Name: Sebastian Lee Philipp aka Die Wilde Jagd
Nationality: German
Occupation: Songwriter, producer
Current event: Die Wilde Jagd is one of the acts performing at the Detect Classic Festival which takes Place July 19th-21st 2024 at Schloss Bröllin. Other artists on the bill include JakoJako, Dobrawa Czocher, Simon Popp, and FS Blumm.
Recommendations on the topic of sound: I was once gifted a beautiful book called Spectres II - Résonances / Resonances, which contains a collection of texts by various artists on the concept of sound and resonance. It offers some very interesting thoughts.
Another beautiful read is Silence by John Cage.

[Read our JakoJako interview]
[Read our Dobrawa Czocher interview]
[Read our Simon Popp interview]

If you enjoyed this Die Wilde Jagd interview, and would like to know more about the project's music, visit Sebastian Lee Philipp's homepage. He is also on Instagram, Soundcloud, and Facebook.



When I listen to music, I see shapes, objects and colours. What happens in your body when you're listening? Do you listen with your eyes open or closed?

Depending on my physical and emotional state, as well as the type of music, I’ll listen to music either with my eyes open or closed. However, I would say I mainly have my eyes open.

Music doesn’t make me see shapes, objects, or colours, but it can trigger very strong emotional and often uplifting physical responses, from sitting on the edge of my seat to head banging to dancing to punching the air in front of me.

How do listening with headphones and listening through a stereo system change your experience of sound and music?

I have yet to find my ideal pair of headphones.

I love listening to music on my studio speakers. While listening to music on headphones can bring out a lot more details and there is something quite intimate about fully closing oneself off from the world and letting the music enter one's body in this direct way, it tires my ears out very quickly. This is why I only listen to music on headphones when traveling.

Tell me about some of the albums or artists that you love specifically for their sound, please.

I love the sound of classic mid to late 60s productions, the later Beatles albums, Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys, and “In My Room” by The Walker Brothers, which I think is one of the greatest sounding pieces of music, particularly the use of reverb.



I feel this era produced the most beautiful sounding music gear, studio techniques, and album sounds.

Sometimes, I also enjoy listening to very well-produced pop music, like Depeche Mode, Tears For Fears, “Frozen” by Madonna, and many more. I also love the sound of albums recorded by Steve Albini.



Many of my favourite albums are ones that, from a technical perspective, arguably don’t sound very “good,” but I still love them for their sound. An example of this would be The Velvet Underground & Nico, which is one of the greatest albums ever and sounds exactly the way it should.



Another example would be “Over The Edge” by Wipers, which I adore.



As a recording artist, my main ambition when producing my own work or that of others is to find the right sonic energy an album should contain. It’s become rarer for me to hear newly produced works that make me listen up and get very excited about the sound, but it does happen occasionally.

I recently listened to the new Beth Gibbons album Lives Outgrown and thought it sounded very, very beautiful.



Do you experience strong emotional responses towards certain sounds? If so, what kind of sounds are these and do you have an explanation about the reasons for these responses?

Yes, it could be simple things like the coffee machine in the morning, signalling the joyful anticipation of the first cup of coffee. Or deeper memories triggered by certain sounds.

For instance, I inherited a beautiful antique gun replica from my grandmother which I sometimes "load" and trigger. The clacking sound of the metal takes me back to my childhood, when I would play with it at my grandmother’s house.

There can be sounds which feel highly irritating to us and then there are others we could gladly listen to for hours. Do you have examples for either one or both of these?

I’m not keen on the sound of the dentist's metal tools working on my teeth ...

In terms of nice sounds, I own some big wooden organ pipes and I love the sound they make when I blow into them—dark and woody. I could listen to this sound for a long time.

Are there everyday places, spaces, or devices which intrigue you by the way they sound? Which are these?

I love the sound of big ice cubes moving in a big, solid whiskey glass.

Have you ever been in spaces with extreme sonic characteristics, such as anechoic chambers or caves? What was the experience like?

I don’t think I’ve ever been in a real anechoic chamber but I’ve been in many acoustically “dead” recording rooms and studios and don’t like the feeling particularly.

