EARLY YEARS
Yonder started experimenting with music in his teenage years, and had his first release in 1998 while he was still a high-school student. The song was called Pink Solidism, which was a groovy instrumental cover of Riders on the Storm by The Doors. Later that summer his first five track EP came out on vinyl, called Cinnamon Kisses. Some of the songs got licensed to Western European compilations and soon after he received a record deal from a German label.
SHALLOW AND PROFOUND
He recorded his first long-player right after graduation, on his own budget, which was almost 300 USD. This allowed 2 days in a cheap studio to record the acoustic instruments, like vibraphone, accordeon, sax and vocals. Everything else like keys, synth, guitars, bass, scratches were recorded at home, and the material got produced and mixed on an average home PC. The album titled Shallow and Profound came out in 2000 and its success put Yonderboi on the international map of electronic music. He was amongst the pioneers of downtempo and trip-hop, the youngest member of the movement, and the only one from the former Eastern Bloc. His music was very much in sync with the global culture of the era, yet it was distinctly different with its Eastern European charm. The album invoked and melted together the romance of several decades of the 20th century, from 30's poetry and chanson throughout 50's/60's jazz to cinematic soundtracks. As the title also suggests the record is divided into two main parts, a more vivid and playful, sometimes cartoonish first part and a rather contemplative, dreamy second part. The most successful song of the album (which came out on single as well), the vibraphone ruled Pabadam was widely recognized. Even Laurent Garnier announced and played it on Radio Nova, not to mention that Gilles Peterson has supported the song on BBC Radio 1 in his program Worldwide. The listeners voted the track up to position 9 in the Worldwide Winners 2000. Still today Pabadam is a frequent guest on compilations, fashion shows and radio programs. Other notable tracks are Road Movie (also available as video), Fairy Of The Lake, Pink Solidism, Ohne Chanteuse. Yonderboi also started to perform his music live, supported by his temporary band called Yonderboi Quintet. They played various festival stages, amongst many others Sónar, Lowlands, Oslo and Rotterdam Jazz Festivals and several clubs throughout Europe and Russia, like Melkweg, Supper Club, Razzmatazz, 16tons.
SPLENDID ISOLATION
Yonder wanted the second album to be substantially different from its predecessor both in content and on the surface. There were more resources available this time, yet his basic approach to recording remained simple, he recorded almost everything at home, from electric guitars through male vocals to cellos and brass. Only one day was spent in a proper studio, to record the children's choir for the opening track All We Go To Hell, which obviously needed a bigger space than Yonderboi's bedroom. The post-production of the material ended up surprisingly in Los Angeles, thanks to the lucky meeting with Dutch producer Tom Holkenborg, who helped Yonder to finish up the record. The album was named Splendid Isolation and came out in 2005. Even though it does have some Eastern European qualities, it is much more melted into Western culture than Shallow and Profound. The record has three main parts, a rather downtempo-ish beginning, then a guitar pop inspired core and a mind bending soundtrack-like closing. Two songs were copied on singles, Were You Thinking Of Me? and People Always Talk About the Weather, each had a gorgeous cinematic video directed by Yonderboi himself. Both the songs and videos got played by several stations, amongst others MTV Europe, KCRW, Studio Brussels. Several songs of the album got licensed to films, TV shows and video games, probably most often the ultra-dark and cynical Before You Snap. On the Splendid Isolation Tour Yonderboi was supported on stage by his second temporary band Kings Of Oblivion. They visited many festivals all over Europe like Pukkelpop, 5 Days Off, Sziget and venues like Paradiso, Melkweg, A38 or Uebel and Gefaehrlich.
PASSIVE CONTROL
The goal was to create the female sequel of the quite masculine Splendid Isolation. Yonder found the female voice that he was looking for via myspace, in the person of a previously unreleased young German singer Charlotte Brandi. The recordings of the album took place in Yonderboi's home studio again. However this time only a few instruments got captured, like female vocals, acoustic guitar and a little cello. The rest of the sounds were played and programmed by Yonder, he also produced and mixed the album all by himself. His intention was to compose a rather coherent sonic universe, where the organic and the artificial creates harmony, and the border between them is almost unrecognizable. The album is difficult to place both geographically and in time, it does not really belong anywhere, however it has a strong European character. Both the soundscape and the artwork is created to be futuristic and outmoded at the same time, the album invokes the utopian art deco vibe of early 20th century, 70's folk and 90's electronic music. The new songs got already recognized and played by amongst others Jason Bentley on Morning Becomes Eclectic at KCRW. The German Vogue magazine reviewed the album and had Paint Hunting On The Wall on its monthly playlist at position 5.
