Breaking Through | 5 Questions with Locate S,1

Having already explored multiple musical avenues under a series of pseudonyms, via the guise of Locate S,1, Christina Schneider's has crystallised her mad-scientist tendencies into glitzy, oddball pop bops.

Posted: 29 July 2020 Words: Tom Curtis-Horsfall

For Fan Of: St. Vincent, Frankie Cosmos, Ohmme

Locate S,1 is the latest iteration of Christina Schneider's prolific, shape-shifting career; exploring multiple musical avenues under a series of pseudonyms (CE Schneider Topical, Jepeto Solutions, Christina Schneider’s Genius Grant to name a few) since 2014, these led to her to the door of her current guise. Not that she's settled by any means.

Painting from a palette of synth-pop, disco, lo-fi garage rock, and even jazz, Schneider's latest album as Locate S,1, Personalia, crystallised her mad-scientist tendencies into glitzy, oddball pop bops, drawing from the likes of ABBA and Kate Bush as much as Syd Barrett's astral meddling.

Written with the agenda of understanding and expelling "a darkness" that has come over her, and society at large, in order to live a more fulfilling life, Personalia acts as a projection of her headspace, where infectious fun and gloomy introspection share equal billing.

Whilst her support slot on Of Montreal's US tour has been put on hold for the foreseeable, Schneider filled us in on communicating via Jesus Christ Superstar, her creative process, and the "wonderful harm" of the internet:

What first got you into music?

My family had voluntary aphasia and could only communicate through song (think Jesus Christ Superstar). I had to learn to sing to be heard.

How would you describe your creative process in terms of writing/recording?

My process is to work from the end first and the beginning last. I call it reverse sublimation. The end result is that I hear a song I don’t remember writing and everything I overcame in the process comes back to haunt me.

What is your favourite song to perform?

My favorite song to perform is 'Wake Up Little Susie', but slowed down to the speed of my entire lifetime, so it is barely audible. I’m always performing this but nobody knows.

If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be and why?

Any artist who has worked with Glyn Johns. I’d like to get his phone number.

How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?

I think it’s done a lot of wonderful harm. The internet has made it easier for people to see art in 1's and 0's: something to be ranked, scored, summed up in a zip file and moved to the trash. This attracts creative minds.

Personalia is out now via Captured Tracks. To hear more from Locate S,1, click here.