I love caves and anything with long reverbs, like mountain valleys … that feeling of sonic travel and eternity. I like that about churches, also.

What are among your favourite spaces to record and play your music?

I love working, listening and generally spending time in my own studio in Berlin. It has some basic acoustic treatment but nothing crazy.

I just like to BE there.

Do music and sound feel “material” to you? Does working with sound feel like you're sculpting or shaping something?

I am still completely mystified by the concept of sound and music. It doesn’t feel material at all to me, it's completely shapeless and more like something spiritual.

However, the craft of producing and mixing has a very materialistic aspect. It’s interesting how, in the process of recording and production, we capture sound and then humanise it by adjusting it to our standards of “good.”

My friend James once remarked that if aliens were watching us compare mixes, tweak sounds, and such, they would be completely flabbergasted, and I think he’s right.

How important is sound for our overall well-being and in how far do you feel the "acoustic health" of a society or environment is reflective of its overall health?

Thinking about it, many things around us, such as cars, trains, and machines in general, have become quieter over time due to technological progress. This can create absurd new experiences, like when I was walking through a quiet side street in China and, out of nowhere, an electric scooter drove past me at an insane speed, not making any noise at all, scaring the daylight out of me.

Perhaps this move towards less loudness in cities is a good thing overall. Unfortunately, though, we are so detached from nature and the feelings and sounds it brings us. I see nature and its sonic powers as the main source of acoustic health, more than anything else.


Die Wilde Jagd Interview Image by Paul Max Fischer

Sound, song, and rhythm are all around us, from animal noises to the waves of the ocean. What, if any, are some of the most moving experiences you've had with these non-human-made sounds?

Natural sounds like waves, rain, wind, thunder, and animals are the most beautiful sounds of all. They are intertwined with our DNA, eternally connecting us to them. I think they give us a brief glimpse into the vastness of the universe and make us feel humble within it.

As for animals, I live with two cats and love the sounds they make when they yawn, purr—pretty much any sound they make. I used to live with a boxer dog, and one of my favourite noises was hearing him breathe and snore at night.

Many animals communicate through sound. Based either on experience or intuition, do you feel as though interspecies communication is possible and important? Is there a creative element to it, would you say? 

I sometimes try to imitate the noises my cats make in an attempt to communicate with them, but they don’t appear to be particularly impressed or responsive.

However, I do sometimes lay my head on them and start “purring,” and I think they enjoy this sensation - for a few seconds.

Tinnitus and developing hyperacusis are very real risks for anyone working with sound. Do you take precautions in this regard and if you're suffering from these or similar issues – how do you cope with them?

One reason I don’t listen to music on headphones much is that I find it very intense on the ears and worry about tinnitus. I’ve been exposed to extremely loud music in clubs, concerts, and on stage. While I do enjoy the kick and pressure from music and often listen at high volumes, especially if the speakers sound good, I believe the overall volume at live shows and clubs (especially in Berlin) is often too loud.

At almost every concert or club I go to, I feel the need to use a bit of paper tissue in my ears because it seems excessively loud and potentially damaging. I've experienced temporary tinnitus after loud events, but fortunately, it has always subsided over time.

Interestingly, an old friend who visited me recently believes that the sound of tinnitus may be a trapped soul needing guidance to the next realm. She can guide these souls, after which the tinnitus disappears in her ears.

We can surround us with sound every second of the day. The great pianist Glenn Gould even considered this the ultimate delight. How do you see that yourself and what importance does silence hold?

I love silence, though I rarely experience complete silence. Lately, I've been spending more time in the countryside and can really feel the difference between loud and quiet places. It's not just the absence of sound, I sense that noise, life, and movement all leave traces in our environment.

I find a special calm in places with fewer noise traces. However, I also appreciate the energy and liveliness of cities.

Seth S. Horowitz called hearing the “universal sense” and emphasised that it was more precise and faster than any of our other senses, including vision. How would our world be different if we paid less attention to looks and listened more instead?

I have a feeling that we might move more slowly, which could be beautiful.

I've always been intrigued by the idea of having a conversation with a blind person about this. Perhaps the opportunity will arise one day.