?
I would describe "3 a.m." as dark yet melancholic soundscape perfect for a night in a haunted house or a cabin in the woods. You are all alone. Noone is near and the wind begins to talk to you.
I think instrumentals are very challenging musically. What do you find the most difficult, to express a story or a theme with sound?
For me, there are two parts that I would say are the hardest: first of all coming up with the idea/ the story. I tend to create a story for the entire album in my mind before I start to make the music. Sometimes this story shifts while creating the tracks (for example my third album Depths had a very different story in my mind at first). The other part is creating a sonic aesthetic that ties together the album but lets me be able to change it up enough for it not to become boring.
How much time do you spend on a track before you decide it’s “ready for release”?
In general, I need about a day for a track, of course always depending on how complex it is. Especially when it's a longer track and I layer lots of drones, I need more time. But it's not rare for me to completely scratch a track or upload it as a jam to my social media, because it doesn't turn out the way I want it to or I just feel like it's not good enough.
Who would you love to observe in the studio?
There are a few people I would love to look over the shoulder while they are working in the studio. One of them is Alessandro Cortini. I am really fascinated by his sounddesign and would love to steal some of his techniques. Another musician would be Hans Zimmer. I absolutely love his soundtracks and he is one of my heros. Seeing him work, getting to know his process would be stunning for me.
Which movie would you like to add your music to?
I think creating a soundtrack for the movie "It Follows" would've been amazing. I was watching the movie with my wife and got ideas how I would have used subtle, swelling drones to demonstrate the way "it" keeps getting closer. I really think it would have been fun.
But in general, it's a dream of mine to create the score for a movie and I would love to create one for an elevated horror movie like "Midsommar". But honestly, really any movie would be a dream come true.
What were the best moments for you in the last year and what do you want to accomplish in 2024?
My biggest personal highlight in 2023 was getting married to my wife. We are Highschool Sweethearts and finally decided to get married. Also the honeymoon in norway was absolutely beautiful and we actually took the photo that became the cover of "3 a.m." there. Actually every albumcover was created by my wife.
Musically, my highlight was the release of "3 a.m.". It's my biggest release yet and I am really proud of it. For 2024, I want to work more on my YouTube channel, I don't know how exactly, but that's the plan. Also I got a cello a year ago and want to get better at that. I didn't have as much time in 2023 as I would've liked. And hopefully I'll release another album next year. There are no plans yet, but maybe the inspiration will hit me soon!
