ElektroSpank - FMA - AUX ANIMAUX - Dark electronic horror stories

AUX ANIMAUX - Dark electronic horror stories | Interview

Details

Category:

Written by

Akill

Aux Animaux arrives in Athens for one seductive and emotional show in Death Disco Athens Open Air Festival 2025!

From the roots of her vegan philosophy and her love for horror cinema to the unexpected use of the theremin as a central element of her sound, Aux Animaux is one of the most unique figures in the contemporary dark electronic scene. Gozde, as is her name, has managed to build a singular musical universe, combining mechanical rhythms with a dark, almost mystical atmosphere.

Shortly before her performance at the Death Disco Athens Open Air Festival, we spoke with her about her music, her influences, her collaboration with Dancing Plague, and what it means for her to share the stage with legends of the genre. I also asked Gozde Duzer to create a playlist for the occasion, which I will call “Aux Animaux’s Essential Dark Wave Tracks” and which you will find at the end of the interview.

ES: Hi Gozde! Thank you for accepting the invitation and making this interview! Aux Animaux is such a striking name and a great idea! What does it represent to you and your music?

Aux Animaux: I came up with the name when I first started the project and I lived in Strasbourg to study French. I’d already been vegan for many years and it resonated with me to have a name that’s dedicated to animals. I also like the symmetry of it.

ES: What first drew you toward the darker, atmospheric sounds of dark wave and goth culture?

AA: From the beginning I had a softer sound. I was inspired by soundtracks of John Carpenter, the movie Drive, etc. Then I stumbled upon darkwave and I felt like I found a part of me that had been missing.

ES: I want to go straight to the theremin which is unusual in modern music but not in latest darker sounds. What inspired you to make it such a central part of your sound?

AA: About 10 years ago, I was nerding about synthesizers on YouTube when I saw Dorit Chyrsler’s collab with moog at Cern. How she used the theremin and blended it with synthy sounds really inspired me. I got my theremin, took my time to learn and developed my own unique touch.

ES: Your recent collaboration with Dancing Plague on “Demonizer” has been getting attention. How did that partnership come about?

AA: Me & Conor had been following on each other on social media for a while. Then on his EU tour at the beginning of the year, he and his crew crashed at my place and we became good friends. We realized we had a lot in common and decided to do a collab together. Now we’ll also do a tour together in US and EU this fall.

ES: What was it like blending your sound with Dancing Plague’s on “Demonizer” and do you see more collaborations in your future?

AA: I did 99% of the song, I produced, wrote and mixed it, so it’s an aux animaux song at the heart. Conor sang the lyrics I wrote, he added one synth on top of my ones and the toms you hear before the chorus. I think it worked out quite well, our sounds aren’t that different from each other, we both have an inclination towards EBM, using sequencers often, and our voices worked
well together too.

ES: Your songs often feel cinematic. Do you imagine visual worlds or stories while composing? Do films, literature, or visual art play a role in shaping the soundscapes you create?

Yes, definitely I am a huge fan of horror films. You can hear samplings from plenty of horror movies in Body Horror, not musically but in terms of talking. I am really into occult arts too so that also becomes an important part of what I do.

ES: Do you approach your stage presence as performance art, or as an extension of yourself?

I am myself when I am on stage. There is no persona or anything. I like putting it out there audiovisually and share it with people.

ES: You’re set to perform at Death Disco Athens Open Air Festival. What does this appearance mean to you, and how are you preparing for it?

I am very psyched to be a part of it. I am a fan of a lot of the bands and it’s an honour to play onthe same bill with people like Peter Hook, Anje Huw and Cold Cave. Since I am always on tour, Iam not preparing for it. I will just get out there and do what I always do, i.e. give it all!

ES: What can fans expect from your set at Death Disco Athens? Any surprises or new material you’re about to unveil?

Nope, sorry. I just released 3 new singles in 3 months, so no more surprises right now.

Thank you! Looking forward to seeing you in Greece. Perhaps we could continue our discussion while you are in Athens!

Here you cna find “Aux Animaux’s Essential Dark Wave Tracks” playlist! Enjoy!