YONDERBOI IN HOUSE
Last year Yonder started a remix project called Yonderboi In House, which will be released as an EP series on his own label Yonderland. Until then these tracks can be heard exclusively on his current, similarly titled live act. While creating the show Yonder used his DIY skills to design a matching, conceptual stage set: a glowing house frame and a Y-shaped DJ booth. So far the tour included venues like Palác Akropolis in Prague, Sziget Festival or Amsterdam Dance Event 2012. As a consequence he was able to cross off an important line on his childhood bucket list “tweak a real Roland TB 303 on stage”.
Riders on the Storm
Yonderboi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We, we are alone
And I feel so helpless
There′s nowhere to go
To storm on the sea
To stranger to me
Light on the shore
So let the wind blow
Lead me to your door
The room is so quiet
Hush, don't you cry
Daybreak is dawning
Cold, cold in the sky
So don′t tell me your name
I can't stay here
Can't a cruel light of morning
Drive me away?
To storm on the sea
To stranger to me
Light on the shore
So let the wind blow
Carry me home
Lead me to your door
To storm on the sea
No stranger to me
Light on the shore
So let the wind blow
Carry me home
Lead me to your door
To storm on the sea
To stranger to me
Light on the shore
So let the wind blow
Carry me home
Lead me to your door
To storm on the sea
To stranger to me
Light on the shore
So let the wind blow
Carry me home
Lead me to your door
The lyrics of "Riders on the Storm" by Yonderboi evoke a sense of loneliness and helplessness. The persona in the song is at a party that is over and now finds himself alone. He feels vulnerable and unsure of where to go from here. The opening line, "This party is over," is a metaphor for the end of something, perhaps a relationship or a phase in life.
The persona then goes on to describe his surroundings, a stormy sea, and a stranger to him. The light on the shore serves as a beacon of hope as he navigates the storm. He calls upon the wind to carry him home and lead him to a familiar place. The persona yearns for a sense of belonging, a place where he can feel safe and secure.
The lyrics of "Riders on the Storm" are open to interpretation, but they convey a sense of hopelessness and displacement that many people can relate to. The repetition of the lines "To storm on the sea, to stranger to me, light on the shore" reinforces the persona's desire to find his way back home. The soft melody and haunting vocals add to the melancholic tone of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
This party is over
The good times have come to an end and it is time to leave.
We, we are alone
We are isolated from others and left to fend for ourselves.
And I feel so helpless
I am filled with a sense of powerlessness and inability to do anything.
There's nowhere to go
I am lost and uncertain of where to turn or what to do.
To storm on the sea
To face an uncertain and dangerous journey.
To stranger to me
The path ahead is unknown and unfamiliar.
Light on the shore
There is a glimmer of hope or safety in the distance.
So let the wind blow
I submit to the uncontrollable forces around me.
Carry me home
Take me to a place of comfort and security.
Lead me to your door
Guide me to a place of refuge.
The room is so quiet
There is a sense of stillness and calm after the chaos has subsided.
Hush, don't you cry
I offer comfort to someone who is experiencing sadness or pain.
Daybreak is dawning
A new day is beginning and with it comes the possibility of change or renewal.
Cold, cold in the sky
The weather is bleak and unwelcoming.
So don't tell me your name
I am not interested in personal details or getting too attached.
I can't stay here
I need to keep moving forward and not stay in one place.
Can't a cruel light of morning
The harsh reality of a new day is unwelcome and daunting.
Drive me away?
Will it force me to leave this place and continue my journey?
No stranger to me
I am familiar with the dangers and uncertainty of the path ahead.
Writer(s): John Paul Densmore, Jim Morrison, Robert A Krieger, Raymond D Manzarek
Contributed by Nathaniel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.