SKEMER
Skemer is a brand new cooperation between singer Kim Peers (who is also a model for Vogue, Steven Meisel, and Prada) and guitarist Mathieu Vandekerckhove of post-metal band Amenra and his personal project Syndrome. Two very different worlds collide and lead to minimalist dark wave deconstructions that are equal parts brutal and erotic.
In this interview, Kim talks about the multilingual aspects of the project, how the creative chemistry works between her and Mathieu, the unique visual iconography of the band, and more.
Interview by Liam Kelsey
There’s a multilingual aspect to the work that’s intriguing. For example, Skemer is a play on words in two languages (the English word schemer and the West-Flemish word for "dusk") and though the lyrics to the songs are in English, “Rhoeas,” the title of a track from your album is Greek, and possibly an allusion to the red poppy. What unique roles does language play in your work?
In general, Belgian people are multilingual. Our mother tongue, Dutch, is a very interesting language but reaches only a small part in the world. Besides Dutch, I can speak French and English. Language is important to spread our vision. For me it feels right to use English for the lyrics. But if I can express myself better in another language, I will do that too. Sometimes words and sentences are more powerful and weighty in another language.
Like our band name Skemer: in Dutch, the word may sound romantic but with a dark background. Whatever we try to convey in our music. We both travel regularly (pre-Corona). So it’s part of our daily lives. Papaver rhoeas is the scientific name of the red poppy. The red poppy represents the sacrifice made by those who died in WWI, which was mainly fought in the region where we were born. Our first image for Skemer was a photograph of a red poppy from Henry Bourne, a photographer that I worked with as a fashion model. We used the image for our tape release on Tartarus Records and a t-shirt.
Where do both of your musical interests intersect, and where do they diverge?
We share a lot of musical interests. We both enjoy listening to dark wave, post punk, punk, 80s hardcore, old school metal, desert/stoner rock, hip hop and more.
Mathieu really likes The Misfits, I try, but still I don’t like them.
Mathieu sometimes loves to listen to shitty commercial hit music and has been called “Worst DJ ever” by Dennis Tyfus, when he was DJ’ing at a party in Antwerp. He could be good for a typical wedding party though!
I’m always searching for new bands. I like it sometimes more niche and obscure and as a DJ won’t play hit music. Maybe I would for fun. I love dancing to techno music in a club, which I miss a lot now. And I’m happy to also share this musical experience with Mathieu.
How does the creative chemistry between you both manifest? What are some unique ways that each person complements the other?
It comes very natural. It manifests quick and easy. Mathieu doesn’t talk so much about his process, which is making the music. And I don’t explain what goes on in my head when I write the lyrics and sing. It’s nice to keep it mysterious.
We are both very visual. Mathieu mostly with photography and video. I basically grew up in fashion, which inspires me a lot.
In 2015 I modeled for a video of the brand Vetements. Mathieu made the music for that video. A few years later Mathieu came to speak to me at a concert. This was our first meeting.
How has Mathieu’s past musical work — in particular his post punk background — influenced the work you both do as Skemer?
Mathieu’s past and current musical work is from a sludge/doom metal background. He’s a guitarist and a founding member of Amenra. About nine years ago Mathieu started making dark wave music while on tour with Amenra. When we met seven years later he asked me if I could sing on them. I have a background as a singer and composer. Mostly electronic, no wave and punk.
Both the videos and the lyrics themselves are laden with a rich, often dark iconography. How do you choose the symbols and look you use, and why?
Also this comes very natural. Probably because we both have a strong vision and are very decisive persons. There is fragility and surrender shown in a way that makes empowered and weak go hand in hand. There is transformation, making us learn and grow. Where will this change that I surrender to guide me? There is stillness, a retreat in the darkness of the soul. Light and darkness are together. Red is the color of blood [and] life and it is the color of love. There is strength that comes forth from this all.
The videos seem very much in tune with one another, and with the thematic qualities of the music itself. How involved are you in the production and direction of your videos? Any particular film or video directors who have overtly inspired your videos?
We are very much involved in the production and direction of our videos. For the first video “Sunseeker” the director, Lin Oshin (a very talented friend of mine) and I were sharing the moodboard. I asked two befriended fashion designers from Antwerp if I could use some pieces. The latex look is from Kjell De Meersman. The corset and the majestic dress with impressive head piece is from Nadav Perlman. Inge Grognard, make-up artist and long time friend, who I started my modeling career with, did her signature make-up. It was great to bring music and fashion together.
“Call Me” was filmed by Mathieu when we were in Sweden, because of a modeling job for me. Scandinavië has unique forests and it was the perfect opportunity to make a video.
For “Heartbreak” we filmed each other, my part is filmed in Berlin, his part in the botanical garden in Meise. Our part together is filmed in a beguinage near our house.
Has your background in fashion influenced the visual aesthetics of the band in any direct ways?
During my career I have worked a lot with professional people and designers. So in a way it will have an influence. But it also made me a stronger woman. Now I want to reflect this. And Skemer is the perfect medium for that. I feel strong and can do what I want. Free in a way. Our logo and our merch are designed by our good friends Uber and Kosher. I’ve known Deborah and Martijn for a long time. We feel a connection with their amazing work, which brings out our vision more strongly. They do lots of cool designs for fashion brands.
Would you say that Skemer belongs to a particular genre? For example: dark wave, cold wave, post punk, etc.? Does this matter, or are labels ultimately too confining to the type of music you create?
I would say that we make dark wave, cold wave and post punk. But after all, we just make music that comes from us. What we feel. Something deep within us that sees the sunlight. Energy and feelings. Very personal. But in a way it also matters and the labels make it easy to describe a bit what we do and how to find us. So we are super happy that Avant! Records and Wool-e-discs released our debut album Benevolence in October 2019.
Listen to more of Skemer and check for updates
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Liam Kelsey is a writer from Minneapolis, MN. His fiction, science fiction, and criticism have appeared or are forthcoming in Silver Needle Press and other independent publications. He would like you to read Break it Down by Lydia Davis and The Weird and the Erie by Mark Fisher. He would like you to listen to the band Pile.
