Interview: Tales Under The Oak

Photo by Frédéric Brichau (Fred - Shoot Me Again)

As a kid, I grew up reading the book series Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel. Both the illustration and the transcript told a story, often one that was very other-worldly. It was fantasy in a simple, child-like manner, but it was strange and beautiful in a peculiar way. I loved it, and it also was my only childhood understanding of frogs in differentiation from toads (just a fun, random fact).

Now, as an adult, I find it fascinating how Tales Under The Oak, a dungeon/fantasy synth project out of Germany, has utilized a frog as their main character for the musical tale they’re weaving across multiple releases. And yes, it’s a tale, not just music, as you will find out later in the interview. There’s depth to this artist and the project, which is always more appealing than “just music”. It’s something that goes beyond music and into the unknown. 

It’s with great pleasure that I get to present to you an exclusive interview with the artist behind Tales Under The Oak, as I am a big fan of their work, myself. I hope you enjoy the read!

First off, I’m so glad to have you join Blacforje for an interview! Let’s start with location. You’re in Berlin, Germany. Correct?

Thank you for the invitation! Yes, correct, Berlin is my hometown since 2013. A very nice city to get rooted in a creative field.

What’s the dungeon synth and fantasy synth community like there in Germany (or lack thereof)? 

Well, there are a lot of supporters of the scene in Germany, but it’s a bit tricky to see them in person since dungeon synth and fantasy synth live gigs are a rather rare thing in Europe. But we can all feel that things are changing again, and there’s more attention to this music in general - people organize festivals, some get-together events, more new labels get started, etc.

I also feel that, with my love to local culture, architecture, nature, there’s a big influence in my music, and people tend to read this subconsciously. So yes, I am happy to be here and feel the huge support from the listeners.

You just released your fourth album titled The Toad Alchemy. It’s magical, mysterious, and nostalgia-inducing. I truly love what you did with the record. What inspired this one for you?

Oh, thanks! I keep developing the initial idea of telling “tales” with this project, and I understood that I need to write more about the toads’ world. So, I chose the typical saga approach – a journey with the character’s transformation as the core of the Toad Alchemy short story.

Also, it was very interesting to start with the tale at first, and only after that to get to the music itself. I enjoy this kind of approach; it gives you the feeling as if you are writing a soundtrack with the movie/game script in your hands.

‘The Toad King’ by Tales Under The Oak

I’m assuming this is a continued “story” within a broader tale you’re telling in your music. What would you say is happening in this particular chapter?

Yes, exactly. The Toad Alchemy takes place in the Swamp Kingdom, within a short period of time, a couple of decades after Krogg II’s death (the toad king from the very first album). The background of the story is life in the Swamp Kingdom, not prosperous anymore, very centralized in the Royal Marshes, with folks forgetting about their old wisdom and traditions. And there are two characters: Borg – the young hunter from the Royal Marshes, and Albog – the alchemist who is representing the older generation and who grew up during the famous Toad King’s times. They set off on a mystical journey to the northern lands together, and they both change and become friends.

Music is basically a soundtrack for this whole story. Somewhere, it inspires the overall atmosphere; somewhere, it represents a specific place they see.

I have to ask an obvious question, as I know everyone probably does with you already. What’s with your fascination with frogs?

A funny fact: when I was composing the first tracks for this project, I was thinking about The Dwarf King. But then I realized that this story would be too boring for me personally to develop, and the scene is already overwhelmed with dwarves and other epic stuff. I wanted to focus musically and story-wise on something smaller, on a specific world that is around us and that people tend to overlook. And, like that, I slowly came to the idea of writing music about a developed anthropomorphic toad folk. It has actually nothing to do with Grimm brothers, but once again, we are in Germany, and people probably like thinking about this reference, as well.

Let’s return to your German roots. Is there anything about the historical tradition of Germany that impacts your art (that you’re aware of)?

I am not German. I was born in Moscow, but I absorbed enough culture of this land when I grew up and then moved here, and I really adore it, especially when it comes to mixing beauty, darkness, and nostalgia. Castles, paintings, books, music – there is a lot to get inspired. And, of course, life in a certain country (even modern) has a huge influence on arts.

I am not aware of any specific traditions that might have impacted the choices of musical instruments and artwork, but since I am once again referring to tales, I feel a big influence of old fairy-tale books (from minimalistic book covers to stories) that come from a variety of lands, including Germany.

Image from Tales Under The Oak

I like to delve deeper into the artist, not just the music. That includes the artist’s worldview. For you, does spirituality or philosophy play a part in your life? If so, can you share about that briefly?

Interesting question. I am a guy that needs to organize every single process around me, and for a long time, I was inspired by Marcus Aurelius’ books in which he develops his stoic views, especially about self-improvement. So, one part of me is always looking for maximum structure, but on the other hand, one of the reasons, why I started Tales Under The Oak was the impulse of creating a fairy-tale world where I and the people who like the music could find some shelter and kind of hide from the brutality of the outside world. And it is a great satisfaction and happiness for me when I receive an email from someone telling me that my music was around and helped during a hard phase in life, so I always keep this aspect in focus.

In essence, I balance between high structure and sort of healing escapism.

Other than your worldview, who are you outside of music? What are some of your hobbies and passions?

I am 100% a family guy; almost never go to parties nowadays. In my free time I try to read a lot. A big Harry Potter and The Lord of The Rings fan here.

I am a game nerd since my childhood – spending my time with good RPG games with pleasure, and as a result, I am also composing music for video games (a tabletop game Dolmenwood was a new and exciting experience for me last year, by the way).

Do you have anything interesting to share with fans about upcoming releases, whether that be music, merch, or something else?

Oh yes. At the end of March, I am officially releasing the mentioned Dolmenwood soundtrack on the Tales Under The Oak Bandcamp page and on all major streaming platforms.

Also, recently I decided to start my own small label for music that would be a good fit for an immersive RPG game: Mushroom Keep Records (you can find the page on Bandcamp). We shipped the first Toad Alchemy sets in Europe yesterday. There are much more interesting releases and fresh merch to expect soon.

Last question: My last name is Voigt, as I have a German heritage. My family moved to the United States sometime in the 1800s. Do you know any of my people there in Germany? Are my folks behaving themselves, or are they weirdos there like the Voigts here in the States? I’m concerned we’re giving ourselves a bad reputation globally.  

Haha! There are a couple of friendly musicians I know with the Voigt name, and I never noticed any strange activity around it locally. Funny fact about the name: my surname Gdanian is super rare and old. It was spread from Armenia to every part of the world in 1800s, as well. If I notice it somewhere, it means it’s my pretty close relative. One day, I made a really peculiar discovery when I came across an article about some other Gdanian who is shredding death metal with his band in Lebanon.

You can follow Tales Under The Oak on Bandcamp, Instagram, and Facebook.